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Trump to Impose Massive New Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China; U.S. Special Counsel Drops Federal Cases Against Trump; Ukraine: Russia Fired Record 188 Drones Overnight; Israeli Cabinet to Vote on Hezbollah Ceasefire Deal Today. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired November 26, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Both sides have been really ramping up their strikes, missiles from Hezbollah, bombing raids by the IDF at Hezbollah targets. Until that ceasefire is signed, it seems that the intense military operation, that's going to continue.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this a case of celebrity justice? The Menendez brothers have two hit shows on Netflix. It was an extremely gruesome killing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, tonight, thank God it's them instead of you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster and Christina Macfarlane.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Max Foster. It is Tuesday, November the 26th, 9 a.m. here in London, 4 a.m. in the eastern U.S., where Donald Trump is promising to impose massive new tariffs on China and America's neighbors on his first day back in office.

The incoming U.S. president says Mexico and Canada will be charged a 25 percent tariff on all products coming into the U.S. That would include everything from cars, furniture, electronics, to oil, food, and lumber. Trump claims the tariffs are a response to crime, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration.

He also posted that we'll be charging China an additional 10 percent tariff on all of their many products coming into the U.S., which led to this warning from China's embassy in London -- in Washington, rather. No one will win a trade war.

CNN's Steven Jiang is covering this live for us from Beijing. The reality here is that both these nations are dependent on each other in terms of trade, but clearly, President Trump is trying to draw a line.

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: That's right. You know, just a short while ago, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman actually declined to answer the question of how China would respond. Now, if anything, they could probably use some clarification from Trump as well, because I think we're not exactly clear whether or not Trump plans to impose this 10 percent additional tariff at the same time as the 60 percent tariffs he promised repeatedly during the campaign on all Chinese imports.

But of course, Chinese officials have been preparing to deal with this prospect for months. And interesting, I've been hearing slightly different sentiment from different officials here. Those in charge of diplomacy tend to put on a more brave face, saying China is capable and willing to fight back, while those within economic portfolios sometimes sound a bit more cautious, perhaps because of the sluggish Chinese economy.

And that, of course, is going to play a major role in their decision making, with many experts suggesting the Chinese response is likely to be more targeted and asymmetrical, meaning they are going to target U.S. companies and industries they may already intend to squeeze in the Chinese market.

And the other thing, of course, they've been doing is to diversify their export markets, trying to reduce their reliance on the U.S. market. But more noteworthy, though, is the fentanyl issue, because Trump explicitly linking China's failure to stem the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. to this latest announcement.

China, of course, denies that. Privately, officials have been complaining the U.S. doesn't show any appreciation for their effort, sometimes even at the expense of their own economic interest. Now, recently, we got into a counter-narcotics lab here in Beijing, where officials actually told us that just to resume the dialogues and exchanges on this issue have already produced progress with their communication with their U.S. counterparts, actually helping both sides identify and trace new chemicals used to produce fentanyl.

And sometimes, and they have also mentioned examples of U.S.-provided tips leading to concrete law enforcement actions here on the ground.

So the irony here, Max, is if Trump's new tariffs end up creating another free fall in this overall relationship, it could actually have very negative consequences on this very issue he is now linking to these new tariff threats against China -- Max.

FOSTER: He's also very clear, Donald Trump. Many people say he's very transactional. He's clear that there is always an option of negotiation. You know, when he's talking with Canada and Mexico, for example.

[04:05:02]

Is there a sense in Beijing that there may be some way of negotiating a way through this rather than, you know, coming back with a hard response?

JIANG: Yes, I think that's certainly part of the consideration, which is why now they declined to answer the question just a short while ago at the Foreign Ministry. They don't want to reveal their cards too early at this stage. But they are also very much haunted by Trump's first term while having to deal with a lot of wild swings in his China policy, including these tariff threats and policies.

So I think at the end of the day, that's why it's so important for them to diversify their export markets, which is something very much reflected in their more recent trade data. Remember, Mexico has now replaced China as the top exporter into the U.S. market, even though China's global share as an exporter continues to rise -- Max.

FOSTER: OK, Steven Jiang in Beijing, thank you so much.

Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Public Safety Minister issued a fairly neutral response too to Trump's threat of new tariffs. They called the relationship between the two countries balanced and mutually beneficial, particularly for American workers, and said that discussions about tariffs will continue.

Meanwhile, U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith dismissing all federal charges against Trump. That means the January 6th election subversion case and the classified documents case are both over, at least for now.

Trump is taking a victory lap, calling the prosecutions a political hijacking and a low point in the history of our country. He's boasting that he persevered against all odds and he won. CNN's Evan Perez picks up the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Special Counsel Jack Smith asked federal judges overseeing the two criminal prosecutions of Donald Trump to drop those cases, citing the longstanding Justice Department rules that forbid prosecuting a sitting president. Smith made the filings in Washington, D.C., where the election subversion case was filed against Trump and with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, which has a pending appeal of a ruling dismissing charges in the classified documents case.

Smith says that he consulted with lawyers from the Office of Legal Counsel, which serves as the in-house law firm for the administration, and determined that Trump is covered by that shield against prosecution, even now, as president-elect.

Smith says in his filing, the department's position is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated. This outcome is not based on the merits or strength of the case against the defendant.

Smith requested that the classified documents case continue for two of Trump's co-defendants who are accused of helping him obstruct the investigation.

Judge Tanya Chutkan quickly granted Smith's request to dismiss the January 6th related case, quote, without prejudice, meaning that the dismissal applies only while Trump is president.

Chutkan wrote: The dismissal without prejudice is also consistent with the government's understanding that the immunity afforded to a sitting president is temporary, expiring when they leave office.

So, does that mean that the cases against Trump could be revived after he leaves office? That's anyone's guess. Once Trump is president, he also could order his Justice Department to kill the cases for good.

Evan Perez, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: A top NATO official is warning businesses to reduce their reliance on China and Russia and to prepare for what he calls a wartime scenario. Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer is the chair of NATO's military committee. He told the European Policy Center that part of NATO's deterrence effort to make sure crucial goods and services can continue to flow no matter what. He says Europe has seen a number of acts of sabotage to its energy supply and says a deal with Gazprom is actually a personal deal with Russia's president.

That message to the West comes as Ukraine's foreign minister meets with G7 foreign ministers in Italy. The group plans to discuss continued support for Ukraine along with plans for peace and reconstruction.

Meanwhile, Ukraine says Russia launched 188 drones overnight, a record number. Ukraine's military says it shot down 76 of them. The country's air force says Russia also fired four ballistic missiles, which damaged critical infrastructure in one region. Earlier, the mayor of Kyiv reported a massive aerial attack on the city with Iranian-made Shahed drones coming from different directions.

Salma, what do you make of all this?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Record number of drones, 188 fired overnight. Our team on the ground says that air raid sirens did not stop all night long. Those interceptions kept coming.

Still some drones or some remnants fell and there was damage to homes, to buildings.

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No reports of casualties yet, but it's part of this continued escalation that we've seen when it comes to this conflict. And it comes as you mentioned G7 foreign ministers meeting today in Italy alongside Ukraine's foreign minister.

You expect, of course, that they're going to continue that same rhetoric that we've heard throughout this conflict from Ukraine's allies, from European partners. We are in lockstep with you. We stand with Ukraine. We will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes, but everyone there is, of course, preparing for a President Trump. A President Trump who has said he wants this war to end quickly. So when you see a record number of drones fired on the ground and you see the activity that's happening on the ground. And just to remind our viewers, just in the last couple of weeks, you've had President Biden approve longer range missiles. President Zelenskyy has been using those. Those U.S. made ATACMS to fire into Russia.

There has been the lowering of the nuclear threshold with an update to the nuclear doctrine from President Putin's side. There's also been this push on Kursk as well by President Putin. And of course, that extraordinary moment that we saw these multiple warhead ballistic missiles, these experimental weapons used in Dnipro.

You are looking at warring parties that are very much preparing for the possibility of talks and strengthening their negotiating positions on the ground. So you almost have these two parallel realities happening at once.

G7 leaders sitting in Italy saying, we're going to do what it takes. We stand with Ukraine while on the ground. You have both sides preparing for that possibility that they may be brought to negotiating table very soon by President Trump.

FOSTER: A matter of weeks until President Trump comes into power. What more can the Biden administration do to support Ukraine in that time?

ABDELAZIZ: Well, the first thing they did is the approval of those long range missiles. The approval of hitting these targets deeper inside Russia. But there was a response to that. There was consequences to that. And that is that President Putin fired those experimental ballistic missiles in Dnipro. He's been pushing ever harder in Kursk to try to regain that territory. He's making gains on the Eastern front.

So yes, Ukraine has had this additional push from President Biden, but does that continue? Does that change factors on the ground? It has not so far. Ukraine is still very much on the back foot, particularly in Kursk, even with those longer range missiles.

FOSTER: Salma, thank you so much.

Now, analysts say this could be the busiest holiday travel season in the U.S. on record. And as they get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, a disruptive winter storm is on its way that could seriously impact travel plans across the U.S.

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ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're tracking two storms for your Thanksgiving week. One in the process of exiting. We'll have some showers exit offshore the East Coast today, but that could still bring us some minor delays from New York to Boston.

The bigger, more potent storm continues to develop in the Rockies. That's bringing some delays from Salt Lake City back towards California, and that will continue to push east and could cause some headaches as we go through the holiday week. So one, again, exiting offshore through the day today. The next storm

already continuing to brew, and we'll find that rain becoming more widespread by Wednesday into Thursday.

A pretty soggy Thanksgiving for a lot of the East Coast. We could even have some snow for parts of interior New England. Couple of inches of snow possible there, and then the rain stretches from D.C. down to Charlotte, past Atlanta, and even down towards the Florida Panhandle.

We're looking at maybe an inch or two of rain, so not a lot. A couple of inches of snow as well. Again, mainly focused in interior New England, parts of upstate New York, and Maine as well. Some inches of snow also in the Rockies.

So again, travel headaches mainly focused on Thursday, really. On Wednesday, we could have a couple in the Rockies. Again, as that storm continues to develop. And as we get towards Thursday, that's when they become more widespread for bigger cities, from New York and Boston, D.C., down to Atlanta, because of some of that rain and snow that will make Thanksgiving travel pretty soggy.

The parade in New York City, that Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, will also be a pretty wet one with some of that rain during parade time. Again, showers stretching down the East Coast, and it's pretty cold behind this front, so you'll want to bundle up for any Black Friday shopping.

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FOSTER: Weather isn't the only thing that's disrupting air travel. Inconsiderate behavior by passengers also resulting in airport chaos. American Airlines hoping to curb some of that with new technology to catch and call out line cutters at the boarding gates. CNN's Pete Muntean went to check it out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Loop four, customers are welcome to board.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Thanksgiving travel line cutters, consider this your warning. American Airlines now has a new system where if you jump the boarding line, you will get booted from the line and go back to board with the group that you're supposed to board with.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, you're in group five.

MUNTEAN: This is something called gate lice, according to the airline industry. They've really been trying to crack down on this because boarding is a huge pain point for airlines.

[04:15:00]

It can be kind of confusing on American Airlines because they have nine boarding groups. So this is what happens. When you get out your boarding pass and you're out of sequence, maybe you're in group eight. But they're really calling group five. You're trying to rush the line. That's the sound that says that I now have to make the walk of shame back with my group to board with them instead of trying to rush the line and board ahead of time. American says, so far, the response has been relatively positive.

They're rolling this out at 120 airports nationwide. The technology is in place now. We saw it in use here at Reagan National Airport in D.C. It worked. Ahead of what's going to be a huge Thanksgiving travel rush.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Before you even get to the boarding gate, though, you'll need to pass through airport security. So make sure the Crown Bride source is in your check baggage. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has outlined which holiday favorites are banned from carry-ons. So anything more than about 3.4 ounces that can be spilled, spread, or sprayed has to be in your check bag. That includes wine, cider, and canned foods. But travelers can carry their baked goods, their meats, stuffing, even casseroles on board. For foods that need to stay cold, ice packs are allowed, but they have to be frozen solid at screening checkpoints.

Now, still ahead, a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah now appears within reach as the Israeli cabinet prepares for a key vote. We'll be live from the region for you.

Plus, how thousands of people are working to put their lives back together after a massive fire tore through shanty towns in Manila.

And later, marking 40 years since the recording of the hit charity single, Do They Know It's Christmas, why some critics say the tune isn't painting an accurate picture of Africa.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS: Outside your window And it's a world of dread and fear Where the only ...

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The Israeli cabinet is set to vote today on a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah. One official in Lebanon familiar with the discussions expects a ceasefire to be announced in the day ahead. Despite the progress, the strikes across the border continue.

The Israeli military says it hit two Hezbollah command centers belonging to the group's executive council in Beirut on Monday. The Israel Defense Forces also say Hezbollah fired about 20 projectiles from Lebanon Monday and warned rocket fire into Israel could ramp up ahead of Tuesday's vote.

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn't give details of the potential agreement, but said it was expected to pass when the cabinet meets for the vote. But not everyone is on board. Israel's far-right National Security Minister says the deal would be an historic mistake.

Paula Hancocks is following the developments from Abu Dhabi, it does feel as if this is moving quickly. Where did they find the common ground?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, we're certainly hearing positive sounds from all sides at this point, but we are also hearing a lot of caution, especially from the Biden administration, which has been helping to broker this ceasefire proposal. They have issued an awful lot of caveats in everything they have said over the past 24 hours or so.

We heard from John Kirby within the White House that we're close, but I want to be careful. Until you get everything done, you don't have a deal.

Something very similar from the State Department, Matthew Miller, nothing is final until everything is final.

I think the Biden administration has certainly been burned a number of times when it comes to the talks and negotiations to have a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel. Many times they have thought they were close only to realize they were not.

And so what we're hearing from this point, from Lebanese officials, one official says that they believe this could be done within 24 hours. Now they said that late on Monday. So there is optimism in Lebanon that this could potentially go through.

So what we understand is that the Israeli cabinet will meet later today and they will vote on this proposal. We understand that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has agreed to the deal in principle.

But as you mentioned, there are those within his cabinet, most notably the far right wing lawmaker, Ben-Gvir, who are not happy with this proposal. He has said that he wants to see Hezbollah completely eradicated and thinks that this is a missed opportunity for Israel.

But all that being said, we are waiting now to see whether or not they can get past the finish line. It would be a 60 day ceasefire. So it wouldn't be permanent. But what the hope is, is that it would form the basis of a more permanent ceasefire.

We've also heard from EU's top diplomat speaking at the G7 meeting, urging the sides to agree. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOSEP BORRELL, EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: There is no excuses for a ceasefire. On the proposal agreement brokered by the U.S. and France, Israel has all security concerns. There is not an excuse for not implementing a ceasefire. Otherwise, Lebanon will fall apart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: Israel has warned its residents, though, that there is an increased chance of rocket fire ahead of the ceasefire. And we are seeing significant amount of airstrikes in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut as well -- Max.

FOSTER: I think everyone understands what a ceasefire is, but how sensitive will each side be to that? If a rocket came over from Lebanon into Israel, would we be straight back to where we are now?

HANCOCKS: Well, this we understand, was one of the real sticking points when they were close to the agreement. The fact that Israel wants the right to be able to respond if they believe that Hezbollah is violating the terms of the ceasefire.

[04:25:02]

And it is something that they had put forward, that they wanted a clause written in, that they were able to militarily respond. Something which, of course, Hezbollah said was unacceptable. And Lebanese officials believed it was unacceptable as well, as it violated the sovereignty.

We understand, though, that the Biden administration has been working around this particular issue because they understand that Israel does want to be able to react quickly if they perceive that Hezbollah is moving further south, close to the border, if they believe that they are rearming.

But this was really one of the trickier points when they were trying to agree to this ceasefire as to whether or not there would be this chance to respond. And to be honest, if there wasn't this -- it's not a clause -- but if there wasn't this proviso for Israel to be able to respond in the future, it would have been extremely difficult for the Israeli prime minister to get it approved by his cabinet -- Max.

FOSTER: Paula in Abu Dhabi, back with you with any updates. Thank you so much.

Now, while French prosecutors are asking for the maximum sentence for Dominique Pelicot, the man accused of organizing the mass rape of his former wife over 10 years of their marriage.

Prosecutors say he is fully responsible for crimes committed against Gisele Pelicot, who's become a face for women and sexual abuse survivors amid the public trial. She was greeted with cheers and flowers, as you can see, as she left the courthouse on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JACQUES PIERRET, PARTNER OF FEMINIST ACTIVIST NADIA GUENT (through translator): She's a heroine, a heroine, a very, very brave person, very dignified, very dignified. Each time I see her pass in front, I think she stands tall. She's very dignified and magnificent. That's what she is. I'm full of adoration for that woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Dominique Pelicot, who is 71, could face up to 20 years in prison. Activists are pushing for harsher punishments for the dozens of other men accused. CNN's Saskya Vandoome has more from outside the court.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SASKYA VANDOOME, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: I've just come out of the courtroom, where no cameras are allowed inside, and prosecutors have requested a 20-year prison sentence against Dominique Pelicot. And it's really only when you're inside that the sheer scale of it hits you. Row after row of men, most accused with aggravated rape against Gisele Pelicot, who's sitting just a few feet away from them with her head literally held high.

Across the room from her sits the man accused of organizing these rapes, her husband of 50 years, Dominique Pelicot. His eyes are often closed, and his hands are resting on a cane. As for the men on trial, some seem to share friendly exchanges, while others just keep to themselves.

Many of the defendants could get a maximum of 20 years, anchoring women's rights campaigners who have come here asking for heavier prison sentences. After months of hearings, this case really has whipped up emotions, not only here in France, but around the world, with many calling for change.

Saskya Vandoome, CNN, Avignon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Gisele Pelicot's case is receiving international attention with Vogue Germany featuring her on the digital cover of the magazine on Monday, which was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Cases like hers are usually tried confidentially in France, but Pelicot chose to go public with it, saying, quote, shame must change sides.

New developments in the Menendez brothers' bid to regain freedom. Coming up, why a judge pushed back their resentencing hearing to early next year.

And in Pakistan, thousands of protesters are defying police orders and tear gas to demand the release of their imprisoned former Prime Minister, the latest on the unrest just ahead.

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