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Trudeau Dines with Trump after Tariff Threat; Syrian Rebels Reach Center of Aleppo in Surprise Offensive; Northern Gaza Blockade Limits Essential Resources; Strikes on Ukraine Power System Create Tensions; Volleyball Team to Compete amid Debate over Trans Player; U.S. College Football Highlights. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired November 30, 2024 - 05:00   ET

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

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ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to our viewers in the United States and right around the world, I'm Isa Soares in London, you are watching CNN NEWSROOM.

Canada's prime minister makes a stop in the Sunshine State. What he and Donald Trump talked about during their sitdown.

There's a new offensive in Aleppo after years of a frozen front.

How far into the Syrian city opposition forces have advanced?

We have the very latest for you.

And police are clashing with protesters in Georgia. Why people are taking to the streets. The response from parliament next.

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SOARES: A very good morning, everyone.

We begin this hour with a dinner date in Mar-a-Lago, Canada's prime minister has made an apparent bid to head off Donald Trump's plan to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian imports.

Justin Trudeau flew to Florida Friday to dine with president-elect Trump. And this photo you're looking at of the dinner party was posted by Pennsylvania senator elect Dave McCormick. Trump has proposed the tariff on both Canadian and Mexican imports. Our Alayna Treene has all the latest for you.

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ALAYNA TREENE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, president-elect Donald Trump on Friday hosted Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau for dinner at Mar-a-Lago, a source familiar with that dinner tells me.

And really, this is a very important and notable moment in their relationship. This dinner comes just days after Donald Trump threatened to impose massive hikes on tariffs if both Canada and Mexico did not do enough to crack down on drugs coming over the borders as well as migrants.

Now we did hear the prime minister actually address reporters on this issue Friday morning earlier in the day, before he flew down to meet with Donald Trump. I'm going to read for you some of what he said.

He said, quote, "It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There is no question about it," he said.

He went on to add that, "Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians who work so well with the United States but he would actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and business."

So clearly Trudeau being very public, criticizing that threat from Donald Trump. I think the clear question now is whether or not they were able to come to some sort of deal or agreement over that dinner.

Now I can also tell you that these two men know each other very well. They worked together during Donald Trump's first term. Trudeau's team helped renegotiate the North America Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, as it more commonly -- as it's more commonly known, with the United States.

Really working on his relationship with Donald Trump and ensuring that the United States and Canada continue to have a great working relationship. Now we do know that, shortly after Donald Trump had made that post on Truth Social, threatening to impose steep tariffs on Canada, Trudeau actually got on the phone with Donald Trump.

He said that they had a conductive (sic) call and that he believes that they will continue to work together.

He added, quote, "This is a relationship that we know takes a certain amount of working on. And that's what we'll do" -- Alayna Treene, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Our thanks to Alayna there.

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SOARES: Let's get more on this. Thomas Gift joins us now. He's the director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London.

Great to see you, Thomas. Let's start then with this meeting, this dinner, I should call it, between president-elect and prime minister Trudeau. The reality is somewhat different in terms of what we don't know what was said.

But talk to the timing of this because, just days before he was president, he was threatening tariffs here.

What do you make of this?

THOMAS GIFT, DIRECTOR, CENTRE ON U.S. POLITICS, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: Well, thanks so much for having me, Isa. It's great to be with you.

I think Trump is still threatening tariffs. We've really learned that Trump's tough talk on trade isn't just bluster. It's one issue on which Trump has been very ideologically consistent, dating all the way back to the 1980s, 1990s and during his first administration, when he would say that China, for example, was eating America's lunch.

I think Trump's threats are essentially an opening salvo to revisit some of the basic principles of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal. And Trudeau's main task, as was just noted, is to convince Trump that imposing tariffs on America's trading partners would be devastating to the U.S. by passing on higher costs to consumers.

You know, for Canada especially, there's a lot on the line.

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Because upwards of 80 percent of its oil and 40 percent of its gas are exported to the United States.

SOARES: And, you know and both men know each other well, Thomas, I mean, from President Biden's first term.

But they do -- they have had kind of a rocky relationship to be honest with you, particularly on the question of trade, because Trump used tariffs in the first term against Canada, the threat of tariffs over negotiations to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Do you think, then, I mean, you said we should take him at his word here.

But do you think this is a negotiating tactic here, Thomas, or do you think potentially it's a bit of bluster?

GIFT: Well, I think it's Trump's art of the deal kind of standard way of going about things, trying to take a maximalist position and then understanding that you're probably going to work back from that.

Do think that a lot of experts were relieved when Trump appointed Scott Bessent to Treasury Secretary, thinking that he might be a moderating voice on trade. But Trump has really made clear in recent days that he's willing to take this fairly extreme position on tariffs.

The question is, you know, once these prices start to pile up on American consumers, how much pressure will there be to kind of attenuate these tariffs?

That's true with Canada. It's true with Mexico. And ultimately I think it's especially true with China.

SOARES: I'm glad you mentioned that because we have heard from Trudeau, who spoke, Thomas, just before the dinner. I want to play that and we can talk after. Have a listen to this.

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JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: One of the things that is really important to understand is that, you know, Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There's no question about it.

Our responsibility is to point out that, in this way, he would be actually not just harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, he would actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: And you touched on this, Tom, and that kind of latter point that the rising costs, to U.S. American consumers.

So I wonder how this will play with American voters who have quite very frankly, given him a large mandate because just this week, we've also heard criticism from President Biden. Right. Call them. The tariffs were counterproductive

GIFT: Well, you're absolutely right.

And I think there's an iron law of economics, which is, if you want less of something, tax something. If you want to make it more expensive, tax something. And Trump has really taken that tack.

We saw it during the first administration, particularly on China. Trump was very impulsive, very volatile. But he did get a lot of pushback. And there was quite a bit of consternation within the administration itself.

So I think ultimately how far Trump goes on some of these tariffs will depend on who he's surrounding himself with. If it's Scott Bessent, I think that there's a higher likelihood that he might ratchet them back.

There's some other real ideologues that Trump has appointed to key cabinet positions and to his West Wing, I think, that will be going hard in for tariffs.

SOARES: Do you think, Thomas, that the conversation, you know, there is no dinner for president Claudia Sheinbaum, at least that we don't know of.

But do you think that the conversation would be somewhat different with Mexico because, earlier in the week, we know that the president- elect and president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, did hold a call.

And then he said that she had agreed to shut down the U.S.-Mexico border. She denied that.

How do you see this, you know, the relationship between both of them, because she's been quite fiery and quite feisty on this. GIFT: Right. I mean, for Donald Trump, he's really made immigration a

key part of his campaign platform. And says that he really wants to prioritize it in his early days in office. He said famously during his first term that he would build the U.S.-Mexico border wall and then make Mexico pay for it. That never happened.

So it's unclear how much leverage Trump really has over Mexico. But really just kind of taking a step back, Trump, ironically, came to the White House because he could say he would address inflation.

And yet at the same time, he's taking two steps, imposing tariffs and pushing for mass deportations, that are incredibly pro inflationary and that are going to hurt American consumers. So how much they're going to feel aggrieved on that is still to be determined.

SOARES: Yes. And this is something we've heard from economists already, even writing "The Wall Street Journal" that the impact, the inflationary pressures that this would put on the United States. Thomas, great to see you. Appreciate your analysis. Thomas Gift coming to us from London.

GIFT: Thanks, Isa.

SOARES: Thank you.

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SOARES: Now the Syrian civil war is heating up again long after the government and its powerful allies appeared to crush the rebellion, Syrian rebel forces have now taken control of most of Aleppo. That's the second, the country's largest, second largest city.

After launching a surprise offensive this week. And video geolocated by CNN shows rebel fighters reaching the center of Syria's second largest city on Friday night.

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It is the first time since the context is important that they've set foot in Aleppo since 2016.

But one of president Bashar al-Assad's chief allies is striking back. Russian state media report that Russian warplanes launched airstrikes on Friday, targeting rebels in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. Russia claims to have killed at least 200 members of a Syrian jihadist group.

Let's get more on the situation as it continues to unfold. Oren Liebermann reports now from the Pentagon.

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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The situation in Syria with this lightning fast offensive by the rebels to have retaken the second largest city in the country is something the U.S. will watch very closely, even if there is no direct U.S. military involvement in this.

And that's because anything that affects the stability of the Syrian regime affects Russian forces in the country and could affect the Iranian backed militias that are in the country.

And that's why the U.S. military will watch this very closely. There are about 900 U.S. troops in Syria across several smaller facilities there. They are a part of the ongoing campaign to defeat ISIS. And that's their primary mission.

They do, with some frequency, especially in recent weeks, come under attack from the Iranian backed militias in the form of rocket attacks and drone attacks. And we have seen responses to those.

For example, just this past Wednesday, U.S. Central Command, which governs operations in the Middle East, carried out a strike in response to one of these attacks on U.S. forces. But that, by and large, is where the U.S. focuses its effort, a different part of the country from Aleppo.

The U.S. also works with the Kurds, for example, to run some of the prisons that hold ISIS detainees. So that's another role the U.S. plays there. And yet the military is well aware of the instability in the wartorn country.

And that's why the U.S. will watch this very closely, to see how it develops. Certainly caught the Syrian regime by surprise. And the U.S. just trying to monitor the situation with its presence in the country-- Oren Liebermann, CNN, in the Pentagon.

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SOARES: Let's get the very latest from our Ben Wedeman, who's followed the latest developments and joins me now from Rome.

And, Ben, I'm seeing now that Syrian rebels have taken control of most of Aleppo city. And I think we've got a video to show they're just coming in to CNN. It's of rebels basically taking control of center square in Aleppo.

Just speak to the significance, Ben, of this moment and how quickly this has unfolded.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's hugely significant, considering that this rebel offensive began just on Wednesday. And now we're seeing, for instance, as you mentioned, video and still photos of rebels in Saadallah al-Jabiri Square, which is in the more modern part of the city.

And we're also -- we were watching last night a live stream of feed by rebels at Aleppo's ancient citadel, the very heart of the city. And this comes just -- it was just hours before that we were talking about the rebels getting into some of the western outskirts of the city.

What we've seen since Wednesday is that they've taken dozens and dozens of villages in the western sector of Aleppo province and running into very little resistance from the regime.

We did -- we do see these reports that Russian aircraft have carried out airstrikes in Aleppo province and Idlib province, which is to the west and southwest of Aleppo. But by and large, it appears that the Syrian army has basically pulled out of many of the parts of Aleppo that they have occupied since 2016.

Now there are lots of explanations as to why this is happening now. But certainly it would appear that, with Hezbollah, which was -- went into Syria during the civil war to bolster the regime of Bashar al Assad, has pulled back to Lebanon.

And that organization has lost much of its top leadership as a result of Israeli airstrikes. So they're no longer bolstering the regime.

And we know that the Iranians, who also were providing weaponry and advisers to the Syrian government forces, have also been struck repeatedly by the Israelis and the Russians, who, since September 2015, have had a presence on the ground, largely air assets.

They have also reduced their presence in Syria because of the war in Ukraine. So basically it's up to the Syrian regime itself to protect Aleppo from the rebels. But we know that the Syrian regime forces are largely demoralized -- underpaid, poorly trained -- and the Syrian army is rife with corruption.

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So they haven't been able to put up much of a defense against this rebel onslaught.

SOARES: And, Ben, and just speak to, I mean, if Syria becomes, should become even more destabilized here, speak to the risks for the region just already, you know facing countless wars here and on countless fronts, I should say.

WEDEMAN: Yes.

I mean, keep in mind that Syria, the regime of Bashar al Assad, is a very important link in the axis of resistance led by Iran, which, includes Iran Shia militias in Iraq, Bashar al-Assad's regime, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis for Hezbollah, for instance, Syria.

The Syrian regime is critical for its continued existence because that is part of the strategic depth upon which Hezbollah depends.

If the Syrian regime is going to be paralyzed by fighting with the -- a renewed rebel push against their forces, Hezbollah is going to be further weakened after being battered by the Israelis going back to October of last year.

And in the broader picture, we are seeing that the axis of resistance led by Iran has taken, you know, blow after blow in recent months. And this certainly does represent another weakening of its forces around the region. So in terms of the sort of the broader geopolitical picture, this is a

very significant development. And, keep in mind that Syria is a country that has been a playground for foreign forces. You have Turkish forces, American forces, Russian forces, Israel operating in the air over Syria as well.

Iran has forces. Hezbollah still has some forces in Syria. So really it is a tinderbox of competing forces that, now, it seems that the smoke and the fire is starting to rise again in Syria.

SOARES: And I know you keep across this developing story. It's all happening very quickly. Our Ben Wedeman, who has reported extensively on this, on Syria, thank you Ben, great to see you.

Now Reuters is reporting that an explosion in northern Kosovo late Friday damaged a critical canal. It supplies drinking water to the capital and two power plants that generate most of the country's electricity. So far, there are no reports of injuries.

The cause of the blast at this stage is not clear. But the head of the water company told local news that an incendiary device was tossed into the canal and that the resulting explosion damaged the wall of the bridge.

Kosovo's prime minister and president are blaming bad actors from neighboring Serbia without offering proof. Serbia's foreign minister condemned the attack in a post on X, adding that his country would help with repairs to the damaged canal.

Still ahead, we are monitoring the ceasefire in Lebanon for you. The U.S. is leading the international efforts alongside regional partners.

What's happening on the fourth day of the truce?

We'll bring you that story next.

And a dire new warning from the World Health Organization spotlights the worsening crisis in Gaza. The latest from the war between Israel and Hamas coming up.

Then later this hour, California governor Gavin Newsom is making preparations now to protect his state's progressive laws and challenge Donald Trump's agenda. That story and much more right here on CNN.

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SOARES: A top U.S. general is in Beirut to lead international efforts to monitor the tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The truce is now in its fourth day and has largely held so far, though

Israel and Hezbollah have both been accused of violations. Israel's military says it attacked what it called military infrastructure sites at the Syria-Lebanon border, it says, were being used by Hezbollah for weapons smuggling.

The IDF also carried out another strike in southern Lebanon on Friday following two announced on Thursday. In Friday's incident, Israel targeted what it called terrorist activity and the movement of a Hezbollah rocket launcher.

Israel says it will work with the monitoring efforts at times. But an official emphasized that Israel will take unilateral military action in certain situations in southern Lebanon, in particular. Hezbollah, for its part, says it will work with Lebanon's army to uphold its side of the deal. Have a listen.

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NAIM QASSEM, SECRETARY GENERAL, HEZBOLLAH (through translator): The coordination between the resistance and the Lebanese army will be at a high level to implement the commitments of the agreement. No one is anticipating problems or disagreements.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: In Gaza meantime, health authorities there say three employees of World Central Kitchen have been killed by an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza.

Seven workers from the same U.S. based aid group were killed in an Israeli military strike earlier this year.

Meantime, the World Health Organization says 90 percent of displaced people in Gaza are now living in tents, leaving them vulnerable to disease and malnutrition going into the cold winter months.

The WHO says that, a year ago, almost everyone displaced by the war was sheltered in public buildings or by family members; 12 months later and the situation is catastrophic.

The head of the WHO says the ongoing blockade of northern Gaza by Israel's, quote, "limiting the entry of essential resources."

And that includes blankets, fuel and food, all of which are already in short supply. That sentiment echoed by Medecins sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors without Borders. The group warned that warned that the low levels of aid entering Gaza have critically compromised their ability to care for patients.

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The war between Israel and Hamas has pushed Gaza into a worsening and dangerous food crisis. Things are bad. A woman and two children were killed in the crowd crush just outside a bakery in Gaza. And a warning, our report does contain scenes of desperation that some may find disturbing to viewers.

But it is the daily reality on the ground in Gaza and now Jeremy Diamond has this report for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: In this ocean of desperation, a crush of bodies pressed against one another, heaved toward the same goal, a loaf of bread to survive.

Wave after wave of distraught Palestinians at this bakery in central Gaza fighting to feed themselves and their families before the day's bread runs out. Amid the shrieks and shoves, one girl clutches her precious cargo, struggling to keep her head above water.

Inside the bakery, a vignette into the chaos outside. "My hand, my hand." This woman shouts as her hijab is ripped from her head. "Uncle, please." another girl shouts, struggling for air.

"Take the money, please. I beg you." But she is slowly being crushed by the crowd.

Outside the bakery, the scale of the desperation becomes apparent. And this is just one bakery.

"The suffering here is unimaginable," Karam Afana (ph) says.

"I've been standing for four hours trying to get a single loaf of bread. Four hours and I still can't bring bread home."

For those who left empty-handed, there is nothing but uncertainty ahead. The World Food Program says all its bakeries in central Gaza have now temporarily shut down due to a lack of humanitarian aid entering the strip.

For this woman's niece, it is already too late.

"What is the crime of this child?

"She is only 13 years old.

"Why did she have to go to a bakery and stand in this crowd?"

Zina (ph) was one of three people killed while trying to buy bread at that same Gaza bakery, crushed by the desperate crowd.

"Our bread is soaked in blood," the father of another victim says.

"Where did she go?

"How did she get in?

"How did she leave?

"I don't know. I only found her when they brought her out dead," he says. He simply cannot comprehend how his daughter could die while trying to buy bread -- Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

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SOARES: Russia is telling Ukraine that its use of long range U.S.- made missiles could backfire. Ahead, a warning from Moscow, backed by the threat of using a powerful new weapon. We'll bring you that report next.

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SOARES: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States, Canada and right around the world. I'm Isa Soares and you are watching CNN NEWSROOM.

Syrian rebel forces are celebrating the streets of Aleppo after taking control of most of the city. Have a look.

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SOARES (voice-over): Rebel fighters launched a surprise offensive this week, advancing on Syria's second largest city. It's the first time they've set foot in Aleppo in some eight years.

Meanwhile, Russia launched deadly airstrikes against Syrian rebels on Friday and that is according to Russian state media. Moscow claims to have killed at least 200 members of a Syrian jihadist group in Aleppo as well as Idlib provinces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is pledging to further strengthen his country's ties with Russia, according to the North Korean state media. Kim spoke during Friday's meeting with Russian defense minister in Pyongyang.

The two countries have already expanded their military ties to levels unseen since the Cold War. They have signed a mutual defense pact this year. And North Korea, as you know, has sent thousands of troops to help Russia fight against Ukraine.

Washington is trying to give Ukraine some clarity about the future of U.S. military aid. U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart on Friday. And Blinken briefed him on what the official statement called, quote, "the U.S. goals for sustainable support for Ukraine."

The future of the U.S. military aid is in the hands of president-elect Donald Trump, who begins his second term in January. Officials say his Ukraine policy is still in the works but his future special envoy proposed using the aid as a condition to push Kyiv to negotiate with Moscow.

And Friday's conversation happened after Russia pummeled Ukraine's power system this week, leaving more than a million homes in the dark. As Fred Pleitgen reports, those strikes are creating more diplomatic friction between Washington and Moscow.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Kremlin continuing to criticize the Biden administration after the White House came

out with a statement calling that big aerial attack by the Russians using drones and missiles from Thursday outrageous.

The Kremlin saying that that big attack was a direct response to the Biden administration, allowing the Ukrainians to use those U.S. supplied ATACMS,

surface-to-surface missiles, to strike targets deep inside Russia.

Of course, both the Russians and the Ukrainians have confirmed that targets were struck in the western regions of Russia using attack ATACMS surface-

to-surface missiles. At the same time, the Russians definitely ramping up their aerial campaign against targets within Ukraine.

The Ukrainian saying that in the early morning hours of Friday, the Russians launched about 130 strike drones toward Ukrainian territory.

The Ukrainians are saying they managed to take a lot of those drones down. At the same time, they do acknowledge that there was damage caused,

especially in the town of Odessa but also in Kyiv as well.

However, the big thing that the Russians are talking about, that Russian state media is talking about, that the Kremlin is talking about is Russia's

new gigantic intermediate range multiple warhead ballistic missile called Oreshnik.

In fact, Vladimir Putin came out and said that that missile could have a devastating effect on any sort of positions that the Ukrainians would have

on the ground.

And he said several of those weapons paired together could actually cause an explosion that is almost the size of a nuclear weapon.

[05:35:00] So the Russians definitely very much threatening. The Ukrainians, of course, trying to dissuade them from continuing to use those U.S. and U.K.

supplied weapons to strike deep into Russia -- Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Well, protesters were back on the streets in the Republic of Georgia with their rallies reportedly doubling in size on Friday. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES (voice-over): Police used tear gas and water cannon as they clashed with protesters for a second straight day in the capital, Tbilisi. The demonstrators are furious that the government has paused Georgia's bid to join the European Union for four years.

The decision was announced on Thursday, hours after the European Parliament slammed Georgia's recent legislative elections as neither free nor fair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Let's get more analysis on this. We're joined now by Natia Seskuria, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. She is in London for us this morning.

Natia, good morning. Great to have you on the show. Let's start really with this very clear U-turn that we've seen on Europe that has so many Georgians just furious because as we all know joining the E.U. is overwhelmingly popular there.

Speak to the anger that you are hearing in the streets of Tbilisi right now and beyond.

NATIA SESKURIA, ASSOCIATE FELLOW, ROYAL UNITED SERVICES INSTITUTE: Thank you very much, first of all, for having me on your show.

Well, I think the anger is very much obvious. So we have seen thousands of people marching into the streets to express their rage. Really, because as you mentioned, 86 percent of Georgian citizens support Georgia's European integration.

And as you know, Russia is seen as a major security threat for Georgians, that currently occupies 20 percent of Georgia's territory. So many believe and fear that this shift means that Georgia is returning to the Russian orbit, unfortunately.

SOARES: And this is a concern we've heard previously.

Right? President Salome Zurabishvili, who I've spoken to on numerous

occasions this year because we have seen a protest throughout the year. She addressed the country yesterday. Now let me just play what she said and we can talk afterwards. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SALOME ZURABISHVILI, PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA (through translator): We are entirely by your side and we will remain united until Georgia achieves its goals to return to its European path, secure new elections and ensure that its future is protected once and for all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: So, you know sticking, supporting people there. She doesn't have a very formal role there. So as president there. So I wonder whether you think this goes because she has in our previous conversations accused the Georgian government of kowtowing to Moscow.

So speak for our viewers right around the world to the -- to the Russian influence or the allegations of Russian influence at play here.

SESKURIA: Well, indeed she does not -- she is a very important political figure but her term is coming to an end. She has been very much supportive toward the E.U. integration of Georgia. And she also mentioned that she sees clear traces of Russian influence.

I think, unfortunately, the current developments are only to the benefit of the Kremlin, that has been looking for decades for many, many years to undermine Georgia's European aspirations.

And it is within Kremlin's interest to see Georgia formally closing the doors to its aspirations and to the aspirations of thousands of people who are now into the streets and fighting fearlessly for this, to achieve this goal.

SOARES: And these aspirations, from what I understand, Natia, I mean, they are enshrined right in Georgia's constitution. So I wonder, I'm not sure whether you can answer this.

But can this be fought through the courts, through the legal courts, you think?

SESKURIA: Well, unfortunately, the fear is that the court is also highly controlled by the government, by the current government.

But you're absolutely right. It is enshrined in the constitution, that any government that Georgia will have should protect the aspirations of Georgia, to integrate into the E.U. and NATO.

SOARES: Natia, really appreciate you taking the time. I imagine that we will continue to see for the next coming days protests, passionate protests on the streets of Tbilisi as we have seen the beginning of the year. But as always, thank you for your time, Natia. Thank you.

SESKURIA: Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: And still ahead, a women's college volleyball team is at the center of a fiercely contested issue of transgender athletes in the U.S. More on the controversy when we return.

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SOARES: The championship game of the Mountain West Conference women's volleyball tournament is scheduled for this afternoon.

Colorado State has decided to take the floor against San Jose State University rather than become the latest school to forfeit against the team. The San Jose Spartans have won multiple games by forfeiture amid a federal lawsuit by various athletes to stop a transgender player on the team from competing.

Our Camila Bernal has all the details for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: San Jose State will soon be playing that final match of the championship without having played Boise State in the semifinal match. And that's because Boise State withdrew.

In fact, this is not the first time that they don't play San Jose. They did not play two other games during the regular season. And Boise State not specifically saying that this is because of gender and the identity of one of the players on the team.

They did not give reasoning as to why they were withdrawing from this match. But in fact, it's actually the 6th victory that San Jose State has, as teams essentially refuse to play against them.

Now I do want to point out that the player in question here has been playing for San Jose State since 2022 but this went from being sports to being politics in April, when an online publication essentially published the identity and the gender of the player in the middle of this controversy.

And after this, one of the players, actually the co-captain of the team, her name is Brooke Slosser, she filed a lawsuit, saying that it was not fair for her and for the members of the team and also saying that it puts them in physical risk.

Now a federal judge in Denver is allowing this player to continue competing and an appeals court also upheld that decision. So this player will continue to participate in the competition. And also the conference commissioner putting out a statement saying this.

[05:45:00]

"The student athlete meets the eligibility standard."

Then she went on to say, "It breaks my heart because they are human beings, young people, student athletes on both sides of this issue that are getting a lot of national negative attention."

Now despite the negative attention, despite the lawsuit, the players here in San Jose will likely play that final match very soon -- Camila Bernal, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Thanks very much, Camila.

Well, California governor Gavin Newsom is preparing for a leading role in the resistance to Donald Trump's agenda. He promised to work with the president-elect after the vote.

But he also asked California legislators to convene in special session to Trump-proof state laws. Now Newsom is getting ready to challenge the incoming administration on multiple issues, including migrant deportations, climate laws and reproductive rights. Our Brian Todd has that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): Get prepared.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): California's 57-year-old Democratic governor prepares himself and his state to do political battle with Donald Trump.

Gavin Newsom is already pushing back against the president- elect, this week proposing to offer the state's own tax credit for car buyers who purchase electric vehicles, if Trump ends the federal tax credit for those cars, as he wants to do.

TIA MITCHELL, "ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION": I think this is the first example and there will be more to come, of Governor Newsom kind of showing tangibly how he would push back on the Trump administration.

TODD: Almost immediately after Trump won the election, Newsom called for a special session of the California legislature to try to bolster California's progressive agenda against Trump's plans.

NEWSOM: We had the experience with Donald Trump. Don't fall sort of prey to somehow this is some new day. Listen to what these guys are saying and telling you. Look at what they're prepared to do day one. We're not going to be caught flatfooted.

TODD: In addition to electric vehicles and environmental issues overall, Newsom is preparing to battle the new Trump administration over reproductive rights, disaster response.

And look for a very public fight from Newsom over immigration and Trump's promise to conduct mass deportations of undocumented migrants, even if Newsom's actual power to prevent those deportations is limited.

SHIRA STEIN, "SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE": If the president calls up the National Guard and the state guards, there's only so much that the governor and that the state government can do to try and prevent that.

I think the area that the governor is really going to be focused on is it's going to be a lot of messaging and it's going to be a lot of lawsuits.

TODD: Newsom has already called for more state money to file lawsuits against Trump. During Trump's first term, the state of California sued his administration more than 120 times. Trump, for his part, has repeatedly slammed Newsom over California's problems with crime and homelessness, often calling the governor, Newscum.

TRUMP: What a horrible governor Newscum has been. He's been horrible, so many people leaving.

TODD: Analysts say it's becoming more clear that Gavin Newsom is positioning himself and his state as possibly the country's biggest antagonist to Trump with possible ambitions for 2028 in mind.

STEIN: The governor wants to run for president as much as he says time and time again that he doesn't want to do that.

MITCHELL: He's kind of got two years to raise his profile and see if kind of the way the country is going aligns with the type of campaign he could run.

TODD: Is Gavin Newsom too liberal to win a national election?

The analysts we spoke to said that could make him more of a long shot but one of them also said, in four years, many voters might want to swing back to a more left leaning candidate -- Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: We're going to take a short break but we'll see you on the other side. Stay tuned.

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SOARES: And turning now to sport and the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs pulled out a heart stopping win. But they needed a little help from their opponents to do that. CNN sports correspondent Carolyn Manno joins me now from New York with more.

Carolyn, good morning to you. Quite a turnaround, I think it's fair to say, for the Chiefs here,

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Chiefs fans are getting used to this, their heartbeat going at a thousand miles an hour.

There's a saying that says it's better to be lucky than to be good. And I think that is the identity of this Kansas City Chiefs team. They just keep finding ways to win these games.

KC entering the week with an NFL best 10 wins, hosting the league's worst team, the 2-9 Raiders. But Vegas gave them all they could handle. First play of the fourth quarter, Aidan O'Connell finding Trey Tucker for the 58 yard touchdown pass, giving the Raiders a one point lead.

The Chiefs then hit a field goal on their next possession but the Raiders still had a chance in this game, 16 seconds left with a chance for a potential game winning 52 yard field goal.

Instead, O'Connell isn't ready and the snap hits him square in the chest. The Chiefs recovered the fumble incredibly. After giving up a 13 point lead, Casey holding on again 19 to 17. The final, their ninth win by single digits this season.

Here's Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, what he said afterwards was that they just keep finding a way to get it done.

Meantime maybe the game of the year in college football, the 7th ranked Georgia Bulldogs played their in-state rival, Georgia Tech. And Haynes King and the Yellow Jackets came to play in this game.

The junior quarterback had five touchdowns, two through the air, three more on the ground. His last one putting Tech up by 14 with five minutes to go and sending Bulldogs fans to the exits.

They should have stayed in this game. Carson Beck finding Dominic Lovett in the end zone to cut it to a one score game with 3:39 left. With a minute to go, Lovett again to tie it up and force overtime.

This game didn't just go to overtime. Not once, not twice, not even five times. This game went to eight overtimes, the second longest game in college football history. But there would be no upset in Athens on Saturday night.

Running back Nate Frazier finally punching home the winning score as Georgia survives 44 to 42. The schools and the fans referred to this game's rivalry as clean, old-fashioned hate. But Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart offered nothing but respect afterwards.

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KIRBY SMART, GEORGIA BULLDOGS HEAD COACH: No matter what anybody says, you know, publicly.

[05:55:00]

There's a mutual respect from me for the way, the physicality with which they play the game with. But our seniors, our team, our leadership, they don't flinch and they find a way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: And later today, a clash of titans in women's football.

The reigning Olympic champs against the reigning European champs, number one versus number two in the FIFA rankings, the United States and England facing off in a friendly.

And while Emma Hayes and Sarina Wiegman are said to be friends off of the pitch, it's all about getting the win at Wembley this afternoon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARINA WIEGMAN, ENGLAND COACH: I think with friends, it's the same now when we now we're playing USA, when we play the Netherlands.

You really want to beat your friend even more maybe than it's not your friend.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I mean I didn't know Serena had friends.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know. No, yes.

EMMA HAYES, U.S. COACH: I mean, that's your narrative, not mine.

Mine is that we've got another opportunity to lead the team at Wembley against the top side in England. And that's -- these are the days that we want to be in. We want to play top opposition. And you know, for each and every one of us, this is why we go to work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: Two women with formidable resumes in the managerial ranks, that's for sure Isa.

And Carolyn, do we know -- I'm sorry to throw the curveball at you at this point.

Do we know what the track record is between both those teams?

MANNO: These two teams are very evenly matched. And what's interesting about this match in particular is that Emma Hayes has experience on both sides of this. I mean, she considers herself an American now. She loves New York and she's been in the United States coaching with the U.S. women's national team.

But she's had a very successful history in Chelsea, as so many people know. And so both of these women will be ready to play. And the way that the teams match up against one another, I would say, it's going to be a very tight match, that's for sure.

SOARES: Such a different tone from what we heard earlier, "clean, old-fashioned hate" was the way it was described. You described it with the men very different. But how refreshing, Carolyn. Appreciate it. Thank you very much.

I'm Isa Soares and you have been watching CNN NEWSROOM. Thank you very much for your company. For those of you watching in the United States and Canada, "CNN THIS MORNING" with Victor Blackwell and MJ Lee is next.