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Trump's Controversial Pick to Lead the FBI; Trump Threatens to Impose 100 Percent Tariffs of BRICS Countries; Trump's 25 Percent Tariffs on Canada and Mexico; Syrian Rebels Take Control of Major City in Syria; Israel Conducts Fourth Strike in Lebanon; Three World Central Kitchen Killed in IDF Strike; Snow, Ice Make Post-Holiday Travel Complex in U.S.; Record-Setting Snow in Northeastern U.S.; Saudi Arabia's Role in Moderating Mideast Tensions; Trump Prepares for Border Crackdown. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired December 01, 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]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

Donald Trump selects a loyalist with controversial ideas to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Details on Kash Patel and his plans to potentially upend the agency. Syrian rebels now control most of the country's second largest city. We'll look at the significance of the surprise attack. And record setting lake-effect snow is paralyzing parts of the northeastern U.S. We'll have the latest on a frigid holiday weekend.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: And we begin this hour focused on President-Elect Donald Trump's choice of a partisan loyalist as the next director of the FBI. Trump says he'll nominate Kash Patel for the position. Patel came to prominence in Trump's orbit in 2018. He's a controversial figure, widely viewed as a self-promoter even among loyalists. And the current FBI director still has three years left in his term. He'd have to resign or be fired to create a vacancy.

CNN reporter Alayna Treene has more now on Trump's pick and the showdown it could create with the agency.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Well, President-Elect Donald Trump on Sunday Saturday evening announced that he plans to install top loyalist Kash Patel to be his next FBI director. Now, Patel is Donald Trump's former national security director, but also someone who has been a hardline critic of the FBI and has called for firing the FBI's leadership as well as purging it of bias and holding it accountable for what both he and Donald Trump have argued are unjustifiable investigations and prosecutions against the former president. Now, Donald Trump's selection of Patel speaks to Trump's desire to fill top law enforcement and intelligence positions with supporters who are open to carrying out his demands for specific investigations and potentially what Donald Trump has, in the past, referenced as retribution and seeking retribution against those who have investigated him.

Now, I really want to put this all in context because Donald Trump has had a deep distrust of the FBI, really dating back to the Bureau's 2016 investigation of him and his campaign's alleged work with Russia as something that Donald Trump had referenced in his announcement on Saturday evening. He's wrote that Patel, quote, "Played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability and the constitution." And Donald Trump's view of the FBI really only worsened after they had raided his Mar-a- Lago home in August of 2022, and then later carried out an indictment against him as part of the classified documents case against him.

Now, to be clear, despite Donald Trump's announcement Saturday evening of his intention to have Patel be his next FBI director, he would still need to fire Christopher Wray, the current FBI director who is serving out his 10-year term. I'd remind you as well that Donald Trump was initially the one who had appointed Christopher Wray to be his FBI director back in 2017. However, their relationship has worsened over the years.

Now, we also did hear and got a statement from the FBI, I'm going to read for you what they said. They said, quote, "Every day, the men and women of the FBI continue to work to protect Americans from a growing array of threats. Director Wray's focus remains on the men and women of the FBI, the people we do the work with, and the people we do the work for."

Now, I also want to point out that Patel the does face a serious uphill battle when it comes to his Senate confirmation process. Patel is someone who has made several controversial statements in the past, and there's also questions over whether or not he would be an independent director at the FBI, as the FBI and the DOJ more broadly have served as an independent agency independent from the president. So, questions over that sure to come up in some of those conversations with Republican senators on Capitol Hill.

Alayna Treene, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right, and for more on all this, Thomas Gift joins us now from London. He's the director of the Center on U.S. Politics at University College London. Good to see you again.

So, the FBI director is supposed to be, you know, nonpartisan, not to be just a sort of a lackey of the president, but the -- that's kind of the last thing you could say about Patel. Here's what he said about the agency.

[04:05:00] (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KASH PATEL, TRUMP'S PICK FOR FBI DIRECTOR: I'd shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopening the next day as a museum of the deep state. What do you need 7,000 people there for? Same thing with DOJ? What are all these people doing here?

We will go out and find the conspirators, not just in government, but in the media. Yes, we're going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections. We're going to come after you, whether it's criminal or civilly, we'll figure that out. But yes, we're putting you all on notice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: So, as you heard there somebody who would clearly use the power of the FBI as a tool of retribution.

THOMAS GIFT, DIRECTOR, CENTRE ON U.S. POLITICS, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LONDON: Absolutely, Kim. Thanks so much for having me. Patel's primary credential for the FBI job is that he's displayed fealty to Trump. You know, Trump called him an America first fighter who's exposing corruption, but you can see why Trump likes Patel. He ticks all the boxes. He's publicly talked about the need to target members of the media and government who he perceives as being as part of the resistance in a book last year titled "Government Gangsters." He specifically listed names of, quote/unquote, "deep state members" who he thought Trump should go after. On a podcast with Steve Bannon he said that high ranking officials that weren't subordinate to Trump should have to pay a political price.

So, Patel's resume really perfectly aligns with the type of people that Trump seeks to surround himself in the second term. And that's those who have displayed an incredible amount of loyalty.

BRUNHUBER: Beyond rhetoric, concretely what could it mean? I mean, obviously it's not about just going on the offensive against his enemies. We've seen it in the past. Herbert Hoover, one of the clearest examples of the power of the office, but also on defense. I mean, it would practically insulate Trump and his allies from investigation.

GIFT: I think you're absolutely right. And Trump is going to do that with the Justice Department. He's going to do the same with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I mean, this is basically a litmus test to get -- to be part of the Trump administration. You have to say that you're not going to go after anyone who's been accused of any sort of wrongdoing as long as they are aligned with Donald Trump. And that really sets a dangerous president because, you know, this should be a FBI that acts independently, that kind of prosecutes and goes after individuals based on the merits of cases, not just whether they support Trump or don't support Trump.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, but Trump no stranger to upsetting precedents it would be a controversial pick. Would he have any trouble getting confirmed, do you think?

GIFT: Yes. I mean, I think Patel's confirmation in the Senate is far from a guarantee. Trump did sidestep a potential clash with Republican senators when Matt Gaetz withdrew as nominee for attorney general. You know, that was a relief, I think, for a lot of Republicans. But Patel's nomination basically sets the stage for another showdown. You know, he's another partisan firebrand who he's made enough controversial comments that it will raise questions among moderate GOP senators.

I think the real concern again is that Trump intends to assault the independence of federal institutions like the FBI, like the Justice Department. And those that are worried about that, Patel largely confirms their worst fears. So, I definitely think that this will be a tough confirmation.

BRUNHUBER: Speaking of showdowns, I mean, what of Chris Wray? He's only in the position, as we noted earlier, because Trump fired James Comey in 2017. So, Trump can't fire Chris Wray now, obviously, because he's not president, but what happens to him? Does he resign, do you think, or just wait to be fired?

GIFT: I think that's very unclear at this point. I think it's probably more likely that he resigns very possibly in a way where he goes public and, you know, criticizes the Trump administration, but maybe not. Maybe he goes by just sort of quietly. Gary Gensler, who heads up the Securities and Exchange Commission has already said that he would step down going into the Trump administration.

So, yes, it should be interesting to see. I mean, he may want to set up a showdown because he's entitled to this 10-year term unless the president fires him or he resigns. So, that'll be really interesting to watch, I think, over the next couple of months.

BRUNHUBER: So, looking at the big picture here, we have Patel, again, who's a staunch loyalist, a firebrand, someone who's hosted shows on right-wing outlets. This seems to be a pattern with Trump's picks so far.

GIFT: Oh, absolutely. And we've talked about this before, Kim. I mean, the main criteria on which Trump is choosing these individuals is whether they're going to be subordinate to him, whether they're going to display fealty. And I think, you know, the real danger is not just that some of these individuals might go after political adversaries, but it's that Trump is surrounding himself by yes men.

During the first administration, you know, there was some I guess hope that individuals, the adults in the room would keep Trump in check. I don't think that there are going to be any adults in the room necessarily in this second term or to the extent that they are, they really have to say that, you know, Trump is number one, that they're going to do what he says.

[04:10:00]

So, you know, the fact that there's not going to be any pushback, it's going to lead to sort of more volatility and I think the impulsiveness of Trump that we saw in the worst way in his first administration.

BRUNHUBER: Great to get your analysis as always. Thomas Gift in London. Thank you so much.

GIFT: Thanks, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Now, Donald Trump also announced another tariff proposal on Saturday. This one targets the BRICS nations, the group of emerging economies backed by China and Russia. Trump says he will require them to promise they won't try to create a new currency or face tariffs of 100 percent. The creation of a common BRICS currency was suggested in 2023 to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.

Now, Trump's announcement came a day after Canada's prime minister met with him at Mar-a-Lago. The president-elect has vowed to impose 25 percent tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico. CNN Economics and Political Commentator Catherine Rampell discussed the possible impact of Trump's tariff pledges. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CATHERINE RAMPELL, CNN ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It's not just myself who's been warning about this, virtually every economist you consult will say that these tariffs will raise the cost of these goods. In fact, we saw it last time Trump waged trade wars against these and many other countries. A bunch of studies have looked at who bore the cost of those price increases. You know, was it the foreign countries, as Trump alleged? Was it the domestic importers or their downstream purchasers, wholesalers, retailers, U.S. consumers? And either most or in the entirety of the cost of those tariffs in those cases was borne by Americans. I think we should expect very much the same thing here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: So, Trump said he'd impose his tariffs on Mexico and Canada, plus an additional 10 percent tariffs on goods from China on his first day in office.

The White House says it's closely watching the shock offensive launched by rebel forces in Syria. They now control most of the country's second largest city, Aleppo. Syria's defense ministry says dozens of soldiers have already been killed since the attack began earlier this week. Rebels claim to be in control of Aleppo International Airport with new photos showing fighters inside the main terminal. They've also seized the entire northern province of Idlib. Part of which was held by the Syrian regime. The area highlighted in yellow shows what the opposition has taken so far.

So, as rebel fighters storm through the north, fears are growing that they could capture other major cities and end up marching all the way to the capital, Damascus. CNN's Nada Bashir is following the latest developments from London. So, Nada bring us up to speed. What is the latest here?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kim, look, the rebel offensive appears to have come as a surprise to much of the Syrian Armed Forces where we have seen little resistance or at least the rebels have been met with little resistance in parts of the north around Aleppo and Idlib. It appears as though the Syrian rebel forces are consolidating their control of the City of Aleppo, as you mentioned, Syria's second largest city. And this really has been one of the biggest developments we've seen in recent years with regards to Syrian rebels taking back more territory from the Syrian government and Bashar al-Assad's regime.

But again, we are seeing now attempts by the Syrian Armed Forces backed by Russia, of course, a long-time ally of Bashar al-Assad's regime, attempting to push back against rebels through what the Russian state media has described as an aerial offensive against rebel forces. We have seen a number of airstrikes carried out by both the Russian armed forces and according to the Syrian defense ministry, Syrian Air Force as well since Wednesday, according to journalists and activists on the ground, we've seen at least 10 airstrikes take place since Wednesday. And the fear is that they could soon double down with this aerial campaign.

Of course, this comes as there is growing concern that this may lead to a sort of domino effect, as you mentioned, that we may see the Syrian rebel group successful in pushing further downwards towards Damascus, the capital, perhaps taking further territory. Some analysts looking at the situation on the ground, perhaps indicating that the rebel groups may be pushing -- looking to push beyond Aleppo towards Hama, for example, and then further down towards Damascus.

But again, this is certainly a very influx situation. It remains to be seen how the Syrian armed forces and Bashar al-Assad's regime will respond today and in the coming days to this latest offensive by the rebel group.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. And, Nada, so many parties in the region and elsewhere with stakes in what's going on there. What's been the international reaction?

BASHIR: Well, as you mentioned, there has been concern from the Biden administration. The White House says it is closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Syria. And we've also been hearing from the likes of Iran and Russia, the Iranian foreign ministry saying -- Iran's foreign minister has held calls with both his Russian counterpart and Turkish counterpart, all three key guarantors of security in Northern Syria.

[04:15:00]

They have also, of course, over the last few years being key mediators in any sorts of attempts to get to diplomatic resolution between rebel groups and the Syrian government. We've heard from the Iranian regime they believe, in their words, that this is an attempt by the U.S. and Israel to destabilize the situation in the Middle East in a what is already a particularly turbulent period for the region. There has been discussions around trying to revive diplomatic discussions around the Astana framework, again, Turkey, Iran, and Russia, in an attempt to try to guarantee some sort of security and stability within a framework already established, that has already attempted to secure peace on that front.

But again, Russia has long been a key backer of the Bashar al-Assad's regime. And as we have seen now, in the last few days, is already coming to support Bashar al-Assad's armed forces in carrying out these airstrikes. But of course, important to remember that the timing here is interesting as well. This comes at a time where both Russia and Iran, and of course, Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon are all already under pressure with the war in Ukraine ongoing, and of course, with Iran and Hezbollah engulfed in hostilities with Israel as well.

So, certainly a time where we already are seeing Bashar al-Assad's backers under pressure and preoccupied, perhaps an opportunity taken by rebel groups. The fear, of course, is around the domino effect that this could lead to. And also, of course, what this will mean for civilians on the ground. This is -- has already been a devastating war for Syrian civilians. More than 300,000 people killed over the course of more than a decade. And of course, what this will mean for those in the north as well, if we do indeed see Bashar al-Assad's regime doubling down on this aerial campaign.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Important to point out what effect this might have on civilians, as you say. Nada Bashir in London, thank you so much.

Israel has conducted its fourth strike in Lebanon since a ceasefire with Hezbollah went into effect this week. The Israeli military says its warplanes hit Hezbollah rocket launchers north of the Litani River on Saturday. Hezbollah forces are supposed to withdraw north of the river under the ceasefire deal as the IDF pulls out of Lebanon. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire. But the agreement is still largely holding.

Meanwhile, in Southern Gaza, the Israeli military struck a vehicle on Saturday, killing three World Central Kitchen workers. The IDF claims one of those workers was, quote, "a terrorist" who took part in the October 7th attack on kibbutz Nir Oz. The World Central Kitchen, for its part, denies any knowledge of the worker's alleged ties to the attack. The father of one of the victims spoke out after the deadly strike.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADEL MOHAMMAD AL NAMLE, SON KILLED IN IDF STRIKE (through translator): Well, he was on his way to work at the WCK. He left in the morning. Then we received a call from Nassar Hospital in Khan Younis telling us that our son was martyred. He has been working with them since the beginning of the war on a daily basis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: World Central Kitchen says it's heartbroken following the aid workers' deaths and it's pausing operations in Gaza following the strike.

An Israeli American hostage held by Hamas is begging U.S. and Israeli leaders to bring him home. Edan Alexander appeared to be under duress as he spoke in the propaganda footage made public by the militant group on Saturday. He urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump to do whatever they can to free all remaining hostages in Gaza. 20-year-old Alexander is an Israeli service member whose family approved the airing of this video.

Now, late Saturday, his mom spoke at a hostage family's rally in Israel, and she said Netanyahu assured her the conditions are now ripe for a hostage deal. The White House called the video a cruel reminder of Hamas' terror.

All right. Much more to come here on CNN Newsroom, including a look at the incoming U.S. president and the U.S. southern border, Trump's plans to put his tough promises into action.

All right. Maybe slow going for some traveling back home this Thanksgiving weekend. Just ahead, what to expect from the weather across the U.S., that's coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:20:00]

BRUNHUBER: Heavy snow and brutal cold have invaded much of Eastern U.S. just as Thanksgiving travelers trying to get home. The season's first major lake-effect snow event is hitting Pennsylvania extra hard. Underneath that big mound of snow, well, that's a car under there.

Heavy snow closed several major highways in New York and Pennsylvania, including parts of a busy Interstate 90. Millions of Americans are currently under some type of winter weather alert, and many of those are under lake-effect. Snow warnings. Snow is six feet deep in some places, and temperatures forecast to drop even more throughout the week.

So, how bad is it going to get and where? CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar is here to tell us. All those pictures of snow make me homesick for Canada.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Oh, it does look like Canada inside many.

BRUNHUBER: Record snowfall there. Yes. Unbelievable.

CHINCHAR: Yes. It is. It is. And that's the thing, like I understand that a lot of people say, but these places get snow. I think it's more that it's really early in the season to get this much significant snow, and that's why you're seeing several records broken.

So, the question becomes, OK, so where is this? So, we take a look at the map. because it's really impacting several different states. You've got Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York all looking at that lake-effect snow. But then we have this other completely independent system that's been moving farther south. It brought record snowfall to St. Louis. It's now sliding into portions of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. So, you have several states looking at that snow. Although, the heaviest snow is really going to be focused mainly across Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, especially on the east side. [04:25:00]

So, that stretch of I-90, from Cleveland all the way up through Buffalo and areas of Interstate 81, just south of Watertown, that's where you're going to see some of the biggest travel problems if you have to get out on the road today.

Look at some of these totals so far that we've had just since Thursday night, because that's when some of this began. Barnes Corners, New York, 45 inches. We've had several others topping out above 40 inches. But look at the states, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, multiple states here looking at a tremendous amount of snow. Here's the thing, this is not where they end. There's more snow that's expected for today. In some cases, it could be an additional foot or more of snow on top of what they've already had.

So, you've got a lot of the winter weather alerts in effect indicating that more snow is expected for today. Some of these areas could even see that snow linger into the first half of the day Monday. So, again, this is going -- this is not going away anytime soon.

The heaviest amounts are going to be downwind of those -- of the Great Lakes. So, you've got portions of Michigan, areas of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York that are still expected to get six to 12 inches, some spots could even get up to two feet of additional snowfall before the end of the day.

Here's the thing to note too, for NFL fans. The Buffalo play -- Buffalo Bills play at home tonight. There is already, I think, believe just yesterday alone near the stadium, they picked up about eight inches of snow at Orchard Park. More snow is on the way during the day today, before the game, more snow is on the way during the game. So, this is going to be an interesting one to follow.

But it's the cold, that's been the more big widespread concern with a lot of these areas. The temperatures down to single digits in many areas. But look at this, Kim. Those temperatures of freezing go all the way down to the Gulf Coast.

BRUNHUBER: Unbelievable. The range there interesting. And as well the NFL, I was looking at that, wondering if they're going to get the fans to shovel off the fields again. Thanks so much for that. I really appreciate that.

CHINCHAR: Thanks.

BRUNHUBER: All right. So, how does someone without a boarding pass get past airport security and sneak onto a flight from New York to Paris? Well, that's what authorities are trying to figure out after a Delta Airlines stowaway incident earlier this week. CNN's Holmes Lybrand tells us more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES LYBRAND, CNN REPORTER: Investigators have learned that a woman in her mid-50s was able to bypass two identification checkpoints before boarding a flight from New York to Paris. The woman, who has a Russian passport and a U.S. green card did go through the initial security screening from the TSA, yet was able to board the full flight without a ticket. She was also able to go undetected during the flight, apparently by switching between lavatories. Paris authorities arrested the woman, and she was scheduled to fly back to the U.S. Saturday, but was removed from the return flight because she created a disturbance between before takeoff, according to law enforcement sources. Her flight back to the U.S. has yet to be reschedule.

Now, investigators are trying to determine how she avoided the two checkpoints and say she was only detected on the flight when it arrived in Paris. The woman could face charges or penalties, including theft of service and a civil penalty from the TSA.

One TSA official said infrastructure investments, including more automated systems like e-gates, could prevent failures like this in the future.

Holmes Lybrand, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still to come, how Saudi Arabia could help stabilize the situation in the Middle East as Palestinians brace for the winter with hopes for a ceasefire up in the air. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:30:00]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

We're hearing from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the first time since rebel forces launched a surprise offensive this week in calls with the Iraqi prime minister and the president of the United Arab Emirates. Assad vowed that Syria will continue to, quote, "defend its stability and territorial integrity in the face of all terrorists and their supporters."

Syrian officials say rebel forces have already killed dozens of soldiers. They now control most of Aleppo, the country's second largest city. The rebels have their eyes on other cities and some wonder whether the government and its allies have the power to hold them in check.

Now, a fragile ceasefire is largely holding in Lebanon, but the prospect of peace is a long shot in Gaza. Talks for a ceasefire and the release of hostages are stalled as the devastation mounts. More than 44,000 people have been killed and over 100,000 others wounded, according to Gaza's health ministry.

The U.N. says nine out of 10 people are displaced, as aid agencies warn that some areas are on the brink of famine. And the agony is expected to become even worse as cold winter weather begins to set in. All right. I want to talk about all of this now with Bader Al-Saif. He's a professor of history at Kuwait University and an associate fellow at Chatham House. And he joins us now from Kuwait City. Thank you so much for being here with us.

So, first to the rebels in Syria, this surprise offensive. What's their aim here? How far do you think they're capable of going?

BADER AL-SAIF, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, KUWAIT UNIVERSITY AND ASSOCIATE FELLOW, CHATHAM HOUSE: Kim, what happened was certainly a surprise and it reminds us of the various surprises that the region has been haunted with for so long. This is a fragile order that we're living through in the Middle East. And a lot of frozen conflicts are de- freezing themselves. We've seen this in Syria in the past few days, and we can potentially see it in other hotspots like Libya and Yemen.

Now, what's taking place reminds us how international and interconnected the conflict in Syria is. It's international in the sense that you have boots on the ground from Russia, from Iran, and Turkey, along with the U.S., and it's kind of connected to the various conflicts in place, just because, as you know, Russians are busy with the Ukraine war, and they're not being able to deliver as much as they did in 2015, 2016, when they secured Aleppo for Assad, and the Israelis have been able to weaken a lot of the proxy groups and Iran in the process, which freed up the space for (INAUDIBLE) and others.

Now, all bets are off. The claim that there is a clear trajectory moving forward is not there. I think what we need to do is focus on human security be on the ground. And I think the Gulf states have a clear opportunity here and trying to bring in Syria into the air fold.

Remember the talks that froze this conflict in Syria, the Astana process, which is led by Iran, Russia, and Turkey, none of these are Arabs. And Syria is an Arab state. Syria is for Syrians, and we need to have a Syrian voice on the table, aided by Arab ones. And I think that's the road to de-escalation and to resolution.

[04:35:00]

BRUNHUBER: But do you see de-escalation happening? I mean, you talked about how Al-Assad's sponsors and allies, Iran, Hezbollah, Russia, are all occupied with their own conflicts. We've seen Russia intervene with airstrikes. Do you expect Syria's allies to re-engage significantly or is Al-Assad's regime actually in jeopardy here?

AL-SAIF: The region is not where it was in the past year, and there is certainly an opportunity to change the rules of engagement and the deterrence lines around this conflict. Now, it serves us best to reinforce a quiet and stability in the region because having Islamist groups on the ground is not certainly a welcome development. The Syrian regime is also connected to a lot of the atrocities in place.

I think what we need to do is think of other new actors that can come in and inject some peace and quiet. And that's where the Gulf states can come in and tie this, by the way, to the conflict and the war on Palestine, because they're all interconnected. BRUNHUBER: Yes, exactly. And you're right to stress the interconnectedness of all of this. This as a result, indirectly, of Israel's war on Hamas. You've written that Saudis are uniquely positioned to help halt the fighting that has wreaked havoc across the Middle East. So, explain why, exactly.

AL-SAIF: Indeed. And this is in a piece in Foreign Affairs on the Saudi solution. Look, we've had Israel, the past year, decimating the Palestinians and wreaking havoc on the region and Iran responding in retaliation. And both parties are trying to change the rules of engagement on the ground violently. And I think this will not lead to any changes on the ground because we've been seeing tit for tat for the longest time.

The Saudis and the Gulf states are uniquely positioned by being connected to both parties and leveling down the conflict and bringing in a grand deal. A grand deal which reinforces the two-state solution. They've globalized this initiative in the last few months and they've been dialing down on it. I think it behooves the incoming Trump administration to work with the Saudis and pushing this forward even though the environment is not ready for this in Israel. But I think that's the best way for the security of all parties concerned in the region.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, that's ambitious considering what we've heard from Donald Trump so far. But we shall see whether that changes in what role Saudi Arabia and the other players in the region might have. We'll have to leave it there, but really appreciate getting your insights. Bader Al-Saif, thank you so much.

AL-SAIF: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: The United States has suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia after police crackdowns on pro-E.U. protesters. Major protests have been reported in cities across the country, which borders Russia, in the past few hours. The government arrested more than 100 people Friday who were demonstrating against the ruling Georgia Dream Party in its decision to delay the bid to join the European Union.

The party claimed victory in October's election, which observers say was fraudulent. Georgia announced on Thursday it would suspend talks with the E.U. until 2028, sparking the widespread unrest. The U.S. State Department has urged the country to, quote, "return to its EuroAtlantic path."

Well, the U.S. president-elect is preparing to implement his border crackdown, Donald Trump is gathering a team of hardliners and getting his plans ready. We'll have that story and much more, straight ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:40:00]

BRUNHUBER: Immigration was a central focus of Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Now, that he's the president-elect, he and his team are working on their promised plans to roll back Biden era policies, and that includes implementing strict border controls and starting to detain and deport immigrants on a large scale. CNN's Rafael Romo has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The men chosen by President-Elect Trump to secure the U.S. borders urged officials across the country to cooperate with the new administration to enforce immigration law. Former Acting ICE Director Tom Homan, who Trump has chosen as his border czar, said on Fox News that he wants so-called sanctuary cities to give immigration authorities access to their facilities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM HOMAN, TRUMP'S PICK FOR 'BORDER CZAR': The sanctuary cities have locked us out of the jails and the law enforcement isn't allowed to work with us. Give me access to the bad guy that you locked in a jail cell. Because you obviously locked him in a jail cell because he's a public safety threat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: And it appears Homan will get plenty of cooperation in Texas. The state's land commissioner, Dawn Buckingham, in the last few days, spoke about an effort that will be, in her words, the largest deportation of violent criminals in the history of the United States. Texas is offering a 1,400-acre property at the border to the incoming Trump administration to use for the processing detention and coordination efforts to expedite the deportations.

Commissioner Buckingham made the announcement in Rio Grande City, Texas, with heavy machinery and construction workers in the background at a site where Texas is building a new section of border wall. Texas launched Operation Lone Star in 2021, which included, among other things, transporting migrants on buses to Democratic led cities, blocking portions of the border to federal agents, setting up buoys in the Rio Grande to deter migrants from crossing the river, and signing a bill that would give state law enforcement authority to detain migrants. The Texas Land Commissioner says this is also about helping local law enforcement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAWN BUCKINGHAM, TEXAS LAND COMMISSIONER: A facility here will be the final stop for processing before these violent criminals are deported. This will reduce the burden on our local jails and keep our Texas children safer.

President Trump and Mr. Homan, I meant it when I said that I will do everything in my power to help this administration.

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ROMO: Meanwhile, in Mexico City, President Claudia Sheinbaum is denying her country is willing to close her country's border with the United States, as President-Elect Trump recently claimed. In her own statement after a phone call with Trump, Sheinbaum said, Mexico has a comprehensive strategy to address migration while respecting human rights.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

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BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, Donald Trump has named the person he wants to be the next U.S. ambassador to France. It's Charles Kushner, the father of Trump's son-in-law, Jared. Trump called him a tremendous business leader and philanthropist. Kushner is a real estate developer, and he served time in federal prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion, retaliating against a federal witness, and lying to the Federal Election Commission. Trump pardoned him in 2020.

[04:45:00]

At least four people were killed in a Russian strike on Ukraine's Dnipro region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday, it's the latest offensive in Russia's intensifying aerial campaign. Ukraine suffered its highest ever number of drone attacks in November, according to the country's air force.

Moscow also used a non-nuclear ballistic missile on the Dnipro region last week, and President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use it again. Also, more than 1 million Ukrainian households were left without power after Russia attacked critical energy infrastructure this week.

People in Valencia marched on Saturday to protest the government's response to deadly flooding in the Spanish city. Thousands demanded a regional leader resign. He oversaw the response to the flash flooding in October that left more than 220 people dead. He admits he made mistakes, but he refused to leave office, saying national leaders failed to issue enough warnings. Angry residents say they weren't alerted well enough to the danger of flooding.

At least 12 people have died and tens of thousands evacuated across Southern Thailand and Malaysia after days of heavy rain. More rain is expected this week, which will likely worsen what many residents are calling the worst flooding in decades. CNN's Lynda Kinkade has the story.

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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Treading carefully on a rain-soaked roof in Thailand, rescuers carry a baby to a nearby boat. The precarious path, perhaps the safest way to evacuate some of the youngest residents, stranded in a house submerged in waist high water.

Days of heavy rain have inundated Southern Thailand. Soldiers from the Thai army wade door to door in some flooded areas, handing out relief kits and transporting people to drier ground. So, far, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, with some provinces suffering the worst flooding in decades.

SOMKIT FUPONGSIRINUN, STREET VENDOR (through translator): We tried to save everything we could, but some things were just too heavy to move. I experienced severe flooding back when I was much younger. Now, I realize I can't handle it the same way anymore. I just hope it doesn't get as bad.

KINKADE (voice-over): Malaysia has also been hit hard by heavy rains and flooding, which forecasters say could get worse in the next few days, with an additional 15 to 20 centimeters of rain expected. Thailand's meteorological department warns that ongoing rain could cause more flash floods, which could give rescuers already knee deep in emergency responses more work to do.

Lynda Kinkade, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Coming up, college football chaos, a brawl breaks out after Michigan upsets Ohio State. We'll show you how Wolverines cross the line in Columbus.

And all that banana duct tape to a wall did sell for $6.2 million. So, just ahead, what the wealthy art collector has now done with this very expensive piece of produce. Stay with us.

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[04:50:00]

BRUNHUBER: Volleyball number two seed San Jose State lost in the Mountain West Conference final Saturday amid an ongoing gender controversy regarding one of the Spartan players. While the loss to Colorado State hurts the Spartans chances in the Division I NCAA Tournament, it adds to months of strain on the program. Multiple teams have refused to play the Spartans in recent weeks due to accusations of a transgender player on the San Jose State's roster. Several athletes have filed lawsuits and legal challenges in an attempt to stop the Spartans from competing. So, far, no immediate resolution to the league controversy has emerged.

College football chaos ensued after Michigan stunned rival Ohio State in a shocking upset win. Now, have a look at this. A brawl broke out between the teams when a Michigan player tried to plant their school banner in the center of Ohio State's home field logo. Police and stadium security broke up the fight, but not before some officers used pepper spray to try to restore calm.

Now, this is one of the most intense rivalries in college football, and this edition of the game lived up to the hype. Underdog Michigan won on a field goal with 45 seconds left.

And in College Station, Texas, the third ranked Longhorns held on for a victory against home state rivals Texas A&M 17 to 7. The win boosts Texas into this year's SEC title game against the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday here in Atlanta. Texas will be playing for the championship in their first year in the conference.

Notre Dame Cathedral is coming back to life with the sound of music. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

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BRUNHUBER: So, those were singers with Notre Dame's choir school rehearsing for performances next weekend. Now, the choir dates back 850 years, about as old as the Gothic church itself. It officially reopens to the public next Sunday, and cameras got a sneak peek of Notre Dame's gleaming interior when the French president took a tour on Friday. The $700 million restoration repaired the damage caused by the catastrophic fire that ravaged the Paris monument in 2019.

Well, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in some European cities. Brussels is kicking off the holiday season with a dazzling light show at the Grand Palace. The festivities run through January 5th, and the city says it hopes to host 4 million visitors this holiday season. In Spain, Barcelona's city centers come alive with festive lights and decorations to the delight of locals.

And Mexico City also ushered in the festive spirit with its annual Bolo Fest. And here you can see a giant balloon of the mascot Bolo being paraded through the streets of the capital. Balloons of cartoon characters were also on display alongside energetic dance troops and marching bands. The event has been going on since 2015 and kind of resembles New York's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

[04:55:00]

All right. Last week, a billionaire art collector bought a banana duct tape to a wall for more than $6 million. Well, this week, he became one with his very pricey art, and it won't be the same again. Stephy Chung explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHY CHUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the moment Justin Sun devours a $6 million banana.

He's the owner of Comedian, a conceptual work by Maurizio Cattelan, an artist behind other famous satirical creations, such as a working 18 karat gold toilet. The 34-year-old Hong Kong based billionaire and crypto entrepreneur bought the artwork at auction last week.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Cattelan is yours. Congratulations. Thank you very much indeed.

CHUNG (voice-over): One of three additions. The work first appeared at an Art Basel Miami Fair in 2019. It's been sold, eaten, exhibited, eaten again, generating headlines along the way, bulking at its cost and viral appeal. JUSTIN SUN, ART COLLECTOR: I think this banana probably become iconic artwork for everybody to understand, like, what's art, right? What's the value of art for the conceptual art? Actually, the value of art not only come from the physical art piece, but also come from the history of the artwork, interaction with the artwork, and also, like, the owner's history. I want to use it to become a part of the history.

CHUNG (voice-over): For his money, he gets a roll of duct tape, a fresh banana, a certificate of authenticity, and instructions on how to install it.

SUN: We will continue to collaborate with all the exhibition and the museum around the world to display the banana. I also want to talk to Elon Musk to tape this banana onto one of his spacecraft, probably send the banana to Mars or the moon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: That wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back with more news in just a moment. Please do stay with us.

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