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Trump Considering Taking Back Panama Canal and Revives Interest on Greenland and Shows Support for His Cabinet Picks; NYPD Arrest Suspect Who Set a Woman on Fire in NY Subway; De Facto Leader of Syria to Announce Defense Ministry; U.S. Fighter Jet Shot Down at Red Sea; Protests Erupt In Serbia Over Deadly Roof Collapse; Putin Vows Revenge For Drone Attack On City Of Kazan; Sources: Gaetz Ethics Report Expected To Be Released Monday; Luigi Mangione Faces Both State And Federal Charges. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired December 23, 2024 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:00]
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RICHARD QUEST, CNN HOST: And a good day to you and a warm welcome to you wherever you're joining us in the United States, around the world and joining us streaming on CNN Max. I'm Richard Quest in London. In this bulletin, Donald Trump's manifest destiny, the U.S. president- elect has suggested his new administration could take back the Panama Canal, which was a sharp rebuke from Panama's president.
In New York, the police say a suspect is now in custody who is accused of killing a woman in a subway call after he set her on fire.
And Vladimir Putin has vowed to unleash destruction on those responsible for a drone attack that's deep inside Russian territory.
Four weeks to the day and Donald Trump will be sworn in as the U.S. president. He is previewing what he says will be a common-sense revolution in his words during the second term. The President-elect was speaking in Phoenix. It was his first rally-style speech since the election. He told his conservative supporters that by turning point in USA, he would deliver on his campaign promises when it came to the border and immigration. And he touched on a wide range of topics, including the Panama Canal.
Mr. Trump said he'd consider retaking control of the canal as he's accused Panama of charging fees that he called ridiculous and highly unfair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We're being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we're being ripped off everywhere else. It was not given for the benefit of others by a token of cooperation, but it was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions. You've got to treat us fairly, and they haven't treated us fairly. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture
of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full, quickly and without question. Not going to stand for it. So, to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Donald Trump's comments, both in Phoenix and online, have sparked a swift reaction from the country's president. Jose Raul Mulino made clear his country will retain and remain in control of the canal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSE RAUL MULINO, PRESIDENT OF PANAMA (through translation): As president, I want to express that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belong to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama. The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable. The canal will continue to be in Panamanian hands as the patrimony of our nation and guaranteeing its use for the peaceful and uninterrupted transit of ships of all nations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: And Donald Trump's revived his interest in obtaining Greenland from Denmark, was a preoccupation in the first term. It resurfaced last night when he announced he'd selected PayPal co-founder Ken Howery to serve as his ambassador to Denmark. Danish Prime Minister's previously called suggestion absurd. CNN's Steve Contorno is in West Palm Beach, Florida, with the details of this extraordinary speech by the president-elect.
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Speaking from Arizona on Sunday, Donald Trump delivered what his campaign called a rally-style speech in front of a friendly conservative audience, his first since-winning election last month. And it was certainly reminiscent of many of the campaign speeches that he delivered over the past two years, with a heavy focus on immigration and his plans for the U.S.-Mexico border. He did, however, tread some new ground, saying that he was open. to allowing TikTok, the Chinese social media company, to continue to operate in the United States.
He also considered taking back control of the Panama Canal and suggested that he would meet early in his term with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Ukraine War. He also pushed back against Democrats' criticism that he has allowed billionaire Elon Musk to become the de facto leader of his party and the country. Take a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They're on a new kick, Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, all the different hoaxes. The new one is, President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk.
[02:05:03]
No, no. That's not happening. No, he's not going to be president that I can tell you. And I'm safe, you know why? He can't be, he wasn't born in this country. Ha, ha, ha.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONTORNO: During his remarks on Saturday, Donald Trump also signaled a show of support for many of his controversial picks for his incoming administration. He stood by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in his plan to quote, "make America healthy again." He also gave a show of support for Pete Hegseth, his pick to lead the Pentagon as defense secretary, as well as Tulsi Gabbard, his choice for director of National Intelligence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: But to get wokeness out of our military and restore the unquestioned strength and fighting spirit of the American Armed Forces I have appointed Pete Hegseth to be our next Secretary of Defense. He's going to be great. To make our intelligence community respected even more, I don't even think the word even is right because we had some bad years with these people, but I've nominated Tulsi Gabbard as our Director of National Intelligence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONTORNO: One thing Trump did not mention, the chaotic end to Congress's 2024 session, where Trump nearly caused a government shutdown with his 11th hour demands to push off a debt ceiling vote beyond 2024. Many of Trump's allies also speaking at the conference threatened Republicans that if they continue to stand in his way, they could find themselves with primary challenges. Steve Contorno, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.
QUEST: Ron Brownstein is with me in Los Angeles, doing duty for us this morning, a senior editor at "The Atlantic." Let's just talk about this speech. There's so much. Let's take this in rapid fire, in a sense, and then we can pull it together at the end. Ron, why would President-elect Trump choose another fight, this time over the Panama Canal?
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah, welcome to the new season of the Trump show. This is what we had in the first, you know, the first go-round. Just unpredictable but inevitable conflicts. I mean, his view of international relations essentially is zero-sum, and it usually involves the U.S. threatening countries and trying to publicly kind of break them and make them do what he wants.
And so, this is the latest, in some ways echoing the language of Ronald Reagan in 1977-78 when Congress debated this in the first place under Jimmy Carter. But you know, Richard, the list of foreign conflicts that he's going to have with other governments is going to be very long.
QUEST: Right. So, on that point, here we have them, he had an argument with Canada and Mexico over trade and when he's threatened. He's told Europe buy more LNG or face tariffs. He's told Latin America don't have a single currency or move away from the dollar or I will tariff you. Now he's threatening Panama to take back the canal. It reminds me of that old movie, Michael Douglas movie, where he plays the president, and he says, I'll tell you how you win elections. You tell the public what's wrong and who to blame. He's going around the world basically blaming anybody and everybody for anything.
BROWNSTEIN: Well, except some of the, you know, the autocratic governments that he generally comments about how strong and skilled the leaders are in China, Russia, Hungary, North Korea. Look, as I said, this is Trump's M.O. You could add again him reiterating his threats for unilateral military action against Mexico, Mexican drug cartels without approval of the Mexican government and which I think really significant is that, you know, in the first term, Trump felt he had to appoint a number of senior officials from outside of his MAGA universe as concessions to other power centers in the GOP, who basically talked him off the ledge on some of the more extreme ideas.
John Bolton said he was ready to leave NATO at various points. Marco Rubio is a mainstream Republican, his national security adviser is a mainstream Republican, but there are going to be fewer people in the room with an independent inclination to tell him no. So many of these conflicts may get to a higher temperature than we saw in his first four years.
QUEST: If we talk about -- I read your article in "The Atlantic" on this question of the way in which those Republicans rebelled. Can I suggest a different interpretation? Put me right if I'm wrong. Was this not just the death throes of toddler's sort of in the nursery before nanny comes in and steps on them? You know, once he's in power and the prospect of a primary challenge becomes real more than theoretical, all those Republicans will bow at the knee.
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BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think Republicans in Congress are more comfortable opposing from the right than the center and I think that's what people are kind of missing about this episode. Yes, it is true that the biggest institutional constraint on Trump I believe is that the House majority is a lot smaller than it was when it took office the first time. 2017 he had 241 House votes. Now they have 220, but with vacancies it could be as little as 217.
Why did those Republicans rebel against Trump? It's because he asked them to do something that Democrats usually prefer, which is take the debt ceiling, the U.S. debt ceiling, off the table as a lever to try to force big cuts in government spending. And there were 38 House Republicans who said no. When he was president, there were 67 House Republicans who voted against raising the debt ceiling and they were only able to do it with Democratic votes.
So, I think when some of these members on the right flank of the Republican caucus looking at their districts will still feel comfortable opposing him from the right, that isn't going to happen. That isn't going to be relevant, though, very often if you think about many of the things that he wants to do.
QUEST: Good to see you sir. Actually, before we -- one more quickly before we go. I notice he's appointing a lot of special envoys. I don't remember quite -- I mean, including Mark Burnett by the way, special envoy to the United Kingdom. I don't necessarily remember. I'm not sure any of these have to be confirmed by the Senate. It's a bit dubious how many and what the roles they all play. Why so many do you think?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, it's similar to what he did in the first term in terms of so many acting secretaries. I mean, he wants to give himself maximum flexibility to pursue his goals, I think, and is not at all, as we've seen, averse to going around the traditional diplomatic or institutional structures inside the federal government. And I think these special envoys are kind of similar in kind of intent and spirit to what we saw in the first term with all of these acting cabinet secretaries and under cabinet, you know, sub cabinet officials. It's just another way of giving him more control --
QUEST: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: -- I think, and kind of coloring outside the lines.
QUEST: Ron Brownstein, thank you.
BROWNSTEIN: Thanks Richard.
QUEST: Police have arrested a suspect in the burning death of a woman who was on a New York subway car as it sat at a station in Brooklyn. It's a horrific story. The officers say eight hours after the woman was set alight, the man was arrested on another train in Midtown. CNN's Gloria Pazmino has our report.
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. A really disturbing set of details that we have learned from the New York Police Department on what is truly a horrific crime taking place early on Sunday morning. This happened on the F train that's in Coney Island in Brooklyn, and it happened at the Stillwell Avenue train station. That's the end of the line.
Now, according to police, there was a woman who was apparently sleeping in one of these trains. The train was not moving at the time. And then there was a man who approached her and used a lighter to light a blanket that she was using on fire. She was quickly engulfed by the flames. The man then just simply walked away. Now we are told by police that these two people appear to have no prior interaction. They are not known to one another and that this was just a crime that came out of nowhere.
This woman appeared to have been. Asleep at the time that she was set on fire. Now, there were police that were patrolling the subway station at that point who smelled the smoke and saw it and quickly rushed to the scene Try to put her out, but unfortunately, they were not able to save her. EMS also responded to the scene. They pronounced her dead there in the subway. Now, shortly after this incident, the NYPD was not able to make an arrest right away. In fact, for several hours throughout the day on Sunday there was a manhunt for a man that was captured on camera and on police video when they initially entered the subway station. Now, it is an interesting sort of development in the sense that technology has played an incredible role here for the police who used surveillance video captured by the cameras inside the train in order to put out photos of the suspect that they were looking for.
Then it was several hours later that three high school-aged teenagers called in a tip line into the police line and police were able to apprehend this man. He was captured at another train station in Midtown, very far from where the incident took place.
[02:15:04]
So, a combination of technology and good police work. I want you to take a listen to the police commissioner just talking about the incident.
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JESSICA TISCH, NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT: -- someone who we believe carried out one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being. And it took the life of an innocent New Yorker. But at this hour, I am pleased to announce that a short time ago, alert NYPD transit officers took a person of interest into custody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAZMINO: Now we're still waiting to learn more about the identity of the victim, but also the identity of the suspect and what charges they will be facing. This is all happening as there's been a lot of focus and conversation on the issue of public safety here in New York City, but specifically public safety in the transit system.
Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul said that she was deploying additional members of the National Guard into the subway system to help with patrolling and with public safety at a time when both the city and the state are working to keep crime down. Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.
QUEST: To Germany now and the east of the country which is still processing the tragedy of Friday's car attack at a busy Christmas market. In the hours ahead, Germany's far right AFD party, which is growing in political popularity, will hold a public memorial service in Magdeburg where the attack took place. The party's candidate for Chancellor is likely to be there. Hundreds of supporters of the far- right movement protested in favor of remigration.
Critics on both left and the right are using the deadly incident to attack the German government on its immigration policies, despite the fact the suspect is apparently a self-confessed Islamophobe. And now we're learning more about that suspect, Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen, who faces multiple murder and attempted murder charges. Apparently, he had a history of making troubling social media posts and grew increasingly dark and threatening before the attack. The German authorities were apparently alerted to this.
Still to come on our program, the new Syrian leader talks about the future of the country after Assad and promising big announcement in the coming days.
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QUEST: Jordan's foreign minister is to travel to Damascus on Monday where he'll meet Syrian officials including the country's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, led the group of rebels that ousted President Assad earlier this month. Now, he held a news conference alongside Turkey's foreign minister in Damascus on Sunday where he said that all weapons in the country will now be controlled by the state.
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AHMED AL-SHARAA, SYRIAN DE FACTO LEADER (through translation): We conducted a large military operation and entered major metropolitan areas, and people from all segments of Syrian society welcomed us with open arms. We are now working on protecting communities and minorities from attacks, and on preventing external actors from exploiting the situation to stir up sectarian strife.
We will not by any means allow for arms outside the control of the state, whether from revolutionary factions or factions in the SDF areas. We need to close this chapter as quickly as possible because the presence of rogue arms in the country is what leads to chaos and unstable security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is speaking out after Houthi rebels fired a missile at Tel Aviv this weekend. The prime minister vowed Israeli forces will continue to target the Houthis in Yemen -- excuse me -- in the same way that they've dealt with other Iranian proxies. Mr. Netanyahu's comments came after the U.S. launched a series of strikes against the rebel group on Saturday.
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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: As we acted forcefully against the terror arms of Iran's evil axis, so we will act against the Houthis. Only in this case we are not acting alone. The U.S. and other countries see the Houthis as a threat not only to international shipping, but to the international order. Therefore, we will act forcefully with determination and sophistication. I tell you, even if it takes time, the result will be the same result as against the other terror arms.
(END VIDEO CLIP) QUEST: Several members of the same family were killed in an Israeli airstrike on central Gaza on Saturday. According to officials, 11 people died when a house east of Deir (inaudible) was targeted. We've reached out to Israel's military for comment. The Health Ministry of Gaza says more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive last year, numbers we are unable to confirm.
The humanitarian crisis across Gaza continues to worsen. High food prices. This is the chaos at an NGO facility in central Gaza. One woman said she was there to get food for her children, adding that the situation would be unbearable without assistance like this.
Two U.S. Navy pilots are lucky to be alive after their fighter jet was shot down over the Red Sea on Saturday. In a statement issued by U.S. Central Command, the attack was labelled a friendly fire incident. CNN's Julia Benbrook has more on what we know so far.
JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are still a lot of questions and a full investigation is underway. The U.S. Central Command is calling this an apparent friendly fire incident. They've said that the two U.S. Navy pilots were safely ejected after their fighter jet was shot down over the Red Sea on Saturday. Initial assessments show that one crew member sustained minor injuries. Here's what else we know right now.
According to CENTCOM, the Aircraft, an F-18 was operating from the USS Harry S. Truman when it was mistakenly fired upon by the USS Gettysburg.
[02:24:57]
The USS Gettysburg, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, is a part of the Truman Carrier Strike Group which entered the waters of the Middle East one week ago. Now, as I mentioned, this investigation is ongoing, but CNN Military Analyst and retired Colonel Cedric Leighton detailed the types of questions that could be asked in an investigation like this, including what the sailors on the USS Gettysburg saw, what they thought was coming toward them, and why they fired.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: When you are in a zone like this where there is combat happening at one end of the Red Sea and then there are other flight patterns that the folks on the USS Gettysburg, the sailors on the USS Gettysburg have to deal with, it can be pretty easy to mistake targets from one to the other. In other words, is one a friendly target or is one an adversarial or a potential adversarial target?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BENBROOK: The apparent friendly fire incident happened the same day that the U.S. carried out air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, hitting a command-and-control facility as well as a missile storage facility. According to CENTCOM, the U.S. also shot down one-way attack drones and an anti-ship cruise missile. Now, those strikes did involve the use of the same type of fighter jet, an F-18.
But two U.S. officials have told our team that the down jet we've been discussing was not involved. In a statement on Sunday, Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed they shot down the F-18 aircraft over the Red Sea. The Houthis said their strikes were in response to American and British forces attacking their drones and missiles. This group has repeatedly made false claims of striking U.S. warships in the area.
And again, the U.S. is calling this an apparent friendly fire incident. At the White House, Julia Benbrook, CNN.
QUEST: Now as you and I continue, the latest on Russia's response to a drone attack deep inside its territory.
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[02:30:57]
RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: Tens of thousands of people in Serbia are protesting against their government after the deadly collapse of a railway station roof last month. A large crowd gathered in Central Belgrade, where they were protesting against the president, Aleksandar Vucic, and his ruling Serbian progressive party.
The demonstrators allege that government corruption and nepotism resulted in shoddy construction that led to the concrete awning caving in. Fifteen people were killed. Two were injured. Students at state universities have demanded the release of all the documents relevant to the station's renovation, as well as the prosecution of officials responsible for the disaster.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): At this moment, supporting these young people is the most important thing so that we older people can learn from their example and do all we can to make them feel that someone is with them and to bring back normality and a sense of shame to this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is vowing to exact revenge on those responsible for a drone attack that took place deep inside Russia's territory. Multiple drones struck the city of Kazan earlier on Saturday. No casualties were reported. Ukraine did not immediately take responsibility for the strike, but one Ukrainian official noted that there's a gunpowder plant in the city, which Russia uses to produce missiles.
Regardless, President Putin is promising a strong response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Whoever, and however much they try to destroy in Russia, they will face many times more destruction themselves and will regret what they are trying to do in our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Now, earlier, my colleague Rosemary Church spoke to the CNN contributor and former Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, where she asked Jill what Ukraine's purpose could have been for targeting the Kazan.
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JIL DOUGHERTY, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: It could be a matter of targeting something. And the missile went off kilter. It's a little bit difficult to believe that they would directly try to hit a building. I think well have to wait for, you know, the investigation that will happen. But I think it's really significant because, you know, Kazan is a big city. It's an important city economically, culturally, historically, every way.
And if you notice that video, that was a very nice apartment building. So the significance here, if I would, you know, interpret it the way as you're looking at the way Russia has been hit by attacks, that's hitting a middle class and maybe even upper middle class, you know, building strikes at people who are important in Russia. And if they feel that the war is getting closer to them, it raises questions about President Putin and whether he can actually protect them, you know, from the attacks of the Ukrainians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Now Ukraine is fighting off more waves of Russian drones. More than 100 launched over the weekend. And Ukraine now says it shot down around half of them. Military officials say residential buildings and businesses were damaged. For its part, Russia says it destroyed 42 Ukrainian drones.
All of this as Ukraine is trying to fend off Russian advances in the east. Russia claims to have captured two villages, one in the Kharkiv region and one in eastern Donetsk.
For many people, of course, holidays are all about traditions, and Harry Potter's annual Christmas festivities at Hogwarts is one of them. In a moment, we take a tour of the Warner Brothers studios in London as it decorates for the holidays.
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[02:37:40]
QUEST: Okay, all I've got is a pen which is not going to be very good as a wand, although I could probably conduct an orchestra. Whether you're waving a wand in the wizarding world or stringing lights around a tree in a more traditional manner, the holidays are all about comforts of tradition.
And now, CNN's Anna Stewart takes us behind the scenes of an annual Christmas classic. She -- she's touring the grounds of Hogwarts at the Warner Brothers Studios in London, now decked with enchanted holiday decor. Shazam!
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Christmas, Harry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Christmas, Ron.
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's that time of year when we all rewatch family favorite movies, but this time, I'm taking it a step further.
Could there be a more magical place to spend the Christmas holidays and Hogwarts? Ahhh.
This is the great hall all decked out for a festive feast.
Laura, nice to meet you.
LAURA SINCLAIR-LAZELL, HEAD OF SHOW EXPERIENCE, WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR LONDON: Hello, nice to meet you.
STEWART: You're going to give me the grand tour?
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: I am indeed. Welcome to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, the making of "Harry Potter". I'm Laura Sinclair-Lazell. I'm head of show experience.
STEWART: You are the person who's going to tell me everything about this place. And I should tell you, I'm probably CNN's biggest Harry Potter fan or nerd, depending on how you view these things.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Amazing. Well, you've come to the right place.
STEWART: It feels like we have walked into a Harry Potter movie, minus one enchanted ceiling and two tables, which allows more room for visitors.
In the movies, Professor Flitwick made light work of baubles. Its a lot more work for the muggles working here.
Those aren't real peas?
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: No, sadly not. None of the food is real.
STEWART: Not real.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Not this time. No.
STEWART: With stomachs rumbling, time to move on.
Now, you may remember this scene, Hagrid lugging a Christmas tree across the Hogwarts courtyard.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: So this is very reminiscent of that moment. And this would have been the original costume as worn by Martin Bayfield.
STEWART: So this is what was worn by the body double.
[02:40:01]
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Absolutely. Yeah. Any of the long shots that you see were usually worn by him.
STEWART: Time for a little retail therapy. And it's been snowing.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: We use shredded paper. This is shredded paper or shredded plastic. Yes. And then on top we sprinkle some glitter to give it that kind of real life snow effect.
STEWART: From Ollivanders to Flourish and Blotts, Diagon Alley has everything the witch or wizard needs.
OK, if you could go into any of these shops for real, which one would you go into?
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Oh, I'm torn. Probably, I'd want to hang out with the twins, so I would want to go to the wizard wheezes. Yeah, okay. Don't pick up a few jokes.
STEWART: Maybe the Quidditch shop for me. Yeah. Once I've got my wand.
And clearly, it would be a Firebolt. It's the Firebolt, the fastest broomstick in the world.
Although, sadly, no holiday sales here. And to end the tour, a breathtaking view of Hogwarts in the snow.
Anna Stewart, CNN, Watford.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD: I must go. Do you know I've not been. I need to go.
Thank you very much for joining us. I'm Richard Quest in London, and this is where we go our separate ways. International viewers have "WORLD SPORT". And for those of you in the United States and Canada, bad luck. It's me after the break with more.
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[02:45:34]
QUEST: And a warm welcome back to our viewers in North America. I'm Richard Quest.
Donald Trump's former pick for the U.S. attorney general, Matt Gaetz, claims his bid for the job was thwarted by anti-Trump forces in the Senate. And now sources are telling a House Ethics Committee report on his conduct is likely to be released in the coming hours.
CNN's Brian Abel has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN ABEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was earlier this week when we learned that the House Ethics Committee had a secret vote to release its report into the conduct of former Rep Matt Gaetz. And now we know when multiple sources telling CNN the report will be released Monday.
The release is a stark reversal by the committee, which just last month voted to shelve the report after Gaetz resigned from Congress once he became President-elect Donald Trumps pick for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration of that role after Trump called him to say Gaetz didn't have the votes in the Senate to get confirmed. This report concludes a years-long probe by the ethics committee into numerous allegations against Gaetz, including whether he engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor, whether he paid for sex, used illicit drugs, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, and more.
Gaetz has strongly denied all the allegations and has said the committees investigation is a witch hunt, saying this on X after reports of the committees decision to release this report, he said, quote, the Biden Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes. I was charged with nothing fully exonerated.
The post went on to say it's embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied womanized drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.
We should note that it is rare for an ethics report to be released after a member has left congress, though it has happened on a couple of occasions in the past. Gaetz has said he has no plans of returning to the House next year. As a result, House Speaker Mike Johnson called the report a moot point and advocated for it to not be released.
But here's what Gaetz said Sunday at a conservative conference.
MATT GAETZ, DONALD TRUMP'S FORMER PICK FOR U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: And some of you throughout this conference have even given me a few suggestions. My fellow Floridians have asked me to eye the governor's mansion in Tallahassee. Maybe special counsel to go after the insider trading for my former colleagues in Congress.
It seems I may not have had enough support in the United States Senate. Maybe I'll just run for Marco Rubio's vacant seat in the United States Senate and join some of those folks.
ABEL: Rubio's seat is vacant after being picked to be Trump's secretary of state, and the exact timing of when this report will be released Monday is still unknown.
Brian Abel, CNN Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Now, the independent Senator Joe Manchin, sending nearly 15 years being in the Senate in Washington and is not holding out as he leaves. Senator Manchin notably left the Democratic Party earlier this year. He's registered as an independent, and now he's unloading on his former party. He's claiming their brand has become toxic.
Our Manu Raju sat down with the West Virginia senator to clarify why Manchin feels that way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (I-WV): The brand got so bad. The D brand has been so maligned from the standpoint of it's just -- it's toxic.
I'm going to help every human being pursue the pursue the happiness life in their life, pursuit of happiness. I don't care who they are. I don't care what color. I don't care any of the things who they love and they do it. And that's you. And I'm going to make sure you have that opportunity and right to live your life.
Just don't make your life, if it might be on the extremes or in the minority, of a few, make me believe that's the norm, or make me and my family believe or my children believe or this or that. No, I will protect you. Just don't try to mainstream it. And the Democratic Party, the Washington Democrats, have tried to mainstream the extreme.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Now, when Senator Manchin was asked if its time for a third major U.S. political party, he said yes. But he said he would not be that leader. Manchin added it could be, in his words, the American party and consist of moderate Democrats and Republicans.
[02:50:03]
The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO is expected to be arraigned in New York on Monday on state murder and terror charges. Luigi Mangione faces 11 felony counts in addition to four federal charges, one of which could bring the death penalty if he's convicted.
Jenn Sullivan reports reporter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENN SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a high profile case that will now likely involve two separate trials.
Luigi Mangione faces federal charges and New York state charges in the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione was extradited Thursday from Pennsylvania to New York, where he faced a slew of federal charges, including a firearms offense, two stalking charges and murder, three use of a firearm. If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of either the death penalty or life in prison. His attorneys dodging questions about the federal case.
REPORTER: Karen, do you have any comment on these charges today?
KAREN AGNIFILO, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Not at this time. Thank you so much.
SULLIVAN: The federal criminal complaint describes chilling details about contents inside a notebook that authorities say was found on Mangione when he was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, earlier this month.
According to the criminal complaint, the notebook contains several handwritten pages that express hostility towards the health insurance industry. In one entry dated October 22nd, 2024, describes intent to, quote whack, the CEO of one of the insurance companies.
PETER LICATA, FORMER FBI AGENT: We always talk about motive, opportunity means all three of those elements are addressed and captured in in the criminal complaint, as well as his notebook.
SULLIVAN: Mangione is expected to be arraigned in New York Monday, where he faces 11 state charges, including first degree murder, as an act of terrorism.
ALVIN BRAGG, MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It was targeted, premeditated and meant to sow terror.
SULLIVAN: In New York, I'm Jenn Sullivan, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Now, the weight loss drug Ozempic has been hailed by many as a miracle worker, transforming the lives of millions of its users, by the way, including myself, who takes it for pre-diabetes. Others, though, believe that the drug, like its rise in popularity. Thousands of people are experiencing unwanted side effects without apparently getting any warning.
CNN's Nick Watt has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICIA, FORMER OZEMPIC USER: I'm always going to the bathroom. I had to prepare myself for this, and I don't know how long I can sit.
NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Patricia is one of the 15 million or so Americans who've taken Ozempic or one of the other so-called GLP-1 drugs. She is diabetic.
WATT: What did you kind of hope it would achieve for you?
PATRICIA: Lower my A1C and help me to lose weight.
WATT: She's a veteran.
PATRICIA: This is my battalion I was in. Can you pick me up?
WATT: There. Am I right?
PATRICIA: Yes.
WATT: Yes.
She did lose weight. Her A1C did fall. Then, she says, her doctor doubled the dose, as suggested by the manufacturer, and within two weeks --
PATRICIA: I was going so often, I began to bleed. When it became bright red blood, I knew it was hospital time.
WATT: She saw a doctor in the E.R.
PATRICIA: He said, you have a lower G.I. erectile infection and you're hemorrhaging.
WATT: More than 1,300 people have already filed suit against the makers of these drugs over side effects they say they suffered and inadequate warnings.
Patricia plans to file soon.
WATT: And how many clients do you have now on this?
ANDREW VAN ARSDALE, PATRICIA'S ATTORNEY: We have over 6,000 clients.
PATRICIA: It doesn't say it on the pamphlet that you're going to be hemorrhaging.
WATT: And if it had said that on the --
PATRICIA: I wouldn't have taken it.
WATT: The label does warn of diarrhea, but not hemorrhaging.
VAN ARSDALE: I do think we'll find evidence that they were aware that some of these reports were coming in, and maybe they didn't do enough about it.
WATT: The maker of Ozempic declined an interview, but gave us a statement that reads in part, Novo Nordisk believes that the allegations in these lawsuits are without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend against these claims. The known risks and benefits are described in their FDA-approved labeling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You may have seen photos of celebrities and others showing off dramatic weight loss.
WATT: These drugs are now ingrained in the zeitgeist.
CARTOON CHARACTER: Party time, guys!
WATT: "South Park," "SNL."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since my doctor prescribed Ozempic for Ramadan, I've never gotten more work done.
WATT: And so many commercials in between.
(MUSIC)
WATT: I can hum the tune from the commercial. VAN ARSDALE: There's a reason you can hum the tune. There's a reason everybody knows about this. Because of the amount of money they're putting into the marketing of these products.
PATRICIA: I heard about Ozempic on the TV.
WATT: Patricia has now stopped taking it, but, she says, is still suffering.
PATRICIA: Uncontrollable diarrhea.
WATT: Which makes life quite hard to live.
PATRICIA: Right. So I stay pretty much close to the house. I still have the effects of uncontrollable going to the bathroom.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:55:00]
WATT (on camera): There are of course, many, many people taking these drugs very happily and getting great benefit from them. Patricia and her lawyer are not saying these drugs should be banned, they're just saying that the manufacturers, the pharmaceutical companies, should spend a lot more time and effort looking into potential side effects and should make the warnings around those potential side effects much more explicit.
There is, of course, a long and complicated legal road ahead.
Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.
QUEST: Christmas is upon us. Well, upon all of us. Like it or not, its arriving in 48 hours, so you haven't got long, but there's about 120 million of you expected to travel over the holidays. Flights across the country look to be on time. There are minimal delays impacting travel times. There you see the latest situation.
Weather could complicate some of the travel as we look forward into Monday. Two storms, one off the west coast that's threatening rain on the Pacific Northwest and parts of California. Some areas of the Sahara Mountains and Southern Cascades could get more than two feet of snow, which will be delightful for those who are skiing. The clipper storm moving across the Great Lakes is forecast to carry heavy snowfall into the mountains across New England as well. There are thunderstorms developing over eastern Texas.
And a Christmas tradition continues in Germany every year. Joseph Gulotta (ph) strings around 45,000 lights around his home. Its an illuminated nativity scene and the crowds have been drawn there for decades. The display takes around six weeks to set up. It has 30 figures and each one new ones added each year, which builds himself in his garage. The light show was encouraged by his wife, who died of leukemia last year. The proceeds of visitors and donations go to leukemia stem cell. I thank you for your time and attention. Your company this hour. I'll
be back with the CNN NEWSROOM after this short break because the news never stops, even at Christmas.
