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United States, Taliban Complete Long-Awaited Prisoner Exchange; Fragile Truce Holds On Day Three Of Ceasefire; 630 Plus Humanitarian Aid Trucks Have Entered Gaza; Trump Begins Harsh Crackdown on Immigration; Trump Ends All Jan. 6 Cases With Pardons, Commutations; Trump Launches Effort to End Birthright Citizenship; Biden Issues Pre- emptive Pardons for Possible Trump Targets; Trump Plans to Meet Putin, End Ukraine War Quickly; South Korean President Yoon Attends Impeachment Hearing; Fire in Ski Resort Kills at Least 10, Injures 32. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired January 21, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:28]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead. Promising a golden age. Donald Trump begins his second term on his own terms, granting sweeping clemency with the stroke of a pen. Trump pardons nearly all of the January 6 rioters.

And getting right to business seeking to upend everything from eliminating birthright citizenship to declaring an emergency at the southern border and pulling out of the international climate pact.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. Well, in the early hours of his second term, Donald Trump is already delivering on one of his most consistent and most controversial campaign promises. Freedom for the January 6 defendants with the stroke of a pen, the newly inaugurated U.S. president issued pardons for more than 1000 people charged in the 2021 Capitol riots, including those who assaulted police and destroyed property.

And he commuted the sentences of 14 far-right extremists from the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys who were either charged with or convicted of seditious conspiracy for trying to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power to Joe Biden four years ago. After signing a flurry of executive orders and actions late Monday, Mr. Trump went from the Oval Office to the dance floor as he and First Lady Melania attended three inaugural balls.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R) PRESIDENTIAL-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Protect and defend.

JOHN ROBERTS, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT: The Constitution of the United States.

TRUMP: The Constitution of the United States.

ROBERTS: So, help me God.

TRUMP: So, help me God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Earlier in the day, he took the oath of office as the 47th U.S. president, promising to be a peacemaker and a unifier. He told the crowd inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda, from this moment on, America's decline is over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The Golden Age of America begins right now. From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: More now from CNN's Jeff Zeleny.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: President Trump stepping into the Oval Office for the first time on Monday night and delivering on campaign promises to commute the sentences of January 6 defendants and deliver a mass pardon of some 1500 defendants and some 14 sentences, many serious cases were commuted. Certainly, answering the question that's been hanging over his campaign, really, for many months and even years, would he distinguish between the violent offenders and the nonviolent offenders on that horrific day on January 6?

President Trump saying he would not, delivering that blanket mass pardon and the commutation of those serious sentences as well. That was just some of the executive actions that the President did on his first full day in office. From speaking on Capitol Hill to speaking at a rally at a downtown arena, the President arriving at the White House and stepping into the Oval Office for the first time in his second term, he said it felt great to be back.

He immediately signed a large stack of executive orders, including on immigration, declaring a national emergency on the border, calling the cartels a terrorist organization. Did not rule out using special forces in Mexico, the list goes on and on. Taking a series of questions on a range of topics but the President made clear he was very excited to be back in power, also at one point, opening the drawer of the resolute desk, pulling out a private note that President Biden sent to him.

It was March 47. He joked with reporters in the Oval Office, saying, should I read it aloud? He did not read it aloud. But there is no question on the first full day back in power, President Trump doing actions on the January 6 of the defendants that certainly is going to be controversial in his own party and at the Justice Department.

Jeff Zeleny CNN, the White House.

[02:05:00]

CHURCH: Joining me now is Democratic strategist Caroline Heldman. She is a professor of Critical Theory and Social Justice at Occidental College. And Republican strategist, Robert Stutzman, founder and president of Stutzman Public Affairs. Welcome, appreciate you both joining us.

CAROLINE HELDMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good to see you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, on day one of the second term President Donald Trump, he signed sweeping executive orders before a crowd of supporters, and then went back to the White House to sign more while answering multiple questions from the assembled media. Let's start with President Trump's decision to pardon more than 1000 defendants of the January 6 riots. Robert, what was your reaction to these mass pardons?

ROBERT STUTZMAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, personally, it was very disappointing to see, even though I'm a Republican, I completely disagree with what the President defines January 6 as. I think those are all people that committed crimes and it was an awful, dark day for the United States. So, I'm very disappointed in that action. But that he did exactly what he said he was going to do and he was elected with a winning the majority vote or the popular vote, I should say, in this country, while promising to do exactly what he's going to do.

CHURCH: Caroline, your reaction to this broad effort to pardon January 6 rioters?

HELDMAN: I see this as part of a larger threat to our democracy, and one that so few people are even talking about anymore. There's almost this resignation in the press to talk about this. But you know, inciting a violent insurrection is not normal, and then pardoning 1600 folks who engaged in violence against law enforcement officers. Five people died. I mean, ribs were broken, eye injuries, head injuries.

I mean, this is -- this is not the only thing that is happening that is weakening our democracy, but it is such a red flag and it's almost as though, you know, we're erasing that memory. And as someone who used to get tours when I worked for Congress years ago in that beautiful Rotunda room today, I was thinking about how it was defiled four years ago and how much work has been put into revising history.

And I would put this, you know, this red flag of Donald Trump, eroding democracy, along with some others, you know, attacking his enemies, attacking the press, right? Overriding some of the basic protections like the emoluments closet says that a president can't benefit from their time in office. So, I hope that we're still going to be talking about the five-alarm fire that is Donald Trump's threat to democracy in the second term. CHURCH: And Robert President Trump also declared a national emergency of the border and redefined birthright citizenship. What will this mean for immigrants and immigration in this country?

STUTZMAN: Well, that will ultimately be up to the courts. His broad effort to redefine what the common understanding of the 14th Amendment has been in the United States when it comes to birthright citizenship will certainly be challenged in court. It will be his order will certainly be enjoined, and ultimately, it will be up to this current Supreme Court to probably decide exactly what the 14th Amendment means when it comes to birthright citizenship.

But again, this is something he promised he would do. So, these things that he's doing are the things that he said he would do and he could argue he's been elected to do.

CHURCH: And Caroline, what is ahead for immigration in America?

HELDMAN: Well, the question is, when did the mass deportation start? The Pope has called Donald Trump an un-Christian man because of his approach to this. And I couldn't agree more. I mean, we are a nation of immigrants and Trump has been feeding this fear based upon things that are simply not true. He's painted this narrative and I would argue it's a racist narrative of criminal immigrants when the fact is that crime has been dropping across the United States post-COVID and folks who were born here are much more likely to engage in crime than immigrants.

So, he is deporting people which will have a profound effect on the housing costs, since so many immigrants work in that industry as well as produce prices. And in fact, I would point out that I didn't hear anything that's going to lower prices for working Americans today. In fact, you know, he revoked the prescription drug caps that Biden put into place, immigration is going to going to cause his approach to immigration is going to cause prices to go up and tariffs are just taxes.

And that's something we're going to pay. And so, I didn't hear anything that's actually going to address the number one reason why people put them in the White House, which is the economy.

CHURCH: And Robert, President Trump also signed an order to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Treaty and the World Health Organization. What will this potentially mean for both the environment and for the health of the American people?

[02:10:01]

STUTZMAN: Well, I don't know. I'm not expert enough to know what withdrawing from the World Health Organization will mean. I would think most Americans mean the problem -- would think it doesn't mean anything to them as they live their daily lives. The Paris Accords are, of course, a bit more interesting. What it does is it allows the president to now focus on what he would call an America first energy policy. He's going to strip away regulations and go for more domestic energy production, particularly in the state of California where I reside which is seen as domestic oil production really precipitously drop off over the past eight years under Governor Newsom.

So, what you're going to hear from, along with withdrawing from Paris, what you're going to hear from Trump is we want to see a lot of drilling of oil using us resources and becoming less dependent upon foreign oil. And ultimately, that should be something that leads to lower prices for Americans.

CHURCH: Caroline, your response.

HELDMAN: We've had the highest domestic oil production under Biden. And that's not what has caused the prices to go up. It's a variety of things. The drill, baby drill, after, you know, fire -- the fires in Los Angeles came a block from my house. We're going to act like we're not in a climate crisis. Pulling out of the Paris Agreement we're joining a few other countries. Most countries across the globe want to constrain fossil fuels because of climate change.

So, having 80-mile-per hour winds combined with fire, I mean, for me, it has hit close to home, and I would argue it is affecting millions of Americans. And I'll just add the weaponization threat to withhold funds from places where he doesn't agree with the politics of the people in charge, is -- it's a terrible precedent to set for the American public.

CHURCH: And Robert hours before leaving office, President Biden used his executive clemency power to protect those people targeted for reprisals by Donald Trump, including General Mark Milley, Doc Anthony Fauci and Liz Cheney, as well as five members of his own family. He has been criticized for doing that. What's your reaction?

STUTZMAN: Well, I understand the broad attempt to try to immunize the members of the January 6 committee. I think the pardons of his family are more troubling, particularly of his brother, which the -- which the Biden DOJ had commenced some investigation into his business activities. So unfortunately, as much as what we've seen today with Trump is very discouraging with how to use the pardon power.

Biden is completely diminished any type of moral high group when it comes to the pardon power because of the blanket pardons he's issued to his family, obviously starting with his son last month.

CHURCH: And Caroline, you get the last word on this.

HELDMAN: I would agree with Rob. I think I don't like the President that Biden said. I understand why he did it. We are in unprecedented times with Donald Trump going after his enemies in ways that really violate our Constitution and violate our rules and norms of democracy. At the same time, Biden has set a terrible precedence for essentially issuing pardons to family members.

And we've seen this before, right? Roger Clinton, we've seen it on occasion, but nothing like what Biden has established in the last, you know, week or month.

CHURCH: Caroline Heldman and Robert Stutzman, thank you both for joining us. Appreciate it.

HELDMAN: Thank you, Rosemary.

STUTZMAN: Thank you.

CHURCH: After Donald Trump's inauguration, Joe Biden issued his first remarks as a former U.S. president, but it was a gesture he made that was perhaps the most telling.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A lot more to do. We heard the inaugural address tonight. We got a lot more to do. I looked. I don't have many as years' experience. They're up and down, but we have to stay with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Mr. Biden making the sign of the cross before boarding a special helicopter out of Washington. He told the crowd he's leaving office, but we're not leaving the fight, and called on supporters to stay engaged.

A prisoner exchange years in the making between the U.S. and the Taliban has finally been reached in the final hours of Joe Biden's presidency. Two Americans held in Afghanistan have been freed in exchange for a Taliban member serving a life sentence in the U.S. Sources tell CNN's American Ryan Corbett and William McKenty are now on their way home. At the same time, Taliban member Khan Mohammed convicted in 2008 on narcoterrorism charges has been flown from the U.S. to Doha, Qatar.

Corbett's family released a statement saying they are profoundly grateful to President Trump and his team, along with the former Biden White House for bringing Ryan home.

[02:15:00]

Still to come. What the second Trump presidency means for the Israel- Hamas ceasefire deal and the Middle East at large.

Back with that and more in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: The fragile Gaza truce is now in its third day. While the cease fire has finally brought a moment of reprieve, it has also allowed Palestinians in Gaza to begin returning home and grieving all they have lost.

And in Israel, 30 hostage families are eagerly awaiting the release of their loved ones after the return of three hostages on Sunday, their families advocating for those still in captivity. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEIRAV LESHEM GONEN, MOTHER OF FREED HOSTAGE ROMI GONEN (through translator): There are 94 more of our brothers and sisters to whom we are all committed. We are strong, we are powerful, and together, we will bring them back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Israeli and Palestinian officials are optimistic about working with the new Trump administration. Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas congratulated President Donald Trump and said in a statement he hopes to "achieve peace guided by a two-state solution."

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent warmest wishes to the U.S. first family via X. An Israeli official says Mr. Netanyahu is planning to meet President Trump in D.C. in the coming weeks, where they are expected to discuss Israeli-Saudi relations, Iran's nuclear program and the ongoing ceasefire and hostage deal.

And our Paula Hancocks joins us now live from Abu Dhabi. Good to see you, Paula. So, leaders, no doubt, watching the transition here, the fragile ceasefire appears to be holding, though, doesn't it?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It does, Rosemary. It certainly does, which is very positive news for those on the ground in Gaza. As you say, hundreds and thousands are moving back to where they came from, having been moved a number of times, some of them a dozen times during the war itself, of course, many of them are going back to rubble, as opposed to a home. But we are seeing people getting back to where they came from in any way possible. Whether it's on foot, whether it's on the back of a donkey cart, or if they're lucky, with transport itself.

And, of course, now the very hard work starts to try and get as much humanitarian aid to those who have acutely needed it in the Gaza Strip for months now.

Now, one interesting point is the U.S. President Donald Trump was asked by a reporter as he was signing executive orders, whether he was confident that the cease fire would hold, and he said to that, I'm not confident. It's not our war, it's their war, but I'm not confident.

[02:20:02]

Now, that will obviously concern many who have supported this deal. It's really -- we did see an unprecedented amount of coordination between the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration, with the Middle East envoys for both administrations working together to make sure that they could put this deal together and get it over the line.

But at this point, the U.S. president says he is not confident it will hold. But also at the same time, talking about really through his real estate eyes, talking about what Gaza could become. Saying, it's a phenomenal location on the sea, some beautiful things could be done with it.

Now, of course, those who put this deal together will be hoping it does hold. It has to hold for six weeks for 33 Israeli hostages to be released in return for those hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. And of course, the humanitarian aid flooding in.

But then, by day 16, there are supposed to be negotiations for phase two. Now, it's only in phase two where the cease fire becomes permanent. When the Israeli military will fully pull out of Gaza and the remaining living hostages will be released from Gaza in return for hundreds of further Palestinian prisoners.

Now, of course, there are no guarantees that it will get to that phase two. We are hearing even from the families of the hostages that have just been released that it does have to get through all these phases, and they have to make sure that not all -- not a single hostage is left behind. Rosemary.

CHURCH: Paula Hancocks joining us live from Abu Dhabi. Many thanks for that report.

Well, the ceasefire has also brought aid relief to the people in Gaza. More than 630 humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza in the first day of the ceasefire, and at least 300 of those trucks are expected to travel to the north.

Joining us live from Rome to discuss more on the humanitarian efforts in Gaza is the World Food Program's Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Carl Skau. Thank you so much for talking with us.

CARL SKAU, DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: So, what more are you learning about the 630 plus humanitarian aid trucks that apparently entered Gaza on the first day of the ceasefire?

SKAU: Well, it's been actually two good days for our operations in Gaza. The first day, over 600 trucks, and yesterday, over 900 trucks. And so, and not only that, those trucks have been able to also reach their destination. So, we have been able to get our bakeries up and running. We have been able to prepare hot meals, including for these people who have been on the move and delivering ready to eat meals to families in shelter.

So, it's been -- could two very good days for the operations in Gaza. Now, of course, this needs to be sustained over time. It cannot be one or two days. This needs to be sustained over several weeks.

CHURCH: Yes, that is very important. So, what proportion of those trucks that have gone in, heading to the desperate people in the north?

SKAU: Well, it's been about half of that. It's -- the needs are massive also in the south, and so, it's equally important that we get trucks into the south. I mean, I must admit that, you know, there is huge relief among our colleagues. For the first time in 15 months, we're now able to do work in an acceptable environment.

And so, we have been able to bring trucks at high volumes in, and as I said, we have been able to also bring them to its destination, to those most vulnerable, both in the north and in the south.

(CROSSTALK)

CHURCH: And you --

SKAU: But I think look forward. Sorry.

CHURCH: No, sir, please continue.

SKAU: I think looking forward what is important also that we add commercial and private goods to this entry, because it's only with commercial and private food on the markets, that we will be able to completely turn this desperate situation around.

And you mentioned one of the big challenges, of course, sustaining this level of humanitarian aid coming in. Talk to us about that and the other major challenges facing aid workers as they try to distribute these humanitarian supplies equitably.

SKAU: I mean, in the past, one of the main challenges has been to get enough trucks, a lot, and enough volumes across the border. But the main challenge over the past few months has really been the breakdown of law and order, the security situation inside Gaza. But quite remarkably, and to our surprise, almost, we have been able to move around freely. Our teams have been safe, moving around, doing the deliveries over these past two days.

So, it seems that the ceasefire also has brought order and security in a different way inside Gaza. And so, we hope that, that will hold and continue, because that is a key element for us to be able to make sure that we can deliver in an orderly and secure way.

[02:25:00]

CHURCH: Yes, most definitely. And, of course, as a result of the widespread devastation across Gaza, and we can see that with the pictures that are going to air right now as you speak to us. What can be done for those who actually have no shelter right now?

SKAU: Well, as soon as possible, some kind of recovery, obviously, needs to be made. And as I said for us on the food side, what we want is for commercial and private goods to start entering, so that we can be instead working with vouchers or cash, supporting local markets, supporting local retailers to come back. That is the best way of providing food for people going forward.

But obviously, also there needs to be recovery when it comes to water, sanitation, and not least shelter. I think it's a mixed bag in terms of the feelings of people in Gaza right now, obviously happy for this ceasefire that is bringing, you know, relief. But obviously, people who are returning and finding their houses in rubble, there is also moments here of sadness and desperation.

And so, important that beyond the life-saving support, we soon also can help bring back some dignity and support for recovery.

CHURCH: So, much more work ahead, of course.

Carl Skau, thank you so much for talking with us, and, of course, for all the work that you are doing there. Appreciate it.

SKAU: Thank you.

CHURCH: And still to come, the first lawsuit against the new Trump administration, challenging his attempt to end birthright citizenship in the United States. We'll explain.

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CHURCH: As part of his first day in office, U.S. President Donald Trump granted a mass pardon to more than 1,000 people convicted on charges related to the January 6th insurrection and the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol.

He also signed a slew of executive actions and orders kicking off his harsh crackdown on immigration. One of those orders is an attempt to redefine birthright citizenship, a right that's enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

A coalition of civil and immigration rights groups have already sued the Trump administration over that order.

[02:30:02]

Trump is also promising to start deportation raids in major metropolitan areas across the United States.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez takes a closer look at Trump's immigration actions.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump signed a series of executive actions on immigration on Monday that will dramatically overhaul the U.S. immigration system and make it even harder for migrants who are coming to the United States trying to seek asylum.

Now, these actions included, for example, a national emergency along the U.S. southern border, which allows the administration to pool more Pentagon resources to assist along the U.S. southern border. Also, designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations which could preface the use of the military force on Mexican soil. The President saying while he was signing that, that "Mexico probably doesn't want that."

Then two, President Donald Trump also signing executive action that would kick off the process of ending birthright citizenship. Of course, that will likely be challenged in the courts, which is part of the plan that Trump officials have had in mind when it comes to ending birthright citizenship.

But it was also the actions that happen quietly that may have the most wide ranging effects, at least in the near term. And that is, for example, the Trump Administration turning off CBP One, essentially canceling appointments for migrants who were scheduled to come to those legal ports of entry. About every single day, at least under the Biden administration, there were 1,450 appointments.

So today, over a thousand migrants who had been queued up in line after scheduling their appointments were told that those were canceled and without other -- in addition to, I should say, asylum restrictions along the U.S. southern border for those crossing illegally, it essentially makes asylum all but impossible for migrants who are at the U.S. southern border.

In addition to that, sources telling me that Trump officials had fired some key leaders at the Justice Department's Immigration Office. That's an office that oversees the nation's immigration courts, essentially those immigration judges who decide who stays in the U.S. and who is deported.

So, President Donald Trump coming into office with a suite of actions that already are having implications for immigrants, both in the United States and around the world.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Washington.

CHURCH: Larry Sabato is the Director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, and he joins me now. Appreciate you being with us.

LARRY SABATO IS THE DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Thank you, Rosie.

CHURCH: So, we witness the swearing in of Donald Trump as the 47th U.S. President Monday, after declaring America's decline is over in his inaugural speech, the first day of his second term in office was dominated by the signing of sweeping executive orders, including revoking 78 of Biden-era executive actions, the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Treaty and the World Health Organization.

But, let's start with the pardons of more than 1,000 January 6th defendants and the commuting of 14 of them. What was your reaction to those pardons and what are the likely consequences of this?

SABATO: Well, it's disgraceful and truly outrageous. And remember, we had been told even by the new Vice President, J.D. Vance, last week that there would be some selectivity here, that the people who had been convicted of attacking police officers, and let's remember, several died within a few days of January 6th, and there were over 140 police officers savagely attacked and beaten brutally. We were told they were going to be separate. They would be looked at separately, and not all of them would be pardoned or wouldn't have their sentences commuted.

Well, it turns out that 1,500 people are pardoned, including some of those who directly and savagely attacked police. There are another 14 with sentences commuted. They'll be released, but they won't be fully pardoned until their cases are more fully examined. But I suspect some of them will be pardoned too.

So, it's a shock to everyone except for those who listened to Donald Trump during the campaign. So, it's hard to deny that we didn't know this was coming, but we didn't know it was going to be this broad.

CHURCH: Yeah, indeed. And Larry, President Trump also declared a national emergency at the border and is trying to get rid of birthright citizenship. While earlier, migrants waiting to cross the U.S. border with Mexico learned that their appointments have been canceled. What impact will all this likely have on immigrants in this country and immigration as a whole?

SABATO: You can't help but feel for the immigrants attempted immigration at least, that had appointments with the Border Patrol and had expected to have their cases examined, and then suddenly, the instant Trump was inaugurated, their appointments were canceled. You can only imagine the heartbreak. But what's significant to me, other than what's going to unfold with the deportation of how -- God knows how many -- of the immigrants, whether documented or not, is the fact that you have birthright citizenship being denied in one of these executive orders.

[02:35:13]

Well, there's just one problem with that. An executive order is thin gruel compared to the U.S. Constitution. And the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified in the Civil War era, clearly establishes the right of birthright citizenship which a couple of dozen other countries also have. So, it'll be very interesting to see whether -- maybe Trump judges will find some way around birthright citizenship, but if we actually believe in the Constitution and we believe in the wording of the 14th Amendment, this cannot stand.

CHURCH: We'll watch to see what happens with it -- this. But of course, hours before leaving office, President Biden used his executive clemency power to protect those people targeted for reprisals by Donald Trump, including General Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Liz Cheney, as well as five members of his own family. He is being criticized for doing this. How necessary was it?

SABATO: For the members of the J6 Committee, like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and so on, I think it was necessary. They weren't enthusiastic about accepting the pardons, but I think it will help them because when you're charged, with even trumped up crimes, it will cost you a fortunate. It will bankrupt you, not only that, but ruin your reputation. I feel much less excited about the pardons of Biden's family, just a terrible look (ph).

This makes six members of his family, that is Hunter Biden who was pardoned first a few weeks ago, and now senior members of the Biden family, his siblings and their spouses, terrible precedent and a worse look. This really made it easier for Trump to sign his outrageous pardon. So a really bad way for Biden to leave office, but I'm sure at age 82, never having to hold public office again and being already very unpopular, he could care less.

CHURCH: Larry Sabato, always appreciate your analysis. Many thanks.

SABATO: Thank you, Rosie.

CHURCH: Still to come. How Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes the new U.S. president can help bring an end to the conflict in his country. Back with that and more in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: U.S. President Donald Trump cast himself as peacemaker and unifier. In his inaugural address, Mr. Trump says he wants to end the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible, and efforts are underway to arrange a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

[02:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The pre- election period has been difficult for Mr. Trump in every way. He and even members of his family were constantly under severe pressure. There were even attempts on his life, but he showed the courage to win in a convincing manner. (Inaudible) his statement about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War III, we certainly welcome this attitude and congratulate the President-elect of the United States of America on his assumption of office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he hopes the Trump Administration will help to "Achieve a long-term and just peace." In a congratulatory post on X, he described Donald Trump's inauguration day as one of change and hope

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): He is a strong person. I wish President Trump and all of America success, Ukrainians are ready to work together with Americans to achieve peace, real peace. This is an opportunity that must be seized.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Other world leaders are also congratulating President Trump and praising his return to the White House. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese posted this on social media. Our alliance has never been stronger. I look forward to working with you on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, posted this. The E.U. looks forward to working closely with you to tackle global challenges. Together, our societies can achieve greater prosperity and strengthen their common security. This is the enduring strength of the transatlantic partnership. South Korea's detained President Yoon Suk Yeol has attended a constitutional court hearing for his impeachment trial today. He is accused of leading an insurrection with his short-lived attempt to impose martial law in December. The court will ultimately decide whether he will be reinstated or removed from office permanently. Yoon told the court he is committed to a free democracy. However, he has refused to answer questions in a separate criminal investigation.

A fire at a ski resort in Turkey has killed at least 10 people and injured 32 others. It happened in Bolu province, west of Ankara. The fire broke out overnight in a hotel restaurant. Both the roof and top floors of the hotel were engulfed in flames. Officials say two of the victims died after jumping out of the building in a panic. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Dozens of fire trucks and ambulances have been sent to the scene.

I want to thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. "World Sport" is coming up next. Then I'll be back in about 15 minutes with more "CNN Newsroom." Do stay with us.

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