Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Trump on America's Golden Age; Trump Ends all January 6 Cases with Pardons, Commutations; Trump Begins Harsh Crackdown on Immigration; Fragile Truce Holds on Day Three of Israel-Hamas Ceasefire. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired January 21, 2025 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will not be conquered. We will not be intimidated. And nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans. The future is ours and our golden age has just begun. I was saved by God to make America great again.
We're going to release our great hostages that didn't do, for the most part, they didn't do stuff wrong.
So this is January 6th and these are the hostages. Full pardon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have been betrayed by my country and I've been betrayed by those that supported Donald Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't get it done and it hurts and my job is to figure out why.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These guys are going to be cemented as one of the best stories in Ohio State history and one of the best football teams ever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York in for Max and Christina. It is Tuesday, January 21st, 4 a.m. here in New York.
Just hours into his second term Donald Trump is already delivering on one of his most consistent and most controversial campaign promises, freedom for the January 6th defendants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: So this is January 6th and these are the hostages. Full pardon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: And there it is with the stroke of a pen. The newly inaugurated U.S. president issued pardons for more than a thousand people charged or convicted in the 2021 Capitol riots, including those who assaulted police and destroyed property on Capitol grounds.
A man who identified himself as the Trump White House liaison to the Justice Department says two brothers have already been released from a Washington, D.C. jail. President Trump also commuted the sentences of 14 far right extremists from the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys groups 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 yesterday.
And there was certainly plenty of celebrating as well. After signing a flurry of those executive orders and actions late Monday, Mr. Trump went from the Oval Office, putting on a tuxedo to the dance floor as he and the first lady, Melania Trump, attended three inaugural balls.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: ... and defend.
JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS, 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)
SANDOVAL: And a reminder earlier in the day, he took the oath of office as the 47th U.S. president, promising to be a peaceful -- or at least a peacemaker, I should say, as well as 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.
(CHEERING)
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)
SANDOVAL: And back to the pardon of the insurrectionists. Michael Fanone is one of the many police officers who were assaulted during the January 6th insurrection. A man who tased Fanone in the neck pleaded guilty to several counts for his involvement and was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison.
Well, Fanone says that he, his family, his children, that they feel less safe because of Donald Trump and his supporters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL FANONE, FORMER WASHINTON, DC POLICE OFFICER: Rest assured, I have been betrayed by my country, and I've been betrayed by those that supported Donald Trump. Whether you voted for him because he promised these pardons or for some other reason, you knew that this was coming, and here we are. Tonight, six individuals who assaulted me as I did my job on January 6th, as did hundreds of other law enforcement officers, will now walk free.
[04:05:00]
Tonight, the leader of the Republican Party pardoned hundreds of violent cop assaulters.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: CNN's Jeff Zeleny kicks off our coverage of Trump's inauguration day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: President Trump's stepping into the Oval Office for the first time on Monday night and delivering on campaign promises to commute the sentences of January 6th defendants and deliver a mass pardon. Of some 1,500 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 6th?
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 6th to the defendants that certainly is going to be controversial in his own party and at the Justice Department.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: And during his inaugural address, President Trump promised when he called The Golden Age of America, which begins right now, he said. He told the crowd inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, from this moment on, America's decline is over. And the president also vowed to be a peacemaker and a unifier, though we should mention that his remarks, plenty of them included some of that red meat rhetoric for his base.
Now, a number of tech titans were also there on hand, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and you see also Tim Cook of Apple. The 47th president used his inaugural address to discuss the assassination attempts against him. And what he sees as a divine calling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom and indeed to take my life. Just a few months ago in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin's bullet ripped through my ear. But I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: President Trump also signed a slew of executive actions and orders that basically kick off his harsh crackdown on immigration. One of those orders is an attempt to redefine birthright citizenship, a right that is literally enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Trump gave justification for that dramatic change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This next order relates to the definition of birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment of the United States.
TRUMP: That's a good one. Birthright. That's a big one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about that one? That one would likely be --
TRUMP: Could be. You think we have good grounds, but you could be right. I mean, you'll find out.
It's ridiculous. We're the only country in the world that does this with birthright, as you know. And it's just absolutely ridiculous. But, you know, we'll see. We think we have very good grounds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Yes, part of that statement is inaccurate. To be clear, other countries do have birthright citizenship. A coalition of the civil and immigration rights groups have already sued the Trump administration over that executive order.
Trump also signed an order declaring a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico. He's also promising to start deportation raids in major cities across the United States. Still no sign of those yet.
And his administration shut down an app that allowed migrants to legally enter the United States by appointment to present their asylum case. On Monday, a priest who provides humanitarian support to migrants in a Mexican border town told me that this is absolutely crushing for those who've been waiting eagerly for their upcoming appointments, yet they don't know what to do next.
[04:10:00]
And that shutdown has also been extremely devastating for people in other parts of the border. They were hoping, as we just said, to legally enter the U.S. from Mexico. That's where CNN's Valeria Leon picks up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The dream for asylum seekers has come to an end as the CBP-1 application has been canceled. This app set up by the Biden administration is no longer available. And many migrants here in this Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez have been waiting for months, even years, to be processed legally through this CBP-1 app.
We talked to some of the migrants among the last group that was waiting for being processed here at this international port in Ciudad Juarez. And this is what they told me.
YALIDETH SANCHEZ, VENEZUELAN MIGRANT (through translator): A surprise, because we were hoping to get through. We got here at 5:00 in the morning with our appointment that was scheduled for 1:00 in the afternoon. On several occasions, they informed us that they were going to see us at 11:00. And when 11:00 in the morning came, they told us that they were not going to see us today. And that until further notice, the appointments were suspended.
However, when you go to the application that we used to request the appointment, it says the appointments were canceled.
MARGELY TINOCO, COLOMBIAN MIGRANT (through translator): But I know the president is human and that he should put his hand on his heart and look on the bright side, that we are all human.
LEON: While trying to prevent or at least attend to this upcoming crisis, the Mexican government has announced the launch of its own CBP-1 app to process migrants coming through Mexico. But it's still unclear what's going to happen with the deportees coming from other countries here to Mexico, and how it's exactly going to deal the Mexican government with this upcoming crisis.
I'm Valeria Leon from Ciudad Juarez, CNN. (END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: So much uncertainty along the border.
Protesters also gathering outside the U.S. embassy in Mexico City. As you see here, they smashed a pinata and burned it. It bears the likeness of Donald Trump. They denounced Trump's anti-immigration policies and his plan to militarize the border. Meanwhile, Mexico offering help to Mexicans who might be deported from the United States in the coming weeks or months.
The government says it will give them some financial resources, identity documents, and also more assistance as they look to potentially reintegrate in their native country.
Thomas Giff, the director of the Center on U.S. Politics at University College in London. Thank you so much, Thomas, for joining us after what was a very busy Monday in Washington.
I want to quickly, though, get your take on what you heard during the president's remarks yesterday. His team had initially promised that a lot of his speeches would be, they would focus on what they said was hope and light. Was that your impression when you heard the remarks from the president?
THOMAS GIFT, DIRECTOR, CENTRE ON U.S. POLITICS, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LONDON: Well, in short, not at all. And thanks so much for having me, Polo. It's great to be with you.
I think someone should tell Donald Trump that he won the election already because this was essentially a campaign speech. As you noted, Trump's team said in advance that the theme of the address would be hope and light. I think that seems like false advertising.
It wasn't American carnage like in 2017, but the negativity was still there. The lack of graciousness was still there. The bitterness toward the previous administration was still there, and the ego was still there. Somehow Trump managed to work in the fact that he won all seven swing states just in case you didn't know.
All that said, if Americans like what they heard from Trump on the campaign trail, and clearly 77 million voters liked it enough to vote for him, then they probably would have liked what they heard from Trump yesterday.
SANDOVAL: Yes, that inauguration parade in Washington, D.C. was really -- seemed more like a MAGA rally, watching that.
Let's talk a little bit about these January 6th pardons. When it comes to granting full and unconditional pardons to people who disregarded the law and even injured police officers the day of the insurrection, what message do you think he's sending to law enforcement in the United States by providing literally hundreds of people, many who pleaded guilty themselves, by commuting to their sentence -- at least issuing those pardons? Why shouldn't this pardon contradict his whole back-the-blue message that has given him no shortage of support among law enforcement in the U.S.?
GIFT: Well, you're absolutely right. This is sending a signal of impunity, and you're right that there is this hypocrisy that, on the one hand, Donald Trump says that he is the president of law and order, and on the other hand, he is granting clemencies to individuals that broke the law.
I mean, we all know that Trump isn't above pardoning political supporters and even Americans guilty of violent acts. In his first term, he granted clemency to multiple U.S. service members and Blackwater agents accused or convicted of war crimes. That was on top of a barrage of other controversial pardons, including, as we remember, longtime political associate Roger Stone and former campaign manager Paul Manafort.
[04:15:04]
You know, Trump on releasing the January 6th rioters from federal custody, and he followed through, but data show that this is not a popular move with the American people as a whole.
There was a Washington Post poll taken just before Trump's election, and about two-thirds of Americans either strongly or somewhat opposed clemencies for the Capitol storming. But this is playing to the base. This is red meat to the base.
SANDOVAL: Yes, I checked the social media for the National Fraternal Order of Police, one of the largest police unions that certainly endorsed Trump, to see what their reaction may be that they have posted online. But they essentially, yesterday online, welcomed Trump calling him the law and order candidate. So, as you said, really quite the contradicting message here from U.S. law enforcement.
If we could now pivot to also the economy. When you heard from Donald Trump on Monday, we heard poll after poll from voters saying not only immigration was a big priority for them, but their economic situation, their pocketbook. Did you really hear anything in those executive actions that has potential to improve the economic lives of Americans?
GIFT: Well, I think that curbing inflation is going to be a long-term challenge. I mean, we saw that from the previous administration doing essentially everything that it could to get prices down wasn't successful. I think one of the problems is that Joe Biden framed this as transient, and it turned out not to be.
But I don't think Americans should fool themselves. I mean, prices are not going to come down for groceries and other day-to-day goods. The goal really is just to curb inflation and to keep it at about 2 to 3 percent.
A lot of that has to do with monetary policy, so what the Federal Reserve is doing? Trump, of course, has said that he wouldn't be above sort of influencing decisions by the Federal Reserve, which would really counter the Fed's independence.
But if you look at what Trump's economic policies are, they're basically tariffs, tariffs, and more tariffs. If there's anything that's inflationary, it's that. It's going to drive up prices for ordinary Americans simply because companies are going to pass on higher prices to consumers.
SANDOVAL: 25 percent tariffs that he once again reiterated as a threat yesterday in the Oval Office, not just to Mexico, but Canada, two chief trading partners, as you know. And as you point out, tariffs for many would equal taxes. So thank you so much for all this crucial analysis, Thomas. You have a great day.
GIFT: Thanks, Polo.
SANDOVAL: You bet.
Let's go live now to CNN's Steven Jiang in Beijing for details on how leaders in Asia are reacting to the U.S. president. Hey, Steve.
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Polo, at least here, the Chinese foreign ministry actually just answered a barrage of questions about Trump and China in their daily briefing that wrapped up just a short while ago. Now, their response, largely a mix of dodging the questions and reiterating their previous positions on issues ranging from the Panama Canal to the case of TikTok.
I think the Chinese really have learned quite a bit in terms of how Trump operates and his personality from his first term in office. So at this stage, they appear trying to avoid angering or triggering him unnecessarily.
Now, from their perspective, if you were Chinese leader Xi Jinping, you would probably find the events of the past few days quite comforting or relieving. There was no day one announcement on China tariffs, despite all these campaign promises and threats. And also, the Chinese actually sent an unprecedented high-level delegation to attend his inauguration led by their vice president, who has not only met with J.D. Vance, but also U.S. business leaders in D.C., including Elon Musk.
And then, of course, there was that phone call between Trump and Xi Jinping on Friday, even though nothing earth-shattering seemed to have been said. But the two leaders agreed to establish strategic communication channels and maintain regular contact on issues of major concern. So there is this willingness to really talk things out at this stage, at least.
And from the Chinese perspective, of course, there was a lot of anxiety in terms of dealing with an unpredictable Trump. But also, they see him to be more transactional. So maybe, in their mind, there is a potential trade deal that can be worked out.
But I think for a lot of people in the Trump 2.0 team, though, they would have to look at the 1.0 team's trade deal with China, which was never fully implemented, and see what kind of lessons they can draw from there.
But overall, Paolo, the approach here seemed to be wait and see. And they are probably relieved that all of these developments would buy them some time. There is no immediate tariffs, means they can have more time to deal with the sluggish economy here at home.
Not to mention, they are even looking at some of the unpredictable nature of Trump to be working in their favor, like in the case of TikTok, where the president has completely reversed himself -- Polo.
[04:20:03]
SANDOVAL: Unpredictability, Steven. Already, the theme of this presidency, just a few hours into it. Thank you so much for tracking what may be the next chapter of U.S.-China relations. Appreciate it.
President Donald Trump also making no mention of Ukraine during his inauguration speech. But did he say that he plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin? We're going to break that down, and certainly what that could mean for the next chapter of the Ukraine war.
Plus, also on the way, Prince Harry taking on the tabloids and one group in particular. We're going to have a closer look at today's highly anticipated deal.
Also, the Ohio State Buckeyes on top of the football college world. We are going to have the very latest highlights from the national title game. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANDOVAL: 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 now been freed in exchange for a member of the Taliban that was serving a life sentence in the U.S. Sources telling CNN that Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty are now on their way home at this hour. And at the same time, we also know the Taliban member Khan Mohammed, convicted in 2008 on narco-terrorism charges, has been flown from the U.S. to Doha.
Corbett's family releasing a statement saying that they are profoundly grateful, not just to President Trump and his team, but also former President Joe Biden and his White House for bringing Ryan home.
President Donald Trump made no direct mention of the Russia-Ukraine war in his wide-ranging inauguration speech on Monday. However, he is making it known that efforts to end the war are underway, he says.
Mr. Trump said that he plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin once talks are set up. And he wants the Ukraine war over, or at least he wants the Ukraine war over, quote, as quickly as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: He's told me he wants to make a deal. What do you mean he wants to make a deal? Zelenskyy wants to make a deal.
I don't know if Putin does, he might not. I don't know. He should make a deal. I think he's destroying Russia by not making a deal. I think Russia's going to be in big trouble. You take a look at their economy, you take a look at the inflation in Russia. So I would hope -- I got along with him great. And, you know, I would hope he wants to make a deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: And Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy is expressing optimism that President Trump will bring about a resolution to this war.
[04:25:00]
In a congratulatory post on the platform X, he described Donald Trump's inauguration day as one of change and hope, expressing his readiness for cooperation. He also praised President Trump.
(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)
SANDOVAL: And as for Russian President Vladimir Putin, he is also expressing his readiness to cooperate with the new U.S. president.
(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.
We hear 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)
SANDOVAL: Putin also stressed the importance of achieving long-term peace while reaffirming Russia's commitment to protecting its own interests.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also congratulated President Donald Trump on his second term. Mr. Netanyahu sent what he described as warmest wishes to the U.S. first family via the platform X. He also highlighted U.S.-Israeli ties during Mr. Trump's first term.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Your first term, Mr. President, was filled with groundbreaking moments in the history of the great alliance between our two countries.
I believe that working together again, we will raise the U.S.-Israel alliance to even greater heights. I'm confident that we will complete the defeat of Iran's terror axis and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for our region.
I'm sure, Mr. President, that under your leadership, the best days of our alliance are yet to come.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: An Israeli official says that the Prime Minister is planning to meet President Trump in Washington in the coming weeks, he says, where they are expected to discuss Israeli-Saudi relations, Iran's nuclear program, and, of course, the ongoing ceasefire and hostage deal in the Middle East.
On that very topic, let's now go to CNN's Paula Hancocks, joining us live from Abu Dhabi with new developments -- Paula?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Polo, we did see that President Trump had that ceasefire and hostage deal in his mind as he gave the inauguration speech, mentioning and taking credit for the fact that it happened because he was involved. We also, though, heard that there was, at the Capital One Arena at the inauguration event, some of the families of the hostages on stage with the U.S. president as well, including Noa Argaman, a former hostage herself, who was rescued by the IDF in the summer of last year. They thanked him for what he did.
And in that event, he did say, we won, but we must bring the rest home. Now, of course, that is what the other families of hostages want to hear, that he is keen to bring the others home.
But what we then heard later, when a reporter asked him in the Oval Office whether or not he thought the ceasefire would hold, he had a different message.
Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm not confident. This is not our war. It's their war. But I'm not confident. But I think they're very weakened on the other side.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANCOCKS: So, of course, that will be of concern to everyone in Gaza, to the families of the hostages, because by day 16, the two sides, Hamas and Israel, need to come back together indirectly to discuss the phase two, which is when the permanent ceasefire would come into place, all the hostages would be released, and there would be hundreds more Palestinian prisoners being released with the Israeli military pulling out of Gaza.
Now, there are no guarantees that there will be a second phase, but certainly we're hearing from many sides that there is a concerted push to make that happen.
We've also heard from some within Gaza talking of their relief, of the fact that the guns have fallen silent, but the difficulties that they now face, the heartbreak as they return to homes that simply are no longer standing. And, of course, the humanitarian aid effort is immense at this point to try and get enough food, water, and shelter to those who acutely need it.
We did hear that more than 900 humanitarian aid trucks managed to get into Gaza yesterday, and the day before there were well over 600. So, certainly from an aid point of view, the first two days have seen significant amounts of aid being allowed into the territory itself.
[04:30:03]
Now we've heard from the Israeli military who are still inside Gaza, but they've pulled out of the population centers. They say they have given guidance to those residents in Gaza to make sure they're not coming into contact with Israeli soldiers, saying that would be dangerous for them.
Also telling them to stay away from the Rafah crossing, the Philadelphi access, which is between Gaza and Egypt, where much of the military is still stationed. And also saying that by next week, residents should be allowed to go back to their homes in northern Gaza.
Now, northern Gaza is an area that has been decimated by the Israeli military in recent months, as they believe that that was where Hamas was trying to regroup.
So a very difficult time ahead for the residents of Gaza as they do try and go back to their homes, or at least what is left of them -- Polo.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: And as you remind us, Paula, at least the aid is moving in slowly. But again, that uncertainty, which you point out, remains. Will the ceasefire hold? Thank you for tracking that for us, Paula.