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All 67 People Presumed Dead in the Midair Collision in Washington D.C.; More Hostages, Prisoners Freed as Israel-Hamas Ceasefire is Still In Effect. Three of Trump's Cabinet Picks Grilled in a Series of Hearings; Benefit Concert Raised Funds for California Wildfire Victims. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired January 31, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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


[03:00:00]

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: (TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES) Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

We have new details on the fatal collision of a passenger plane and a U.S. military helicopter. We'll have the latest on the investigation and President Trump's politicization of the tragedy.

More hostages and prisoners are back home amid the fragile Israel- Hamas ceasefire, we'll explain the demand made by Israel's Prime Minister following this latest exchange.

And three of Donald Trump's controversial picks to join his administration face sharp questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: The search is on for victims and for answers after the deadliest U.S. aviation crash in nearly a quarter century. All 67 people on board both aircraft are presumed dead and both of the so- called black boxes have been retrieved from the American Airlines passenger plane following its collision with the U.S. military helicopter one day ago.

Sources familiar with the recovery efforts say more than 40 bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River so far and 14 people are believed missing.

Others remain pinned inside the wreckage in an area blocked off to divers. Crews are bringing a crane to the crash site to help reach those remains. The recovery mission is on hold at the moment due to the dark and dangerous conditions.

Earlier, we heard from former U.S. Airways Captain Chelsey Sullenberger, the pilot behind the so-called miracle on the Hudson River landing in 2009. He called for more safety zones in airways, here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHELSEY SULLENBERGER, FORMER U.S. AIRWAYS CAPTAIN: I do have concerns. I mean, a few years ago, we had a lot of close calls that really concerned us and reminded us that in spite of how many years it's been since a fatal airline crash, that doesn't mean that we're necessarily doing everything that we should be doing or everything that's exactly right.

We must keep on learning and accelerating our safety efforts in every way. We have to have a system of safety where we have multiple layers of safety to make it as hard as possible to have a catastrophe because of a single event or a single mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, an aviation official says the U.S. Army will investigate whether the helicopter crew was wearing night vision goggles to help them see better at the time of the crash, but we're told they're not a requirement.

Now the tragedy comes just weeks after American Airlines celebrated the first anniversary of its direct flight from Wichita, Kansas to Washington, D.C. CNN's Danny Freeman has the latest on the crash investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A massive investigation underway tonight into exactly how Wednesday's deadly airline collision could have happened.

JENNIFER HOMENDY, CHAIRPERSON, NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD: We're here to assure the American people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation.

FREEMAN (voice-over): An air traffic control source telling CNN there was just one air traffic controller working two different tower positions at the time of the midair crash. While the source says this is not uncommon, a preliminary Federal Aviation Administration internal report said staffing was, quote, "not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic."

The National Transportation Safety Board reiterated their investigation is just beginning.

HOMENDY: As part of any investigation, we look at the human, the machine, and the environment. So we will look at all the humans that were involved in this accident.

Again, we will look at the aircraft. We will look at the helicopter. We will look at the environment in which they were operating in. That is part of that is standard in any part of our investigation.

FREEMAN (voice-over): American Eagle flight 5342 took off from Wichita, Kansas at 5:18 Wednesday afternoon without issue. The regional jet operated by PSA Airlines directed to land at Washington's Reagan National Airport Runway 33.

UNKNOWN: Runway 33 cleared to land.

FREEMAN (voice-over): At the same time, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, call sign PAT-25, was flying over the Potomac on a routine training mission. The control tower told the helicopter to pass behind the jet.

UNKNOWN: PAT-25, do you have the CRJ in sight?

UNKNOWN: PAT-25, Pass behind a CRJ.

UNKNOWN: PAT-25 has aircraft in sight. Request visual separation.

FREEMAN (voice-over): But despite the Black Hawk pilot acknowledging the plane ahead, just before 8:50 p.m., the two collided in midair, resulting in a fireball.

UNKNOWN: Crash, crash, crash. This is alert 3.

[03:05:05]

ABADI ISMAIL, PLANE CRASH WITNESS: So, it was somewhere around 8:50 p.m. I was in my living room when I heard two bang, bang around 8:50 p.m. It was loud. It was unusual.

It was something you only hear on video games, on movies, something I have never experienced.

FREEMAN (voice-over): Hundreds of first responders now working nearly 24 hours to try to recover the victims in the icy Potomac River.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Now, the collision above Washington happened in one of the busiest aviation operation centers in the country. Brad Bowman is a former Black Hawk pilot and a member of the 12th Aviation Battalion, the Army unit involved in the crash, and he described how pilots operate in this key airspace. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRAD BOWMAN, FORMER BLACK HAWK PILOT: You keep the helicopters away from the aircraft landing here by altitude differences and keeping them apart. I had people in Reagan Tower say, speed up, slow down, do you see that aircraft? Go behind them.

We fly through here on a regular basis, day and night, training, carrying generals, carrying members of Congress. It's a very normal thing, and it's been around for decades, and it's worked safely during that time until last night. We've got to find out why it went wrong last night, fix it so this never happens again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Alright. I want to bring in Captain Keith Wolzinger, a retired airline pilot and an aviation safety expert, and he joins me from Los Angeles. Thank you so much for making the time for us.

You flew for American Airlines for almost 40 years. What stands out to you about this tragic crash? What are the key questions you want to ask?

CAPT. KEITH WOLZINGER, RETIRED AIRLINE PILOT: Hello, Kim, good to be with you.

Well, the key here is that the helicopter was told to maintain visual separation from the airliner.

The rules of right-of-way state that the aircraft that's landing at the airport has a right-of-way over another aircraft that is simply transiting the area and not intending to land.

So the PSA aircraft certainly had the right-of-way and was clear to land by the control tower and was on short final approach when it was struck by the helicopter, which the helicopter was told to maintain visual separation and fly behind the PSA.

So the question here is what happened with the helicopter and why it got in the way of the airliner.

And a question I have is that night vision goggles were in use by the crew of the helicopter and there are certain limitations on the use of the night vision goggles and particularly with the field of view that the limitation of the night vision goggles offer. So I think that's an area that is worthy of investigation.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. Were they wearing those goggles and what effect might that have? It sounds as though the helicopter had visual contact with this airplane.

I mean, hard to speculate at this point, but is it possible, is it feasible, do you think that maybe they were watching another airplane thinking that that was the one that was landing and it was hit by another one that they weren't watching?

WOLZINGER: That is possible, although these helicopter pilots, as was pointed out in the previous piece, transit this area frequently and are based locally and know this area and this airspace and the traffic patterns at the airport very well.

They would know to look for the airplane on the short final to runway 33, which was the clearance for the PSA aircraft, and they would know to be looking in that vicinity and any other aircraft would be much farther away and wouldn't necessarily become a factor for them to maintain separation.

So I'm thinking that either they momentarily lost sight of the PSA aircraft or something else was going on with their vision goggles that was preventing them from seeing it properly.

BRUNHUBER: One of the things that they'll be looking at was relatively light staffing at the control tower. Now, apparently this isn't unusual to combine duties in terms of both controlling the helicopters and commercial flights, but how big an issue do you think that might be?

WOLZINGER: In this case, and listening to the tapes, it didn't sound like a particular issue. These aircraft are flying those exact patterns all the time, many times a day, and it doesn't seem like it was a particular issue.

[03:09:52]

Now, given that fact, there were in 2024 three ground incidents at Reagan Airport, which we call runway incursions, and in all of those incidents, the incidents were resolved successfully and there was no injuries and no aircraft damage.

So these things do occur on occasion, and the system is designed to prevent incidents like this from occurring, either on the ground or in flight, and this is just a tragic case of those safeguards obviously not being completely effective.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, still so many questions, but we appreciate your insights on this tragedy. Captain Keith Wolzinger in Los Angeles, thank you so much.

WOLZINGER: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: And we're learning more about some of the lives lost in Wednesday's collision. Many of the passengers on the American Airlines flight were part of the ice skating community on their way home from a national development program and figure skating championships.

CNN's Ed Lavandera has more now from Wichita, Kansas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNKNOWN: We just wanted to be here with each other.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SR. U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Six members of the skating club of Boston died Wednesday. Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan came together with the Boston skating community after the unimaginable tragedy.

UNKNOWN: Not sure how to process it.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Among the 67 victims of the deadly collision, two teenage figure skaters, Spencer Lane --

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Would you please welcome to the ice, Jinna Han.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): -- and Jinna Han.

DOUGE ZEGHIBE, CEO, SKATING CLUB OF BOSTON: We watched Jinna just grow up here, from just a tiny little tyke into this amazingly mature 13- year-old. And we talk a lot about the athletes, but I think we're going to miss their moms as much. Just really good people.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Their mothers were also on the plane. Along with two coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov from Boston, seen here winning the 1994 World Figure Skating Pairs Championship.

DR. TENLEY ALBRIGHT, SKATING CLUB OF BOSTON: I really can't believe that it happened because I picture them right here. The coaches always stood at that entrance. The skaters just flew all over the ice doing remarkable things, inspiring all of us.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): They were just a handful of a larger group of skaters on American Eagle Flight 5342.

ZEGHIBE: Fourteen skaters returning home from the National Development Camp at Wichita, Kansas put on by U.S. Figure Skating were lost in the plane crash.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The Russian couple's son, Maxim, returned home on an earlier flight, just medaled at the U.S. Men's Figure Skating Championship over the weekend.

An eerie silence at the Wichita Ice Center as the magnitude of the loss keeps growing. A mourner left a simple tribute on the bare ice, days after an intense three-day training took place here.

JEFF WINCH, FRIEND OF VICTIM: They're some of my daughter's best friends.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): One of the crash victims was playing a video game with this man's 10-year-old daughter from the plane just before the accident occurred.

ALEX WINCH, FRIEND OF VICTIM: She would always be there to talk to me.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Tragedy has struck this skating community before, in 1961 when the entire Boston club's team was killed in a plane crash heading to the World Championships.

Other victims in Wednesday's crash over the Potomac River were three U.S. service members aboard the Black Hawk helicopter and four crew members on the plane that left Wichita, including American Airlines flight attendant Ian Epstein, First Officer Samuel Lilly and Captain Jonathan Campos.

MAYOR LILY WU (L), WICHITA, KANSAS: This is a terrible tragedy that will unite those in Washington, D.C. and Wichita, Kansas, forever.

LAVANDERA: Several city officials told us it was a huge deal that Wichita got to host the U.S. World Figure Skating Championship this past weekend.

The event left a jubilant feeling as so many people got to see world- class skaters and even the possibility of some future Olympians, which makes the pain of what happened Wednesday night in Washington even much more to bear.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Wichita, Kansas.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BRUNHUBER: Well as he grapples with the fallout from the disaster, President Trump is looking for someone to blame. CNN's Jeff Zeleny has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: In the first moment of national tragedy since President Trump returned to office, he asked for a moment of silence. He called it an anguished hour for the nation.

And then he instantly pointed blame, blamed directly at his former Democratic rivals and predecessors, Barack Obama and President Joe Biden, saying diversity initiatives in their terms help lead to potentially some of these issues in the government.

Now, simply making these claims without any evidence that the air traffic controllers and other FAA officials potentially were watered down by these diversity initiatives.

[03:15:04]

Now, simply there was no evidence to back that up. But the president throughout the day at the White House on Thursday continued to blast these DEI initiatives.

Of course, it has been one of the central themes since taking office. He's wanting to remake the federal workforce. But he had this to say, again, without evidence in the Oval Office.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Incompetence might have played a role. We'll let you know that. But we want the most competent people. We don't care what race they are.

We want the most competent people, especially in those positions. And, you know, you're talking about extremely complex things. And if they don't have a great brain, a great power of the brain, they're not going to be very good at what they do and bad things will happen.

ZELENY: There is no question there is a shortage of air traffic controllers in the United States. The FAA, of course, the agency that oversees flying and aviation activity, was without an administrator until on Thursday, when the president named an acting administrator.

That, in fact, is one symptom throughout the entire government, a question of the federal workforce. As the Trump administration tries to shrink the workforce, what effect may that have?

Those questions, of course, will be answered as the investigation continues. But on Thursday, in the first hours after this tragedy was coming to full light, there was much more speculation from the president rather than investigation.

There is no question here. This is going to be one of the moments that defines a presidency. But in the first day, at least, the president did not call for lowering flags to half-staff or other gestures of empathy. He simply turned to blame.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: So, as you saw in that report, Trump is implying that the FAA makes the skies unsafe by hiring people with severe disabilities. CNN aerospace analyst Miles O'Brien slammed the president's comments.

O'Brien is a licensed pilot who lost an arm in an accident. Here's what he told CNN earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AEROSPACE ANALYST: Let's not forget what it must be like to have lost a loved one. And here this whole, literally, with your loved one still underwater.

Here it turned into this weird political thing. But as personally, as someone who was a pilot, lost my arm and went through the process of getting recertified to fly, I can attest to you that I went through every hoop and got over every bar an able-bodied individual would in order to be recertified to fly.

The FAA simply does not forsake safety in order to include disabilities in the system. I am part of the aviation community because I persevered through that. And it's an affront to me and all other disabled people to allow that statement to come into play.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also condemned Trump's remarks, calling them despicable, adding that, quote, "as families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying."

That was a chaotic day in the Middle East. Just ahead, Israel delays the release of Palestinian prisoners after some tense moments for hostages being freed in Gaza.

Plus, President Trump's threatening the BRICS nations backed by Russia and China with extreme tariffs. We'll look at what he's demanding, coming up. Stay with us.

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[03:20:00]

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BRUNHUBER: Three Israelis and five Thai nationals are celebrating their first full day of freedom in more than a year. The hostages were released by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad on Thursday, some in chaotic scenes in southern Gaza.

CNN's Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the chaotic final moments of Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud's 15 months in captivity.

Flanked by masked militants, the 29-year-old appears terrified as she is hustled through a raucous crowd in Gaza's southern city of Khan Younis. Red Cross vehicles and her freedom are just steps away.

In Tel Aviv's hostage square, Israelis watch with dreaded anticipation as the scene unfolds live on television. Minutes later, Yehud is handed over to Red Cross officials.

Gadi Moses is next. Amid a sea of militants wearing the green and yellow bandanas of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the 80-year- old hostage is handed over to the Red Cross.

The Israeli Prime Minister condemning the chaotic scene, calling it yet more proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organization, demanding that the mediators ensure that such horrific scenes do not recur.

In response, the Prime Minister delaying the release of 110 Palestinian prisoners, driving Palestinian youths into the streets. Amid clashes, at least three Palestinians are shot by Israeli forces, according to the Palestine Red Crescent.

Hours later, the buses emerge from Ofer prison. Of the 110 prisoners being released, 32 were serving life sentences, including several responsible for deadly attacks on Israeli civilians. 30 children were also released. They had all been arrested in the last two years, some held without charge, none convicted of a crime.

In Israel, emotional reunions as three Israelis held hostage by Hamas, including the Israeli soldier, Agam Berger, were reunited with their families. Five Thai hostages were also released, freed in addition to the 33 Israeli hostages being released during the six-week ceasefire.

[03:25:06]

President Trump's Middle East envoy also making an appearance at hostage square.

STEVE WITKOFF, U.S. MIDDLE EAST ENVOY: President Trump is committed to doing everything possible to help the families.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Indicating one of two Americans set to be released in the coming weeks will be freed on Saturday.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The U.S. military says it has killed a senior operative of an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. A statement says Mohammed Salah al- Zabir was killed in a precision strike in the country's northwest on Thursday. Strike came a day after a former al-Qaeda member was named Syria's transitional president.

Ahmed al-Sharaa fought U.S. troops in Iraq and was even detained in a prison run by the U.S. But experts say he has cut ties with al-Qaeda in 2016 and his group led the charge to overthrow Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad last month.

The U.S. is dropping hints about how it may pursue future talks between Russia and Ukraine, which the Trump administration has been pushing for.

New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was interviewed by talk show host Megyn Kelly on Thursday. Rubio said Kyiv and Moscow need to understand they'll have to meet in the middle. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The president's point of view is this is a protracted conflict and it needs to end. Now, it needs to enter a negotiation. In any negotiation, both sides are going to have to give something up. I'm not going to pre-negotiate that.

I mean, that's going to be the work of hard diplomacy, which is what we used to do in the world in the past, and we were realistic about it. But both sides in a negotiation have to give something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Russia holds much of eastern and southern Ukraine, and it's slowly advancing, but Kyiv has captured a slice of land in Russia's Kursk region. The U.S. president said he will meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin soon, but Trump so far hasn't laid out any specific plan to end the war.

Showdowns on Capitol Hill. The U.S. president's most controversial department picks face sharp questions during confirmation hearings, even from members of their own party. We'll have more on that next.

Plus, Panama's president once again shoots down Donald Trump's plan to take control of the Panama Canal. On that and more coming up, please stay with us.

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[03:30:00]

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to all of you watching us around the world, I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

Three of U.S. President Donald Trump's most controversial nominees faced bipartisan grillings during confirmation hearings on Thursday.

The nominee for FBI Director, Kash Patel, was pushed on how his vow to prosecute Trump's so-called deep state enemies, as well as his skepticism of the January 6th U.S. Capitol attack. But Patel says he opposes some of the president's pardons for January 6th rioters. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): I concede he has the authority. I'm asking was he wrong to do it?

KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR NOMINEE: And as we discussed in our private meeting, Senator, I have always rejected any violence against law enforcement. And I have, including in that group, specifically addressed any violence against law enforcement on January 6th.

And I do not agree with the commutation of any sentence of any individual who committed violence against law enforcement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Manu Raju has more on the hearings for President Trump's other two nominees.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump's pick of RFK Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department and Tulsi Gabbard to be the next director of National Intelligence hinge on the ultimate decision by two key Republican senators on how to move forward and whether they would vote to advance their nominations.

One of the senators, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, someone who's up in 2026, someone who's got his own primary challenges, but someone who is a medical doctor, chairman of one of the key committees considering the nomination and holding a swing vote on another committee that actually will vote on that nomination.

Cassidy was very concerned about RFK Jr.'s refusal, really sidestepping a question that he asked repeatedly. He wanted him to debunk the false notion that childhood autism is linked to vaccine use.

RFK Jr., time and again throughout the hearing, hedged on his response to that. And that prompted concern from Cassidy at the end of that critical hearing.

SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-IL): That is why I've been struggling with your nomination. I think I can say that I've approached it using the preponderance of evidence to reassure and you've approached using selected evidence to cast doubt.

RAJU: Now that you guys are closed hearing, you want to weigh in on Tulsi?

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): I had to go between two different hearings. So I missed several exchanges that occurred while I was gone. I was just reading one of them when you interrupted me. So I need to review the entire hearing.

RAJU: The jury's out. COLLINS: That's correct. I want to make a careful decision.

RAJU: And that last comment came from Senator Susan Collins, who told me after Tulsi Gabbard had testified publicly and had testified behind closed doors to the Senate Intelligence Committee that she still was reviewing the testimony and that the jury is still out on what she ultimately did.

Collins is a perennial swing vote. If she decides to vote against Tulsi Gabbard, that could stop the nomination in the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Also another person to watch, Senator Todd Young of Indiana. They had a back-and-forth, Tulsi Gabbard and Young, in their hearing about the way she has handled Edward Snowden.

[03:35:05]

She had praised Snowden over the years. She's changed her tune as she's got the nomination and said that he broke the law when he leaked all that classified data.

But Democrats and some Republicans alike wanted her to be more sterner in her repudiation of Snowden. In fact, they wanted her to call him a traitor. She would not go that far.

There was some back and forth with Todd Young about that topic. And when Young emerged from the hearing, I asked if he was satisfied with Gabbard's answer about that. He declined to comment.

So those two nominations are one to watch. If they do advance to the Senate floor, both Kennedy and Gabbard will have their work cut out for them to prevent more than three Republican senators from breaking ranks in the full Senate. Because if they do, that will be enough to stop the nominations altogether.

Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Earlier, I asked CNN senior political analyst Ron Brownstein for his take on how each nominee performed. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Let's start with RFK Jr. He tried to downplay his anti- vaccine rhetoric. Did it work?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST AND SR. EDITOR, "THE ATLANTIC": No, I don't think it worked. And I think he also displayed an astonishing lack of knowledge about the core programs that he will be administering, Medicare and Medicaid.

The question is whether there's a fourth vote against him. Bill Cassidy, senator from Louisiana, clearly does not want him to be HHS secretary. It's not clear he will vote to make that happen, given that he, as a primary challenger, already lined up for next year.

BRUNHUBER: All right. We'll see on that. Tulsi Gabbard kind of tripped up on a seemingly simple question, whether she thought Snowden was a traitor. I mean, is that a big deal, really, do you think?

BROWNSTEIN: I do. I mean, I've always felt that it would be the Trump nominees who would be in the most trouble would be one that Republican senators feel comfortable opposing from the right. And she is someone who very much fits that definition.

And you could see several senators, again, there are not 50 senators who want to make her head of DNI. The question is whether 50 will vote to do so out of fear of Trump. And I think they might feel more safe voting against her than against someone like RFK Jr., because they can do so from the right.

BRUNHUBER: All right. So she might be in the most trouble. Meanwhile, Kash Patel, did he succeed in explaining away that so-called enemies list?

BROWNSTEIN: Again, I'm not sure he did substantively. I think he did politically. I, you know, I can't imagine that the stomach to confront Trump were to go against Trump among Republican senators extends further than RFK Jr. Potentially.

And certainly Tulsi Gabbard, who I always thought was the most vulnerable, again, because she can be criticized from the right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Panama's president is once again standing up to Donald Trump's threat to take over the Panama Canal. Jose Raul Mulino says his country's sovereignty over the waterway is clear and the nation's soul isn't up for discussion. President Trump claims that evidence that Panama is ceding operation of the canal to China, a claim Mulino denies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE RAUL MULINO, PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Regarding the canal, it's impossible. I cannot negotiate or even open a negotiation process about the canal. It's sealed. The canal belongs to Panama.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The U.S. built canal was opened in 1914 and controlled by the U.S. until 1977, and Panama took full control of the waterway in 1999.

And the top U.S. diplomat says Donald Trump's desire to buy Greenland isn't a joke. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the move as important to U.S. national interests. He says growing Chinese influence in the Arctic is the issue.

And since the U.S. is obligated to protect the Danish territory, we should have more control over what happens there. Rubio tried to walk back President Trump's suggestion that he might use military force to take the island. Denmark, which is a NATO ally, has repeatedly said the island isn't for sale.

And the president of Mexico is pushing back against the U.S. president's executive action to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Claudia Sheinbaum sent a letter to Google contesting its decision this week to change the name on Google Maps for users in the U.S.

Users in Mexico will continue to see the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps. The rest of the world will see both names. The Mexican president says the U.S. may only have the power to rename a small portion of the Gulf.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The Gulf of Mexico encompasses the marine zones of three countries, Mexico, Cuba and the United States. The executive order could only affect 12 nautical miles from the coastlines of the United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Google says the move is in line with its practice of applying name changes when they've been updated in official government sources.

President Trump is again warning the BRICS nations that he'll slap 100 percent tariffs on them if there's any attempt to replace the U.S. dollar in international trade.

[03:40:07]

The coalition includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. But BRICS expanded earlier this year for the first time in more than a decade, adding Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt. Trump says if they refuse his demands, they should, quote, "expect to say goodbye to the wonderful U.S. economy."

Thousands of people are fleeing fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Still ahead, we'll talk to an aid worker about the deteriorating humanitarian situation on the ground there. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:45:03]

BRUNHUBER: The humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo has gone from very bad to far worse. Rebel troops say they've taken control of Goma, the largest city in the eastern part of the country. You can see them walking the streets in this video there.

Now, there's a new wave of people fleeing the fighting, joining hundreds of thousands who've already fled. Aid agencies say hospitals in Goma are overwhelmed with the wounded, which includes children.

Meanwhile, badly needed food aid deliveries are on hold. Red Cross says it's concerned about the potential spread of Ebola if labs with samples of the virus are affected by the violence.

Shelley Thakral is the World Food Program spokesperson for the DRC, and she joins us live from the country's capital, Kinshasa. Thank you so much for being here with us.

So I know you're in the far west. Most of the trouble here is in the far east. But in terms of the situation on the ground right now, it is fluid. What more can you tell us about the fighting and where things stand for civilians?

SHELLEY THAKRAL, SPOKESPERSON, WORLD FOOD PROGRAM D.R. CONGO: Thanks very much. I would even go further to say it's gone, it's going from desperate to disastrous. And, you know, yes, it's a new phase in this crisis and people have lived through this before, but they are just telling us we can't take it anymore.

We're running out of food. We're running out of supplies. We don't know if it's safe to go outside. We need to keep our family safe. We need peace on the table.

They can't take any more of this trauma. And for them, it's, you know, please, peace on the table enough.

BRUNHUBER: If the rebels do control Goma, as they claim, what effect will that have?

THAKRAL: It's a stranglehold for many of the civilians. And if you kind of read the history of DRC, you'll know that over the last three years, especially people have been misplaced, not once, not twice, but multiple times. So they've been living in very densely populated camps on the outskirts.

They have in the last week, they moved to find shelter. They're probably now trapped, doctors saying almost 700,000 people in Goma. So it puts a massive strain on a population that needs these resources.

So from where we sit as humanitarian workers and absolutely the hospitals are stretched, are overwhelmed. You talked about Ebola. We've already got an outbreak in the east of the country. Cholera, measles, poor sanitation.

This is just building up to something that could be very, very grave indeed. And also with the advancement, which we believe to be happening towards South Kivu as well. So that is also a sort of a deeper and widening crisis that we're facing.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. So many challenges on so many different fronts. You spoke about resources. Have you had to evacuate your workers from Goma? And how is all this affecting your ability to deliver any aid?

THAKRAL: Absolutely. I mean, safety first, always the safety of the people that are on the front line and WFP is also, you know, we are there for all of the humanitarian community on the ground to make sure that they're safe and their families, et cetera.

We have critical staff on the ground. There has been some looting of warehouses of food. So we're going to have to think about how do we look at the supply chain when you've got landlocked, the air's locked, the water's locked, things are shut down.

We need to think about locally what do we need to have in place as soon as it's safe to do so.

BRUNHUBER: So that brings up the question. I mean, given all of what you've said, how do you prioritize where the limited aid goes? I mean, you must face heartbreaking decisions.

THAKRAL: We do this all the time, unfortunately, not just in DRC, but globally all across the world. We prioritize the needs on the basis of who needs food the most.

And this is a country that is facing, anyway, acute hunger and has been for many years. 25.6 million are facing hunger across the country and in the east as the conflict has just almost asphyxiated and trapped more and more people. That just makes it even harder.

Food supplies, rising costs of food, supply chains, people who just need something. They haven't had incomes probably for many, many years.

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They've lost their land and they're just living in these very temporary shelters. So absolutely, we prioritize the needs as much as we can. But obviously, things are growing and the resources are less.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. And I mean, you spoke about the 20 million there. I have a few more numbers here, some 4.5 million children under five, about four million pregnant and breastfeeding women who face malnutrition as well. And of course, then you have already so many people displaced from their homes now even more, and it's going to put more strain on the entire region.

With all of the high profile, I guess, wars going on right now, the DRC, unfortunately, is one of those forgotten conflicts. What more does the international community have to do right now?

THAKRAL: What you're doing today is talking about the DRC. I think the fact that you are remembering that there are Congolese people, the women, the children, the elderly people who are less mobile, who need attention, who need help, who are basically crying out now and saying, please, we've lived through this for long enough. Please, no more.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. We'll leave it there, but really appreciate getting you on this very important story, as you say. Shelley Thakral, thank you so much.

And we will be right back here on CNN NEWSROOM. Please do stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Legendary figure skater and broadcaster Dick Button has died. He was the first U.S. men's champion in 1946 at the age of 16. He went on to win two Olympic gold medals at St. Moritz in 1948 and Oslo in 1952.

Button won five straight world championships as well. He was the first skater ever to perform a double axel and a triple jump in competition.

Button enjoyed an Emmy award-winning career in broadcasting. He also founded the T.V. production company behind hit shows, including "Battle of the Network Stars." Dick Button was 95 years old.

And a musical voice from the 1960s has been silenced with the death of singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull.

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For as long "As Tears Go By" catapulted her to fame, she got a co- writer credit for it with the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, whom she dated and who considered her a muse.

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She was discovered by the Stones' agent at a band party, went on to record numerous albums and even act with French heartthrob Alain Delon. She spent time homeless, struggled with drug addiction, but emerged to write even more songs. The spokesperson gave no cause of death at age 78, but said she died peacefully alongside her family.

Well some of the biggest names in music came together Thursday night to help the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.

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It's on there, Rod Stewart performing for an audience that included first responders and people who lost their homes in the fires. Billie Eilish, Pink and Lady Gaga were among the many other performers. Well of course, it's never too late to donate. You can go to the website fireaidla.org.

CNN's Marybel Gonzalez has more on the fires and the efforts to help.

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UNKNOWN: But don't lose me.

UNKNOWN: I promise I won't.

UNKNOWN: You won't lose me, don't worry.

MARYBEL GONZALEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the Eaton Fire exploded in Altadena on January 8th, residents, including this 100- year-old woman, were guided out of their homes as thick smoke from the fire moved in.

The historic wildfires, fueled by hurricane-like winds, ravaged through entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles County.

UNKNOWN: This was a passport. So now I don't even have a passport.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): Considered among the most destructive and deadliest in the state's history, the Eaton and Palisades fires claimed at least 29 lives and collectively destroyed more than 16,000 structures.

In this time of need, hundreds coming together to help those affected.

JOSE VELAZQUEZ, ORGANIZED DONATION SITE: We'll be here until everything runs out or until the community doesn't need it anymore.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): And now a benefit concert to help those who lost everything. For many who lost their homes, churches, and businesses during this disaster, now another trial ahead of them.

UNKNOWN: I think a lot of people are in that boat right now where maybe the fires have gone away, but there's just so much that comes after.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): What took days to burn will likely take years to rebuild.

KATHRYN BAGER, LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: Once debris is cleared, the rebuilding process begins, and the planning and design can start now.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): I'm Marybel Gonzalez reporting.

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BRUNHUBER: Well, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Christina Macfarlane picks up our coverage from London after a quick break.

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