Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Trump Orders Precision Airstrikes In Somalia; Seven People Dead After Medical Jet Crashes In Philadelphia; Today: Trump To Impose Tariffs On Mexico, Canada And China; Defense Dept. Will Not Host Events To Recognize "Identity Months"; Media Spars With Trump Over DEI Assertions; Hamas Releases 3 Hostages From Gaza, Including Israeli- American; 183 Palestinians Freed In Latest Round Of Hostage Releases. Investigators Could Give Initial Black Box Findings Today; First Responders Salute Remains Of Servicemembers; Today: Trump To Impose Tariffs On Mexico, Canada And China; "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" Airs Tomorrow At 8PM ET/PT. Aired 1-2p ET
Aired February 01, 2025 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:01:30]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Now to this breaking news, President Trump just announced precision airstrikes in Somalia, marking his first military strikes of his second term in the White House. CNN's Alayna Treene is in Florida where the President is spending the weekend. So Alayna, what's behind this?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, that's right, Fred. We did hear from the former -- or excuse me, from President Donald Trump directly just moments ago, stating on his Truth Social website that he has ordered precision military airstrikes in Somalia.
I want to read for you some of what he posted. He said, quote, "This morning I ordered precision military airstrikes on the senior ISIS attack planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia. These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they lived in and killed many terrorists without in any way harming civilians."
Now we also heard, Fred, from the new Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. He confirmed that he had authorized these military airstrikes and also that multiple people were killed in these strikes. This is what Hegseth said in a statement.
He said, quote, "At President Trump's direction and in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, I authorized U.S.-Africa Command to conduct coordinated airstrikes today targeting ISIS-Somalia operatives in the Golis Mountains".
He went on to say, quote, "Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed. This action further degrades ISIS's ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks." It went on to discuss that strategy further.
Now, I do want to be clear as well here, Fred, that the President did also attack the Biden administration and the former president for what he argued was not doing enough with these similar types of strikes in Somalia. But we do know that these types of strikes are actually pretty routine, particularly those targeting Somalia.
We know that during the Biden administration, they carried out several airstrikes and military strikes, both on ISIS, but also Al-Shabaab terrorists during his first term. I also wanted to note that the U.S. has really provided ongoing support to the Somali government ever since former President Joe Biden had approved a Pentagon request in 2022 to put more troops in the region to deal with the growing terrorist threat.
So, again, this is something we know that was pretty routine during the Biden administration. But, of course, we are hearing from the President directly saying that he has authored these -- authorized these strikes and that they were successful in taking out this ISIS attack planner and others that they deemed to be a threat to the region and to the United States.
WHITFIELD: So, Alayna, is this --
TREENE: Fred?
WHITFIELD: Yes. Alayna, is this considered a continuation of an already established policy, since you mentioned these strikes were taking place during the Biden administration and now this is the first of this new administration?
TREENE: You know, it's hard to say, Fred, because we are still learning more information. I did ask the White House if they had more details regarding the nature of this and what led the President to do this. And then also, of course, we saw him kind of celebrating the airstrikes and their success on social media.
I think we're still learning more details or the White House told me they will provide more as they come. But this is all of the information they will be giving us at this time.
[13:05:02]
So it's hard to say this is a continuation of the Biden policy, but it is something, like I noted, that we know that the former president did himself as well during his term. Fred?
WHITFIELD: All right. Alayna Treene, thank you so much.
All right, now to Philadelphia, where officials there held a press conference a short time ago on the deadly medical jet crash that killed all six people on board and one on the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
MAYOR CHERELLE PARKER, PHILADELPHIA: We can also confirm that at least one other person perished in this tragedy, and this individual was in a car. We can confirm that there are also a number of other victims who were injured in this incident, and they are being treated in area hospitals.
And thus far, our count is that there are 19 injured victims. But again, this is not etched in stone. The investigation is ongoing.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
WHITFIELD: Officials warn the casualties from this crash could climb. We're also getting our first look at the devastation in the Philadelphia neighborhood where the jet crashed. Debris scattered in parking lots and streets. Officials there say it scatters some four to six blocks.
You're seeing cars burned out. What looks like twisted metal resting on the roofs of some of the cars.
CNN's Danny Freeman is in Philadelphia. Danny, what is the latest now?
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, and Fred, when you look at those images that you were just showing about all that scattered debris behind me on Cottman Avenue here in northeast Philadelphia, you really can begin to understand the fear and the concern from local officials here when they say that they fear that casualties number may ultimately rise.
You're right, Fred. We had that press conference earlier. That's when we learned that news that you noted that not only were the six people aboard that plane killed in this accident, but also at least one other person killed in a car.
And investigators are right now very actively trying to put together a picture of what happened. The scene behind me, very active. There are helicopters in the air. The local crime scene unit is out here. We also know that there are state resources.
Of course, the NTSB, they're leading the investigation because there are still so many questions as to exactly what led that plane to take a nosedive late last evening. Now, I'll tell you a little bit about what we do know at this point. This all happened just after 6:00 p.m.
We're talking about a medical transport jet. It was heading from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. That's the smaller airport here in the city of Philadelphia. It was heading to Missouri, ultimately going to Mexico because the folks on that flight, they were all Mexican nationals and they were all on this plane basically to return a pediatric child, a sick young girl and her mother back to Mexico after this child was getting treatment for illness at Shriners Children's Hospital here in Philadelphia. They, unfortunately, were confirmed to have been killed by the city. Also, the two pilots on board that plane killed and also a doctor and paramedic on board that plane. All tragically lost their lives in this crash.
But, Fred, I want to play you a little bit of sound from that press conference because it really illustrates how seriously local officials are taking the potential risk that there may be more casualties. They're pleading with locals in this area to reach out if they might be missing someone.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
ADAM THIEL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, CITY OF PHILADELPHIA: If you haven't seen somebody, you think somebody might have been in this area, there's a -- you have relative in this area and you haven't seen or heard from them and you're concerned, call 911 and we will take it from there.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
FREEMAN: Just frankly, a scary message to the local folks here in this part of Philadelphia. And I'll also note, Fred, that during this press conference, the local officials noted that if you live anywhere between the airport and where this crash happened, keep an eye out basically for any debris that might look like it came from a plane because that could actually be helpful for this investigation.
We're waiting for more updates from the NTSB. At this point, they have not announced any press conference today, but if they do, we'll of course bring it to you. Fred?
WHITFIELD: Yes. OK, and especially since that flight was only in the air 40 seconds before it plummeted and we just talked to a former NTSB official who said very well, parts may have fallen off ahead of that entire plane going down.
All right, Danny Freeman, thank you so much.
All right, now to Washington, where the Trump administration's new tariffs for Canada and Mexico are expected to go into effect at any minute. The U.S. is slapping 25 percent tariffs on imports from its two biggest trading partners along with a 10 percent tax on goods from China. Trump announced the tariffs as part of an effort to reduce the number of migrants coming to the U.S.
Let's bring in now Washington Bureau Chief for the Chicago Sun-Times, Lynn Sweet. Lynn, welcome, great to see you. All right, so this was a campaign promise, but Trump admitted that there could be an initial rise in prices over these tariffs.
[13:10:07]
In fact, he said, you know, he's warning that, and I'm quoting him, "There will be a temporary short-term disruption". Why is the President feeling like this is the right thing to do? And now? LYNN SWEET, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Well, first of all, hi, Fred, good to be on. So let me just set the stage here. One of the many reasons that Trump likes tariffs is that it's a tool he has that he could use without consulting Congress and with actually not consulting anyone on this.
I don't know if Trump voters who were said to have voted in part because they want lower prices signed up for a short-term, quote, "disruption", which I take to mean higher prices, because there are a lot of unknowns that could happen with tariffs, including triggering retaliation. Meaning, we could have the consumer could end up paying higher prices for all kinds of things and igniting a broader trade war. Those are just some of the first things that could happen as he rolls this out.
And also take into account that Canada and Mexico are the largest trading partners of the United States.
WHITFIELD: And among those things where people could end up paying more, car parts, lumber, gas, produce. Those are just some of the things coming from --
SWEET: Yes.
WHITFIELD: -- Canada, Mexico and even China. So, in addition to that, we've also seen this administration take on diversity, equity and inclusion practices, you know, head on on Friday. The Defense Department announced it will no longer host what it called Cultural Awareness Month. That includes Black History Month, which began today and many other celebrations. So what message is this sending to the Defense Department employees and other citizens?
SWEET: Well, I think this is part of the war in a sense on acknowledging that the United States has race related issues, problems trying to, in a sense, whitewash the realistic situation that there has not been equal hiring across the board for qualified people.
And we're racing these special interest months is just, I think, an easy way to send messages that really have something to do with holidays and observances that honor certain groups and otherwise doesn't -- it just seems designed to, in a sense, weaponize all of these programs, not all of which have to do with diversity hiring.
One quick point I'd like to make. So Biden made a very big deal. Biden and then Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin on that. They were appointing and confirming diverse series of judges. So the point is that for some reason, let's just take my state, Illinois, since 1818, when it was a state, all the judges at all levels in the federal judiciary were basically white men.
Now, that doesn't mean -- that does have to mean almost as the famous common sense that Donald Trump wants people to use, since that's what he does. There had to be something going on that only white men were able to get through the door.
And all some of these programs do is let everybody through the door. And then you figure out who's qualified or not. Now, that is -- now we're going into a new chapter. Not sure how it's going to turn out. I think wiping out these holidays is part of the symbolic as well as substantive drive that Trump and his administration is making.
WHITFIELD: OK, and then something else that's impacting information, you know, transparency, accountability. The Pentagon has announced plans to swap out mainstream media outlets under a new rotational program. Many of the outlets will now have a workspace in the Pentagon press corps that are pro-Trump organizations.
One America News, Breitbart, The New York Post will replace NBC News, NPR, The New York Times. President Trump routinely blasts coverage and media outlets that he disagrees with. And that can -- that continued at the White House briefing just this week. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You are blaming Democrats and DEI policies and air traffic control and seemingly the member of the U.S. military who was flying that Black Hawk helicopter. Don't you think you're getting ahead of the investigation right now?
TRUMP: No, I don't think so at all. I don't think -- were the names of the people. You mean the names of the people that are on the plane? You think that's going to make a difference?
COLLINS: Does it come for their families --
TRUMP: They are a group of people that have lost their lives. I think that's not a very smart question.
COLLINS: But are you planning --
TRUMP: I'm surprised coming from you.
[13:15:07]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The implication that this policy is newer than it stems from efforts that began under President Biden or the Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, is demonstrably false. It's been on the FAA's website --
TRUMP: Who said that, you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, it's on the website, the FAA's website. It was there in 2013. It was there for the entirety --
TRUMP: Take a look what I read.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was there for the entirety of your administration too. So my question is why didn't you change the policy during your first administration?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did change it. I changed the Obama policy. And we had a very good policy. And then Biden came in and he changed it. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's why I'm trying to figure out how you can come to the conclusion right now that diversity had something to do with this crash.
TRUMP: Because I have common sense.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
WHITFIELD: Now this is representation of the New York Times, CNN, NBC News. I mean, so this kind of underscores the challenges of challenging this White House. And again, with the sole purpose of accountability, transparency, information. So what are we looking at in the road ahead?
SWEET: It's going to be very tough. I -- There's no issue if you want to expand who gets into the briefing rooms. But especially in the Pentagon, you have -- you really have a specialty reporting there with people who know the military, who know and have been seasoned reporters covering conflicts and know the inner workings and know the chain. They just understand the different armed services.
So, widening who gets in to ask questions isn't the point. I think as much as that, look at even in what you showed, how President Trump tried to just insult his way out of answering a question. Let's use -- let's go back to common sense, which I talked about before. I'm glad you played that clip.
Doesn't common sense tell you that you can't draw a judgment about what caused a plane crash before you studied the evidence? Everybody out there who's listening to me, whether you voted for Trump or not, let's use common sense. And how do you address that?
I think at the time that Kaitlan asked her questions, I don't know if the, you know, if both black boxes had been retrieved. One might not have yet, much less analyzed. So maybe --
WHITFIELD: At that time --
SWEET: (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: -- bodies were still being retrieved and pulled out of the water. And no, those boxes had not been retrieved yet. And that's what those investigative bodies are all about. Those investigative agencies are all about, investigating, you know, getting to the bottom of why this happened.
SWEET: Yes. And so the conversation I hope we have as a civic community here, he is our president. Trump is our president. He's elected. But use your common sense and evaluating what you heard for yourself.
You know, some things are simpler to analyze than others. You know, tariffs. We could go back and forth about who's really going to pay. But we'll know soon, by the way, and what you pay. Common sense. There was a terrible collision. Helicopter plane.
Most -- the debris still in the Potomac. How can any reasonable person come to a conclusion --
WHITFIELD: Yes.
SWEET: -- as to the cause of that crash?
WHITFIELD: All right.
SWEET: Everyone just I beg you, I'm begging you all just to take that into account as you and I, Fred, have a conversation here.
WHITFIELD: Lynn Sweet, well said. Thank you so much.
SWEET: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: An Israeli-American was one of the hostages released by Hamas a short time ago. We'll see the reaction from his family straight ahead. You're in the CNN Newsroom.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:23:24]
WHITFIELD: In the Middle East today, three more hostages were freed after being held for 15 months by Hamas. It's the latest round of hostage releases as part of the cease fire deal between Israel and Hamas. As CNN's Jeremy Diamond explains, 65-year-old Israeli-American Keith Siegel was among those freed.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Keith Siegel's children have waited too long for this moment. For 51 days, their mother was held hostage by Hamas. It took another 433 days for their father, a dual American-Israeli citizen, to come home.
In kibbutz Gezer, friends and family began the day huddled together, watching the news anxiously, waiting for his release.
STEVE BURSNTEIN, RABBI: Excited, scared, anxious, hopeful. Just praying that soon we see Keith coming home.
DIAMOND (voice-over): The moment Keith emerges from the Hamas vehicle, the room goes silent. And then as he steps onto the stage, gasps, followed by a pressure valve release.
(APPLAUSE)
DIAMOND (voice-over): And then come tears, hugs and joy.
LEORA SCHWARTZ, KEITH SIEGEL'S RELATIVE: Relief. I'm so relieved that he's back and feeling that I can breathe again, you know, like relief, big relief and happiness. And yet it's also, you know, we still have to fight for the rest of the hostages.
[13:25:03] DIAMOND (voice-over): Ofer Calderon, a father of four, also finally embracing his children. For the family of Yarden Bibas, the sweetness of reunion also tinged with what his release may mean for the fate of his wife and two children, the youngest Israeli hostages.
Hamas has said they were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israeli officials will only say that they are gravely concerned about their fate.
In the wake of these chaotic scenes from Thursday's hostage release, Saturday unfolding seamlessly after Israel demanded an orderly handover. Israel now responding in kind, releasing 183 Palestinian prisoners within an hour of the hostages return.
Emotional and cheerful crowds in Ramallah welcomed 40 prisoners arriving in a Red Cross bus, nearly half of whom had been serving life sentences. And in Gaza, over 100 freed Palestinians, including several minors, arrived back in Khan Yunis. All were detained during the war in Gaza, where Israeli troops have carried out mass detentions.
Saturday's exchange also clearing the way for 50 sick and wounded Palestinian civilians to be evacuated to Egypt via the Rafah crossing. It is the first time patients have been evacuated through the crossing since May.
For May Khadr Samour (ph), a moment of relief. Her son, Muttasim (ph), has been battling a life-threatening immune disorder since October. Gaza's decimated health care system cannot save him.
Thank God today our pleas have finally succeeded after a long and painful struggle, she says. I pray that his journey leads to successful treatment.
That same day, Muttasim and others arrive in Egypt. Life-saving treatment now finally within reach.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
DIAMOND (on-camera): And questions now looming about the next phases of this ceasefire agreement, as Israel and Hamas are set to resume negotiations next week about whether or not they can actually extend this six-week ceasefire and end the war in Gaza and lead to the release of all the remaining Israeli hostages.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said to travel to Washington next week to meet with President Trump to discuss those next phases of the ceasefire and much more in the region. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:31:40]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: As officials work on recovery efforts along the Potomac River, we are learning that investigators into the deadly collision, midair collision could have initial findings from the black boxes as early as today.
A source familiar with the investigation tells CNN that high-level readouts from the onboard voice and data recorders could provide key clues into the altitude of both aircraft.
The NTSB is set to hold a press conference later on this evening.
And last night, a powerful moment as first responders saluted the remains of the three servicemembers aboard that Blackhawk helicopter as they were being transferred to the ambulances.
Former Blackhawk helicopter pilot, Elizabeth McCormick, is joining me right now with more perspective on all of this.
So great to see you.
You know, you -- you know, you can give us kind of a better view of what it's like for those pilots. We're hearing reports of it was flying too high. I've also heard you say that, you know, it's a disadvantage to not have a crew of at least four.
Can you help us? You know, get in the cockpit with you. Help us understand the perspective?
ELIZABETH MCCORMICK, FORMER BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER PILOT: So I like to call flying a helicopter is like multitasking on steroids.
Because you're scanning in -- in your inside instrumentation. You're scanning outside the windows. You've got the navigation. You're constantly aware of your -- your surroundings and maintaining everything at the same time.
So there's a reason flight school is a year long and longer with all the other trainings we have to do before and after.
So it is intense. It is high pressure. Adding in the night vision goggles where you're looking through like toilet paper tubes, right? And scanning out, you can only see here and then you have to physically move your head.
And --
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: And we still don't know whether they we're using them or not, correct?
MCCORMICK: We do not. That is correct.
We do know this was a night vision goggle proficiency flight, so at some point during that flight they were on.
My question has been from the beginning, were they wearing night vision goggles that close to the airport when there was so much ambient lighting?
We don't know that. And we won't know that until the investigators, you know, review the site.
WHITFIELD: And -- and then, you know, this is an experienced crew. And these flight missions along the Potomac and this route have become, you know, quite regular.
I mean, what -- in general, how important is it to have this kind of flight mission? Even when you talk about the ambient light, even when you talk about the busyness of this region, how important are these training missions?
MCCORMICK: Well, training missions -- and in this case, this was an annual eval. Every year on your birth month, you take a -- you do a physical to make sure you have your medical readiness.
Then you do your visual flight for visual readiness and -- with an instructor pilot, and you do a night vision flight for that same reason, for your to ensure that you've been, you know, maintaining standards.
So this particular mission is actually a requirement to do once-a- year. In training missions, in general, pilots need to stay current. They need to make sure that they have enough flight time in and out of a mission to be able to keep their skills at the highest level possible.
[13:35:00]
WHITFIELD: These missions right now are being suspended, I mean, because the investigation is ongoing. At the same time, you know, what's your point of view on whether this is a serious setback, you know, for these missions? What's your feeling?
MCCORMICK: I think that mission-wise, right now, they have to do a reset. They have to look at everything that's going wrong. Is 200 too low? We don't know yet where the pilots too high because of a mechanical issue, the altimeter setting or was it because of pilot error?
I have no knowledge. And we won't know until we get the data out of -- actually, the voice recording should tell us a lot, as well as the data recording of the settings.
So we really don't know what happened. So in -- in the absence of information, we need to proceed at the safest way possible.
WHITFIELD: Makes perfect sense.
All right. Elizabeth McCormick, thank you so much. I know this is impacting so many, not just the families. I mean, obviously, the families of the three crew members, and not just them, but the entire military community. One big family.
Thank you so much.
President Trump says that there could be a disruption to the prices that you're paying at the stores, as the tariffs he is imposing on goods from Mexico and Canada go into effect. How leaders of those countries are vowing to respond.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:41:08]
WHITFIELD: President Trump's tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China are expected to go into effect today. The move amounts to a 25 percent tax on goods from Mexico and China (sic), which would include produce, lumber, oil, car parts and from China, which would include items like electronics.
Trump says the tariffs are aimed at curbing the influx of undocumented migrants and fentanyl across U.S. borders.
Last night, he told reporters there was nothing the countries could do to stop him from imposing these steep tariffs.
Our correspondents are spread out across the globe to bring us the very latest. Valerio Leone is in Mexico City for us. Let's begin, however, with Paula Newton in Ottawa, Canada.
Paula, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Trump's tariffs would be met with a swift response. What does that mean?
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: It means that states like Michigan, Illinois, New York State, Texas, lookout. Those are among the top importers of Canadian goods, which means the cost to them is going to rise.
And then Canada will also put its own retaliatory duties, it says. And it says that the response will be swift and proportionate, whatever that means.
I think what everyone is waiting here, Fred -- and I'm not going to lie, it is an absolutely unnerving day for Canadians and this Canadian economy, especially businesspeople, as they await to see what this means.
But I want you to listen now to Justin Trudeau, who is expecting the kind of retaliation that will be much more broad based than it has been in the past. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: First, if the president does choose to implement any tariffs against Canada, we're ready with a response, a purposeful, forceful -- forceful but reasonable immediate response.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, Fred, I can tell you, at this hour, Canadian officials are still awaiting a piece of paper. They still don't know exactly what this will look like because they have not released anything from the White House. But if, as expected, there is 2,5 percent broad-based tariffs, I'm
just going to give you the example of car or car parts. Sometimes it goes across the border as many as half a dozen times in order to build a car.
I don't even have to illuminate for everyone here what that would mean. Listen, costs are going to go up significantly for both American and Canadian consumers.
WHITFIELD: All right, Paula Newton thank you.
Let's bring in now Valaria Leon in Mexico City.
Mexico's president says her country is awaiting any potential U.S. tariffs with a, quote, "cool head." What does she mean?
VALARIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So first, Trump has declared that the initial set of tariffs is meant to push Mexico to comply with U.S. demands regarding irregular immigration and also drug smuggling.
But for Mexico's economy minister, Marcelo Ebrard, Trump would be carrying out a strategic mistake if he imposed tariffs on Mexican goods. The U.S. is, by far, Mexico's largest trading partner, which means that Trump's plan to impose tariffs on Mexico could be damaging the U.S. economy.
Ebrard said that U.S. consumers would face higher prices across all sectors, and this impact would be felt by millions of American families overnight.
Ebrard said that the main companies affected would be those within the U.S., like Ford and General Motors, whose plants in Mexico produce the largest share of exports to the U.S.
In addition, Ebrard underscored that families in the U.S. would see the greatest impact on their pocketbooks, especially on household appliances, of which Mexico is the fifth-largest exporter worldwide.
[13:44:59]
Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, called for a cool head. And this means that she stressed that her administration has been actively working on measures to mitigate the situation. Although she hasn't given more details on the plan that the government is actually working on.
WHITFIELD: All right, everyone's bracing for what may be potentially ahead.
Valeria Leon, Paula Newton, thanks to both of you.
All right, Christopher Reeve went from playing a hero on screen to becoming a real-life symbol of hope. His son, Matthew, joins me next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:50:13]
WHITFIELD: As Superman, he was one of a kind. The same could be said of Christopher Reeve, a super dad, husband and friend.
The new BAFTA-nominated documentary, "SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY," chronicles the actor's life before and after the devastating accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
It's a story of a man who proved that you don't need a cape to be a superhero.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER REEVE, ACTOR: When the first Superman movie came out, the most-frequently asked question was, what is a hero? My answer was that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences.
And now my definition is completely different. I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Joining us now to discuss, Christopher Reeve's son, Matthew Reeve.
Great to see you. I mean, I was watching you watch that clip and seeing you smile.
You know, I mean -- so I mean, he continues to be an inspiration to all of us. But for you as his son, I mean, what goes through your mind when you are now hearing his voice again and -- and watching him?
MATTHEW REEVE, SON OF ACTOR CHRISTOPHER REEVE: Yes, of course. I mean, it's -- it was also just wonderful. I hadn't seen the movie in a long time and hadn't seen any clips for a while.
And we're just, as a family, so proud of this film. I mean, the filmmakers did such an incredible job with it. And we're so pleased it's out in the world and resonating with audiences and critics alike and is being nominated for awards.
And, you know, my dad was an incredible guy. I'm incredibly privileged to -- to be his children. And it's an honor to help carry on his legacy. And it's been a real joy to help bring his story to the world again.
WHITFIELD: I mean, he's Superman to us, you know. For kids, sometimes, you know, when you've got a famous, you know, father or mother, you're just kind of like, it's just my dad. It's just my mom.
But at what point did you realize, you know, whoa, this Superman? I mean, he's my super dad, for sure.
REEVE: Yes. I mean, he always was just that. They were very careful about kind of having us grow up in a normal environment.
But he was pretty superhuman, even just as a normal guy. I mean, he could fly a plane. He could sail a boat. You know, we had a lot of fun and adventures as kids, as a family.
And, you know -- and so it's, you know, I think I was born as the film -- when the film was kind of at its -- at its peak. And, you know, all kids and friends in school all loved the movie and knew the movie.
And I think at one point, I don't remember a specific moment, we were all flipped, but I do remember that it was pretty cool when he picked me up from school.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: I bet it was. That's your dad! That's Superman!
So you help, you know, continue on with your -- your dad's legacy through doing work through the Reeve Foundation. How important is it, you know, for you to convey, you know, his efforts, you know, of trying to make a difference in so many other people's lives who have spinal cord injuries?
REEVE: Yes. I mean, personally, I think it's important, of course, to know and for people to understand the impact that he had on the field.
But at the same time, it's more important for everyone to understand that the work continues, that just because he and my stepmother, Dana, passed away, you know, the foundation did not implode and collapse.
And instead, it has grown from strength to strength over the past 2018 years. And it's doing incredibly well.
I mean, even just about a month ago, a, you know, FDA approved device is hitting the marketplace to help people living with paralysis regain strength and function.
And, you know, I think he'd be incredibly pleased where progress is. I think he'd be frustrated where it is, too, just because it takes so long.
But at the same time, I know that we, as a family, as an organization, and that he would be incredibly gratified by, you know, the difference that where the field is today versus before he became injured.
WHITFIELD: And what do you think is -- or among the reasons as to why Christopher Reeve's story, his journey resonates so much, even today?
REEVE: That's a great question. I think because -- I think it's because he played Superman and had a very human -- you know, had this accident that proved he was very human.
[13:54:59]
And I think people, you know, resonated with that sort of difference. It was kind of unfathomable that someone who played this invincible
and vulnerable character on screens. You know, was it just a fragile human?
I think it -- I think also the strength that he displayed after the accident, the love that Dana showed for him and how she kept our family together. And that bond is just exemplary.
And I think people are able to connect with his story in many different ways. It might not just be about, you know, paralysis or, you know, if you're dealing with your own sort of physical ailment.
But just what it means to -- to -- to carry on, as my dad said in that clip, to -- to be an ordinary person who carries on in the face of overwhelming obstacles. And, you know, everyone and anyone can be a hero.
WHITFIELD: So many beautiful facets here.
Matthew Reeve, thank you so much.
REEVE: Thanks for having me.
WHITFIELD: The BAFTA-nominated documentary, "SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY," airs tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)