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U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Rise; Trump Reverses on Epstein Files; Marjorie Taylor Greene Speaks Out on Feud with Trump; Trump to Welcome Saudi Crown Prince. Federal Agents Make Arrests in Charlotte; U.K. To Announce Massive Changes To Its Asylum System; Iran's Deputy FM: Iran Will Defend Our National Security; New Storm Threatens More Flooding, Mudslides In California; The World Starts To Welcome In The Holiday Season; How Film Studios Are Adapting To An Industry Slump. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired November 17, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello. Wherever you are in the world, you are now in the "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta, and it is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, a growing U.S. military show of force in the Caribbean as Donald Trump weighs potential options for Venezuela. An abrupt about face. The U.S. president now says Republicans should vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein file, saying he has nothing to hide. And later, getting into the spirit of the holidays.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom with Ben Hunte."

HUNTE: We are beginning with the rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela as Donald Trump continues to weigh possible military action inside the South American country. It now appears there might be a diplomatic off-ramp with the U.S. president telling reporters on Sunday that Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, wants to talk. However, he gave no further details.

A day earlier, the U.S. military carried out its 21st known strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat, killing three people. In all, 83 people have now been killed in these U.S. strikes since September. Venezuela's government has condemned the U.S. operations, calling them extrajudicial executions.

The Trump administration now plans to designate a Venezuelan cartel, known as Cartel de los Soles, as a foreign terrorist group, linking it to President Maduro as part of its justification for ramping up the U.S. military presence in the region. CNN's Betsy Klein reports on President Trump's possible next moves.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, we do not know what President Donald Trump intends to do in Venezuela and that strategic ambiguity may be by design, but what we do know is that the U.S. has amassed significant resources in the region and that President Trump has authorized the CIA to operate inside of Venezuela.

The president was briefed by his team multiple times in recent days on a range of options. Those options include airstrikes on military and government facilities and drug trafficking routes as well as the possibility of a more direct attempt to oust the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro. And on Venezuela, the president indicated Sunday evening as he departed Florida that a diplomatic path out might be possible.

Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had announced that the State Department intends to designate Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. That group is headed by Nicolas Maduro. The president was asked whether that move allows the U.S. to target Maduro's assets and infrastructure. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Does that mean that the U.S. government target Maduro's assets or infrastructure inside Venezuela?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It allows us to do that, but we haven't said we're going to do that. And we may be discussing -- we may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we'll see how that turns out.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Mr. President --

TRUMP: They would like --

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Mr. President --

TRUMP: They would like to talk.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Mr. President --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KLEIN: Now, experts have described that U.S. military builds up in the area as significant. There are more than 15,000 U.S. military personnel in the region as well as more than a dozen warships, 10 F-35 fighter jets, and the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, arriving in Caribbean waters early in the day on Sunday.

Now, officially, the Trump administration says that they are going after illegal drug trafficking. However, regime change could also be a side effect of any action the president chooses to take. This is extremely high risk. It's unclear who could rise to power in Venezuela in the absence of Maduro. It would require significant U.S. commitment going forward. This is all what the president is weighing as he returns to Washington to begin the work week.

Betsy Klein, CNN, traveling with the president in West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Meanwhile, CNN spoke to two members of the Venezuelan community in New York City about the growing tensions between their home country and the U.S., plus their thoughts on Nicolas Maduro. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (through translator): We didn't leave Venezuela because we wanted to. We fled Maduro. But now, being here means not being able to fully be at peace either because we are afraid of being deported.

[02:05:02]

UNKNOWN (through translator): It's time for him to go. I don't care if he goes to prison, they do something to him or he just goes away to anywhere else. But it's time for him and his government to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Alejandro Velasco is a historian and professor at NYU. Thank you so much for being with me. How are doing?

ALEJANDRO VELASCO, HISTORIAN, PROFESSOR AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: Thanks so much. I appreciate it.

HUNTE: Thank you for being with us. Let's get into this. Washington is weighing up military action while Trump now says Maduro wants to talk. What do you think the real U.S. endgame is here?

VELASCO: Well, I suppose it depends on who you ask in the U.S. administration. What you're saying now are a lot of competing interests trying to gain the upper hand and ultimately the go-ahead from President Trump on whether or not to take military action.

President Trump himself seems to have been wavering, which suggests that the more hawkish personnel in the government, in particular, Marco Rubio, but also secretary of Defense, has got -- have not yet been able to convince Trump that military action would, in fact, be advisable.

So, the end game here really is just another day seeing what happens the next day of whether or not there's going to be any kind of intervention.

HUNTE: We have been told that the U.S. now has largest military buildup in the Caribbean this century. How close are we to a moment where those assets have to be used or pulled back?

VELASCO: It's a great question. I do think that part of the strategy, again, of some of the more hawkish elements in the administration that are pushing for an intervention in Venezuela are in some ways to force Trump into making decision that he might not otherwise want to make. The more the buildup, especially committing in particular this massive aircraft carrier that has just arrived in the operations theater, the more personnel you have there, the more difficult it's going to be not to engage because any withdrawal at this stage without a significant engagement will, in fact, be read and should be read as a victory for the Maduro government in terms of remaining in power and also, of course, would be evidence of fissures within the U.S. government in terms of how it's going to position itself vis-a-vis Venezuela.

HUNTE: Yes. With the U.S. carrying out 21 strikes on alleged drug vessels, killing 83 people now, how much of this is about pressure on Maduro rather than narcotics?

VELASCO: I would say 100%, it's about Venezuela. To some extent, the narcotics discourse as well as, of course, the tragic actions of people dying with no recourse to equal standing or accountability or really just conventional rules of engagement really in some ways is a tragic sideshow.

This is primarily an effort on the one hand by Marco Rubio, secretary of state, to oust the Venezuelan government, which he has long said has been his -- his stated goal in order to have other objectives that he's had long set his eyes on, in particular ousting the government in Cuba, met.

But other actors in the U.S. government have taken note, in particular the secretary of defense, who very much wants to both literally, as we know, and also figuratively flex his muscles and flex the muscles of the military in an engagement which they believe would be very easy to -- to enact.

And so, what the narcotics operation has really provided is much more of a discursive kind of aperture to the U.S. public, which might be more inclined to support action against narcotics -- in narcotics context than they would be in the context of a regime change.

HUNTE: Well, speaking about that, we've also seen video released of the latest strike without evidence of drug trafficking. How is that shaping regional views of the U.S.'s intentions?

VELASCO: It's a great question. I mean, it has varied to this point. The most vocal voices of opposition have come from places like Colombia, where we do know, in fact, much of the narcotics that come and enter the United States come from. And, in fact, many of the people who've been killed in these strikes have been Colombian. We have good new reporting on this from U.S. sources.

But voices elsewhere in the region have somewhat been muted. You'd have expected that in Brazil, which also has a leftist government, as does Colombia, they would have sounded more alarm, but you've not heard that.

[02:09:57]

Places like Chile, which had been also to the left of center government, you know, voiced their displeasure with U.S. policies in the past, have not actually been openly against these strikes.

And so, part of the game here, the geopolitical game that's being played, I think, on the part of, again, some of these more hawkish sectors of the U.S. government is how much can they push the region before they create a kind of union that would then make every -- any cost of intervention all the more -- all the higher.

HUNTE: Well, we will see what happens next. There's a lot of potentials there. Alejandro Velasco for now, thank you so much. We appreciate your time.

VELASCO: Thank you. I appreciate it.

HUNTE: In a major shift, U.S. President Donald Trump now says House Republicans should vote to release the files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The president posted on social media, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files because we have nothing to hide, and it's time to move on from this Democrat hoax perpetrated by radical left lunatics.

President Trump's earlier opposition to the effort was partly behind the drama with Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who supports releasing the files. Greene was once a staunch Trump ally. But after President Trump called her a traitor, she told CNN this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): Unfortunately, it has all come down to the Epstein files. And that is shocking. And, you know, I -- I stand with these women, I stand with rape victims, I stand with children who are in terrible sex abuse situations, and I stand with survivors of trafficking and those that are trapped in -- in sex trafficking.

And I -- I will not apologize for that. I believe the country deserves transparency in these files. And I -- I don't believe that -- that rich, powerful people should be protected if they have -- if they have done anything wrong. And -- and so, I'm standing with the women, and I will continue to do my small part to get the files released.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The House is expected to vote on releasing the Epstein files this week. House Speaker Mike Johnson says it's time to get it over with.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE JOHNSON, SPEAKER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: So, it'll be on the floor again next week. I suspect there'll be lots of votes that will just get this done. President Trump has clean hands. He's not worried about it. I talk to him all the time. He has nothing to do with this.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HUNTE: A bit earlier, I asked Benjamin Radd, a political scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, the significance of this shift in President Trump's stance on the Epstein files release, and here is his response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN RADD, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES: I think it reflects the pressure that he has been under. You've seen now all indications that there were upwards of 100 members of the House GOP Caucus, if not more, who were willing to vote for the ultimate release of the files and pressure mounting from all sides and from a good part of his base.

I mean, we saw the back and forth between him and Congressman Marjorie Taylor Greene over the last few days. And I think he understands now that this is not a battle that he's going to win. So, either he joins on sort of a winning side, calling for disclosure in full release, or he goes down as having stood in opposition to it.

HUNTE: As you say, we were expecting some GOP members to vote to release the files. What does all of this suggest about fractures within the Republican Party at the moment?

RADD: Well, it demonstrates that there are red lines in the MAGA base despite sort of the belief that his -- his coalition, his base, his voters will go along with almost anything he says or any position he takes no matter how, let's say, outlandish or inconsistent with what were traditional Republican positions. It seems like there is a red line at attempting to shield pedophiles or those who traffic young women or any of that.

And I think this is what we're seeing, is that for his supporters, many of whom rallied to him on the guise of he would, you know, just release the files. You've seen members of his cabinet, Kash Patel, the FBI director particularly, who during -- prior to Trump's second term made a big fuss about the files being released.

And for now, him to not do that, it fuels into the conspiracy theories that are very much a part of that MAGA base as it is. And so, for Trump, it's either he becomes part of that conspiracy or he's seen as somebody who is going to expose it.

HUNTE: It has come to a really late point, though, hasn't it? Considering all the drama that has been building up around this for so long, are you surprised it has taken until now for this decision to be made?

RADD: Absolutely. It did not need to take this long. And, you know, the understanding is that this has been very much Trump's own decision, that when it comes to all matters pertaining to the Epstein files and Epstein himself, Jeffrey Epstein himself, President Trump has made the decision on a personal basis what to disclose, what not to disclose to effectively set the pace for the White House response to anything having to do with Epstein.

[02:15:00]

And this is -- we've seen now the limit of his success that able to massage and manipulate public opinion or at least his base to get them to go along. So, the fact that it took this long demonstrates, again, limits to his -- his -- his ability to really carry his voters along with him.

HUNTE: Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene sat down for an exclusive interview with CNN on Sunday. The Georgia Republican gave her take on President Trump's public attacks on her and apologized for her role in spreading toxic rhetoric.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Congresswoman, you posted on X that President Trump is, with his comments, fueling a -- quote -- "hotbed of threats against you." Obviously, any threats to your safety are completely unacceptable. But we have seen these kinds of attacks or criticism from the president at other people. It's not new. And with respect, I haven't heard you speak out about it until it was directed at you.

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): Dana, I think that's fair criticism. And I would like to say humbly, I'm sorry for taking part in the toxic politics. It's -- it's very bad for our country. And I -- it has been something I've thought about a lot, especially since Charlie Kirk was assassinated, is that we -- I'm only responsible for myself and my own words and actions.

And I am going -- I am committed, and I've been working on this a lot lately, to put down the knives in politics. I really just want to see people be kind to one another. And we need to figure out a new path forward that is focused on the American people because, as Americans, no matter what side of the aisle we're on, we have far more in common than we have differences.

BASH: Yeah.

TAYLOR GREENE: And we need to be able to respect each other with our disagreements.

BASH: So, just to put a button on this, you regret the things that you have said and posted in the past, the Facebook post that was taken down of you in 2020 holding a gun alongside the squad, encouraging people to go on the offense against the socialists, liking a tweet of somebody calling for the execution of Nancy Pelosi and former President Obama, just examples?

TAYLOR GREENE: Well, Dana, as you know and many people know, I addressed that back in 2021. And, of course, um, I never want to cause any harm or anything bad for anyone. So, that -- that was addressed back then. And I very much stand by my words I said then. And I stand by my words today. I think America needs to come together and end all the toxic dangerous rhetoric and divide. And I'm leading the way with my own example, and I hope that President Trump can do the same.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Greene says she has received death threats since Mr. Trump ended his support for her and began insulting her. But the president is dismissing her consent still.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Marjorie traitor Greene, I don't think her life is in danger. I don't think -- frankly, I don't think anybody cares about her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Well, after more than a week of cutbacks and delays, flights at U.S. airports will finally start returning to normal within the coming hours. The FAA says its mandate to reduce airline operations will end on Monday morning. The agency had ordered 40 airports across the U.S. to cut back on flights during the government shutdown due to short staffing. That led to thousands of flight delays and cancellations.

This all comes a little over a week before the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., when air travel picks up significantly. Some airlines say it may still take some time to recover from the disruption.

Okay, President Trump is preparing to welcome the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia to the White House on Tuesday. Still ahead, we'll discuss what's at the top of both leaders' agendas. Plus, a sudden surge of U.S. federal agents in a new immigration crackdown. Those stories and more after the break. See you in a bit.

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[02:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back. President Trump is getting ready to roll out the red carpet on Tuesday for Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two will meet at the White House on Tuesday to discuss a number of issues, including Trump's hope that the Saudis will eventually sign the Abraham Accord, which would establish diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

The meeting also marks the first time the Crown Prince has visited the White House since 2018 and the murder of the U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a killing that the CIA believes the Crown Prince likely ordered, though he has denied any involvement. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is following the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There will be almost no signs of a rupture on Tuesday, I imagine. So, just put your head ready for all the trappings of a state visit. Really, there's going to be a huge welcome ceremony with military bands. There's going to be a bilateral meeting, of course, in the Oval Office and a black tie dinner with some of America's most powerful executives. President Trump will absolutely be pulling all the stops to impress his guest of honor, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

So, what's on the agenda? What's on the table? As you said, right at the top is President Trump's ambition to reach a political settlement in the Middle East. He believes a cornerstone of that is the Abraham Accords. He's going to push the Crown Prince to normalize ties with Israel, something that had been derailed, of course, because of the conflict after October 7th.

But in response, the expectation is that Saudi Arabia is also going to want to see a pathway to Palestinian statehood that puts a question mark over the Gaza ceasefire, something also that President Trump will be pushing for Saudi Arabia's assistance and help on. He needs these Middle Eastern powers to step in if that ceasefire is to remain in place.

The second issue on the table is going to be money, money, money.

[02:24:58]

Now, President Trump had his first state visit of his second term to Saudi Arabia. And just before that visit, Saudi Arabia pledged $600 billion in investment in the United States. So, there's going to be an expectation that they're going to break down what those numbers mean.

Now, we do expect that there will be some paperwork signed, specifically defense cooperation agreement. Now, that's going to fall short of President Trump's larger ambition, again, of the Abraham Accord. So, it'll be about what the pathway forward is with those relationships between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia when it comes to those normalization agreements. But again, no signs of a rupture are expected on Tuesday, just a red carpet rollout for someone President Trump sees as a close friend and ally.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Federal agents say they've arrested 81 people since arriving in Charlotte, North Carolina for a new immigration crackdown. CNN's Rafael Romo has more on a move that's largely unwanted by local officials.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There was no prior announcement by the federal government about any plan to send immigration agents to Charlotte, North Carolina. Word on the move came from Mecklenburg County Sheriff Gary McFadden's office who told CNN in a statement on Thursday that two federal officials had told him enforcement personnel would arrive as early as this weekend in North Carolina's largest city.

And then the operation started, including one encounter with Border Patrol agents caught on a cell phone camera by a man while he was driving.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

WILLY ACEITUNO, DETAINED BY FEDERAL AGENT: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: That's the voice of Willy Aceituno asking an agent why he broke his pickup truck's window. The Honduran-born man who says he is a U.S. citizen later told CNN affiliate WCNC that he was getting breakfast before going to work when he was stopped twice by Border Patrol agents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLY ACEITUNO, DETAINED BY FEDERAL AGENT: He broke open door and too hard to take out to me out, you know. And second, I go to the ground like this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: In statement to CNN, CBP said that Aceituno acted increasingly erratic, escalated the situation, and refused to comply with lawful commands by officers. Border Patrol agents have been spotted around Charlotte over the weekend, stopping people suspected of being in the country illegally and making arrests while traveling in vans and SUVs, and covering their faces, as this video obtained by CNN shows.

In a post on X, top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino said agents arrested 81 people in Charlotte on Saturday during a search of immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security has dubbed operation "Charlotte's Web." The arrests, Bovino said, took place during a span of about five hours, adding that those arrested had -- quote -- "significant criminal and immigration history and are off the streets."

The agents' presence in Charlotte has already prompted residents to take to the streets with the goal of sending two messages, telling federal agents they're not welcome in their city and supporting immigrants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER ROBERTS, CHARLOTTE PROTESTER: I'm here to tell our immigrant community that I stand with them along with thousands and thousands of others who know that they have been contributing to our community, to our culture, to our education, to our business community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: The Trump administration has defended unprecedented federal enforcement operations in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago as necessary for fighting crime and enforcing immigration laws. According to AH Datalytics, homicides, rapes, robberies and motor vehicle thefts fell by more than 20% in Charlotte this year compared with the same time period in 2024.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The U.K. is preparing to implement a sweeping set of reforms for its asylum policy that will make it much more challenging for refugees to resettle in the country. Details on the changes and what's driving them, next on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:32:31]

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.

In the coming hours, the British government is expected to announce full details on a massive reform of its asylum policy. Among the changes, refugees will need to wait 20 years before they can apply for permanent settlement in the country, and the government will remove housing and weekly stipends from any refugee who has a right to work but chooses not to.

The new policy takes inspiration from Denmark, which has one of the most challenging settlement programs in Europe. The U.K.'s labor government says the refugee system is out of control and broken.

So how will Britain's new rules impact migration to the country now?

Dominic Thomas is the author of a new book, "Climates of Migration", that looks at how shifting environmental conditions are influencing human movement. He's also a CNN European affairs commentator, and he joins me now.

Thanks for being with me, Dominic. How are you doing?

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Oh, brilliant. Thanks, Ben. And thanks so much for mentioning my book.

HUNTE: You're so welcome. Congrats on it.

So, the U.K.'s labor government is proposing a major overhaul of the U.K.'s immigration system. On the surface, this seems like it's about asylum and border control. But many say the real motivation is political. Why would they say that?

THOMAS: Well, I think that, you know, you just need to look at voter intentions in the U.K. right now and notice that the conservative party in the labor party are plummeting, as is the popularity of the current prime minister, Keir Starmer. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage, who leads Reform U.K., is polling at well above 30 percent. So Keir Starmer here has decided to go about essentially sort of challenging, us head on. Farage here around these particular questions.

Now, he's absolutely right that voters are concerned about the immigration question in the U.K. It's been amplified over years now, the optics of the of the boat crossings and so on don't work out.

But I think in this particular case, his solutions are performative. They don't go to the heart of the underlying problems, and they're a distraction from the genuine turmoil in his cabinet right now. And the real concern that there is with this budget that is about to be released and the potential impact that it's going to have on U.K. economic insecurity, that's a sort of very high level right now, Ben.

HUNTE: Well, you just spoke about Nigel Farage and Reform U.K. Party being a key factor driving this policy shift.

[02:35:01]

Farage's message does seem to cut through though. What is it about the party and its message on immigration that resonates so well with voters?

THOMAS: Yeah. Well, Nigel Farage has been talking about the immigration question, obviously for a very long time. It was one of the main drivers of the of the Brexit, and exit, which he was one of the architects of. But he's been very adept at tapping into the kind of anger, anxiety that that has shaped U.K. politics.

I mean, 14 years of conservative party rule, a succession of prime ministers and voters that have felt increasingly disaffected, not listened to. We've seen this happen in other European societies. So, although Keir Starmer has talked about the threat of reform, U.K. has talked about many of the membership being, racist and so on and so forth. It still doesn't account for the fact that a third of U.K. society find a voice in those parties in that party, and not in mainstream political parties.

And I think that the underlying issues of cost of living, concern with the NHS and as I mentioned, voter dissatisfaction are also what Farage has been adept at tapping into here, Ben.

HUNTE: You did just mention it there, but can we just talk about some other examples of other countries where bringing immigration reforms to pander to the right have ultimately worked, or maybe failed?

THOMAS: Well, in terms of sort of policies and potential reductions to sort of immigration numbers and so on, that's one debate. But I think if you just look across the channel to France or a little further afield to Germany, Emmanuel Macron, center right party, just like current German Chancellor Merkel's CDU have both over the past decade at least appropriated and mainstreamed far right talking points.

And what we know here is that voters prefer the original to the copy. So, the AFD in Germany, the National Rally in France are at all-time highs. And unless you look at the underlying economic questions, which people keep talking about in the French context, the yellow vests and so on and so forth, you continue to have the fuel that drives these populist parties and around which immigration and the stigmatization of migrants becomes the issue upon which society seems to be turning its attention, Ben. HUNTE: Let's talk more about the book, "Climates of Migration". It

explores broader patterns and drivers of migration. How did the U.K.'s policy proposals fit or clash with the realities that migrants actually face?

THOMAS: Yeah, well, this is really important to look at sort of both perspectives, right? I think the political rhetoric and what migrants are saying. And I think that's where Keir Starmer and the book very much talks about leaders like him tackling these kinds of questions make a genuine mistake by trying to play the one-upmanship game with these populist, far right parties that have no qualms about stigmatizing immigration and so on. But at the end of the day, so many of the issues that come around this concern about climate change or opposition or skepticism to it and so on and so forth are linked to these questions. As I just mentioned, Brexit.

And the irony, of course, is that so many of the social problems that confront the U.K. today are related to having extricated themselves from the European Union. And instead of turning that argument around and blaming Nigel Farage for so many of these consequences, they're trying to play a game on the terrain in which he controls and the narrative, and in fact, persistently talking about immigration is always a way of giving credence to the arguments of the far right.

And we know that in the U.K. and in France, at least since the official end of empire and colonialism, that these issues around nationalism and racism and immigration flare up at moments of economic insecurity. And that's what we see unfolding in France and Germany and in the U.K. today, Ben.

HUNTE: Wow, what a book. Sounds very juicy. Thank you for the insights.

Dominic Thomas, we appreciate your time. Thank you.

THOMAS: Thank you so much.

HUNTE: Five months after the U.S. and Israel carried out strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, it remains unclear just how much damage was really done. U.S. President Donald Trump initially claimed the Fordow nuclear facility had been obliterated, but U.S. intelligence assessments later suggested that Iran's nuclear program may have only been set back by about two years.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen sat down for an exclusive interview with Iran's deputy foreign minister to talk about the strikes and the state of Iran's nuclear program.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAEED KHATIBZADEH, IRANIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: If the other side accept the logic of compromise, the logic of negotiation, and which is give and take and abandon some delusions that they do have and abandon this tendency to achieve whatever they couldn't achieve through military campaign, through any sort of political or diplomatic means, then we think within the framework of what Grand Ayatollah Khamenei said, we can move on.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you already rebuilding your nuclear program, and is it going to be as strong as it was before?

KHATIBZADEH: The nuclear program, the peaceful nuclear program is intact as we are speaking. Yes. They have attacked. They have ruined many of our infrastructure, machineries, buildings. But the program is very much based on our indigenous knowledge, very much spread across our country, which is a huge country, 90 million people, 1,600,000 square meter country.

And this country is not a country that you can bomb. And then -- and then think that, you know, you are going to ruin everything. This is a science, and this is a knowledge, and this is a know that we actually possess, and we are going to be protecting that.

PLEITGEN: Does that mean expanding and strengthening your missile program?

KHATIBZADEH: A battle of repair and recovery has started. The moment that ceasefire happened. The battle of repair and recovery happened in Tel Aviv by receiving thousands of shipments -- full of military equipment from the United States and NATO members.

And also, we started, our battle of repair and recovery. Our aim was to prevent another war. The other side aim was to be prepared for another war. So, we think that, you know any means of defense, legitimate means of defense should be -- should be boosted by Iran because no country on earth compromised on its national security. And Iran is not an exception.

PLEITGEN: What is your message, then, to the Trump administration as it looks, the situation in the Middle East? What would you say to them as far as dealing with Iran?

KHATIBZADEH: Iran -- Iran is the oldest living continuous civilization on Earth. I repeat, Iran is the oldest living civilization on earth. This country and this nation is master of survival and master, you know, of just conquering all the turbulences and all the -- and all and all ups and downs. The language that we respond is the language of respect and equal footing. And I think this is the language that based on which we can talk to other side, even if there are those aggressors.

PLEITGEN: President Trump said that the U.S. is now in wars to win them. Are there people in Iran who think at the higher level that Iran must rethink its stance on nuclear weapons?

KHATIBZADEH: We are a member of the IAEA. Even after all these atrocities and crimes that President Trump and his administration did by bombing over U.N. safeguard, peaceful nuclear facilities, we decided not to withdraw from NPT nonproliferation treaty. And you know that this is why Israelis, by possessing hundreds of nuclear warheads, they are not actually party to the nonproliferation treaty. Why Iran has decided to remain in the realm of NPT, because Iran is

very clear about its peaceful nuclear program. Not only we do have, you know, a fatwa by our leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, but also in our doctrine, the only thing that we are following is peaceful nuclear program. And also legitimate military program to defend our national interests and our national security.

(END VIDEO CLP)

HUNTE: Okay. A record rainfall, flooded streets and another storm on the way for waterlogged California. We'll bring you the latest forecast after this break. See you in a moment.

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[02:46:37]

HUNTE: Welcome back.

In the face of record rainfall in southern California, these kids in Long Beach jumped to the opportunity to have a little fun spending the wet weekend kayaking down their flooded neighborhood streets. Well, some California cities saw more rain in 48 hours than they usually get in the entire month of November.

And the wet weather isn't letting up just yet. California is bracing for yet another storm on Monday.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar has our forecast.

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ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The last thing California needs is more rain, especially after record rainfall fell across the state over the weekend. But unfortunately, we are going to start the week off with a new storm that's going to be sliding across the golden state throughout the day today. Here you can see early into the hours here, the main focus is going to be northern and central California. But by Monday afternoon and especially into Monday evening, we really start to see more of that rain funneling into southern California, places like Los Angeles and into San Diego.

We're also going to see some pretty heavy snow up into the sierras. Not out of the question to get an extra one to three feet at some of those highest elevations. Because of all of the rain, though, especially now that it's shifting a little bit farther south, the main focus for excessive rainfall on Monday is going to be across southern California. Places like Fresno, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, even down to San Diego. Even death valley could end up seeing a significant amount of rain in the area throughout the day today.

Most of these locations are looking at an extra one to three inches. I know that may not sound like all that much, but keep in mind, it's the cumulative effect of all of the rain that they saw over the weekend, and now were going to be adding rain on top of it, which could lead to not only the potential for flooding, but also mudslides and debris flows, especially over burn scar locations where they had wildfires earlier this year.

HUNTE: Still ahead, twinkling lights and dazzling displays. Up next, a look at the cities around the world all aglow for the holiday season.

See you in a moment.

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[02:52:24]

HUNTE: Now, some might say it's too early, but cities around the world are turning on the holiday lights and bringing traditional decorations out of storage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE (voice-over): A dazzling tradition in Paris, with the flip of a switch, the Champs-Elysees goes from grand to spectacular. The annual lighting of the glitzy thoroughfare is just one of the signs of the start of the holiday season.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in London, too, with its streets bedazzled in twinkling lights the Christmas light trail at London's Kew Gardens is also shining. Organizers say they expect about 300,000 people to stroll through the redesigned path in the next few weeks, a sign of how popular the light show has become after 13 years of illumination.

ADAM THOW, KEW GARDENS HEAD OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES: So, this is year 13. Lucky for some, I think, because I think it's one of the best yet. And it's really changed year after year. It started as a way of how do we get people to come to Kew on the quietest time of the year when it's dark, it's cold. Daylight hours are diminishing.

HUNTE (voice-over): In Bethlehem, another tradition is set to return after a two-year pause in the west bank town. The mayor says the Christmas tree in manger square will once again be lit this year after going dark since the beginning of the war in Gaza. Shopkeepers say they're looking forward to a more festive time and hopefully tourists returning to the area after many holiday observances were canceled or subdued in recent years.

DIYAA' HIJAZI, VENDOR: Hopefully, the situation becomes better, God willing. They are saying that the New Year shows promising signs. Hopefully, the economic situation will get better because we suffered a lot in the last two years.

HUNTE (voice-over): The Christmas tree in Bethlehem's Manger Square is scheduled to be lit on December 6th.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: For years, the state of Georgia was considered the Hollywood of the south. It was a filming hotspot thanks to tax credits as well as diverse landscapes and locations. But recently, film production in the Peach State has been cut nearly in half. And those cuts are hitting Hollywood, too.

CNN's Ivan Rodriguez explains how some studios are changing to survive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN RODRIGUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Trilith Studios just south of Atlanta, isn't only Georgia's largest film studio, but it's part of one of the largest studio complexes in the continent.

FRANK PATTERSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO, TRILITH STUDIOS: It's a great place to make content.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): Frank Patterson has led Trilith Studios for almost a decade. In that time, the studio was home to major productions including the Avengers and the latest Superman.

At its peak, production spending in Georgia reached over $4 billion in fiscal year 2022.

[02:55:04]

That's more than Hollywood reported that same year, but its fallen off a cliff since, with about half that spent in the Peach State in the last year, according to the Georgia Film Office.

PATTERSON: The drop in spend in Georgia is indicative of what's happened across the United States.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): Georgia still has an attractive tax break for production companies, and in California, Governor Gavin Newsom expanded the state's film and TV tax credit program. Both states hoping to lure production back from overseas.

PATTERSON: I've lived through three of these business cycles where we, for example, offshore content and the macroeconomic forces change and product comes back.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): For Patterson, this is an opportunity to usher in a new generation of storytellers and focus beyond blockbusters. It starts with Jeremy Garelick opening a new hub at Trilith for American High South to help expand Gen Z focused content.

JEREMY GARELICK, FOUNDER AND CEO, AMERICAN HIGH: I wouldn't come down here and buy low if I didn't believe that we're going to sell high, in many, many, you know, it's -- this thing is -- this thing is about to take a turn. And Atlanta and Georgia is going to be a huge hub for creators, for filmmakers, very, very, very soon. There's going to be jobs coming back here.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): Garelick and his team aim to generate four productions a year starting in 2026. It also guarantees Trilith a steady slate of productions and busy stages during this slump.

PATTERSON: We'll be back to some kind of new normal in '27, certainly in '28, that I'm excited about, not just a new normal -- into some level of exciting storytelling that we haven't seen before.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): In Atlanta, I'm Ivan Rodriguez.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: That's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

I'll be back right after a break. You are watching CNN.

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