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Zelenskyy Rallies Nation as War Enters Second Year; Russia Launching Rocket Attacks, Airstrikes Along Frontlines; Biden Rules Out Sending F-16 Fighter Jets to Ukraine, For Now; Alex Murdaugh Completes Testimony In His Murder Trial. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired February 25, 2023 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:15]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Buenos dias and welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. It is February 25th. I'm Boris Sanchez.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Great to be with you, Boris. Good morning. I'm Amara Walker and we're already at the end of February. It really feels like small -- it depends on where you are, right? Here in Atlanta, it feels like spring arrived weeks ago. I was just out west, and it was like 30 degrees colder. It was the weirdest thing. The weather is just out of whack.

SANCHEZ: It's crazy. On the West Coast, we're seeing these blizzards which we're going to talk about later this morning. But here on the East Coast, you're right, there's an 80-degree, almost 80-degree day in D.C. in February. That is not a good sign for the future.

WALKER: It really isn't, my goodness? Get your skiing in now before it all goes away. Well, here's what we are watching on CNN THIS MORNING.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't think he needs F-16s now?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, he doesn't need F-16s now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Number one, President Biden rules out setting F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. And this morning, Russia continues to hammer targets there. We're going to take you live.

SANCHEZ: And number two, gripping testimony in Alex Murdaugh's murder trial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CREIGHTON WATERS, PROSECUTION: Mr. Murdaugh, are you a family annihilator?

ALEX MURDAUGH, DEFENDANT: A family annihilator? You mean, like, did I shoot my wife and my son?

WATERS: Yes.

MURDAUGH: No.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Tensed moments inside the courtroom. We're going to take you there as Murdaugh takes the stand. Why he says he lied to police but maintains that he had nothing to do with his wife and son's death?

WALKER: And number three, a hotter-than-expected inflation report sent stocks tumbling and fears rising that the Fed will have to keep interest rates high. We will break down those numbers and some good news when it comes to your 401(k).

We begin this morning with the war in Ukraine, now entering its second year. And despite an onslaught of attacks from Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remains defiant.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Slava Ukraini!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Zelenskyy acknowledged the grim milestone speaking before troops in Kyiv. He declared 2023 as the year of Ukraine's victory over Russia and expressed confidence in his country's ability to fend off attacks.

SANCHEZ: Meantime, Ukraine's international allies showed their solidarity with tributes and announcements of more new weapons and funding headed to that region. The first shipment of heavy battle tanks arrives in Ukraine with much more advanced weaponry still expected in the coming weeks. This is just days after a historic visit to Ukraine that the Biden administration is announcing a $2 billion security package. And at the United Nations, Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, called on the international community not to let Putin his crimes become the new normal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: No country has endured greater hardship from Russia's war than Ukraine. But almost every country has felt the pain. And yet, nations around the world continue to stand with Ukraine. Because we all recognize that if we abandon Ukraine, we abandon the U.N. Charter itself, and the principles and rules that make all countries safer and more secure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Melissa Bell is on the ground there in Kyiv. Hello to you, Melissa. Tell us more about what's happening there on the ground. We are now in the second year of this invasion of Ukraine. What's the latest? MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): What we've been hearing, Amara, from Ukrainian military authorities is that we've been seeing an intensification of the Russian aggression along the front lines specifically. So, for instance, an uptick in the number of airstrikes, an uptick in the number of artillery barrages, and also multiple launch rocket attacks. But all along that line that essentially hasn't moved that much over the course of the last few weeks and that has been bitterly fought over.

What never materialized, Amara, were what the Ukrainians had feared might be strikes more broadly across the rest of the country to mark this grim anniversary. Their fear had been that Moscow would want symbolically to go further than its attacks along the front line on the Eastern Front. That never happened, which allowed yesterday's ceremonies to take place. And by his very presence in the center of Kyiv, President Zelenskyy was sending a strong message.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BELL (voiceover): Still in power, and still in Kyiv.

ZELENSKYY: Slava --

BELL: One year after the start of a Russian invasion that's intended to force him out within days. President Zelenskyy stood proudly on Friday outside St. Sophia's, thanking those responsible.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): It is you who would decide whether we are all going to exist, whether Ukraine is going to exist every day, every hour. It is you, Ukrainian soldiers, which will decide it.

[07:05:17]

BELL: A stark contrast to his nightly messages that for a year now have kept hope afloat. Victory can be achieved this year. He said repeatedly on Friday, a message aimed at Ukraine and beyond.

The Ukrainian flag unfurled in acts of solidarity around the world. Its most famous landmarks lit up in the colors that have become symbols of Ukrainian resilience and freedom. Yellow and blue on display from Paris to Sydney, and painted outside the Russian Embassy in London. For the world's diplomats, the one-year mark offered pause for thought.

BLINKEN: One year and one week ago, on February 17th 2022, I warned this council that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine. Due to fierce resistance by Ukraine's defenders, President Putin failed in his primary objective to conquer Ukraine.

BELL: After President Biden's visited Kyiv earlier this week, the United States announcing a new $2 billion defense package to Ukraine and what it described as some of its most significant sanctions against Russia so far. Allies followed suit, Sweden pledging Leopard 2 tanks, Poland's already delivered.

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: Some worry our support to Ukraine risks triggering escalation, but there are no risk-free options. And the biggest risk of all, is if President Putin wins.

BELL: Diplomacy for a while drowning out the fighting, the shelling, and the sirens as Europe said, it would be giving cautious consideration to China's 12-point proposal for a peaceful resolution, a resolution that's in line with Moscow's euphemisms, nowhere mentions war.

And yet in Ukraine, it was the price of war that was being paid again, another day, another funeral, another grieving family and a message too, that this must end.

ZELENSKYY: I'm confident that we will have this victory. I hope that this will happen this year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BELL (on camera): Now, that ambitious, optimistic, some might say, hope, expressed by President Zelenskyy repeatedly yesterday, would, of course require more weapons. And that is what they're asking for -- always more weapons. The NATO allies, consistently, looking over the course of the last year at what they need and what's useful to the long, along the front lines drawing the line at some of their demands, providing, for instance, those Leopard tanks that have begun arriving here in Ukraine. But the result is that dreadful stalemate that appears now to have been achieved along that grinding and bloody frontline Amara and Boris.

WALKER: Melissa Bell, appreciate your reporting, as always, thank you very much. And CNN's Jasmine Wright is live in Wilmington, Delaware with more. Jasmine, President Biden announcing billions in new funding for Ukraine, but he said one weapon would not be headed there, at least for now right?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Amara. Those F-16 fighter jets were not on the list of the series of actions that President Biden unveiled yesterday, really to commemorate the first-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. President Biden yesterday in D.C., he started his day attending a virtual meeting with G7 leaders, that group that has been really adamant about keeping Western allies united and supporting Ukraine, but also punishing Russia.

Now, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was also in attendance at that virtual meeting. President Biden, as you can see on the screen here, he pledged his enduring support to Ukraine for as long as it takes, repeating that promise. And also, he announced that massive $2 billion security assistance package that included a lot of what Ukraine has asked for, including more munition.

That, now that means HIMARS rocket launchers, as well as additional, additional artillery shells, drones and counter drone activity. But you're right, one thing that wasn't on that list was those F-16 fighter jets that we know President Zelenskyy has asked from the U.S. for repeatedly, including just when President Biden was in keep on Ukraine and that historic unprecedented trip. But still on Friday in an ABC interview, President Biden ruled out sending those for now. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Zelenskyy continues to say what he really needs are F-16s. Will you send F-16s?

BIDEN: Look, we're sending him what our seasoned military thinks he needs now. He needs tanks. He needs artillery. He needs air defense, including another HIMARS -- those things he needs now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't think he needs F-16s now?

BIDEN: No, he doesn't need F-16s now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:10:16]

WRIGHT: Now, Amara, Boris, this is very clear that this is something that Zelenskyy does not agree with as he continues to ask and my colleagues on the Hill are now reporting that President Zelensky met with House Republicans, a few of them really giving them a new list of weapons that he would like, including those F-16. So, I'm sure we're likely to hear more about this request in the future. Boris and Amara.

SANCHEZ: And Jasmine, we're learning about a new round of sanctions against Russia. What can you tell us about that?

WRIGHT: Yes, the administration called them one of its most significant packages, so far in this year that they've been sanctioning Russia, and because it targets about 200 individuals and companies with a real focus on trying to nail down companies that have helped Russia evade the, the crippling sanctions that have been put in place. Now, that includes things like mining and, of course, the military supply chain.

Also, it includes targeting companies in China that have helped prop Russia up, really providing them with an ability to sustain their war effort, especially as we hear warnings from U.S. officials that China could be really possibly looking at how else it could help China include it -- how does it help Russia, including possibly providing lethal aid. So, this is something that of course, the Biden White House has been touting as the way as continues to support Ukraine during this war.

SANCHEZ: Jasmine Wright reporting from Wilmington, Delaware, traveling with the president, thank you so much, Jasmine. We do have a quick programming note for you. Be sure to join Clarissa Ward as she takes an in depth look at Ukraine one year since the invasion began. You can watch the CNN special report: "THE WILL TO WIN: UKRAINE AT WAR." It airs tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

WALKER: Well, we are also following the latest in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. The disgraced former South Carolina Attorney taking the stand for a second-day Friday, in admitting to telling multiple lies to investigators. SANCHEZ: These are some startling moments in court and most

significantly, he admitted that he lied to investigators about being at the scene of his wife and son's murder. Murdaugh, though, continues to insist that he is not the killer. Let's go to CNN's Dianne Gallagher who has the very latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WATERS: So, you, like you've done so many times over the course of your life had to back-up and make a new story that kind of fit with the facts.

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Alex Murdaugh under cross examination for a second-day, several times getting heated.

MURDAUGH: You dang right. I'm consistent about that, because a very short time before that, David Owens is asking me questions and telling me I'm a suspect in the murder of my wife and my child, and asking me about my clothes? You dang, right, it was important.

WATERS: Because the only thing you're concerned about is yourself. You're not concerned about giving accurate information to law enforcement --

GALLAGHER: As he tries to convince the jury he did not kill his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.

MURDAUGH: You mean, like, did I shoot my wife and my son?

WATERS: Yes.

MURDAUGH: No.

GALLAGHER: Prosecutor Creighton Waters pushing Murdaugh hard over his admission of lying about being at the family dog kennels, where the bodies were found the night of the murders.

WATERS: Pretty much all, that was lies, weren't it?

MURDAUGH: Everything about me not going to the kennel was a lie.

WATER: And you're able to just do that so easily and so convincingly and so naturally, don't you?

GALLAGHER: And hammering Murdaugh on what the prosecution is calling his new story.

WATERS: You also looked at this jury and tried to tell them that you had been cooperative in this investigation.

MURDAUGH: Other than lying to them about going to the kennel, I was cooperated in every aspect of this investigation.

WATERS: Very cooperative, except, to miss the important fact of all that you were at the murder scene, with the victims, just minutes before they died. GALLAGHER: Also revealed, astonishing details we've never heard about

just how serious Murdaugh says his opioid addiction was.

WATERS: So, you're taking 60 a day or something like that? I mean --

MURDAUGH: There were days where I took more than that.

GALLAGHER: But the majority of the cross examination, Friday, focused on what happened June 7th, 2021.

WATERS: So, what you're telling this jury is that it's a random vigilante.

MURDAUGH: That's your --

WATERS: The 12-year-old five-two people that just happened to know that Paul and Maggie were both at Moselle on June 7th, that knew that they would be at the kennels alone on June the seventh, they knew that you would not be there, but only between the times of 8:49 and 9:02, that they show up without a weapon, assuming that they're going to find weapons and ammunition in there. That they commit this crime during that short time window, and then they travel the same exact route that you do around the same time to Alameda. That's what you're trying to tell this jury?

[07:15:14]

MURDAUGH: You got a lot of factors in there, Mr. Waters, all of which I do not agree with, but some of which I do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GALLAGHER (on camera): After more than a dozen hours on the stand, Alex Murdaugh is done with his testimony, but the trial continues. In fact, the defense has yet to rest its case. We're told they plan to call additional witnesses on Monday when court resumes. Dianne Gallagher, CNN, Walterboro, South Carolina.

SANCHEZ: Dianne, thank you so much for that report. A surprise on Wall Street this week: inflation picking up speed in January after it appeared that it was trending down. Why that means we could be in for additional rate hikes, though there is some good news when it comes to retirement plans?

WALKER: Plus, the NTSB issues its preliminary report on that toxic train derailment in Ohio. Why investigators say the accident was 100 percent preventable?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:20:29]

WALKER: Some unwelcome economic news we may not be done with inflation just yet.

SANCHEZ: And newly released data from the Federal Reserve shows that inflation unexpectedly surged again last month, rising more than five percent from a year earlier. CNN's Christine Romans delves into the numbers to tell us what this report means for your wallet.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (ON CAMERA): Boris, Amara, an unwelcome sign inflation heated up in January, the PCE price index rose 5.4 percent from a year ago, and up 0.6 percent from December -- hotter than December's monthly gain of just 0.2 percent. Inflation is a byproduct of a strong economy, and it's more evidence the Fed may have to keep interest rates higher for longer.

In line with other recent data, we also learned consumer spending rose a strong 1.8 percent in January, but personal income a little less than expected 0.6 percent. Now, consumers are feeling upbeat about the economy, a closely watched survey shows consumer sentiment hit a 13- month high in February. But it's the inflation news getting so much attention it is a blip in a trend otherwise showing inflation peaking.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon this week warned that inflation could become insidious and threaten growth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMIE DIMON, JPMORGAN CHASE CEO: I have all the bold respect for Jay Powell. But the fact is, we've lost a little bit control of inflation, models didn't pick that up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The Fed has raised interest rates eight times in a historic bid to tackle inflation back to its two percent target, at least for now that work is not done. Boris and Amara.

SANCHEZ: Thanks to Christine Romans for breaking it down for us. Let's hear from an expert now with CNN Economics and Political Commentator, Catherine Rampell, she's also an Opinion Columnist at the Washington Post. Catherine, good morning. Appreciate you being up bright and early for us. Christine broke down the numbers, why is this inflation so stubborn?

CATHERINE RAMPELL, CNN ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, it's a little bit perplexing that the Federal Reserve has raised rates, I think eight consecutive times at this point. And they still haven't let a lot of air out of the tires, essentially, for this fast- speeding economy. I think it's a combination of a bunch of different things, including continuing uncertainty and supply chain disruptions, very aggressive, fiscal and monetary stimulus from earlier in the pandemic, that we're still feeling some of the effects of, you know, that that lead to basically much stronger consumer spending, stronger demand and higher savings early on that people are now drawing down. As well as, you know, continuing uncertainty about where the economy is headed. It's just, once inflation gets into the economy, it's very tricky to, to weed out and I think we're seeing the challenges of that right now.

SANCHEZ: I'm hearing uncertainty, uncertainty, uncertainty, not a great picture in long term for the economy. And it seemed for a moment that we would thread the needle, right? We might get this immaculate disinflation, how likely is it that we're going to see inflation go down without a recession?

RAMPELL: It's really hard to say. Honestly, I have been less pessimistic, more optimistic, than I had been a few months ago. A few months ago, I was much more concerned about a recession than I have been recently. I don't want to over read this one month of data as suggesting that, you know, inflation is going to come roaring back to the levels that we saw a few months ago. It's one month of data. It may be somewhat distorted by some weird things like seasonal factors.

It's still not a good month of data, but it may be somewhat of an outlier. I am still concerned, however, you know, even if I'm less pessimistic than I was, I do think it's still a high-risk that we, we might have a recession, particularly if the Fed feels the need to slam on the brakes a little bit more aggressively going forward because they're, they've been worried about these two hot numbers that have been coming in recently, which, which is reasonable.

I mean, again, they've been raising interest rates. And we're still not seeing inflation come down to the levels that many had expected. When they raise interest rates, that tightens financial conditions, and it's very hard to calibrate those rate hikes exactly right so that they get demand down just enough, they get inflation down just enough without tipping us into recession. You can easily err on the side of, of instead causing a downturn. That's what they're worried about.

SANCHEZ: Yes, there's little doubt at this point that the Fed is going to raise interest rates, perhaps, beyond what they have already or at a faster rate, I should say. How high do you think they might have to go?

[07:25:09]

RAMPELL: You know, prior to yesterday's report, I think there had been an expectation that the Fed would raise rates and other 25 basis points that at its next meeting in March. Now, you're seeing markets adjust and expect something more like a half a base -- excuse me, half a percentage point, 50 basis points, increase in March. And I think we will continue seeing rate hikes throughout the year, particularly if we keep seeing these numbers come in much hotter than the Fed is comfortable with.

SANCHEZ: And, Catherine, one quick final question: there was some good news on 401(Ks).

RAMPELL: Yes, it does look like based on some data from Fidelity, that people have increased their savings rates, or at least have kept their savings rates steady when it comes to putting money aside for their 401(K), despite the fact that there are fears of recession. I mean, in some ways, that might be driven by fears of recession, that people feel the need to be a little bit more conservative with their spending.

We would like to see that -- we're not seeing that in other numbers, it does look like consumer spending has continued going up, unfortunately. But at least for these higher income consumers who are disproportionately the people who are putting aside money in their 401(Ks), they do seem to be a little bit more conservative. They're putting money there. They're socking money away. That's what we'd like to see for, you know, both near term economic indicators, and Americans long term financial security as they look toward retirement.

SANCHEZ: Catherine Rampell, got to leave the conversation there. Thank you as always.

RAMPELL: Thank you.

WALKER: All right. Still ahead, the NTSB says that toxic train derailment in Ohio was 100 percent preventable as we're learning new details about what may have caused that accident.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:30:47]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: The toxic train derailment in East Palestine was 100 percent preventable, according to federal investigators. But we won't actually know what caused it for another 12 to 18 months.

Here is what the National Transportation Safety Board outlines in a new report. The temperature of a wheel bearing on the train reached a critical level, triggering an alarm. The crew then responded applying brakes. But while the train was slowing down, the axle, failed, and car 23 ultimately derailed.

Now investigators are trying to sort evidence to figure out exactly why that happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER HOMENDY, CHAIR, NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD: We know for a fact what caused this derailment. It was the failure of that bearing and the failure at that car number 23.

Now, it's looking at how we got there? What conditions were present to allow that to happen? And then, we're going to look at what would prevent it from reoccurring in the future?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Let's discuss the incident and the investigation with CNN transportation analyst, Mary Schiavo. Mary, thank you so much for being with us early on a Saturday morning.

So, investigators narrowed it down to focus on the wheel bearings, why then might it take a full year or more to understand the causes?

MARY SCHIAVO, CNN TRANSPORTATION ANALYST: Well, because when the National Transportation Safety Board does an investigation, they look at, you know, all possible actors, causes, many different things that go into it, rather than just physically what happened. And then, the NTSB, when it completes this report investigation must make recommendations. So, they look at all various actors, players, parties to the investigation, and they have to do a forward-looking report that says, in the future, this is what we need to change. And they will call on the federal rail administration, the Department of Transportation, and of course, the railroads of America, to adopt the changes that the NTSB make.

So, they need the extra time to really do a deep dive and think what things should change, so this doesn't happen again.

SANCHEZ: And I definitely want to get your perspective on what you think they might recommend. But I do want to ask about the report saying that the crew was not at fault. They essentially said the crew did everything that they were supposed to when that alarm sounded.

But what does that tell you if it still led to an accident of this magnitude?

SCHIAVO: Well, that's a pretty big clue there in the NTSB report, because the head of the NTSB said it was 100 percent preventable but that the crew did nothing wrong.

And the preliminary report, which is just the facts so far, does set out what happened step by step, moment by moment, and everyone responded as the law requires.

But that lets us know that the laws and the regulations and the safety standards are not adequate. Because if you follow the laws and the safety standard, and you still had a disaster, that tells you things need to change.

And in particular, I think two things will. I think the NTSB will recommend changes requiring this advanced or more advanced braking system. Is the electronic controlled pneumatic braking system where every car is fitted with a braking system so that -- so every car gets the instruction to stop at the same time, not just the engineer directing the train to stop.

And then, also, I think, they will call for upgraded train cars that will be more safe for handling high flammables, and also for oil and other crude products, which is, is already considered one of the hazardous and flammable train car components.

So, I think those are probably two of the things the NTSB might recommend. I'll be at a year, so, when they do the final report.

SANCHEZ: There is also the question of notifying officials as to what these train cars are carrying. Right? That's something that Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio said that was a failure in this case that officials weren't told exactly what hazardous chemicals were on these train cars, even though, I believe they were supposed to have been told.

SCHIAVO: Well, there is a -- there is a bit of a debate on that point. So, the train, if it was designated in HHFT a high-hazard flammable train or flammable unit train, then, there should be notification of what's on it.

[07:35:09]

But there is some disagreement on whether these plastic pellets and this vinyl chloride fell into that category. Had it been crude oil or ethanol or other fuels, it would have fallen into that category.

And because the train was so long, it probably would have had additional standards applied to it anyway. If it's over 70 cars, then, additional standards apply.

But there's a debate on whether this was one of those contents, of these contents for those that required notification. And so, that's a big debate.

And that might be one of the changes that the NTSB recommends. That going forward, if you have these kinds of materials, there should also be notification.

And one more thing that's apparent is we do have a mismatch here on regulations and expectations. Now, the federal government controls the federal rail administration, sets rail standards. But then various states have different expectations. And state law falls secondary to federal law, where it concerns interstate transportation.

So, in some ways, we have a bit of a disconnect between state expectations and federal regulations.

SANCHEZ: Yes, and even as we look forward and try to prevent another one of these incidents from happening, we have to remember that there are folks that are struggling right now in East Palestine, and we hope that they get the help that they need.

Mary Schiavo, we have to leave the conversation there. Thanks as always for the time.

SCHIAVO: Thank you.

WALKER: Coming up, two years after Trump left office and after several searches of his Mar-a-Lago property, CNN has exclusive new reporting on how classified documents are still turning up at his Palm Beach Resort, as recently as December. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:41:15]

WALKER: In a CNN exclusive report, the Justice Department now wants to know how a box of classified documents turned up at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, months after federal agents had searched it several times.

SANCHEZ: Investigators interviewed a Trump aide recently who was involved in copying some classified materials from that box and then putting them onto a laptop.

CNN's Paula Reid has a closer look at this latest twist.

PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Oh, good morning. Special Counsel Jack Smith wants to know why classified documents are still showing up at Mar-a-Lago as recently as December, especially because it's been two years since former President Trump left office.

Now, investigators are trying to determine whether this is just a result of carelessness, or if this is part of an intentional effort to obstruct investigators and their efforts to reclaim government documents. We've learned that prosecutors are specifically interested in a box that was discovered at Mar-a-Lago by Trump lawyers back in December. We're told this box contains a handful of classified documents tucked in among schedules and other non-classified materials.

Now, further complicating this, back in 2021, a young staffer scanned all the documents in that box onto a laptop. This was done at the direction of her supervisor, and she scanned the docs with her phone. Those sources insists that she did not know there were classified materials, among all the things that she was scanning.

Sources tell CNN, after those things were scanned, the box was moved to an off-site location for quite a long time, before ending up back at Mar-a-Lago, where it was discovered in a closet where Trump keeps challenge coins and other mementos.

And the box, the laptop, the thumb drive, this is connected to the laptop, they've all been handed over to investigators. And the young aide that we just discussed. Well, she sat for a voluntary interview with investigators in recent weeks to discuss how all of this happened.

But prosecutors, they continue to ask why this box wasn't given to the Justice Department why it was conveniently off campus during the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. And what, if any role, the former president may have had in its movements?

Boris, Amara?

SANCHEZ: In a closet next to the challenge coins. Who would have guessed? Paula Reid, thank you so much for that report.

President Biden is defending his team's handling of classified documents, meantime, found from his time as vice president. Saying that they voluntarily cooperated with investigators.

WALKER: And during an ABC interview Friday night, he reiterated how he and his team dealt with those documents -- was fundamentally different from how Donald Trump and his aides dealt with theirs. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They wish you guys were showing on television, things lying on the ground and said top secret. National -- you know, code word. And the differences, every single solitary thing I've been asked to do, I've done voluntarily.

I've invited the Justice Department to come into every aspect of any place that I had any control of. There is -- there is no need for search warrants, were no need --

Well, what would you need? Just come. Whatever you want. Whatever you want, wherever you want to go, you can go. That was totally different.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Still to come this morning, police in Newport News, Virginia, say their investigation is now complete after a 6-year-old shot his teacher at an elementary school.

[07:44:43]

What happens next? We're going to discuss with a member of a Newport News education association, when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: Well, this week, the Newport News Police Department completed its investigation into the early January shooting at Richneck Elementary School. That is where, first grade teacher, Abby Zwerner was shot during class by one of her 6-year-old students. The local prosecutor's office now has the case and will determine whether any charges will be filed. But parents and teachers continue to voice their frustrations with the school district amid fears of escalated -- escalating gun violence.

Here to discuss this further is the president of the Newport News Education Association, Dr. James Graves. Dr. Graves, by the way, the Newport News Education Association, basically is the teachers' union. And you held a town hall this week with school board members and teachers to talk to try to find solutions. We know the Newport News school board has implemented new safety measures like metal detectors at every elementary school, how is that working out?

[07:50:01]

DR. JAMES GRAVES, PRESIDENT, NEWPORT NEWS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: Well, we have some bumps and bruises for the metal detectors right now. But we're working out those kinks because we try to -- they are trying to train other staff members to help out with the metal detector. So, there was a long line in some of our schools. But they are working those kinks out at this time.

WALKER: Do you think these clear bags and having these metal detectors are, at least, helping parents, and teachers, and students feel safe?

GRAVES: Well, the clear bags and metal detectors are fine. But the -- when you said that, the magical word, safe, safe means that we need to target the behavior aspect of our children. The consequences of their actions. And that's what we need to focus on. Because there is a lot of kids who feel that they can do what they want to do. They can use profanity in front of a teacher, they can assault a teacher, they can fight, and come back to school, and fight again.

That's the behavior aspect that we need to focus on. And that's what we're doing with the school board, as well as with the administration and the community.

WALKER: Yes. And speaking of which, I mean, I was floored to hear that the reports of a 5th-grade student in the school district, texted a classmate a threat to "pop some bullets," basically to shoot up the school or the class. And then, a classmate in the group texts reported the threat to his parents.

How was that addressed? Where the right steps taken?

GRAVES: Yes. I've heard that. And I had several text messages or phone call. See? And that's the issue. A child thinks that it is OK to say that on a chat.

See, that's the behavior aspect of a child. And that's the behavior aspect that we need to work on. It is not OK. And people need to understand that teachers don't teach kids how to shoot other teachers or assault other teachers.

So, wherever that's coming from, it's not coming from the school system, and that everyone need to be held accountable for it, and that's what we're working on with the school board as well as the administration.

WALKER: I understand that. There's also a new tip line that is in place, how is that working? Are people using it? I know, there's been some frustrations about it as well.

GRAVES: Well, I don't know what the frustration is, I'm the only one to have access to the tip line. So, if people call me reference to the tip line, I immediately checked that tip line information out to keep the name out of it. And we have a good relationship with the school board, as well as with the administration -- higher administration.

That I will send that information to the school board as well as with the administration, and that they will work on it immediately. They don't know the person's name. They don't have any clue who the person's name is.

So, if somebody is frustrated with the tip line, please e-mail me or even call the union office and we'll get it resolved.

WALKER: Yes. I think I misspoke on that part. I'm sorry, I think I was referring to the metal detectors and not the tip line. But I'm glad that you guys have that in place and it allows people of safe place to call in and report anything that they may hear or see.

Dr. James Graves, appreciate you joining us this morning. All the best to you. Thanks.

GRAVES: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

SANCHEZ: Still ahead. If you're having trouble sleeping at night, you're not alone. And you'll want to hear this. A new study linking insomnia to higher risk for heart attack. Details straight ahead.

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[07:57:52]

WALKER: Insomnia may cost you more than just a good night sleep, Boris.

SANCHEZ: A new study found that it could potentially lead to heart attacks. CNN's Elizabeth Cohen has the findings,

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Boris, Amara, intuitively, we all know that a good night sleep is important for our health, but a group of researchers really put it to the test. They took more than a million people from the U.S., the U.K., and other countries, and they look to see if folks who suffered from insomnia were more likely to have heart attacks.

Now, insomnia is defined as someone who has trouble going to sleep or staying asleep. And here is what they found. Over the course of the study, 1.6 percent of the folks who suffered from insomnia had a heart attack, and 1.2 percent of those who did not suffer from insomnia had a heart attack.

Now, that might not look like such a big difference. But when you think about how this is more than a million people, it actually is quite a big difference. Now, we know that a good night sleep is good for your health and other ways, too. Let's take a look at some tips for getting that good night sleep.

First, stick to a sleep schedule. Try to go to sleep at around the same time every night and wake up around the same time every morning. Also, before you go to bed, avoid cell phones, or T.V.s or computers. There is something about that kind of light that can really mess up sleep patterns.

Also, don't eat or drink for a few hours before bed, and your bed should be cool, dark, and quiet. It also helps if during the day, you get as much natural light as possible and physical activity.

Boris, Amara?

WALKER: Well, I sleep very well at night, except for on the weekends, of course. But, you know, the other five days make up for it. What about you?

SANCHEZ: Yes. I don't suffer from insomnia as much as I suffer from rehashing arguments from middle school and the middle of the night toward my ceiling just constantly going back to weird memories.

WALKER: Really?

SANCHEZ: You ever have that? You have these like weird memories? And then, you're like, man, I should have said, I do that all the time. And then, I realized that the sun has come out and it's time for a new day. WALKER: That's insomnia. That's insomnia, Boris.

SANCHEZ: I don't know. I'm going to -- I'm going to let some experts weigh in on that before I -- before I determine it.

WALKER: Perhaps, privately.

SANCHEZ: Thanks for being with us this morning. The next hour of CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.