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CNN This Morning
Trump Picks Matt Gaetz For Attorney General; Hegseth: China Building Army "Dedicated To Defeating" U.S.; Tropical Storm Brewing In The Caribbean. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired November 14, 2024 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:33]
KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: It's Thursday, November 14th.
Right now on CNN THIS MORNING:
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SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): You could literally hear the jaws dropping to the floor.
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HUNT: Absolute disbelief. Trump picks Congressman Matt Gaetz to be attorney general. Why some say it's a step too far.
Plus, this --
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TULSI GABBARD, FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: I was grateful and honored to accept President Trump's offer to serve our country.
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HUNT: Another controversial pick. Democratic congresswoman turned MAGA loyalist Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence.
And later --
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SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): It's a new day in the United States Senate, and it's a new day in America.
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HUNT: The new leader in town, Senate Republicans, handing the gavel to John Thune. His first order of business, confirming Trump's cabinet.
(MUSIC) HUNT: All right. Just after 5:00 a.m. here on the East Coast, a live at the heart of all the action here in Washington on this Thursday morning.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt. It's wonderful to have you with us.
Donald Trump again placing loyalty above all else as he fills out his next administration. But even some of his supporters were, shall we say, caught off guard by his latest pick.
Trump announcing Florida Republican Matt Gaetz as his choice for attorney general. Gaetz, who resigned from the House yesterday in preparation for the upcoming confirmation process, at least officially, has been an outspoken critic of the Justice Department.
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REP. MATT GAETZ (R-FL): We either get this government back on our side or we defund and get rid of, abolish the FBI, CDC, ATF, DOJ, every last one of them, if they do not come to heel.
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HUNT: If confirmed by the Senate, he would be in charge of the same law enforcement agency that pursued a years-long sex crimes investigation into him.
The Justice Department ultimately decided last year not to pursue criminal charges against him. The House Ethics Committee has also been investigating Gaetz. Sources say a report was expected as soon as tomorrow, but now that he's resigned from Congress, it is unclear if that information will ever be made public, because that committee loses its jurisdiction over him.
Some members expressing, shall we say, uncertainty over Trump's choice.
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SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): I was shocked that he has been nominated.
SEN. ROGER WICKER (R-MS): I'm having trouble.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What about Matt Gaetz?
Do you support him?
SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): We have a confirmation process.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I don't know yet, I'll have to think about that one.
RAJU: I mean, do you have any concerns about it?
GRAHAM: We'll see.
RAJU: Do you think Matt Gaetz is confirmable?
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): We'll find out wont we?
RAJU: Senator Kennedy, what do you think of Matt Gaetz as attorney general?
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): Happy Thanksgiving!
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HUNT: Happy Thanksgiving.
Beyond Capitol Hill, a, quote, audible reaction inside the Justice Department headquarters. A department employee told CNN, the shock is intense, the employee said.
Joining us now, "Axios" publisher Nick Johnston.
Nick, good morning.
NICK JOHNSTON, PUBLISHER, AXIOS: Good morning.
HUNT: Those scenes are so familiar to me from the Trump administration.
JOHNSTON: Indeed, like 2017 all over again, like and the Trump 2.0. It's just like Trump 1.0.
HUNT: I haven't seen it.
JOHNSTON: Getting into a warm bath.
HUNT: I haven't seen -- I haven't seen the tweet. I haven't seen the news.
Nick, what is your, uh bottom line assessment here of whether or not Matt Gaetz is actually going to end up being attorney general of the United States?
JOHNSTON: I mean, there is a small window in the Senate. They've got a two or 3 to 3 with J.D. Vance and within 45 minutes of that name coming out, we had two senators who were very much clearly no Murkowski and Collins, who will be a big headache in a lot of these close votes. And then we've probably got know who certainly weren't coming out in favor. And, you know, folks like Mitch McConnell and old hands like it. They're not fans of Matt Gaetz.
I think what we saw at the start of the show was the perfect split screen of what a Trump administration is like. It starts in triumph. Donald Trump comes back to Joint Base Andrews. House Republicans have a joyous pep rally. They elect Johnson as their speaker unanimously. How great is that for them? Avoiding all that controversy across the senate, John Thune defeats the MAGA insurgency from Rick Scott. And then by the afternoon here comes Tulsi Gabbard and now Matt Gaetz
and we have people running for their cars to avoid talking about what their president is going to do.
[05:05:00]
HUNT: Running for their cars, indeed. So this, of course, is part of why Donald Trumps focus on recess appointments heading into that Senate leadership race. This sounds like a lot of jargon, but it actually is going to determine in or could determine anyway whether or not these people actually end up in positions of power.
JOHNSTON: I literally Googled the constitution last night to find that clause about presidential powers for recess, for adjourning Congress. It has never been used. It has never been tested in the courts. Good Lord, would that be a fight?
HUNT: Well, it was tested a little bit under the Obama administration. And it was. Yes, yes, recess appointments were and there were some additional guardrails placed around it. There are some options for Democrats to try to keep the Senate in session certainly, but it also is going to be a test for Senate Republicans, whether they're willing -- willing to let this happen to get someone like Matt Gaetz through.
I mean, Matt Gaetz is so deeply disliked by members of Congress on Capitol Hill. I mean that that is I mean, I think likely to be as important as anything. I mean go Google what House members say about Matt Gaetz. I cannot say that on a lot of them are quotes are on television without being bleeped and I think on the recess appointments thing, its interesting that did administration, but it led to a very convoluted system of pro forma sessions as a tenuous agreement between Republicans and Democrats to ensure that Obama couldn't use that or abuse that too much.
I think it's clear that there are a lot of noise we're hearing out of the Trump. The Trump transition team that they're going to push the envelope on that. But again, that comes back to testing institutions. The Senate is a huge institutionalist body. The senators like being Senate. They like being deferred to by Senate. We already have a handful of Republicans saying it's important to use the Advice and Consent role. We know Mitch McConnell will vote with Murkowski and Collins on that.
And so do Republicans want to try and blow up the filibuster? Is that what were going to literally on day eight of the transition that's -- that's in play?
HUNT: Well, yes indeed. I mean, look, the filibuster has basically already been blown up for nominees. I mean, we should be -- we should be clear about that. We are in for -- for quite a ride.
Nick Johnston, thank you very much for starting us off this morning. I appreciate it.
All right. Coming up here on CNN THIS MORNING, the other Trump pick that everyone's talking about, Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. What that might reveal about the president elects foreign policy plans.
Plus, the Pennsylvania Senate race headed for a recount one candidate, though still declaring victory.
And President Biden preparing for his last meeting with Chinas President Xi Jinping, what he hopes that meeting will accomplish before Trump takes over.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: I always say, if you have a smart president, you'll never have a problem with China, Russia or any of them, okay? I got along great with Putin. I got along great with President Xi. I got along great with Kim Jong-un of North Korea.
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HUNT: All right. Welcome back.
President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will meet face to face for the first time in a year on Saturday, on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Peru. U.S. officials describe the meeting as a moment of reflection for the two men. The relationship between the worlds two largest economies already tense. President-elect Trump is promising to take a harder line against China, selecting a string of China hawks for key positions ahead of taking office.
Here's his pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth.
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PETE HEGSETH, FOX NEWS HOST: China is building an army specifically dedicated to defeating the United States of America. That is -- that is their strategic outset. We can't even drive our cars without the stuff we need out of China these days. I mean, they have a full spectrum long term view of not just regional but global domination. And we are -- we have our heads up our asses.
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HUNT: All right. Let's go to live to London, where we find CNN's Max Foster.
Max, good morning to you. Always wonderful to see you.
So this, of course, going to be Biden's last meeting with President Xi before he leaves office. What is the significance of this meeting? But really, I think the bigger question is what is the significance of the Trump appointees? I mean, obviously, we have so many questions here in Washington about whether they're all going to be confirmed.
But notwithstanding that they do send a lot of signals about how president Trump is likely to approach this relationship. No?
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Yeah. I mean -- you know, when you hear from Trump people, its about the threat of China economically, but also militarily as well. And this is the big tension in the world, isn't it, between the U.S. and China. President Biden is clearly trying to create a smoother transition as possible.
He's got a few things. He wants to sort out before he leaves the White House. So I'm sure that Ukraine will come up, for example, and some of the issues. We recently had the Chinese spying in the telecoms network in the U.S. Will he bring that up as well?
Really, though, he's pretty much a lame duck, isn't he? I think one bit of insight that Xi could get from Biden is from this meeting that Biden had yesterday with Donald Trump, a very long meeting. What sort of insights did Biden get from that, perhaps that he could um, you know discuss with Xi? You know, how to prepare for the next administration to make it as smooth as possible without giving too much away, because these are two countries that are foes.
I think South America is an interesting example, though. America not investing as much as it used to there. China increasingly investing there. Will they be investing more? After president Trump comes into power, because, you know he will be a more isolationist. Some people are suggesting in his position. We just don't know, do we, until Donald Trump is in that position.
[05:15:04]
HUNT: Fair enough. Max, let's look at what Marco Rubio who is on tap to be secretary of state in the Trump administration, had to say about China. This was last year, but likely relevant to today. Take a look.
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SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL): China today is the single most formidable adversary of the China. This was last year, but likely relevant China. This was last year, but likely relevant to today. Take a look China today is the single most formidable adversary of the United States has ever faced.
The Soviet Union was not an industrial power or technological power or commercial power and, you know we have both foreign policies, geo economic policies and military postures that were built for a world that no longer exists.
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HUNT: So that, of course, likely to be the frame that he would bring to that, to that job, it all adds up to a much more hawkish, of course, with the big issue of Taiwan looming over everything.
FOSTER: Yeah, according to a lot of the analysts, if you're saying, you know America first, keep Chinese products out of America, focus on the American economy, invest less abroad, intervene less abroad. What you're doing is creating a space for China to move into and become more powerful as a global power, will be able to move into markets and build products more cheaply.
For example, just take control of them in Peru, where this event is being held. Xi's going to unveil this multi-billion dollar port that China is building in Peru, not America. So how do you prevent China having more power if you're less involved in the world? There's a slight conflict there, but I think that we need to hear more about Rubio about what his plan is there to take on China economically.
And, yes, of course, Taiwan is a big issue if China sees this as an opportunity to take Taiwan, how will America respond? It's a huge question. It has huge global repercussions.
HUNT: It sure does. All right. Max Foster for us this morning -- Max, always grateful to have you. Thank you so much.
All right. Still ahead here on CNN this morning big time football stars targeted by burglars. Investigations underway at the homes of Pat Mahomes and Travis Kelce. We're going to have that in our morning roundup.
Plus, former FBI Director Andrew McCabe joins us live with his reaction to Donald Trump picking Matt Gaetz to lead the DOJ.
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[05:21:52]
HUNT: Twenty-one minutes past the hour. Here's your morning roundup.
The Pennsylvania Senate race heading for a recount. Less than 30,000 votes separate Senator Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick. McCormick holding the slim lead. He claimed victory on Friday. We expect recount results in about two weeks.
Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, speaking out after his house was burglarized last month.
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PATRICK MAHOMES, QUARTERBACK, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Obviously, it's a -- it's frustrating. It's disappointing. But I mean, I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing. But, obviously something that you don't want to happen to, to really anybody but obviously yourself.
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HUNT: The thieves hit Travis Kelce's home, too, $20,000 in cash, was taken from one of the homes.
A suicide attack under investigation in Brazil. Police say a man detonated explosives attached to himself after trying to enter the country's Supreme Court in the capital of Brasilia. No other injuries were reported all right.
Time now for weather. Another tropical storm brewing in the Caribbean this morning. And there's a drought warning in New Jersey, where wildfires are still burning.
Let's get to our meteorologist, our weatherman, Derek Van Dam.
Derek, good morning.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey. Good morning, Kasie.
We're still watching after the driest October on record for many locations across the Northeast. We've got about 57 percent of the northeast actually under drought conditions, with roughly 93 percent under abnormally dry. So we all know we need rain and guess what's coming.
Look to the west but I want to show you something. This is the current radar. Now I'm going to take you into the future. Follow the same storm system and notice how it dives south of the areas that need it the most.
I'm talking about northeast New Jersey, near the border of New York. This area where the Jennings Creek Fire has been burning over the past several days. We'll see little if no rain out of this storm system as it kind of duck dives to the south and east and moves off the Atlantic seaboard throughout the course of the day today. So behind the front, we start to dry things out again, pick up the winds and yes, therefore another elevated day of fire weather for tomorrow.
Let's talk about temperatures for the afternoon today, 47 for New York, 52 for the nation's capital, 59 degrees for Atlanta. Certainly warmer across the state of Florida, where we have been talking about the potential of some tropical mischief for the second half of next week.
This is the entity that were monitoring closely now the latest computer models picking up on a low pressure system that's going to bring a lot of rain to Honduras and Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. But the good news is this land interaction, Kasie, means that it spends less time over the open waters, and that means a weaker storm as it approaches Florida second half of next week.
HUNT: Okay, we'll be watching for that. Derek Van Dam -- Derek, thank you. I appreciate it.
VAN DAM: Okay. All right. Coming up here on CNN THIS MORNING, from Democratic presidential candidate to Donald Trump's pick for director of national intelligence. Why Tulsi Gabbard is likely to set off a confirmation fight.
Plus, Senate Republicans elect a new leader, the first in nearly two decades.
[05:25:03]
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JIMMY FALLON, COMEDIAN: Senate Republicans gathered behind closed doors to select a new party leader to succeed Mitch McConnell. Can we see Mitch McConnell?
Yeah, oh, that reminds me of meeting to make a note to myself. Buy frozen turkey.
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HUNT: All right, 5:29 a.m. here on the East Coast. A live look at Denver, Colorado, where it is 3:29 a.m. Mountain Time.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt.
