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Today: Senate Confirmation Hearing For HHS Nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; Defense Secretary Orders Review Of Gen. Mark Milley's Rank; ICE Arrest 4,500 plus Migrants Since Trump Took Office. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired January 29, 2025 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:30:00]
KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN ANCHOR: It is 5:29 a.m. on the East Coast. Here's a live look at Las Vegas -- 2:29 a.m. for good measure. I bet people are still up and having fun there.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Kayla Tausche in for Kasie Hunt. It is wonderful to have you with us.
Five hours from now Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear before a Senate committee hoping to be confirmed as President Trump's secretary of Health and Human Services.
Among RFK's many detractors his own cousin, Caroline Kennedy. She's urging senators to reject his nomination, sending a scathing letter and releasing this video with claims you might find disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROLINE KENNEDY, COUSIN OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR: We grew up together. It's no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because Bobby, himself, is a predator. He enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in a blender to feed to his hogs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAUSCHE: Caroline Kennedy goes on to slam her cousin for having "hypocritical views on vaccines" and for being "addicted to attention and power."
One of RFK Jr.'s top allies is warning senators not to reject his nomination. Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy's once running mate when he briefly ran for president last year, not mincing words when it comes to retribution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLE SHANAHAN, (R) 2024 VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is a bipartisan message, and it comes directly from me. While Bobby may be willing to play nice, I won't. If you vote against him, I will personally fund challengers to primary you in your next election, and I will enlist hundreds of thousands to join me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAUSCHE: And a reminder she is good for that money because she was once married to one of the founders of Google.
Let's bring in Stef Kight, politics reporter for Axios.
Stef, I want to first talk about the Kennedy family because many of them lined up behind former President Biden and then-Vice President Harris during the election, so perhaps their alignment here is not surprising. But the specific allegations that his cousin levied in that video and her letter to lawmakers -- does it move the needle here?
STEF KIGHT, POLITICS REPORTER, AXIOS: I mean, she really didn't pull any punches and so it really was shocking to read that letter when it dropped yesterday but it's unclear how much this changes it, right? A lot of the allegations were things that we do know about RFK Jr. We know that he's questioned vaccines, for example, and so it's not clear how much of a difference that will make when you're -- when he's before the committee.
We know going into the hearing today that there are many senators who have big questions already. They already are skeptical -- senators on both sides of the aisle, quite frankly.
And we're -- I'm really going to be watching three senators in particular on the Finance Committee who will have a role in voting RFK Jr. off of the committee. Todd Young is one of them. Bill Cassidy is another. Thom Tillis the third. All three of them have shown a willingness over the years to kind of buck Trump, buck the party, and vote their conscience. And then, of course, Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis have upcoming re-elections as well, which is going to change the dynamic for them.
TAUSCHE: Cassidy also a doctor and has been --
KIGHT: Right.
TAUSCHE: -- pro-vaccine, which has been one of the critical issues of his confirmation.
Kennedy, just over a year ago in an interview with Kasie Hunt who hosts this show, said that he did not believe there was a safe and effective vaccine. I want to take a listen to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., NOMINEE, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: There is no vaccine that is safe and effective.
KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: So you did say it. Do you still believe it?
KENNEDY JR: Well, I -- here's what I -- here is what I -- here's what I would say. First of all, I'm not anti-vaccine.
HUNT: How is that statement not anti-vaccine? KENNEDY JR.: Well, it's -- I can say right now there's no medicine for cancer that's safe and effective. It doesn't mean I'm against all medicines.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAUSCHE: So some of that equivocating. And I'm also told it's happening behind closed doors when he's in these conversations with lawmakers where he's simply calling for more data about vaccine efficacy to be released.
But how intense is the grilling on this particular issue going to be in the committee today?
KIGHT: I mean, absolutely, this has been a top -- a top focus in the conversations he's been having with senators behind closed doors, especially when I ask senators what those conversations have focused on. The vaccine issue is a big one.
And we've seen RFK Jr. try to kind of moderate his past stances and try to kind of explain away some of the concerns he's had in the past. You know, the polio vaccine. He tried to make clear that it is something that he does support after Mitch McConnell came out making it very clear that should be clarified.
So this is going to be a big -- a big issue if not the top issue. There is room within the Republican Party and a willingness to accept a little bit of skepticism about vaccines, so I'll be watching to see how far they need RFK Jr. to commit.
TAUSCHE: Right.
The Senate Finance Committee also known for conducting very robust audits of a candidate's finances.
And that was where The Wall Street Journal editorial board, which normally skews very conservative, took some issue with him as a nominee.
They wrote: "Senate Republicans have an obligation to scrutinize his giant closet of business conflicts and dubious ideas.
Mr. Kennedy's nomination disclosures show he's received millions of dollars from referring clients to Wisner Baum and Morgan and Morgan, law firms that have sued vaccine and drug makers. Wisner and Baum spearheaded litigation against Merck over its Gardasil vaccine, which protects against the human papillomavirus -- one of the biggest risk factors for cervical cancer.
The risk is high that Mr. Kennedy will use his power and pulpit at HHS to enrich his trial-lawyer friends at the expense of public health and medical innovation."
When you have a publication and specifically an editorial board like The Wall Street Journal saying that, what impact does that have?
[05:35:00]
KIGHT: It could have a huge impact. I think we'll see a lot of questions about that today as well. You know, there is questions of conflict of interest with the various lawsuits that he himself has been involved in and party to and would still continue to be a part of even as HHS secretary.
And so there are a host of issues. The other issue that we haven't even gotten to is the issue of abortion, which is going to be a big problem for a lot of Republicans because of his past being pro- abortion rights. And there are Republicans who are not comfortable with what he has said on that issue.
And does that end up losing him votes if it does come to a floor vote? Are the Republicans who are so anti-abortion/pro-life that they decide they can't even vote for him? Because he will have an important role if confirmed as HHS secretary.
TAUSCHE: Well, some of that effort led by former Vice President Mike Pence who now Republicans are trying to malign. So we'll see how these fireworks play out. That appointment TV starts at 10:00 a.m.
Stef, thank you for being here with us. We appreciate it.
KIGHT: Thank you.
TAUSCHE: New this morning, Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and clearance revoked. And in an unprecedented move, Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth also ordering an investigation into the former top U.S. general to determine whether a review of his rank is necessary. It's unclear what exactly Hegseth believes could warrant this review.
President Donald Trump, of course, clashed with Milley during his first term after initially tapping him as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A pair of phone calls Milley made to his Chinese counterpart during the final months of Trump's first administration spurring this reaction from the then-former president on social media. "This is an act so egregious that in times gone by the punishment would have been death! A war between China and United States could have been the result of this treasonous act." Trump ending that message by saying, "To be continued."
The former top U.S. military officer had his own words for Trump, ending his tenure 2023 with these stark remarks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. MARK MILLEY, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: We don't take an oath to a king or a queen or a tyrant or a dictator, and we don't take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We don't take an oath to an individual. We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America and we're willing to die to protect it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAUSCHE: We should note he did not mention Trump by name in that -- those remarks.
But on his final day in office former President Joe Biden issued a blanket pardon for Milley, so he's protected from prosecution under criminal law and military law.
Joining me now is Bloomberg senior White House reporter Josh Wingrove. Josh, the administration has been revoking many of these security clearances --
JOSH WINGROVE, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, BLOOMBERG: Yeah.
TAUSCHE: -- but this one came specifically from the Defense Department and this one feels personal.
WINGROVE: It does. Gee, I wonder who he was talking about in that clip you showed there? There's also reporting that they're taking down not one but two of Milley's portraits from the Pentagon.
You know, right now, the question with -- for Trump is, like, what is his appetite as he starts pulling these clearances in case we have actual threats some of these people, including Gen. Milley, which I should note are said to originate from the killing of Qasem Soleimani who, of course, was ordered -- that assassination, that murder, that mission, or whatever you want to call it was of that terror leader was ordered by Trump, you know.
And so in some ways this is linked to actions from the first term, and I think that's important to bear in mind.
I think, sort of, broadly on the question of Gen. Milley, there are two factors here.
One is the call that you alluded to there that Trump has said is one of his core objections to what Gen. Milley did backchanneling between the Chinese and U.S. militaries. Of course, that is not unheard of. That happens previously. The reporting is that Milley was essentially trying to make sure there were no misunderstandings that Trump was going to do something in the sort of aftermath of the COVID outbreak.
TAUSCHE: Deconfliction is very common.
WINGROVE: Right, right. So that is the one thing.
It's hard not to shake the feeling that this is more about the public criticisms Gen. Milley has made -- not only the one you played there but also reportedly, I think in Bob Woodward's book, calling Trump fascist to the core. Milley has been not shy about being a critic of Trump. And you see here this is why so many people who have publicly criticized the current president, including many of his former staff --
TAUSCHE: Um-hum. WINGROVE: -- or cabinet members have sort of shrunk from the public eye after doing so or stopped doing so because inevitably you get into this sort of public feud with President Trump.
So right now the sort of -- you know, the theatrics of it I'm sure Trump will like. But the specific question is right now hey, what happens to the actual security threat that prompted --
TAUSCHE: Um-hum.
WINGROVE: -- these details in the first place?
TAUSCHE: Well, he has said that if these individuals want security they've made enough money now in the private sector that they should be able to pay for their own private security.
I believe we do have a picture of where the portrait had been removed on -- at the Pentagon. This --
WINGROVE: Yeah, and I believe that's the first one.
TAUSCHE: That's the first one.
WINGROVE: And now there is reporting from our colleagues at Fox, I believe, of a second one from his time as Chief of Staff of the Army. So there's not one, but two -- just to send the point home. This -- you know, it is -- it is what it is. Secretary Hegseth clearly believes that this is a priority that the president will be paying attention to.
[05:40:00]
TAUSCHE: Yes. And after firing inspectors general across agencies, now we'll have a new inspector general investigation --
WINGROVE: Yes.
TAUSCHE: -- into Milley, specifically. What will the scope of that be?
WINGROVE: It's a good question. And I think this -- the number one question right now that we're seeing from -- on the Hill is was Trump following the law in firing those inspectors general?
Senator Grassley, among others -- a pretty staunch Trump ally -- suggesting that he didn't exactly dot his i's or cross his t's on that process.
TAUSCHE: Um-hum.
WINGROVE: But this -- we're seeing this is many cases including, of course, what we spent yesterday in the briefing room asking a lot about this federal funding pause -- about sort of the questions of how far Trump is willing to push the limits of executive authority.
And the answer on a lot of these things is essentially the White House has what you might say a new view on sort of how far the president's authority will reach and they're willing to fight for it in court. That would be Republicans.
Democrats, of course, and some Republicans are saying that by the letter of the law or at least under the interpretation of it until this date now, that Trump is breaking the law on some these cases or at least skirting it.
So that -- this sort of dance right now is happening as I should note many of the cabinet members are not yet in effect, but Trump is sort of --
TAUSCHE: Um-hum.
WINGROVE: -- pressing forward with whatever staff he has in the building.
TAUSCHE: And then questions not only about the authority but also the fingerprints of some of his well-heeled advisers, like Elon Musk, on some of the actions he's taken not only the rescissions of federal funding but also the buyouts of the federal workforce. So --
WINGROVE: Yes.
TAUSCHE: -- that is going --
WINGROVE: That language really closely mimics the language we've seen from Musk's time on Twitter.
TAUSCHE: And that's going to play out over the next several months. We will see how that does.
Josh, appreciate you being in the studio with us.
WINGROVE: Thank you.
TAUSCHE: Thank you.
Up next on CNN THIS MORNING, President Trump expected to sign his first bill of his second term into law today. It is expected to give federal officials more authority to detain migrants.
Plus, it's a great week for Philly. For the first -- first, the Eagles stopped the Commanders and now the 76ers are ending the Lakers' winning streak. Our sports look is up next.
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[05:46:08]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to thank every Republican House member for voting to pass the Laken Riley Act. This shows the potential for additional enforcement bills that will help us crack down on criminal aliens and totally restore the rule of law in our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAUSCHE: President Donald Trump set to sign the Laken Riley Act into law today in what will be his administration's first piece of legislation. The act passed earlier this month by the GOP-led Congress with the help of some Democrats. It will allow the Department of Homeland Security to detain migrants accused of crimes.
It comes as the Trump administration ramps up its immigration crackdown across the country. Over the last three days ICE has consistently made well over 900 daily arrests. That's up from the average 311 under the Biden Administration last year.
Trump's White House deputy chief of staff telling CNN this is just the beginning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN MILLER, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: The numbers you cited are a floor and not a ceiling, very importantly. They're a floor. The goal is to arrest at least that many but hopefully many more. And the Department of Justice is going to be closely involved in providing the manpower to help achieve those objectives as laid out in the president's executive order.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAUSCHE: Joining me now is Ashley Davis, a former official from the Bush administration. Ashley, it's great to see you. Thank you for being here.
ASHLEY DAVIS, FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIAL, FORMER WHITE HOUSE OFFICE, GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION, FOUNDING PARTNER, WEST FRONT STRATEGIES: Thank you, sure.
TAUSCHE: I'd like to hear your takeaways from what we've seen in this ramp up of enforcement just in the first week of the administration.
DAVIS: Well, yeah -- and my background is homeland security, so this is something that's near and dear to my heart.
I think number one, we have to realize that this was the number one issue along with the economy for the election. And so President Trump ran and won on this -- on this issue. And so what he is doing is exactly what he said he's going to do. I mean, there's going to be a lot of stories on both sides of the aisle that will give different opinions, especially on some of the raids that will go into potentially schools or churches. But he's doing what he said he's going to do.
And I've always been a firm believer that we're not going to be able to hit the numbers that he campaigned on. My number is always around a million with the extreme criminals -- the ones that have committed a crime or the ones that have exhausted their appeal process.
But he's doing what he said and so he has to continue to put policies in place like stay In Mexico.
TAUSCHE: Um-hum.
DAVIS: Obviously I hate this comment but the "build the wall." But, I mean, to continue these policies to make sure that more don't come in illegally.
TAUSCHE: The school superintendent from -- one of them from the state of Oklahoma joined CNN yesterday and was asked about this change in policy that will now allow ICE to conduct enforcement at churches and on schools and some of the fear that's been stoked in those communities. I want -- I want to play that clip from yesterday for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN WALTERS, SUPERINTENDENT, OKLAHOMA STATE BOARD: What we see with illegal immigration is it continues to occur throughout the year. School districts, all of a sudden, come in on a Monday and go well, now we have 80 more kids that don't speak English. And so now, all of a sudden, they've got to go find another teacher or more resources that they didn't plan for.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Would you help facilitate the removal of parents are they're dropping off or picking up their children at school if that's what the Trump administration wants?
WALTERS: Well, we stand by ready to work with the Trump administration. So, yes, we will turn over criminals in our schools to work with law enforcement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAUSCHE: What's your read on this change in policy and what it does to the fabric of a community?
DAVIS: Well, this is going to be a really hard issue emotionally. But what has been said and what I understand is they're going -- first of all, people are in this country illegally and they did break a law. So in theory they are "criminals" -- not the children but the parents that brought them over, I would say.
[05:50:00]
However, I think that obviously the communities are going to be very nervous. You've heard about parents being concerned about dropping off their kids.
But from what I understand the focus are churches that are harboring terrorist -- potential terrorist groups in their churches, and also gang members that are going to school. So I don't think it's like they're going after the 5-year-old that's in second grade or first grade trying to get them out of school, but they are going after the people that have committed crimes.
But again, I am not here to say that it's not going to be a tough issue, especially when the first video comes out of a young child being pulled out of elementary school.
TAUSCHE: We've been focusing on the human aspect of this story for the last several days in addition to the logistical issue, frankly. But there's also a business aspect to this which is that we haven't heard, so far, from the major lobbying organizations or companies that rely, in some cases, on these workers to conduct agricultural work or construction work.
And Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff, was asked about some of the perceptions about the fact that the U.S. economy relies on these workers. Here is how he responded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLER: The illegal aliens that Joe Biden brought into our country are not full stop doing farm work. They are not. The illegal aliens he brought in from Venezuela, from Haiti, from Nicaragua, they are not doing farm work. They are in our cities collecting welfare.
As for the farmers, there is a guest worker program that President Trump supports.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAUSCHE: So they are not doing just farm work full stop but the reality is that they support a variety of industries. So what do you think the economic impact will be?
DAVIS: Well, I think he's -- I think he's -- I mean, he's obviously the toughest on this issue in regards to the most conservative.
I do think that -- the farmers did come out yesterday and kind of unified their association to say that -- try to put -- ask for more visas that he's talking about -- the work visas.
It is going to -- could impact the economy, and that's a lot of the messaging, especially on the Democrat side, that is being said. I think there's going to have to be more visas available for those industries because it's not just -- it's the restaurant industry, it's the farm industry, it's the construction industry.
So how -- this goes back to we need comprehensive immigration reform. And we can go back and debate whether the Senate bill would have ever passed the House last year and how many believed that the president blew that bill up, which he did. But I think that there's going to have to be a better visa program in place where, again, we're going to be continuing to talk about the same stories over and over again.
TAUSCHE: Of course, that is a long running effort that has not been successful.
DAVIS: Listen, we worked on it in 2007 and were almost there with Sen. Kennedy and then it blew up.
TAUSCHE: And we're still talking about it in 2025.
DAVIS: Exactly. The financial crisis --
TAUSCHE: Yeah.
DAVIS: -- happened so I things --
TAUSCHE: Yes.
DAVIS: -- took over.
TAUSCHE: Ashley Davis, former Homeland Security official under former President George W. Bush. Our thanks to you today. We appreciate it.
DAVIS: Thank you.
TAUSCHE: It is time now for sports. LeBron and the Lakers come up short on the road against the Sixers.
Coy Wire has this morning's CNN sports update. Good morning, Coy.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Good morning to you.
L.A. had been riding high winning six of their last seven. But Sixers' star Tyrese Maxey, last season's NBA Most Improved Player, has been on a tear himself averaging more than 30 points in this last 10 games.
Super Bowl bound Eagles Darius Slay, A.J. Brown, Jahan Dotson, DeVonta Smith sitting courtside to watch LeBron's only visit to the City of Brotherly Love this season, and they were treated to vintage LeBron.
The 40-year-old turning back the clock scoring 31 points. But this one was Maxey to the max. He hit four three-pointers on this way to a game high 43. After his huge night in a 118-104 win Maxey told reporters he finally worked up the nerve to ask LeBron for his jersey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TYRESE MAXEY, GUARD, PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: I told him after the game -- I said, "Look man, I waited five years to ask for a jersey. I know I've known you for a while, but I think I'm going to go ahead and get it this year." And he was like "All right, cool." But he's like a big brother to me, you know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: All right, Blazers hosting the Bucks. Eight-time All-Star Damian Lillard making his second career trip to play his former team in Portland.
His teammate Giannis gets to work early. A baseline fadeaway there makes him six for six to start the game. He finished with 39 points and 12 rebounds.
But check out Toumani Camara going up and over the Greek freak. Take that.
Portland goes on to win 125-112 with five Blazers scoring double digits led by Deni Avdija's season-high 30.
Now, college hoops. Number eight Tennessee hosting 12th ranked Kentucky in a seismic showdown. Under seven to go, Kentucky's Otega Oweh -- watch him drive home this dunk and then slam down hard on the floor. He's tough though. His brother Odafe plays as the linebacker for the Ravens.
Koby Brea was a perfect three for three from beyond the arc, scoring a team high 18.
And Tennessee did have a chance to tie with 10 seconds to go but Jordan Gainey's three comes up empty.
[05:55:00]
Kentucky goes on to win 78-73. Tennessee's first home loss this season.
Now, check out this moment after the game when Kentucky's Koby Brea got to meet a young Vols fan. And the little boy not quite sure about it at first. You're wearing the opposing colors, man. But a high five and a smile makes everything better.
All right, finally, stop what you're doing and watch this. Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen lost his footing but that did not stop him from slotting home a pass from Nathan MacKinnon from the seat of his pants. This would tie the game at one. And the Islanders would go on to win -- beat the Avs 5-2.
But my goodness, what an awesome effort -- focus and finish -- from Lehkonen.
There's more NHL on TNT tonight. The Flyers and the Devils face off at 7:00 followed by the Penguins and the Utah Hockey Club. Coverage starts at 6:30 Eastern on our sister channel TNT and streaming on Max.
Kayla, sometimes you get knocked down, sometimes you fall down, but as sports teaches us you just keep swinging. Shoot your shot and sometimes good things will happen.
TAUSCHE: Just keep swinging. My UNC Tar Heels who lost to Pittsburgh last night are going to need to keep shooting their shot this weekend against Duke but --
WIRE: Let's go -- a big one.
TAUSCHE: -- a few days away for that one.
Coy, thank you.
WIRE: You got it.
TAUSCHE: In our next hour on CNN THIS MORNING week two of President Donald Trump's second term off and running. Just the week the president's revoked the security detail of one of his top critics, Gen. Mark Milley, frozen billion dollars in federal funding causing chaos nationwide, had over 4,500 immigrants arrested in raids across the country, and unveiled the reason behind why all those mysterious drones were flying the in skies over New Jersey.
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Clip from NBC's "30 ROCK."
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