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CNN This Morning
Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) is Interviewed about Kash Patel; Trump Links Diversity to Collision; Controversial Cabinet Picks Face Senators. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired January 31, 2025 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:30:00]
BOBBIE SCHOLLEY, RETIRED NAVY DIVER: Equipment - communications equipment that might have been a factor in this investigation. So, all of those individual pieces of equipment and even the overall structure of the aircraft might be part of the investigation.
So, the National Transportation Safety Board is going to really lead the way to what the divers are going to recover. But if they're going to want to recreate the aircraft, then they're going to have to bring back as much as possible, including small pieces that the divers might have to - to recover from the mud of the bottom of the Potomac.
KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Bobbie Scholley, thank you very much for spending some time with us this morning. And again, a thanks to the teams that do this really, really difficult work. Appreciate it.
All right, still ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING, another round of contentious confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill. Senator Peter Welch joins us live after he grilled President Trump's nominee to lead the FBI.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. PETER WELCH (D-VT): Your boss has said that General Milley, who served us with great distinction, and I happen to have great admiration for, should be tried for treason. Do you agree with that?
KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR NOMINEE: Senator, everybody is entitled to their opinion. The only thing that matters at the FBI is whether the law is followed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:35:57]
HUNT: All right, I want to turn now to Capitol Hill. A number of President Trump's controversial nominees appeared before Senate committees for their confirmation hearings yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO): Is Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America? That is not a hard question to answer when the stakes are this high.
TULSI GABBARD, DNI NOMINEE: Senator, as someone who has served in the -
BENNET: Is - is you answer is yes or no, is Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America?
GABBARD: As someone who has worn our uniform -
BENNET: I'll go on to my question.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: That was the president's pick to be Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, being grilled by Senator Michael Bennet.
Also on Capitol Hill yesterday, the Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy, for a second day of questioning, and the FBI director nominee, Kash Patel. They were sharply questioned by Democrats and Republicans alike. It was some of the most direct skepticism we've seen from Republican senators over the president's nominees to date.
My next guest, one of the senators who questioned Patel. Patel, of course, a staunch Trump ally who has to date refused to acknowledge a simple truth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. PETER WELCH (D-VT): You understand what I'm asking you. Can you say the words, Joe Biden won the 2020 election?
KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR NOMINEE: Joe Biden is the president - was the president of the United States.
WELCH: But what's so hard about just saying that Biden won the 2020 election? What's hard about that?
PATEL: Senator, as I've said before, that President Biden was certified and sworn in. And he was a president. I don't know how else to say it.
WELCH: Well, the other way to say it is, he won.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Joining us now is one of the men you just saw there, Democratic Senator Peter Welch of Vermont, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator, good morning. Thank you so much for being here.
SEN. PETER WELCH (D-VT): Good morning.
HUNT: He couldn't say, didn't say, that Joe Biden won the election. What does that say to you about how he may run the FBI?
WELCH: Well, the biggest challenge, if you run the FBI, or you're the attorney general, is you have two clients. One is the Constitution, and, of course, the other is the president. And those two positions, I think, are the hardest because you have to have a capacity to say no if you have a president who asks you to do something illegal.
And we know that Trump regards the Justice Department and the FBI as my Justice Department. He's made very explicit threats that he wants to use that power to prosecute political adversaries.
And what both Patel and Pam Bondi did in response to this question of who won was give the Trump approved answer. They can't. He will not allow them to say that Biden won the election.
And it gives, I think, a lot of us a lot of apprehension about what will they say when the president, if he does, ask him to do something that they shouldn't do that would violate constitutional rights of an American citizen?
HUNT: Senator, I also want to ask you about what we saw from President Trump yesterday in the wake of this absolute tragedy, this mid-air collision between the American Airlines jet and the Black Hawk helicopter. What was your reaction when you heard President Trump blame DEI potentially for this crash?
WELCH: Well, I was pretty horrified. I mean, you know, we heard that diver talking about just the incredible tragedy. And you've got 67 families where they're grief stricken and they want any little bit of information they can get about those last moments of their loved ones and how they are. And they're now underwater, strapped in. And the president says something that's absolutely false, no basis and, frankly, cruel. So, I was really shocked on a human level that there would be such disregard for the emotional tragedy and suffering of the families.
HUNT: Sir, there have been two major things in the last week that have sort of underscored how Donald Trump is going to govern here, that represent potential risks to him.
[06:40:00]
First, the funding freeze that was poorly understood and very quickly had to be walked back after it was on front pages and local newscasts across the country.
And then, of course, this response yesterday to this national tragedy. One of the questions I think a lot of Americans are asking right now is, where are Democrats in pushing back against the president? This is something that Democrats have really been struggling with since Donald Trump won the election, won the popular vote.
WELCH: Right. HUNT: What are Democrats going to do to push back after the events of this week?
WELCH: Well, let's just have a reality check here. One, the president's starting to show what his style and approach is going to be. And we are pushing back on that. This across the board cut with no heads up to anybody has been extraordinarily disruptive.
Now, what the president says is he likes the chaos. But, in fact, it inflicts a lot of cruelty because you've got all these people, you know, you're going to bring your child to Head Start and you get a note, you can't come in. You're a mom who has a dental appointment that you finally got through Medicaid, and it's canceled. That is just really a harsh thing to do. And it's, by the way, illegal. So, we're saying that we're speaking out.
But also the effect of this, as people start to see that Trump talking about his concern for everyday folks, is actually false, that he's doing things that really hurt everyday folks. In addition, by the way, to the price of eggs going way up under his short term in office. That's going to help us. And we're going to be speaking out loud and clear as long as we can.
And the other reality is, the Republicans got to pay some attention to this. They have the votes. They've got 53 in the Senate - in the Senate, they've got the majority in the House and they've got the presidency. So, he has a bully pulpit. But what we're seeing is that those price of eggs, that kind of cavalier disregard for the people on that flight who died, do the Republicans want to join us in sticking up for everyday Americans? I hope they do.
HUNT: All right, Senator Peter Welch, I really appreciate your time today. Thank you very much for coming on the show.
WELCH: Thank you.
HUNT: Hope to see you again soon.
WELCH: Yes.
HUNT: All right, coming up here after the break, our panel will be back on one of President Trump's most controversial picks, Tulsi Gabbard, grilled by Democrats on Capitol Hill.
Plus, Michael Smerconish is here. We're going to discuss the president's reaction to Wednesday night's deadly air collision and how it compares to past president's responses to tragedies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (February 1, 2003): These astronauts knew the dangers, and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life. Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the more.
(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:47:06]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (November 12, 2001): Because I too want to express my heartfelt sympathies for the citizens of New York. Those on the airplane, those whose houses were damaged, those who were hurt on the ground.
This investigation is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board to make sure that the facts are fully known to the American people.
New Yorkers are resilient and strong and courageous people and will help their neighbors overcome this.
May God bless the victims and their families.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: That was then President George W. Bush talking to the American public in November of 2001, after 260 people died in what became the deadliest single airliner crash in U.S. history. On Wednesday night, the mid-air collision over the Potomac became the deadliest aviation incident since that 2001 crash over Belle Harbor, Queens.
Yesterday, President Donald Trump took his turn as consoler in chief. He did share brief condolences, but then he quickly pivoted to what he speculated to be the cause of the incident, DEA policies that he says lowered the hiring standard for air traffic controllers.
When questioned about how he could be so sure that was the problem, less than 24 hours after the tragedy, here's what the president said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's why I'm trying to figure out how you can come to the conclusion right now that diversity had something to do with this crash.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Because I have common sense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: It's Friday, so that means Michael Smerconish is here to discuss. He's CNN political commentator and, of course, the host of CNN's "SMERCONISH."
Michael, good morning. Thank you very much for being with us.
This has obviously been a very difficult period of time for these families of the victims. It's a hard story to cover. President Trump decided he needed, wanted to speak to the American public yesterday. What went through your mind as you watched that press conference
unfold?
MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: He wants to control the news cycle, even amidst a horrific, catastrophic event. The highest priority is that it's about him.
It was on a day when, as you've been discussing, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was back on Capitol Hill. Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel. A lot of news. Potentially negative news relative to those three controversial, high- profile picks. Every ounce of oxygen spent talking about DEI yesterday and today, where it seemingly has no place based on the facts that are known, is one less moment that we're discussing those nominations. And I do believe that it's all connected.
I mean, when they all came out yesterday, I found it unusual because, of course, he has a role to play as consoler in chief. And he started down that path. And then I found it unusual that, you know, he was followed to the podium by Vice President J.D. Vance and also the secretary of defense, although obviously there's something there to be said about the role of the Army helicopter.
[06:50:09]
Secretary Duffy's role, totally appropriate. But putting it all together, and everybody sort of echoing that same message, I found myself wondering, what do they know? Why are they talking about DEI? There must be some element of this that they're aware of.
And then Kaitlan Collins asks the appropriate question, and he was diminishing in his response to her totally appropriate question. It's what was begged of the situation. And it became obvious that, no, there's seemingly no connection. Now he's causing people to wonder, well, what do they look like?
You know, three families have - are suffering the loss from the Army helicopter. And in - he's turned this into a situation of, are they white, are they black, are they male, are they female, when seemingly it's got no place. The helicopter was in a position where it shouldn't have been, it seems, and that's it. It's a human factors story, not a story about race, gender, ethnicity. But he wanted to control it. And he did.
HUNT: Well, and, Michael, you know, I think it's also worth saying here that - and our - our Pete Muntean very eloquently on our air, earlier we played his comments, you know, you - he became visibly angry and he explained that he was angry because he had been - he knows what it's like to be in that position. He lost his mother in a plane crash. And to have that kind of speculation become the focus before all the facts are known, when, in fact, these families are grieving still. I mean the number of hours that had - it was less than 24 hours had passed from when these planes plunged into the river to when the president stepped to the podium.
I think it's worth reminding viewers, let's just watch a little bit more of what previous presidents have said in times where the country is collectively grieving and trying to support the families among us who are grieving the most in these situations.
Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (1986): We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (1995): To all those carrying on this dangerous work, to the families and loved ones of those still missing, our prayers are with you.
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (2012): The majority of those who died today were children. Beautiful little kids between the ages of five and ten years old.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Of course, those presidents talking about the Challenger explosion, the Oklahoma City bombing, and, of course, the horrible events that unfolded at Sandy Hook.
And, Michael, I think it's also worth noting that in the past, when presidents have failed this test, and I would say that George W. Bush did in the wake of Katrina when he said, you're doing a heck of a job, Brownie, as Americans were suffering, the American public has chastised them for that. They have been chastened for that.
Is this something - I mean we have not seen that really happen with Donald Trump. And maybe this is just another one of those instances on a long log of times when he does something that's outside of our expected norms and people don't really care. What do you think?
SMERCONISH: So, the news cycle is just a fire hose of information. And it's very difficult, even for me, and this is all I do. I eat, sleep and drink the headlines and immerse myself in the news.
There's a lot going on and it's hard to stay on top of it.
HUNT: Yes, cosign (ph).
SMERCONISH: So, for somebody - so for somebody who has a normal - a normal job, right, and they're - they're doing something and getting a little bit of news, my greatest fear is that his narrative now takes hold. And so last night I had to go and watch, how is this being reported, let's say elsewhere. And they were parroting his line. It had become a conversation about diversity hires. And I'm saying, this is insane. He said it, they parrot it and now for half the country, that's what they're going to take away from this.
And maybe there's a story in here eventually that relates to DEI. I don't think so. But it's sure as hell not the story yesterday or today.
HUNT: All right, Michael Smerconish, always grateful to have your perspective, sir. Thank you very much for being here on this Friday.
SMERCONISH: See you.
HUNT: And do remember to tune in to "SMERCONISH" tomorrow morning, 9:00 a.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
All right, let's turn now to this. Some of Donald - President Donald Trump's most controversial cabinet nominees faced that intense questioning on Capitol Hill this week. And it came from both Democrats and Republicans. The hearings put Republicans who are skeptical of President Trump's nominees on clear display. Democrats also grilled the nominees over past controversial statements like whether the president's pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is skeptical of vaccines. And if Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard thinks Edward Snowden is a traitor.
[06:55:05]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TULSI GABBARD, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE NOMINEE: My sole focus, commitment and responsibility is about our own nation, our own security and the interests of the American people.
SEN. JERRY MORAN (R-KS): I want to make certain that in no way does Russia get a pass in either your mind or your heart, or in any policy recommendation you would make or not make.
GABBARD: Senator, I'm offended by the question.
SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO): Did you say that Lyme disease is a - is highly likely a materially engineered bioweapon? I've made sure I put in the highly likely. Did you say Lyme disease is a highly likely militarily engineered bioweapon?
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., HHS NOMINEE: I probably did say that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: To get confirmed on the floor, nominees can only lose three Republican senators if all Democrats oppose their confirmation. My panel is back.
Brad Todd, can you just give us the line on the Senate GOP right now in terms of these nominees? I know Tom Cotton came out and was supportive of Tulsi Gabbard ahead of the hearing, which seemed noteworthy. There also seems to be some interaction between, if Tulsi gets through, then Kennedy has more issues. What is your understanding of the landscape right now for these two?
BRAD TODD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, that's one of those vibe things, you know? I mean no president - most presidents lose one or two, but nobody loses more than one, I mean more than two nominees. Matt Gaetz has already gone. So, there is some sense that history dictates that Trump won't lose more than two. I don't know if that bears any resemblance to vote counting.
HUNT: OK.
TODD: I think Tulsi Gabbard's hearing was a little rough. I mean, you have to be able to say Edward Snowden's a traitor to win over the hawks and the hawk party. I think that was a mistake on her part.
I think RFK Jr.'s hearing to me was the most entertaining, but it was a big mistake by Democrats. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders made him more confirmable. There's nobody in the Republican - who Republicans dislike more than Elizabeth Warren, and it's for all the right reasons. But she should have gone with RFK and said, you know, look, I agree with you on abortion, I agree with you on affirmative action, I agree with you on guns. In fact, I like you more than any nominee Donald Trump ever has. If she wanted to sink him, she should have hugged him. But she doesn't get that. She wants to make sound bites for the left. And I know that. And that's what she's - this is all theater for her.
I thought that made that hearing a circus, entertaining, but it maybe strengthened RFK.
HUNT: Let me play for you one moment, Brad, from Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who's a physician and who is probably the most closely watched Republican on the RFK nomination. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): Will you - will you reassure mothers, unequivocally and without qualification, that the measles and hepatitis b vaccines do not cause autism?
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., NOMINEE FOR HHS SECRETARY: Senator, I am not going into the agency with any -
CASSIDY: But that's kind of a yes or no question because - so, if you're - because the data is there. And that - that's kind of a yes or no. And I don't mean to cut you off, but that really is a yes or no.
KENNEDY: If the data is there, I will absolutely do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Is - is Cassidy going to vote no? And are there more with him?
TODD: It's possible. It's possible. I think there are probably 10 to 15 Republicans who have real qualms with RFK Jr. Most of them are - have qualms because of his ideology. He's been a liberal Democrat for most of his career. He's closer to Elizabeth Warren than he is to Bill Cassidy on ideological questions. I don't know. I think there are - I think Donald - he has a following. He has - he was additive in the campaign. He brought voters to Donald Trump. People are trying to be respectful of that. But they do have qualms about him.
MICHAEL WARREN, SENIOR EDITOR, "THE DISPATCH": I did not think RFK Jr. would be in any trouble when this week started. I was really struck by Cassidy's questioning in this. I do think, before this week, there was this possibility that some Democrats might actually vote for him. And maybe that still will be the case. I don't know.
I was much more interested, I think, in the Tulsi Gabbard hearing. I think there are a lot of indication that - from that hearing and from the reaction to her answers, that there are Republicans. Susan Collins and Todd Young are the ones everybody's watching. I think we should watch what their words, what they say. They're on that committee. If they don't vote for her, it doesn't get out of committee. I don't think it goes to the floor. John Thune has to have a conversation with President Trump after that if - if he - if she falls in committee.
KENDRA BARKOFF, FORMER PRESS SECRETARY OF JOE BIDEN: I think overall the Democrats seemed much more organized this week in their lines of questioning than they did when Hegseth first came up. And I thought that RFK really just fumbled his answers, both with Republicans and Democrats.
And look, I think everybody can agree that our health care is in crisis. There are a lot of problems that need to be fixed. I just don't think the Democrats, and it clearly seems that some Republicans think that he is the one to fix it. And it is scary that the person who is out there making these comments about our health care system is apparently taking nicotine while he's doing it.
[07:00:00]
This is somebody that apparently is supposed to be out there talking about health care and what is right and what is wrong. And from what I have seen, that he was doing some sort of nicotine patches while he was - while he was -
TODD: Zyns will help him. That's a - that's a - that's a - that's -- the Zyns will help him politically.
WARREN: A lot of Zyns on Capitol Hill.
TODD: Yes, that's right.
WARREN: (INAUDIBLE).
HUNT: I will just say, he could not identify the various parts of the Medicare program also. That was another - that's - that's something we didn't even touch on today.
WARREN: That's a problem.
BARKOFF: Didn't do his homework.
HUNT: All right, it has been a very long week. It's the last day of the week. It is the last day of the month of January, thank the Lord.
Thanks to our panel. Thanks to all of you for joining us. I'm Kasie Hunt. "CNN NEWS CENTRAL" starts right now.