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Five More Suspects Arrested in Louvre Heist; Trump: 'We Have a Deal' with China after Xi Meeting; ICE Struggles to Meet Recruitment Goals. Aired 6-6:30a ET
Aired October 30, 2025 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:00:10]
AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump face to face with the leader of China. So how did it go? Well, CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.
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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We have a deal.
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CORNISH: The president says a trade deal with China is done. So, what does that ultimately mean for the rest of us?
And just in to CNN, new arrests in the Louvre Museum heist. But what about those priceless jewels?
And the White House pushing for more ICE arrests. But what's getting in the way? Well, it turns out, ICE.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do we eat, or do we pay rent?
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CORNISH: SNAP benefits about to expire. We'll talk to one governor who's trying to make sure no one in his state goes hungry.
And the president orders the U.S. military to start testing nuclear weapons immediately.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are literally desperate for some help at this point.
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CORNISH: Homes obliterated, lives lost. The challenge ahead for Jamaica after a deadly strike by Hurricane Melissa.
It's 6 a.m. here on the East Coast. This is a live look at Chicago. Good morning to that city. And good morning to you.
It's Thursday, October 30. I want to thank you for waking up with us. I'm Audie Cornish. And here's where we begin.
Breaking overnight, five more suspects arrested in connection to the heist at the Louvre. One of the suspects is believed to have been part of the four-person team that robbed the museum.
This resulted in the theft of $100 million worth of jewels, which are still unaccounted for.
CNN's Melissa Bell joins us live from Paris. And Melissa, I understand this brings the total number of people arrested at this point to seven.
What are you learning about the suspects here?
MELLISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. A real suggestion this morning that this investigation has made huge progress.
It is 11 days into this manhunt. Now, these seven arrests. There were two, you'll remember, people that people that were arrested last Saturday. Last night they were placed under formal investigation after having partially recognized their part in the heist.
Now, this was according to the Paris prosecutor last night. Since then, five further arrests. Now, to remind our viewers, Audie, on October 19th, that Sunday morning, there were four people involved in the heist, according to authorities.
The two that they believe they caught last Saturday, one of those caught were announced this morning was one of those who was there on the day. Actually, part of the heist physically. The others, they say, could have information, more information when it comes to the plotting of this, they're not being very clear as yet about what role they may have played.
But certainly, they've now been taken into custody and can be held, Audie, for 96 hours.
But yes, so far, no sign of the jewels. And clearly, for French authorities, that is extremely important.
It was -- when it comes to these arrests, we understand there's substantial traces of DNA that were left behind at the scene on some of the broken windows that led them to the two arrests they made on Saturday. We await to hear more about how they tracked down those they've now taken into custody.
But certainly, there does seem to be an acceleration in terms of the progress that they're making in this case.
CORNISH: All right. Melissa Bell, thanks so much. I'm sure people are going to be hearing more about this today.
And U.S. president back on his way home, wrapping up a three-country tour of Asia. And he's returning with a trade deal between the U.S. And China.
His final act was meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as the world's largest economies appear to have finally settled a bitter trade war.
The agreements included a plan to lower some of the tariffs on China over fentanyl. They also seem to strike a deal for China to buy more soybean products from the U.S.
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TRUMP: We're in agreement on so many elements. Large amounts, tremendous amounts of the soybeans and other farm products are going to be purchased immediately, starting immediately.
I put a 20 percent tariff on China because of the fentanyl coming in, which is a -- it's a big tariff. And based on his statements today, I reduced it by 10 percent. So, it's 10 percent instead of 20 percent, effective immediately.
I guess on the scale from 0 to 10, with ten being the best, I would say the meeting was at 12.
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[06:05:00]
CORNISH: The president says he's going back to China in April.
Joining me now to discuss is Will Ripley, CNN's senior international correspondent.
Obviously, we just heard from the president on Air Force One there, saying he has a deal. What more are you learning about what's been agreed to and what kind of difference it will make in the kind of tariff structure as it is right now?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it was certainly a whirlwind from the time President Trump wrapped that meeting to Xi Jinping.
They raced, essentially, to the airport, got on Air Force One, took off, and then the audio of that gaggle with reporters started coming out. And it was all of these major headline-making announcements: that the trade war may be over, that they may have finalized a deal.
You heard the president talking about the soybeans. You heard the president talking about tariffs.
And the most contentious issue, rare earths. China basically controls the mining and processing of these components that are used to produce the semiconductors that power all of our most advanced tech around the world. And China has had these export controls on rare earths.
President Trump said that issue has been resolved. And within hours of that, China's Commerce Ministry also put out a statement saying that they will be loosening up the export controls that they put in place as a direct result, they say, to U.S. actions in this trade war.
Here's more of what President Trump said on Air Force One.
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TRUMP: I think pretty soon. We have not too many major stumbling blocks. We were -- we have a deal. Now, every year we'll renegotiate the deal. But I think the deal will go on for a long time, long beyond the year. We'll negotiate at the end of a year.
But all of the rare earth has been settled. There's no roadblock at all on rare earth. That will hopefully disappear from our vocabulary for a little while.
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RIPLEY: Now, obviously, as you know, the devil's in the details, and there's probably still a lot that needs to be put down on paper. The black and white, the documents, that all needs to be reviewed.
President Trump saying that he may be traveling to Beijing in April, which would give teams on both sides, both in Washington and Beijing, about six months to get the details of this sorted out.
But it does seem to be welcome news, at least on the surface. Based on the headlines that President Trump has been making with his statements and the bits of information that are trickling out of China. But we need to follow through and see how this actually all shakes out.
But it is, for just over 24 hours on the ground here in South Korea, certainly a lot of -- a lot of movement made, not just on trade with China, but also trade here in South Korea, Audie. President Trump saying that he has finalized the framework of a deal with the South Koreans, as well.
So, a lot of -- a lot of progress made on the ground here. We'll see if it all sorts out in the end.
CORNISH: And CNN's Will Ripley, thank you so much. And coming up on CNN THIS MORNING, for three decades, the U.S. hasn't tested nukes. So, why might it restart now?
Plus, another strike on an alleged drug boat, as CNN learns a Pentagon official is pushed out.
And millions of children will go hungry if SNAP benefits run out. Is this the issue that will bring lawmakers back to the table? The group chat is going to have some thoughts about that. They will be right here next.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (singing): As someone told me lately, everyone deserves a chance to eat.
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CORNISH: In just two days, 42 million Americans could be facing a hunger crisis. That includes 16 million children who might wake up Saturday with little or no food on the table.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I won't let my children go hungry. They're going to be fed. So, for me, it will be a matter of picking and choosing which bill I can go a month without paying.
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CORNISH: SNAP benefits run out in less than 48 hours, and with the government shutdown entering day 30, Republicans are refusing to dip into emergency funds to keep the program operating.
Meanwhile, Democrats aren't budging either. They've been demanding the renewal of Obamacare health subsidies, and they now believe that they may have additional leverage with this looming food crisis.
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SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA): Donald Trump has made the decision to let people across this country go hungry. Trump is telling 15 million hungry children eat dirt.
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CORNISH: With the clock ticking on SNAP benefits, the stress level is rising in Congress. Even the mild-mannered Senate majority leader is feeling the heat.
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SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): SNAP recipients shouldn't go without food. People should be getting paid in this country. And we've tried to do that 13 times. And you voted no 13 times.
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CORNISH: Joining me now in the group chat, Cari Champion, CNN contributor and host of "Naked Sports with Cari Champion"; Mike Dubke, former Trump White House communications director; and Meghan Hays, former Biden White House director of message planning.
We're still talking about this, because it's towards the end of the month. If you know that life, you know you're running out of cash.
And so, you're really going to be feeling it, and you might be reading, in your local papers, headlines like this: "Shutdown Forces Tough Choices." And it mentions here the difference between food and heat.
I want to talk to you, Meghan, first and play for you Bernie Sanders. His take on what's going on.
[06:15:06]
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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): There's one man who's going to end this. I guess he's in Asia now on his -- whatever he's doing. That's Trump. Republicans will listen to Trump. Now, Trump may be crazy, and he may be a pathological liar, but he's not stupid, and he's not a bad politician. He understands where people are at.
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CORNISH: This is an interesting argument, because he was saying, look, Trump could do something, but also pointing out that there is political danger here.
MEGHAN HAYS, FORMER BIDEN WHITE HOUSE DIRECTOR OF MESSAGE PLANNING: Right. But I also think it's very abnormal for a president to be traveling abroad or to be doing anything else but trying to fix this shutdown.
And Trump knows more than anyone that the Republicans are going to do exactly what he says. So, him being in Asia, everyone knew the government wasn't going to open back up until he gets back.
I -- I suspect that they are going to come to some sort of negotiation and find a deal, because nobody is going to let kids go hungry.
And I think that the problem I have is we always seem to be punching down. We never can take care of people who are less fortunate. This is always punching down. People don't have enough money to afford health care. They don't have enough money for food. And I just don't understand that. This is why we are here and why our government is here.
CORNISH: Mike, we do know that lawmakers were able to find a way to pay the troops. So, when they decide there's a constituency that they need to take care of, they did. Even in all this morass, find a way to do that.
MIKE DUBKE, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: They did. And Senator Hawley has a bill, a bipartisan bill that will fund SNAP with emergency funding, if the Democrats would vote for it.
What I find interesting here is less about Trump. All the Democrats saying, well, Trump's got to be here. Trump's got to be here. All they need to do is vote to open up the government. That's all that needs to happen right now.
And they're changing their talking points from, you know, ACA subsidies now to SNAP. But the same deal is on the table clean C.R., open up the government. Let's move forward. That is within their power.
CORNISH: Can I ask two things? One, you mentioned Hawley's bill. There's also a Democrat bill to both -- both parties have put forth something to at least fund SNAP. John Thune said no to both.
DUBKE: No. One bill is bipartisan, and they can push it forward. The other is not. The other is a partisan bill.
But there are -- there is legislation. There are pathways forward. But the Democrats just want to say Trump, Trump, Trump.
CARI CHAMPION, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: OK. So, you earlier, I thought it was really, really powerful; that sound that we played of that woman saying, I'm deciding what bill I'm going to pay.
As a child who grew up -- when I was a child, I had a single parent, just my mom. I remember her sitting at a table, deciding what she could pay and what she couldn't pay, so that maybe I could have some shoes. Or maybe I could go on an extra field trip.
For me, that is what you made or alluded to, Meghan. To me, that is so unnecessary in this time. And everyone is saying but Trump, but Democrats, but Trump, but Democrats.
And in my heart and soul there is somebody there are millions of somebodies deciding to make these very important decisions. The anxiety that causes, the sadness that causes, the stress that causes that I saw as a child growing up, really is painful.
And I don't know why they can't get past it. But I hope, to your point, we can get something done.
CORNISH: Yes, and it is worth saying, I know we are saying they could have passed a clean C.R. There is a vote.
There is also another alternative, just to say it out loud, which is you make a deal with the Democrats on the thing they want. I'm only saying that --
CHAMPION: Yes.
CORNISH: -- because we're presenting the audience with just one option: clean C.R. or nothing. When it is literally the art of the deal to figure out what the other side might want and compromise. And maybe not everyone would be happy. Ideally, frankly. But something would get done.
We're going to bring more people into this conversation today, so you guys stick with us.
I also want to mention right now that you can stream our show, right, anywhere you want. CNN THIS MORNING, other CNN shows, whenever you want, especially in the U.S., right in our CNN app. So, I want you to check it out. Head over to CNN.com/all access to learn more.
And after the break on CNN THIS MORNING, we're going to go and look at the devastation following Hurricane Melissa.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Catastrophic" is a mild term, based on what we are observing. We are unable to do any rescuing. We are unable to respond.
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CORNISH: Rescue and recovery efforts now, after the path of destruction cut across the Caribbean.
Plus, it's a bleep show. That's how one ICE official described the process to hire 10,000 new agents.
Good morning to Seattle in the meantime. We've got a nice shot of the Space Needle.
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[06:23:44]
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This week, DHS is raising the flag and calling on Americans across the nation to join us in the fight to reclaim our identity as a people.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has launched a historic recruitment effort, calling on Americans to join the fight.
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CORNISH: ICE's plan to hire thousands of new agents. Well, turns out it's easier said than done.
There are a flood of applications, but border czar Tom Homan tells Axios many candidates can't meet the tough physical standards. Recruits reportedly have to do push-ups, sit-ups and run a mile and a half in just 14 minutes.
The hiring struggle comes as federal law enforcement faces increased scrutiny for its tactics in major cities.
The Border Patrol's commander, in fact, in Chicago will be questioned by lawyers today about the use of aggressive crowd control tactics.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am sick and tired of watching the people in my community getting brutalized, because they are immigrants or because they dare to speak up. I am sick and tired of it, and I'm tired of your lip service.
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CORNISH: OK, we're going to talk about that backlash and also talk about the ramifications of this recruitment drive with our analyst, Elliot Williams, CNN legal analyst.
Thank you for being here, Elliot.
ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Of course.
[06:25:00]
CORNISH: So first, I just want to start with the change in ICE recruitment standards.
WILLIAMS: Right.
CORNISH: So, a year ago, 2024, there was an age cap: 37 to 40 years old. You had to do an in-person interview.
WILLIAMS: Right.
CORNISH: And then there was a comprehensive background check.
Now it's like interview's gone, age restrictions gone, and something called a provisional background check.
WILLIAMS: Right. So, let's step back and try to understand why this -- sort of changes like that happened.
And because of the aggressive push to ramp up the number of people that are being removed, ICE has to get more people in if they wish to have it happen.
It was a wonderful campaign promise, but the reality of removing and deporting that many people is quite difficult. You know the line from Hamilton: Winning is easy, young man. Governing is harder.
CORNISH: Yes.
WILLIAMS: And this is the reality of governing.
Just by way of example, when I worked at ICE, we were removing about 400,000 people a year, compared to the million they're talking about today. And that was, even back then, a huge resource strain.
So, the things they've done is, you know, lower physical fitness requirements and age restrictions and so on. That's actually --
CORNISH: You just said lower. So, right now, we're learning --
WILLIAMS: Well, remove.
CORNISH: Yes. But it means that they're not meeting an even lower standard.
WILLIAMS: Yes, exactly. And to be clear, these are law enforcement officers, and the work of law enforcement requires young, physically fit people. You can call it ageist or whatever else, but can you chase someone? Even Tom Homan, my former colleague, who's the border czar said, you
know, you can't chase someone a mile and a half if you're out of shape.
CORNISH: Yes.
WILLIAMS: And so --
CORNISH: And we know this -- this administration cares deeply about physical fitness.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
CORNISH: We've heard the defense secretary even pulling National Guard troops just because they looked overweight in photos online.
WILLIAMS: Right. Absolutely. And the simple fact is, for an agency that they wish to make more efficient, they are making it horribly more inefficient by bringing in folks who really ought not have business being federal officers or agents.
CORNISH: In the meantime, let's look at the work that they're having to do.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
CORNISH: People are seeing on social media the actions of ICE. At the same time, you have these ICE advertisements trying to draw people using terms like "identity of the country."
I want to ask you about this issue in Chicago, where now the top CPB [SIC] official there is going to have to go before a judge and -- I don't know -- justify or explain their use of force whenever they do it.
WILLIAMS: Right. Right. And what that is a sign of is a judge that has lost faith in the credibility of the people who are coming into the court with him.
Judges have huge latitude to call someone in regularly and say every single day, please give me a status update on the work you're doing, because I don't believe that you're actually doing it.
CORNISH: But this wasn't the first time --
WILLAMS: Or I don't believe that you're comporting with the law.
CORNISH: -- we're even hearing of any kind of oversight, literal oversight of ICE activities.
WILLIAMS: Right. Most law enforcement agencies don't have day-to-day oversight. The problem is that there are so many reports right now, particularly coming out of Chicago, of aggressive enforcement by the agency, that this particular judge has chosen to bring people in.
Now, again, the administration has pushed their enforcement efforts so aggressively and is doing things at such a high pace that you're seeing a lot of approaches to law enforcement that are making many people uncomfortable or even twisting or bending or breaking the law.
So, this judge here has been far more aggressive about bringing the folks in, in Chicago, to try to say, wait a second, I need verification of the fact that you are complying with the law and behaving in an appropriate manner.
CORNISH: It's interesting. I'm thinking about recruitment for the military, which is up, but also police departments which are really struggling around the country. ICE obviously now struggling.
And it occurred to me it's struggling, in part, because we are ramping up --
WILLIAMS: Yes.
CORNISH: -- the law enforcement mechanism of the country, using immigration as the pretext to do it.
WILLIAMS: Yes. And, you know, to be clear, it's a wonderful question, a wonderful point to make: that there is a difference between immigration, law enforcement, and national security.
Now, they all sort of, in a Venn diagram, overlap a little bit, but --
CORNISH: But this has made it a circle.
WILLIAMS: Well, they've made it a circle. And they're -- they're governed by different areas of law.
The president has made clear from the beginning, even going back to 2015, that this is a criminal enforcement operation. But, you know, the public sort of sees National Guard folks walking down the street and doesn't know that they're not there to do immigration.
But by way of example, Audie, you know, when someone is detained for immigration, why are they detained? Are they being detained to be punished?
No, they're being detained to secure the removal from the country. It is a civil action, not a sort of criminal action for punishment. The public doesn't know that.
Now, even explaining that sort of required a whole bunch of --
CORNISH: Yes.
WILLIAMS: -- sort of legalese.
CORNISH: But it blurs the lines --
WILLIAMS: But it blurs the line.
CORNISH: -- between all of the things: between your criminal enforcement, your civil enforcement. And then just like any person in a uniform shoving you around.
WILLIAMS: Absolutely. And when someone unmarked shows up, you know, someone on the street doesn't know. Wait, is this -- is this a National Guardsman who does not have the legal authority to apprehend me? Or an ICE officer who does? I don't know, so it's all a blur.
It's been quite successful politically for the president, but it has confused what the bodies of law governing all of us are.
CORNISH: Yes. It's interesting to watch what, if any, backlash there's going to be.
Elliot, thank you.
WILLIAMS: Of course.
CORNISH: We're going to see, of course, this week.
[06:30:00]
