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CNN This Morning

Trump Uses Guard Shootings as Justification for Intensifying Immigration Policies; Death Toll from Hong Kong Towers Inferno Climbs to 128; Consumers Expected to Spend Less on Black Friday. Aired 6- 6:30a ET

Aired November 28, 2025 - 06:00   ET

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

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MELISSA WOOLFORD, FOUNDER, MUSEUM OF ARCHITECTURE: Theme this year is play, so we're putting play at the heart of urban life. So, all the buildings behind me bring in different things like inter-generational working spaces, where people can come together from different ages.

[06:00:13]

We're looking at active spaces to promote health and wellbeing. So, how do we create more sport in our communities? How do we create more connection to nature? So, forest schools, rooftop gardens, places where people can kind of come together and do really kind of hands-on activities.

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BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: Pretty cool. Thank you for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Brian Abel in Washington, D.C. CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: One National Guard member is dead, another fighting for his life at this hour after an ambush-style attack in the nation's capital. CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.

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GOV. PATRICK MORRISEY (R), WEST VIRGINIA: People are trying to make some sense of it. There is no sense to be made of it.

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HILL: The latest on the investigation, as authorities say they do plan to seek the death penalty against the suspect.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're jumping to conclusions about the Afghan community based on the actions of one man.

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HILL: The president now pausing all immigration from dozens of countries in the wake of the attack.

New information emerging from the devastating fire in Hong Kong as the death toll there continues to climb. And three people are arrested.

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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We warn them, stop sending poison to our country.

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HILL: A threat against Venezuela. The president telling U.S. Troops on Thanksgiving a land attack could come, quote, "very soon."

U.S. negotiators heading to Moscow amid new warnings from Vladimir Putin, telling Ukraine withdraw, or we'll take more territory by force.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I miss watching people whip each other's (EXPLETIVE DELETED) over good deals.

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HILL: It is billed as the biggest shopping day of the year, but is Black Friday at this point really just a scam?

It is 6 a.m. here on the East Coast. Take a look at this gorgeous shot from our affiliate KSDK in St. Louis. Beautiful there of the Arch.

Good morning. Thanks, everybody for joining me on this Friday, November 28. I'm Erica Hill, in for Audie Cornish.

One of the two National Guard members who was ambushed in Washington, D.C.., on Wednesday afternoon has died. The other remains in critical condition.

Sarah Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving, according to President Trump. Andrew Wolfe, who is the other member injured in that shooting, is in critical condition this morning.

West Virginia's governor, praising the young Guard member who lost her life as courageous.

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MORRISEY: She's only 20, and yet she was so dedicated to West Virginia and to our country. The most recent mission she volunteered for. A lot of people don't realize that, but she volunteered to be in the district.

And here we are on Thanksgiving, and we're talking about this heinous act that deprived her of her life.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HILL: Joining me now with the very latest, CNN senior White House reporter, Betsy Klein.

Betsy, good morning. Where do things stand in terms of the investigation?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erica, after a horrible tragedy like this, there is usually a national conversation about how to prevent something like this from happening in the future.

The Trump administration now doubling down on its aggressive immigration policies.

We know that this suspect is an Afghan national who came to the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome. That's that Biden-era program to resettle Afghans in the aftermath of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He applied for asylum in 2024, and that was granted under the Trump administration in April of 2025. We've also learned that the suspect worked with U.S. forces, including the CIA, in Afghanistan, starting in 2011.

But a U.S. official tells us that he was vetted by intelligence agencies and clean on all checks.

Now, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announcing yesterday that at Trump's direction, he has ordered the reexamination of all green cards issued to people from countries of concern.

Asked what that means, the official pointed to a list of about 19 countries that includes Afghanistan, as well as Iran, Venezuela, and many others.

Now, the president last night, in a very lengthy post to social media, also called for what he described as reverse migration. He writes, "I will permanently pause migration from all third-world countries and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States."

Of course, we've asked the White House and the State Department for clarity on what countries that would include.

The president moved within hours of this shooting to point to it as justification for intensifying his immigration policies. And it's worth listening to how he talked about it as he addressed troops for Thanksgiving yesterday. Listen.

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TRUMP: This heinous atrocity reminds us that we have no greater national security priority than ensuring that we have full control over the people that enter and remain in our country.

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For the most part, we don't want them.

When it comes to asylum, when they're flown in, it's very hard to get them out. No matter how you want to do it, It's very hard to get them out. but we're going to be getting them all out now.

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KLEIN: Now, officials say it is still too soon to say what the motive is, but they have pointed to a robust interagency investigation that is already underway. Attorney General Pam Bondi says that officials will seek the death penalty -- Erica.

HILL: All right, Betsy, appreciate it. Thank you.

Joining me in the group chat this morning, Eugene Scott, op-ed writer for "The Boston Globe"; Melik Abdul, Republican strategist; and Daniella Diaz, congressional reporter for "NOTUS."

Good to see all of you this morning.

So, in terms of where things stand this morning, there are some questions about specifically all these countries, right, that the president has referred to, which he calls, quote, "third-world countries."

When we look at the reexamination process, there is also, Eugene -- there is a concern about focusing too much on the country and what the -- what the ripple effect could be for those who are here in the country who are not a threat. How do you see this playing out?

EUGENE SCOTT, OP-ED WRITER, "THE BOSTON GLOBE": Well, that will be a real issue that we've already seen risen by Afghan communities and the associations that welcomed and helped resettle refugees. There's a real concern about keeping Americans and immigrants safe.

How the Trump administration goes about doing that without harming and discriminating against those who have come here to actually be, as he would label it, an asset to the U.S. isn't yet clear. There's some concern that he may not be able to do that in a way that is fair.

But he hasn't detailed his immigration plan yet in terms of how he's going to keep Americans safe. And I assume that there will be pressure on him to clarify that.

HILL: Melik, the president -- and these are the president's word [SIC] here, his words here. He said the suspect "went cuckoo."

There are questions about what may have happened in the wake of that asylum being granted earlier this year. How do you anticipate looking into what changed, perhaps for the suspect? what may have changed for the suspect is going to impact this investigation into thousands, tens of thousands of others?

MELIK ABDUL, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, it seems to be very clear that there was obviously a relationship that the United States had with this particular guy. And the only thing that we could think of, really, at this point is to say that, at some point, he became radicalized.

So why did he become radicalized? We really don't know the answer to that question. But the fact that he particularly targeted National Guard troops here in Washington, D.C., and I believe -- I may be getting it wrong here, but I don't think that he's a resident of even the -- the DMV area. So, what was it about the National Guard?

The only thing that I could see is that there, because of the conversation that many people have been having about the National Guard here, not just in Washington, D.C., but elsewhere around the country.

I think that that had -- that's the only thing that I could think of that factored into why he would come to Washington, D.C., and shoot two National Guard troops. It's the -- it's -- the conversation that we've been having about National Guard in the areas, much like in here in Washington.

HILL: Right. And again, we don't know yet. Of course, it's important to stress. We do not know what the motive is behind this. So much still needs to come out in that investigation.

Danielle, the president very quickly, in the wake of this, saying he wanted to add an additional 500 National Guard troops to the district. Of course, this is all coming amid -- right -- and then shortly after that, we had the emergency motion that was filed. Because a judge had ruled last week that the initial deployment of those troops back in August was actually illegal.

As all of this comes into play, there have been security concerns raised about these National Guard members by a number of folks.

You know, former intelligence officials and former military who I spoke with, certainly, in the woke [SIC] of -- in the wake of this on Wednesday night, said they were concerned that those 500 additional troops could become targets.

How much is the administration addressing those concerns?

DANIELLE DIAZ, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, "NOTUS": The administration, from the very beginning, Erica, has defended its decision to have these National Guard troops in the DMV area. And the whole point of it -- if you remember, let's go back to what happened in August when President Donald Trump said that it was time to clean up D.C. And that was the effort that he made to call these troops to Washington, and, of course, try to keep them here as long as possible.

We are going to see an extension of that, now that he's called for 500 more troops to come to Washington, D.C.

It's going to be, potentially, an escalation of what we've already seen, seeing these troops, a militarized D.C., as it's been the past couple of now months since they've arrived to D.C.

But, look, it's important to make clear that Trump, of course, defending his decision to have them here and, of course, believing that this could be a solution, to have additional troops, that image of the National Guard, a militarized D.C., to prevent further violence.

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But it also could initiate more violence. It's unclear what could happen going forward, Erica.

HILL: Group chat, stay with me. Obviously, a lot more to discuss this morning, including we'll continue to look, of course, and continue the conversation when it comes to immigration, Afghan nationals. We'll be joined a little bit later this morning by a congressman who served in Afghanistan for his take.

Plus, after a UPS plane crashed earlier this month, an entire fleet was grounded. We're learning a little bit more this morning about that, how that could impact holiday shipping.

And the search for a cause after a deadly fire ripped through seven high-rise apartment buildings.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): As for my feelings, honestly, I don't even know how I feel right now. Just taking things one step at a time. Now I'm just thinking about where I'm going to sleep tonight, because I probably won't be able to go back home.

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HILL: The death toll continues to rise from a massive fire at a housing complex in Hong Kong on Wednesday. One hundred twenty-eight people are now confirmed dead, but the desperate search continues for more than 200 still missing.

It is unclear what caused the fire. Police, though, are investigating the building's construction materials. Authorities also say fire alarms in the tower did not function properly.

CNN'S Hanako Montgomery is live in Hong Kong at this hour. Volunteers there, I know, Hanako, really turning out to help bring supplies to people who have been impacted.

Where do things stand in terms of what we know about this deadly blaze?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Erica. Yes, as you mentioned, I'm at a community square right now, just a few hundred feet away from the apartment complex that was on fire from Wednesday afternoon local time.

And I don't know if you can tell, but behind me, there are hundreds and hundreds of volunteers here, and they're handing out water, food, clothing, medical supplies. I mean, anything that these evacuees and survivors need, I mean, they are providing those supplies.

And it's just absolutely amazing to see this community rallying behind these survivors in this way. I mean, its humanity at its best.

Now, as you mentioned, Erica, investigators are still looking into the exact cause of this fire, and the police are saying it could take up to four weeks to determine what exactly caused that deadly blaze.

But we are getting a bit more details about the search-and-rescue operations and what exactly caused the fire to spread so quickly from one building to the other. Take a listen to this.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Other reasons, like a high temperature, darkness, and -- and also there -- there is another reason is the emergency vehicle access was blocked by the fallen scaffolding and debris. So, making our access to the affected (ph) building very difficult.

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MONTGOMERY: Now, Erica, what's really key here is that this apartment complex was under construction. And at this construction site, there was bamboo scaffolding. Also, some mesh nets. And also polystyrene, which is a highly flammable material.

Now, authorities said at a press conference earlier on Friday that the polystyrene material caught fire, which caused the windows in a building to break. And when those windows broke, the fire spread into inside the building and then spread from floor to floor and building to building. So, we are hearing that that is partially why this fire spread so quickly.

Also, this bamboo scaffolding caught fire, and the fallen debris from that also caused this fire to spread.

And now, Erica, as I mentioned, search-and-rescue operations are still ongoing. They are trying to determine the exact whereabouts of those 200 individuals who still remain missing. They're trying to determine whether they're safe or whether they are, as many people fear, part of an increasing death toll in a very tragic, tragic moment here in Hong Kong -- Erica.

HILL: Yes. Absolutely horrific. Hanako, appreciate it. It's good to have you on the scene there. Thank you.

After the break on CNN THIS MORNING, is it just a starting point? Vladimir Putin throwing cold water on the latest U.S. peace proposal for Ukraine.

Plus, the math that really is just not "mathing." Is Black Friday just a big con?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SETH MEYERS, LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOW HOST: Black Friday, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year. The second busiest shopping day of the year is, of course, Christmas Eve at 7/11. Everybody's -- everybody's getting scratch-offs.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What has happened to Black Friday? Nobody's camping in front of stores anymore. Nobody's fist fighting in the parking lot over a TV.

It's not even on Friday anymore. I've seen Black Friday deals for four Mondays in a row now. And those sales are just not sales.

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HILL: Well, the calendar may say Black Friday, but the vibe this year is trending a little bit toward Bleak Friday.

Many Americans, not just frustrated at what they see as a lack of deals, but they're actually pulling back on spending. More than 6 in 10 shoppers say they plan to skip the high-end items this season. They're focusing instead on basics as they look for deals today.

One reason for that shift: the rising prices that we've seen on a number of different items as a result of President Trump's tariffs on foreign goods, especially electronics, as well as clothing and home decor.

For those, though, who do plan to shop this year, well, their budgets are actually shrinking, with plans to spend an average of $622. That's according to Deloitte. And it's actually down, as you see there, 4 percent from last year.

Joining me to discuss, Sveta Kolinska, who is the founder and CEO of Rila Global Consulting.

It's good to have you with us this morning. So, we know there are a lot of things at play here. You've got some anxious consumers. You've got the higher prices, the deals that don't really feel like deals. Let's start with that feeling if we could. Is this all about economic uncertainty?

SVETA KOLINSKA, FOUNDER/CEO, RILA GLOBAL CONSULTING: That's a great question. Thanks so much for having me.

Listen, it's an interesting question, because obviously, this is one of the toughest consumer years that we have seen in many decades.

I analyze consumers, and I analyze what they say on social media and publicly available channels. So, in the last just seven days, just over a million consumers mentioned that they still plan on shopping for Black Friday.

However, the big story here is that people are still shopping, but they are shopping for value. They're much more value driven. So, while they're pulling back on the luxury items, they're focusing more on those essentials and the practical items and deals that really will help them save on the long run.

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HILL: So, it's those basics. Are there actually deals, though, on those items?

KOLINSKA: Well, according to the U.S. shopper, there are great deals that they've seen.

So, what I saw in the social media discussions online were that TV; basically, anything that has to do with electronics, cell phones, and those digital gadgets did see a huge discount and rebates that consumers were very much focused on.

But actually, one of the other interesting things about how shoppers leveraged A.I. to find deals was that, just in the last few days, many consumers mentioned that they have actually used one of those big, large language models and A.I. platforms to find the best deal that gives them, again, the longest run for their buck.

HILL: So, is that working? Because, you know, we just heard some of the sound we played at the top there. There is a frustration that the deals don't feel like deals; that maybe in some cases the prices were jacked a little higher before they were supposedly dropped.

Can those A.I. models help you find the real deal? Sort of the diamond in the rough, I guess.

KOLINSKA: So, according to the consumers, what I saw is that yes, you definitely can. And they have become -- consumers have become much savvier and much faster at finding those deals.

But again, like for those who went for the bigger ticketed items, they leveraged A.I., they leveraged all the platforms that they were available or were available to them.

But interestingly, half of the consumers who actually went and talked about Black Friday online were Gen Z. So, that's the younger generation.

And they really were actually more focused on less luxury, more value. So, they were focused on your everyday basics, your supplies, your pet supplies, cleaning, and anything related to personal care, which were of utmost importance to them.

HILL: Yes, I can see that for that generation. The personal care seems certainly big. At least I noticed it with my nieces. When we look at look at -- we had just shown some of those numbers,

the number of people who expect to shop in person. How much is that a discussion on social media; that there is a sense that maybe there could be a better deal, either online or in a store?

KOLINSKA: So, less discussions, actually, about in-person. And we have seen that over the course of the last few years.

Again, coming out of the pandemic back in 2020. Now coming to 2025, consumers are again savvier. They want shipping faster. They want to receive it at their doorstep.

And they're much more interested in actually staying home and obtaining the product from the comfort of their couch. And we have actually seen that with smarter retailers, too, because

over the last few years, we have seen that retailers are now offering to shop from your couch and get things delivered with a click of a button as you watch your favorite football game or your favorite TV show.

So, there's definitely less discussions. Consumers are less interested in going in person, but again, that also comes from that Gen Z discussion that I just mentioned, and it's mainly driven by just value. And comfort. At the same time.

HILL: Yes. And convenience certainly doesn't hurt. Sveta, great to have you. Thank you

KOLINSKA: Thank you.

HILL: Still ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING following the shooting in D.C., President Trump criticizes the program that brought Afghan refugees into the U.S. after the U.S. withdrawal. I'll speak with Congressman Jake Auchincloss, who served in Afghanistan. His take ahead.

Plus, a scary wake-up call for people in Alaska on Thanksgiving morning. A big earthquake. That's a rough one for you. We have more of that video ahead.

Plus, how about a good morning right here in New York City as the sun is rising, a beautiful sky there as we kick off this Friday.