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CIA Drone Strike Hits Venezeluan Port Facility; Top Ten Health Stories of 2025. Aired 6-6:30a ET
Aired December 30, 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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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Traditionally, it should be a tall, dark-haired man coming with gifts, including a coin, some shortbread, coal, and whiskey for good fortune.
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Superstitions, traditions, celebrations. However you want to mark the new year, we'll leave it to you.
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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Ooh, I got to grab one of those traditions. Make it mine.
All right. Thank you so much for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in New York. CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.
BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: Exclusive CNN reporting: the CIA attacks inside Venezuela, targeting a port facility. CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What the president is doing is illegal and extrajudicial.
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ABEL: The U.S. enters the next phase in its pressure campaign.
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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: He's been extraordinary in his friendship and his support for Israel.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: You've been a great friend, and I've been a great friend.
NETANYAHU: Say that --
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ABEL: You know what they say: Flattery will get you everywhere. Well, everywhere except for when it comes to the issues President Trump and Israel's prime minister are trying to solve.
And federal resources surge to Minnesota to investigate an alleged childcare fraud scheme. How it all started with a viral video.
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TRUMP: And the checks are already on the way.
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ABEL: You get a check, and you get a check! But can the president fix the economy and the minds of Americans by handing out cash like Santa?
New Year's Eve concerts canceled. More acts dropping out after the Kennedy Center rebrand.
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BEYONCE, SINGER (SINGING): This ain't Texas; ain't no hold 'em.
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ABEL: Beyonce. She made a bet on country music, and it paid off in a big way.
Six a.m. here on the East Coast. We have this live look at New York City this morning.
Good morning, everybody. It is Tuesday, December 30. Thank you for waking up with me. I'm Brian Abel, in for Audie Cornish this week.
We begin this morning with exclusive CNN reporting on a U.S. drone strike against Venezuela directly.
For months, we've seen videos of the U.S. military hitting alleged drug boats in the Pacific and Caribbean. But this new attack was carried out by the CIA against a port facility on the coast. This marks the first known time Venezuelan territory has been directly attacked by the U.S.
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TRUMP: There was a major explosion in the dock area, where they load the boats up with drugs. They load the boats up with drugs. So, we hit all the boats, and now we hit the area. It's the implementation area. That's where they implement. And that is no longer around.
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ABEL: Two sources also tell CNN that U.S. Special Forces provided intelligence for the operation. But when reached for comment, a U.S. Special Operations command spokesperson said, quote, "Special Operations did not support this operation to include intel support."
So, joining me now in the group chat is Toluse Olorunnisa [SIC] -- Olorunnipa -- sorry, sir -- staff writer for "The Atlantic"; Bryan Lanza, senior advisor on Donald Trump's 2024 campaign; and Maria Cardona, CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist.
Toluse, let's start with you. This is something President Trump has been hinting at for months now with this strike in Venezuela. Now, it's finally happened.
At least what we think has happened, because we haven't had a confirmation yet other than our sources. But how significant is this moment?
TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA, STAFF WRITER, "THE ATLANTIC": This is a major escalation. The president has been sort of tilting towards this moment for quite a while: blowing up the boats in the Caribbean, waiting to see what the response would be from Congress, from the public; and continuing to move forward with this process of, potentially, trying to overthrow the Venezuelan government.
He has really been getting closer and closer to striking directly on Venezuelan soil. And he's talked about openly - being open to that, even though he said, I'm not going to say what I'm going to do in advance.
It does appear that, in the new year, that is one of the goals of the administration, including people very close to the president, including Stephen Miller and Marco Rubio; is to try to put American forces directly involved in a conflict with Venezuela and the Venezuelan government.
So, this is a big step in that direction, and we could see more in the new year.
ABEL: And this all brings up this question of the role of Congress, right?
Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, they are raising concerns about this. The fact that there hasn't been authorization yet for the use of military force against Venezuela, even though now we have this targeted strike here inside Venezuela.
I do want to play for you guys what Republican Congressman Don Bacon said to CNN.
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REP. DON BACON (R-NE): Threatening Venezuela assault is -- they've been very cryptic and very, I would say, unclear with what they're trying to do there. And that's why I voted for the War Powers Resolution.
I -- I could support operations against boats, the drug boats. But I think the president has to make a case to the American people, to Congress, on what we're doing in Venezuela. And I believe it should come with the authorization, or -- or if we vote against it, no authorization. (END VIDEO CLIP)
ABEL: OK. So, Brian, why doesn't this administration make its case to Congress, like the congressman is saying there?
BRYAN LANZA, SENIOR ADVISOR ON TRUMP'S 2025 CAMPAIGN: I suspect it will. You know, right now, what you're seeing is maximum pressure, which is going to bring awareness to the American people of why we're having maximum pressure.
The desire is, is to -- is to cut off the flow of illegal drugs in the United States, whether it's fentanyl, or cocaine, or some of the other things. And it's -- it's a unique approach.
There's also going to be an impact with Cuba, as well. Venezuela's a major sponsor of things in Cuba.
And I think the thing that people aren't talking about, maybe there is some reporting there. You also have reports that there's Hezbollah -- is now in Venezuela. That's in our hemisphere.
And so, you have these factors that sort of can make a broader case of why the U.S. needs to be engaged in Venezuela for its national security concerns, specifically if Hezbollah's there. And I think they'll make it.
But I think what they're doing, you know, is -- is probably the right P.R. campaign. Small ratchet, ratchet pressure. So, people start to pay more and more attention.
And as you get further into that pressure, people are like, now there's kinetic activity in the country. And I think -- I do believe they'll make their case. And it's a strong case for them to make.
ABEL: Well, making their case, Maria, is different than seeking authorization. You know, there's one thing that's --
MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes.
ABEL: -- before and one thing that's after. So -- so, where are we, legally speaking?
CARDONA: Well, I think both of those things are problematic, because I don't think they've made their case. And I don't think they've made it credibly.
The American people really have no idea why they're going after these boats. They haven't presented any type of evidence that any of those boats have drugs, or that any of the people on them were narco- traffickers.
If they really were after the narco-trafficking network, they would actually detain the people on those boats; board those boats; interview those people; figure out who it is they're going after.
I don't even think they know the leaders of these, quote unquote, "narco-networks" that they're going after. That's No. 1.
No. 2, we -- we know that the drugs that are supposedly in those boats aren't coming to the United States. They're going to Europe. Fentanyl does not come from Venezuela. It comes from China.
And if they were really worried about narco-trafficking, why did Donald Trump pardon the biggest narco-traffickers that was condemned by an American court?
So, none of that makes sense. That's just one of the issues.
Congress is another huge one. They haven't made their case to the American people. They clearly haven't made their case to Congress. The legality is hugely in question.
And to his MAGA base, he promised -- one of the things that MAGA base wants, apparently, is for America not to get involved in additional wars. This is the opposite of that.
ABEL: We are going to talk about this subject a little bit more ahead in an hour or so. Be sure to stay with me, group chat.
We do have lots more to talk about. Coming up on CNN THIS MORNING, rural hospitals saw their funds slashed; and now the White House is offering a new program to offset those cuts. But experts say, "the math ain't mathing."
Plus, a Walk for Peace. A group of Buddhist monks walking all the way to the White House from Texas.
And will Americans get another check with the president's name on it, like in 2020?
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TRUMP: I'm sure people will be very happy to get a big, fat, beautiful check, and my name is on it.
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ABEL: Twelve minutes past the hour now. And here's the five things to know to get your day going.
First, the Trump administration is rolling out its rural health fund, passed in the Big, Beautiful Bill. It puts $50 billion into rural health programs over five years.
Half of that money will be distributed equally among states. The other half is based on Trump-friendly criteria.
Experts warn the fund is not enough to offset losses from healthcare cuts. And more shows canceled at the Kennedy Center following the board of trustees' decision to add Donald Trump's name to the building. You see it here.
A New Year's Eve jazz performance called off at the last minute, and a dance company is canceling two shows in April. While that move will cost them $40,000, the head of the New York-based company tells "The New York Times" the decision is, quote, "financially devastating but morally exhilarating."
And more than a dozen Buddhist monks are in the middle of a Walk for Peace. Look at this right now. They are passing through Georgia. Their trip started in Fort Worth, Texas, and will end here in Washington, D.C.
They are making the 2,300-mile trek to, quote, "raise awareness of peace across America." And crowds are lining up to get a glimpse.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I loved how people are showing love. And I feel like with a world with so much hate in it, it's good to see the light and the good, you know, and seeing everybody come together for peace.
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ABEL: Yes, it is. The walk is expected to take 120 days, getting them to D.C. in February.
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BEYONCE, SINGER (singing): Sixteen dollars, working all day. Ain't got time to waste. I got art to make.
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ABEL: She's got a few more than $16 now.
The Beehive is buzzing this morning. Why? After "Forbes" reports Beyonce is now a billionaire. Her Cowboy Carter tour, it earned more than $400 million, making it the highest grossing country tour in history and putting Queen Bee in the ranks of just four other musician billionaires.
And that includes one in her own household -- her husband, Jay-Z -- as well as Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Bruce Springsteen.
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And he is a big guy with even bigger dreams. And now he's getting some help from a man who knows a little something about what it's like to be in his shoes: NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal.
So, Jordan Wilmore, seven foot three. He's a 24-year-old with dreams of being a police officer, but he failed his peace officer exam by just one point. That's where Shaq is stepping in. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHAQUILE O'NEAL, FORMER PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYER/SPORTS ANALYST: I actually found out about him through jealousy. I thought I was the tallest, handsomest cop in the world.
It actually took me 5 to 7 years to graduate from L.A. Sheriff's Academy.
I wanted to just, you know, let him know that he had my full support. So, I'm going to be on you, brother. Make sure you get it done.
JORDAN WILMORE, ASPIRING POLICE OFFICER: I'm really thankful for him helping me out and being there and being like a mentor for helping me out, do this.
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ABEL: Humble Shaq, right? He is covering his expenses for the next five months while he focuses on retaking that exam. And if he passes, he'll have a custom car made for Jordan.
All right. After the break on CNN THIS MORNING, DHS agents in Minneapolis going door to door, investigating fraud. How a viral video sparked it all.
Plus, RFK Jr. came in swinging with his new role in the White House. The changes he made as we look back at the top health headlines of the year.
And good morning, Philadelphia. A live look at the airport there, shaky look. Cancellations and delays already mounting at airports across the U.S., due to lingering wintry weather in the Northeast.
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ABEL: From the fight over fluoride in our water to thousands of layoffs at the CDC 2025, it marked quite the battle for public health. CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has the top ten health stories of the year.
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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: 2025 was a veritable battleground for public health, as it faced challenge after challenge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scientists united will never be defeated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Scientists united will never be defeated.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scientists united will never be defeated.
GUPTA (voice-over): Mass layoffs, an armed attack on the CDC; and as misinformation gained momentum, once-forgotten viruses took hold on U.S. soil.
GUPTA: But as always with science and medicine, progress does persist.
GUPTA (voice-over): It is impossible to ignore the impact of MAHA. It's been the rallying cry of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: A real overhaul is improving the health of the entire nation to make America healthy again.
GUPTA: The main driver of the movement: reducing chronic disease and a lot of efforts to that end --
GUPTA (voice-over): -- like condemning ultra-processed foods and taking action on artificial food dyes, those have been largely applauded by public health experts.
But other targets of the MAHA movement, those have them worried.
SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): We currently have our current vaccine schedule based upon a lot of people who know a heck of a lot, looking at things, not to make mandates, but to make recommendations.
KENNEDY: It makes no sense to have fluoride in our water.
GUPTA: This year we saw some states take steps to ban fluoride in their water supply. Dentists and other public health experts worry that its removal will increase cavities, especially for people without access to regular dental care.
But supporters of these bans point to studies that found children exposed to higher fluoride levels have lower I.Q.s and more neurobehavioral issues.
But, as with so many things this year, there is important nuance. Those studies looked at levels much higher, almost double than the levels found in the majority of public water systems. In fact, another study found that fluoride at the recommended levels in drinking water did not negatively affect cognitive ability.
DR. MARTY MAKARY, COMMISSIONER, U.S. FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION: There may be no other medication in the modern era that can improve the health outcomes of women on a population level than hormone replacement therapy.
GUPTA (voice-over): In November, the FDA announced that it was taking steps to remove what is known as a black box warning for many hormone treatments for women with menopause symptoms.
Now, while this change is expected to give women more options for treatments --
GUPTA: -- I do want to stress that it needs to still start with a conversation with your doctor.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. today publicly linking the rise in the number of cases of autism to the use of acetaminophen, or Tylenol, by women during pregnancy.
KENNEDY: Today, the FDA will issue a physician's notice about the risk of acetaminophen during pregnancy and begin the process to initiate a safety label change.
TRUMP: Don't take Tylenol. Don't take it.
GUPTA (voice-over): Now, the FDA was much more nuanced in its warning, saying that pregnant women should use the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary duration and only when treatment is required.
However, there is decades of evidence that Tylenol, or acetaminophen, is among the safest options --
GUPTA: -- for pregnant women dealing with fever or pain, and that it does not cause autism.
DR. EDITH BRACHO-SANCHEZ, PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN: I understand the risks of a fever in pregnancy, which is risk of miscarriage, risk of birth defects. And I said, no way am I taking that risk.
TIM ANDREWS, XENOTRANSPLANTATION PATIENT: It may shorten your life, but you're going to do something for humanity.
GUPTA: This year, we followed the courageous journey of Tim Andrews, the fourth living patient in the United States to get a genetically modified pig kidney transplant. It's a process known as xenotransplantation.
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ANDREWS: In the little --
GUPTA (voice-over): Tim lived with a pig kidney for a record 271 days. And while he did have to have it removed, his case helps move this field farther into the future, especially as larger scale human clinical trials are just on the horizon.
GUPTA: When do you think this might be available for the average person?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think less than five years.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: We just learned that Robert Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, will announce huge layoffs today, some 10,000 jobs across the agency. And this comes on top of some 10,000 employees who left the department voluntarily.
GUPTA (voice-over): Thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in research funding, stripped.
GUPTA: It's almost unimaginable to predict the long-term impacts of the Trump administration's cuts to public health.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is going to make it more challenging to bring the best new treatments for children with cancer.
GUPTA (voice-over): And the cuts extended beyond America's shores.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Withdrawing from the World Health Organization, sir.
TRUMP: Ooh!
GUPTA (voice-over): Global programs like Gavi and USAID also had funding pulled by the administration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please, just give us medication. We still want to survive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In Milwaukee, one kid was found to have really elevated blood lead levels, and that sparked this whole public health investigation.
GUPTA (voice-over): And that investigation led them to Milwaukee's public schools and several other children who had elevated blood lead levels.
GUPTA: For the first time. They were able to link lead poisoning in children to the city's aging schools.
GUPTA (voice-over): The problem we found when traveling there is that most of the school buildings were built before 1978. That's before lead paint was banned.
GUPTA: And to further complicate the city's efforts to handle this crisis, those cuts I was just talking about, that left the city without federal support.
DR. MICHAEL TOTORAITIS, MILWAUKEE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH: Investigation into the potential chronic exposures of students at the district is a part that we were really looking for the CDC to help us with, and unfortunately, HHS had laid off that entire team for childhood.
These are the best and brightest minds in these areas around lead poisoning. And now they're gone.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: The FDA just did something that could be a game changer for people living with pain.
GUPTA (voice-over): For the first time in more than 25 years, the agency approved a new class of pain medication.
GUPTA: It's called suzetrigine. It's not an opioid. It works by preventing pain-signaling nerves around the body from firing in the first place. So, that message of pain never makes it to the brain.
And even cooler, this medication was actually discovered after researchers learned about a family of fire walkers in Pakistan that lacked a gene allowing those pain signals to be sent. Those people, they could walk on hot coals without flinching. GUPTA (voice-over): A new FDA-approved blood test could help diagnose
Alzheimer's by detecting certain biomarkers of the disease.
GUPTA: It will still need to be used alongside other diagnostic tools like neurological exams and brain imaging. But preventative neurologist Dr. Richard Isaacson says that he thinks blood tests will be a great new option for screening.
DR. RICHARD ISAACSON, NEUROLOGIST: I believe this is a screening test that may predict if a person is going to be more likely to be on the road to Alzheimer's or dementia in ten, 20, 30 or 40 years.
GUPTA (voice-over): And that means patients, including myself, who went through a battery of tests with Isaacson can get a baseline for their risk, and they can also track their progress while applying certain lifestyle interventions.
ISAACSON: Your numbers went from "eh" to now working faster and better than your age. And you're actually six years younger --
GUPTA: Six years younger.
ISAACSON: -- in your age.
GUPTA: Have you ever seen measles before?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, and I'm an infectious disease physician. I've never diagnosed a case.
GUPTA: That's incredible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's because, you know, measles was declared eliminated from the United States back in the year 2000 because of the effectiveness of that vaccine.
GUPTA (voice-over): A measles outbreak that started in Texas earlier this year.
GUPTA: It signaled a worrying trend as cases continue to grow across the country, putting the U.S.'s elimination status in jeopardy.
But this is also symbolic of the larger fight over vaccines, especially as the RFK-appointed members of the highly influential Vaccine Advisory Committee to the CDC has pledged to reexamine the entire vaccine schedule, even for shots that have long-established safety records.
DR. PAUL OFFIT, DIRECTOR, VACCINE EDUCATION CENTER, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA: ACIP is full of people who are anti-vaccine activists and science denialists. So, you know that the decisions that they're going to be making are not science-based.
GUPTA: As always, we'll continue our reporting, and we'll bring you everything you need to know when it comes to your health in 2026. See you next year.
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ABEL: Straight ahead on CNN THIS MORNING, President Trump siding with Vladimir Putin again. Why he is calling out Ukraine over an attack they say they didn't do.
Plus, a major winter storm snarls holiday travel. And it's not over yet.
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