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Donald Trump In Japan As U.S. Reaches Tentative Trade Deal With China; Palestinians Returning To Find Their Homes And Lives Destroyed; Hurricane Melissa Strengthens Into A Rare Category 5 Storm; U.S. Warship Docks In Trinidad And Tobago; President Javier Milei's Party Claims Strong Victory; Mamdani Rallies Supporters In Final Stretch Of Campaign; Feuding: California Gov. Gavin Newsom Versus Podcaster Joe Rogan; United States And Chinese Officials Agree On Trade Deal Framework; Delta Announces New Route To Saudi Arabia; Startup Aims To Make Recycling Safer And Smarter. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired October 27, 2025 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:28]
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill in New York.
Donald Trump landing in Japan today. This is the second leg of his Asia trip. The U.S. president will meet with Japan's newly elected prime
minister, and is also preparing for a highly anticipated meeting with China's leader later this week.
Jamaica, preparing for Hurricane Melissa to make landfall early Tuesday. The storm has now strengthened into a rare Category 5.
And a U.S. warship docking in Trinidad and Tobago, adding to the tension between the U.S. and neighboring Venezuela.
U.S. President Donald Trump is in Japan at this hour, the second stop of his three nation tour of Asia aimed at strengthening diplomatic and
business ties in the region.
On that second front, a potentially big development in his trade war with China. The U.S. Treasury Secretary announcing the framework for a new trade
agreement with Beijing.
The president's first event in Japan, meantime, a meeting with the Emperor at the Imperial Palace. He is set to sit down with Japan's newly elected
prime minister on Tuesday.
We could hear more about that tentative trade deal ahead of Mr. Trump's expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week in South
Korea. Alayna Treene is following all of these developments for us from Washington.
Alayna, a lot of developments in the last 24, 48 hours. The question, of course, is, what will that translate to as we move forward on this trip?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, absolutely. And I do think, of course, we saw him in Malaysia. He's in Japan now, he first has to have
that sit down as well with Japan's first female prime minister. I think it will actually be a big test for her and to see how she gets along with
President Donald Trump.
But all eyes are really on that meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. And we have a sense now of what this
potential framework for a trade deal could be. I should note that everything we're really learning about it has been coming from the words of
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his Chinese counterpart.
I'd note that Bessent is actually far more bullish and more optimistic about finalizing this trade deal. His Chinese counterpart has been a little
bit more reserved, but they do seem optimistic that this could be hammered out and finalized when the two leaders sit down together in South Korea
later this week.
A couple of the things that we know, there's no documentation of this. We haven't seen any paperwork, but this is what we've been told as we piece
together what this could look like. One of the first things that they talk about is going to be fentanyl. We know that this is a massive priority for
the Trump administration, trying to get China to lower the levels of fentanyl, stem the flow of fentanyl coming into the United States. That's
expected to be a top line of any sort of agreement that they might reach.
Another part of this is soybeans. We know the president said this repeatedly. We know this is a massive issue for the agriculture industry in
the United States, is that China is no longer buying soybeans produced in the United States. It's caused a huge issue for farmers across the country.
Essentially, they are expected to, as part of this deal, if this moves forward, to buy a substantial amount of soybeans from the United States, so
that could help things on that front.
Another part of this is, of course, rare earths. This is something that actually triggered President Donald Trump to raise tariffs on China once
again, once China had threatened, you know, pulling back on some of the rare earths that they are sending to America.
They could delay export controls on this. This is something we've been hearing a lot, so that's something that really needs to be discussed,
another major priority for President Donald Trump.
And then, of course, we have TikTok. That is something that we know, that both Bessent and the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, they had
hammered out a broader framework earlier this year, a couple weeks ago, actually, when they were meeting with their Chinese counterparts.
This is something that needs to be finalized in person, but very much they believe that this is going to move forward. We know that Trump and Xi have
spoken about this deal, this TikTok deal, over the phone. It would essentially allow TikTok to operate in the United States, they'd be
divesting a lot from the Chinese, a major of different private equity firms, technology investment companies, all of them expected to have a
major role in whatever deal that would look like.
So, those are really the top contours what were expected to be discussed. Of course, just the fact that the two are meeting, it would be the first
time during this administration, during the president's second term that he sits down with Xi.
Another big priority I know that the president himself wants to talk to him about is, of course, if he can help -- Xi Jinping can help the United
States at all in trying to get Russia to a much better place at the negotiating table, to try and end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
That's another big priority.
[10:05:11]
So, that's one of the big focuses. Of course, we do still have to see the rest of his trip in Japan, that meeting with Japan's first female prime
minister, that will be one of the bigger events before he heads to South Korea. But stay tuned on all of that, Erica.
HILL: We'll be watching for all of it. Alayna, appreciate it. Thank you.
Also joining us this hour, David Boling, Director of Japan and Asia Trade for Eurasia Group. He's joining me now from Hong Kong.
David, good to have you with us. So, let's start with Japan if we could, the president in Japan today, that meeting with the newly elected prime
minister set for tomorrow, expected to be a combination perhaps on a lot of hard deals getting done, but some perhaps.
But this is the first face-to-face meeting, the president speaking somewhat glowingly of the newly elected prime minister, citing, of course, her close
relationship with Shinzo Abe.
President Trump, as we know, had his own close relationship with the former prime minister. What do you expect to come out of this meeting?
DAVID BOLING, DIRECTOR, JAPAN AND ASIA TRADE, EURASIA GROUP: Well, I think that for Takaichi, it's really important to show to President Trump that
Japan is an asset, not a liability to the United States.
And what I mean by that is, I think Trump sees foreign policy, and he sees countries whether they are an asset or a liability. And so, she needs to be
able to demonstrate to him that, look, Japan takes its own defense seriously, and it's spending more money on defense, and it is is not a
liability to the United States, and that Japan is investing more in the United States, contributing to manufacturing in the United States,
contributing to employing many Americans, and that it is not a problem when it comes to trade.
So, I think those are like two important messages that she needs to deliver. As you said, she wants to associate herself with Abe as well. Abe
and Trump, they talked over 30 times when they were leaders in his -- in the first Trump administration, she's had her first phone call with Trump.
I think she wants to have many, many more.
And I think that she wants to also identify that, you know, basically, we're both conservatives and that we are on the same page politically. Last
thing I think she wants to do is, you know, flatter him some and use some of that. I mean, it's off to a good start. He had his audience with the
emperor today in Japan. So, I think she's off to a good start on that too.
HILL: So, we'll be watching for what we hear coming out of that meeting. But to your point, after quite a start, you're right, we know this
president enjoys some flattery, as, let's be honest, many leaders do.
When we look ahead to the rest of the week, there's so much attention that has understandably been focused on this announcement that there was a
framework of some sort of an agreement between the U.S. and China ahead of this potential meeting with President Xi Jinping, which China has yet to
confirm. Why do you believe China has not confirmed that yet?
BOLING: Well, I mean, China is very cautious about these things, right? They are well known for taking these -- you know, to not agreeing to things
until the very last minute.
But you know, this is a big meeting, and they want it well orchestrated. There's a lot of choreography that goes in to the meetings, especially with
the Chinese. So, it doesn't shock me that they're, you know, waiting until the last minute to make these final decisions and being very cautious.
HILL: Getting to this point where there is that framework, and the positive reaction that we're hearing, what could that change, not just for the
relationship with the United States and China, but for some of these other trade deals that are perhaps not quite finished? How influential could this
framework actually be and maybe shifting some of these closer to the end zone?
BOLING: Well, I'm not sure. I'd read too much into that Trump tends to -- you know, Trump likes bilateral relations, right? And he wants to focus on
things bilaterally.
So, the fact that he may get more progress with China. I don't necessarily think that that means that it's going to push other agreements, you know,
closer to the finish line, that he looks at these things, you know, as I said, on a bilateral basis, and that, you know, it might provide a bit of
momentum, but I wouldn't read too much into that.
HILL: So, as a former trade negotiator, what are you watching for over the course of this trip at the region?
BOLING: Well, I mean to take it back to Japan. Japan has agreed, you know, to invest a lot in the United States under a really remarkable $550 billion
investment agreement, which is, you know, very different from your typical trade agreement.
[10:10:09]
And I think all the attention now in the U.S.-Japan relationship is how this agreement will be implemented, because Trump is the ultimate decider
in this and if Trump is not happy, he can use tariffs against Japan again.
So, I think the focus really shifts to how this investment agreement is implemented between the U.S. and Japan, and whether that can go
successfully. And believe me, Takaichi wants that to go successfully, you know, this is a very important relationship with Japan.
HILL: Yes, wanted to also it will be interesting to see what the timeline is for that. David bowling, great to have you today. Thank you.
Ahead of the president's next stop in South Korea, Mr. Trump is trying to soothe some of the anger and frustration over that U.S. immigration raid at
a Hyundai plant.
You may recall this happened early last month in Georgia. Nearly 500 people, mostly South Korean nationals, were detained by ICE agents, many of
them actually, most returned to South Korea.
Afterwards, South Korea's president openly expressed concern about future investment in the United States, President Trump telling reporters today on
his way to Japan, he is, "Very much opposed to how that raid was handled, and even indicated the workers could return to the U.S."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu making it clear it will be up to Israel to decide which country's troops it deems acceptable to enter Gaza after
the war, the so-called International Stabilization Force is tasked with handling security efforts in the Enclave under the U.S. backed peace plan.
Sources say Netanyahu told U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance last week that Israel strongly opposes the deployment of Turkish military forces in Gaza.
Turkey is one of the nations that was expected to participate in that Stabilization Force.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond is joining us now live from Jerusalem with more here. So, what do we know about where these negotiations essentially stand for
that Stabilization Force?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's clear that this is all going to be the subject of much more back and forth between these
various sides, as the Israelis will want to have some input about which militaries effectively contribute troops and resources to this
International Stabilization Force inside of Gaza.
Already, we are seeing that Israel has allowed an Egyptian team of specialists to be able to help the Red Cross and Hamas to locate the bodies
of the hostages.
But there is meanwhile, in Gaza, a much longer wait for the families of thousands of Palestinians whose bodies are still buried under the rubble.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND (voice over): This rubble stands as a testament to so much loss. For Rafiq Deeb (PH), it is also where he feels closest to his family.
One by one, he greets his wife and four children, recalling how on this day of Friday they would be sitting down together for lunch.
I came to unburden myself to you, Rafiq says.
But he hasn't just come here, because this is where they were killed. Nearly two years after Israel bombed their home, this is where their bodies
are still buried.
I want to take you out and bury you in graves and come visit you, Rafiq says, instead of visiting you while you are under the rubble.
Rafiq's wife and children are among more than 10,000 people whose bodies are still trapped beneath mounds of concrete and twisted metal according to
Gaza's civil defense. Thousands whose deaths have yet to be recorded in the health ministry's toll of more than 68,000 killed in Gaza.
The ceasefire gave families like Rafiq hope that they could soon give their loved ones a dignified burial. But two weeks in, Gaza's civil defense armed
only with crude equipment has recovered fewer than 500 bodies, mostly in open or easy to reach locations.
We are talking about bodies under the rubble of tall buildings. Concrete masses exceeding 50 million tons of debris are on people's bodies, leftover
debris amounting to about 70,000 tons located in various areas of the strip, says Mahmoud Bassal, Gaza's Civil Defense spokesman. To deal with
them, we need capabilities and tools and teams able to handle these events.
Some of that heavy machinery entered Gaza during the previous ceasefire, but Israel targeted much of it when it returned to war.
New machinery is now entering Gaza once again, but at least for now, these excavators are intended to retrieve the bodies of deceased Israeli
hostages, not Palestinians.
[10:15:01]
Rafiq is now pleading with the world to supply Gaza with the tools to dig out his children so that he may bury them.
Your son grows up before you, you rejoice in him, and you tell yourself he will support me when I grow old. And suddenly, everything disappears from
your life.
One father among so many, waiting for rubble to be cleared and the closure it could bring.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND (on camera): And indeed, the question now is whether some of that machinery that is being used to search for the remains of those 13 deceased
Israeli hostages inside of Gaza will ultimately be allowed to be used to move so much other rubble inside of Gaza and retrieve the bodies of the
thousands of Palestinians, including the family of Rafiq, Erica.
HILL: Such an important question and really important report as well. Jeremy, thank you.
Still ahead here, Jamaica bracing for a massive Category 5 hurricane that is expected to take a direct hit on the southern part of the country. In
the coming hours, we're giving a close watch on this massive storm.
Plus, Venezuela reacting to a U.S. Navy destroyer docking in Trinidad and Tobago. That's just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Jamaica is bracing for a dangerous Category 5 hurricane heading its way. People are already starting to feel the effects of Melissa tropical
storm, force winds, heavy rainfall already targeting the island nation. The hurricane itself is expected to make a direct strike on Jamaica early
Tuesday, with the potential to cause catastrophic damage and destruction. You can see, understandably, from the size of that storm, forecasters say
it is poised to become the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall on Jamaica, and the storm understandably has a number of people frightened,
including this fisherman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what the weatherman predicted, where we never get thus un the Caribbean, this may be the worst one.
I watch that it's hurricane season to the finish, so we're frightened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: CNN Meteorologist Chris Warren is following these developments for us.
So, this storm, where is it right now, and how quickly is it moving in terms of what the next -- the next several hours look like for Jamaica?
CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is south of Jamaica right now, Erica, and unfortunately, it is not moving very fast. So, it is still a very
strong hurricane, a Category 5 hurricane. Remember, category only goes up to five, so about as strong as it gets.
Might see some changes in the winds, either up or down, but as it -- eventually, it's still moving to the west, only moving to the west at three
miles an hour into this really the worst of the storm here that's heading up to the north.
This is the first images that we're getting in now that it's daylight. This is the visible satellite, which is about as good as you're going to get if
you were up in space looking down on Earth.
And so, you can see the shadow right there of the eye. This is really the worst of the worst in terms of the winds. And you see how big Jamaica is.
And this is going to cover a lot of the island as it moves across.
[10:20:03]
Even if the center of the storm were to go on this side of the cone or this side of the cone, the impacts, what you're going to get in terms of rain is
not going to change very much.
And a big part of that is how slow it's moving. By this evening, things are going to be really going downhill. Four or five hurricane -- Category 4 or
5 is catastrophic damage, that's in terms of the wind. And from before midnight and to after midnight, it's just offshore.
So, we're looking at several hours, not until the afternoon tomorrow will it eventually be working across Jamaica.
So, all night long, there will be a major hurricane raking across Jamaica, dropping a lot of water with the mountainous terrain in Jamaica, enhancing
that rainfall. You can see the footprint, so even a little bit of a movement is not going to change the rainfall that much.
And here's another way to look at it, 6:00 this evening, this potent hurricane getting closer and closer to Jamaica, and it will have already
been raining, raining for most of the day today into the night, now, making landfall before sunrise or so here in Jamaica.
And you can think of landfall is like halftime, so it will have been a nightmare situation for all night long, throughout a good portion of the
morning and not until late morning or early afternoon, doesn't move out.
Again, with the mountains here, you've got the south facing mountains right here. I've got this map moved just a little bit so you can see the terrain
somewhat exaggerated, but you can see right here that fine line between getting six to 10 inches or a few feet of rainfall.
So, all of that rain Erica will be draining out of the mountains, trying to get out to the sea, trying to get out to the Caribbean, while Hurricane
Melissa is pushing that sea water in and possibly about 10 feet above normal high tide, so that water is not going to have anywhere to go, and it
spreads out. And this is a disastrous situation. That's just the flooding.
But again, tonight, with the winds, Erica, there's going to be very little sleeping and a lot of praying in Jamaica.
HILL: Yes, it is, frankly, a nightmare scenario. Chris, appreciate it. I know you're keeping a close watch on any developments.
We are also following these developments in the region. A U.S. warship now docked in Trinidad and Tobago's capital docking there on Sunday. Venezuelan
President Nicolas Maduro criticized the move as the U.S. looks to put more pressure on Venezuela. The U.S. says it is there for joint military
training in the Caribbean, neighboring Venezuela. Maduro is calling this a provocation. Trinidad and Tobago has been supportive of the Trump
administration strikes on alleged drug boats in the area.
Stefano Pozzebon is in Caracas now with more. Certainly escalating the tensions at this hour.
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: Yes, indeed, Erica, we still hear these war drums, frankly, beating in the Caribbean after almost two months of
confrontation between Washington and Caracas.
And over the weekend, the news has been the arrival of the destroyer generally to Trinidad and Tobago, to Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad
and Tobago.
And we understand that that destroyer is also capable of providing support for helicopters. And in the last few weeks, we have seen U.S. Navy
helicopters that are normally used to carry special operation teams training in the Caribbean.
Once again, mounting to the rhetoric and to the expectations that the U.S. could indeed take direct action against alleged drug traffickers in
Venezuela.
For a bit of context, the U.S. has been launching this campaign for the last two months, saying that they are targeting criminal organizations and
killing at least 43 people between the Caribbean and the Southern Pacific Ocean.
However, they are yet -- the White House is yet to provide any conclusive proof that any of the victims here were indeed involved in narco
trafficking.
At the same time, the White House directly accuses in the U.S. Department of Justice and directly accuses the president of Venezuela president of
Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro here in Caracas of being involved in narco trafficking, with sources in Washington confirming to CNN that the
president is mulling options for a direct intervention in Venezuela, which is, of course, an even more dramatic escalation.
We've seen, we've talked about the carrot and the sticks, which is an expression that is often used to describe Washington's interaction with
Latin America. It's an expression made famous by the late U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, where, for now, from Washington, we are seeing a lot of
very big sticks and not many carrots towards Venezuela, Erica.
HILL: Yes, and it's raising -- it's raising questions as well about not only the lack of evidence in terms of these boats that have been fired upon
that are raising questions here in the United States, but also what this could mean more broadly in the region, especially in terms of President
Trump's alliances with other countries throughout the region.
How much is that part of the conversation in Venezuela at this hour?
POZZEBON: I think that there is part of that conversation. The Maduro government has reached out to both the Columbian presidents, in particular,
Gustavo Petro, the Columbian president, has also gone on the offenses against this initiative from Donald Trump criticizing the White House. And
we're also understanding that Caracas has also reached out to Brazil, another geopolitical powerhouse here in Venezuela.
[10:25:18]
However, let's remember that this is a country where almost 25 percent of its population have left under the rule of Nicolas Maduro because of the
dramatic economic crisis that Maduro's policies have triggered in Venezuela.
So, many countries and many governments around South America are very wage (PH) and careful in rallying to The support of Nicolas Maduro when he has
been responsible for so much destruction.
So, a very complicated situation, Maduro increasingly isolated, but that doesn't mean that a military action to take him out could just resolve all
of Venezuela's problems.
And of course, on the bottom of it, the White House is not saying that it's targeting Nicolas Maduro for his anti-democratic records, it's the drug
trafficking that they're going after for now, Erica.
HILL: Which is also an important distinction. Stefano Pozzebon, appreciate it. Thank you.
In Argentina, President Javier Milei vowing to push ahead with what he calls necessary reforms after his party claimed a significant victory in
midterm elections on Sunday.
CNN's Ivan Sarmenti has this report from Buenos Aires on the election and what it means for President Milei.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN SARMENTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This Sunday, Argentines went to the polls to renew Congress, and President Javier Milei's party came out on top with
more than 40 percent of the vote, including key districts like Buenos Aires Province, which is home to nearly 40 percent of Argentina's population.
Milei's party had lost in this province during last September's local elections by a margin of 13 percent. These elections were seen as a kind of
plebiscite on Milei's administration. Even Donald Trump had endorsed him, offering a $20 billion bailout to stabilize the pace exchange rate.
However, Trump also warned that his support might be withdrawn if Milei lost. But Milei's goal was to secure at least one seat of Congress, enough
to preserve the presidential veto over bills that the government opposes.
In the end, he surpassed that goal. In contrast, Peronist, which was encouraged by its landslide victory in Buenos Aires province last
September, was hoping for a better performance, at least a draw, but they lost even there, where they traditionally win.
For Milei, this Sunday's result was a crucial moment for the future of his political and economic agenda, and in the end, the results were better than
many had expected.
Ivan Sarmenti, CNN, Buenos Aires.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: Still to come here, the New York City Mayor's race heating up. Democrat Zohran Mamdani calling out a group of wealthy New Yorkers in his
final push to election day. That message just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:30:21]
HILL: Welcome back and thanks for joining me today on CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill. Here is a look at your headlines.
U.S. President Donald Trump is in Japan, the second leg of his three-nation Asia tour, meeting with Japan's emperor earlier on Monday. And he is set to
sit down with the newly elected prime minister on Tuesday.
On the first leg of his trip in Malaysia, the U.S. treasury secretary announced a framework has been reached for a trade deal with China.
The Jamaican government issuing mandatory evacuation orders for several coastal communities ahead of Hurricane Melissa. The storm now a massive
Category 5 is expected to make a direct hit on the southern coast early Tuesday. Jamaica, though, is already feeling the effects of this storm with
intense wind and heavy rain.
Venezuela, calling the U.S. Navy destroyer docked in Trinidad and Tobago a provocation. The U.S. says the guided missile destroyer is there for joint
military training. Trinidad and Tobago has been supportive of U.S. strikes on alleged drug votes in the area.
The race for New York City mayor is entering now its final stretch, and a record number of voters hitting the polls for early voting over the
weekend. The front runner, Democratic nominee, Zohran Mamdani, holding a rally in Queens on Sunday. Joining him, New York Congresswoman Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont senator, Bernie Sanders.
During his speech, the democratic socialist said New York is not for sale, and talked about the amount of attention being put on this race, especially
from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), MAYORAL CANDIDATE, NEW YORK CITY: While Donald Trump's billionaire donors think that they have the money to buy this election, we
have a movement of the masses.
AMERICAN CROWD: Yes!
MAMDANI: And we are a movement that is not afraid of what we believe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Gloria Pazmino was at that rally in Queens last night. You have been covering this race so closely from the very beginning, and you actually
spoke with Zohran Mamdani last night, sitting down with him before the event. Where do things stand now a week or so out from election day?
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NEWSOURCE NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Erica. You know, one thing that's -- that was interesting for me to hear last night, as
Senator Bernie Sanders introduced Zohran Mamdani on stage yesterday. This was a large stadium that had more than 10,000 people packed into it. That's
not really something you see around mayoral elections, even here in New York City, you know, the biggest city in the country.
And part of what Bernie Sanders said was that President Trump was closely watching this election, but so was the rest of the world.
And if that feels a little bit dramatic, you know, it's because this election is really symbolizing the struggle that the Democratic Party is in
the middle of right now. Deciding whether or not to talk further to the left or to talk to the center as they try and figure out how to respond to
President Trump.
And so, the signal there last night was to go to the left, right? They got -- Zohran Mamdani had Bernie Sanders with him, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
and he encouraged his supporters to continue to encourage other voters and New Yorkers to get out to the polls.
He said that while he has a double-digit lead in the polls, he is not getting comfortable. He is going to be campaigning until the last minute.
And he also spoke directly to President Trump.
Much has been said about how a potential Mamdani administration would deal with a Trump administration, which has said that they would take funding
back from the city of New York if he is elected. You know, the president has been sending troops into other cities. There has been a question of
whether or not he is going to do that here. And, of course, the relationship between these two men, I asked Zohran Mamdani whether or not
he believes a confrontational approach would work for him, here is what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAMDANI: Donald Trump right now has a mayor that he probably would have created in the last, because we have seen a mayor, Eric Adams, who has been
willing to sacrifice so much of what the city stands for in order to secure his personal freedom. Andrew Cuomo is offering much of the same.
What we would do in running the city is first, to actually take this administration to court, and to do so, immediately, as opposed to being
pressured into it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAZMINO: So, he is talking there about using the power of the legal levers that the city of New York has at its -- as its disposal, something that
this current administration hasn't really done when you compare it to the way other cities have responded, especially in instances where federal
troops have been deployed.
Trump and Zohran Mamdani, you know, have some things in common.
[10:35:00]
Trump used the social media megaphone and a simple populist message to attract supporters, and Mamdani has done a very similar thing. Of course,
they have wildly differing policies and stances, but the way in which they have been able to reach their supporters are very similar.
So, it would be interesting if Mamdani wins, to see whether or not he can actually have any sort of working relationship with this federal
administration.
The theme of the rally, as you said, Erica, New York, is not for sale. And that is, of course, a reference to the fact that former Andrew Cuomo, who
is running second to Mamdani, has gotten so much support from billionaire and millionaire donors, the same donors who have also been in support of
President Trump. That's been a central theme of this campaign. Erica?
HILL: Absolutely. And now, the countdown is officially on. Gloria, thank you.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, one of President Trump's fiercest critics is embroiled in another very public feud, this time, with one of the
world's most popular podcasters, Joe Rogan. The two are criticizing and challenging one another. CNN's Elex Michaelson explains the rift.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): Well, you start with Joe Rogan's that I'm going to start cursing.
JOE ROGAN, HOST, THE JOE ROGAN EXPERIENCE PODCAST: He wants to be president so bad.
ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): The governor of the most populous state and the host of one of the most popular podcasts are feuding.
NEWSOM: This is Gavin Newsom.
MICHAELSON (voice over): California Governor Gavin Newsom, who hosts his own podcast, has invited Joe Rogan onto his show and publicly asked to be
invited onto Rogan show.
NEWSOM: Joe, why won't you have me on the show? He won't have me on show. It's one way, and he has guests coming and attacking and bashing, but he
will not have me on the show. Period, full stop, he should have me on the show. Come on my show, Joe.
ROGAN: I think I will probably vote for Bernie.
MICHAELSON (voice over): Rogan, expressing support for Bernie Sanders presidential run in 2020.
ROGAN: It's stand up. It's funny stuff.
MICHAELSON (voice over): And back President Trump in 2024, but he's criticized some of his policies in recent months.
NEWSOM: What we are experiencing is America in reverse.
AMERICAN CROWD: Yes.
MICHAELSON: But Rogan doesn't seem impressed by a potential Newsom presidential run in 2028.
JACK CARR, AUTHOR AND FORMER NAVY SEAL: Right.
ROGAN: You can't ruin a city.
CARR: Oh.
ROGAN: And then go on to ruin a state, and say, guys, that was just practice.
CARR: I know.
ROGAN: Once I get it as a president, I'm going to fix it. I fix it all.
CARR: I mean -- I mean, it's so crazy, but he's such a great politician.
ROGAN: No, he is not.
CARR: I mean, he is so smooth.
ROGAN: He is not, though.
CARR: Oh, you think so?
ROGAN: No, no. I think, he is terrible.
MICHAELSON (voice over): Rogan attacking Newsom's job performance in California.
ROGAN: You have the highest unemployment.
CARR: Yes.
ROGAN: You have the highest homelessness.
CARR: But today, with Hollywood, you had --
ROGAN: If money is missing, you killed Hollywood, like Hollywood doesn't exist anymore.
CARR: Yes.
ROGAN: It's literally gone.
MICHAELSON (voice over): Newsom, responding to Rogan on X, posting, California is the fourth largest economy in the world, but number one in
manufacturing, farming, new business starts, tech and V.C. investments, Fortune 500 companies, public higher education. I could continue, invite me
on anytime, Joe Rogan.
ROGAN: He was all that -- before you were there. It was all that -- forever. It's because the weather is perfect, man, it has nothing to do
with you.
CARR: Yes. No --
MICHAELSON: Newsom's team posting this photo on X, writing that "Little Joe is snack size, because he can't handle full size debates.
NEWSOM: I'm not afraid to go -- I'm punching Joe Rogan. OK? That's not a bitch not used to that. And he is -- he is going to dismiss it. He is going
to laugh it off. I mean, a tough guy, all that, but he's going to have me on.
Here is a guy who celebrated Bidenomics just this week.
MICHAELSON (voice over): Newsom debated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Fox News in 2023.
NEWSOM: You are making a damn dead end.
CHARLIE KIRK, FOUNDER, TURNING POINT USA: Thanks.
MICHAELSON (voice over): And hosted conservative guests like Charlie Kirk on his own podcast.
NEWSOM: I'm debating these sons of bitches. I'm out there on these right wing shows, so, I'm not scared to do that. Where the hell is the Democratic
Party? Where is our equivalent of Turning Point USA?
MICHAELSON (voice over): Newsom's team doubled down repeating the snack- size slap on X. "Joe Rogan is a snack-sized podcaster who can't stop talking about me. Obsessed! Crush? No thank you. But is too scared to have
me on and let his audience hear the truth.
ROGAN: You saw --
ANDREW SCHULZ, AMERICAN COMEDIAN AND ACTOR: On Twitter.
ROGAN: I know. It's like, you think that's going to work? Like, that's so stupid. Like, this is such a bad look.
SCHULZ: Yes.
ROGAN: That's such a bad choice.
SCHULZ: There is a little desperation in it.
ROGAN: But it's just stupid. It's like, this is a bad strategy. Like, I probably would have had him on.
SCHULZ: Yes.
ROGAN: But now, I'm like, what are you doing?
SCHULZ: There is fun version where you just do it and cook him. You know?
ROGAN: He'll cook himself.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON (on camera): Governor Newsom has been very clear that Democrats need to attract young male voters, and he thinks podcasts is a big way to
do that. And nobody does that more than Joe Rogan. During his interview with then-candidate Trump last year, he got 60 million views on YouTube
alone.
Elex Michaelson, CNN, Los Angeles.
HILL: Well, be sure to tune in for the first episode of Elex Michaelson's new show, "THE STORY IS". It launches today, right here on CNN.
His first guest, the man you just heard so much about, California Governor Gavin Newsom. The premier, 9:00 p.m. tonight, L.A. time. That is, 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, 5:00 a.m. in London.
[10:40:00]
Coming up, U.S. President Donald Trump appears optimistic he will have a trade deal to announce when he sits down with China's leader later this
week. Can he deliver?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: China coming, and it's going to be very interesting. I have a lot of respect for President Xi, and we
are going to, I think, we are going to come away with a deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: U.S. President Donald Trump, there, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during his diplomatic trip to Asia. He has a big meeting planned
for later this week in South Korea, where he is expected to sit down with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. As you just heard from the president himself,
their expectations are high after a tentative trade to nail the framework, we should say, was announced over the weekend.
CNN senior political reporter Stephen Collinson is live in Washington. So, Stephen, so much attention, obviously, on this three-stop tour across Asia,
on these important announcements that we got over the weekend. Cambodia, Malaysia, this trade framework with China, big meetings coming up.
I guess the question is, how durable Is any of that as we -- as we wait for the details?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yes. I think, what this is about mainly is a truce between the U.S. and China.
You know, the administration hasn't given out many details of what this supposed framework would entail. There are hints that it could involve
China buying more U.S. soybeans. It's not been buying soybeans lately, leading to real problems in states that are part of Trump's political base,
and there are reports that it would delay the implementation of controls on the export of rare earth metals, which are hugely important to U.S. in its
tech industry and for military applications. So, it looks like the two sides have agreed to stop fighting for now.
Your question about how durable this is, I think, what this showdown has shown is that, unlike many other trade spats that Trump engineered with the
European Union, Canada, other individual countries, it seems that China is so strong that it can stand up to Trump's pressure. And he wants this
meeting with Xi. So, that's the reason this truce seems to be happening.
But it has also proven that this card that China has, its monopoly really on rare earth metals and exports is going to be a very important dynamic in
the U.S.-China relationship going forward, and it's going to mean that Trump can't push China around like he can push many other countries around.
HILL: Yes. It's such an important point, especially because we are still waiting from confirmation from the Chinese side that this meeting is in
fact going to happen.
COLLINSON: Right. And Trump is not just looking at this meeting, which is the absolute fulcrum of his Asia trip. It looks like he wants to go to
China in 2026, get the adulation and the fating of a state visit in Beijing, which is quite a spectacular occasion, and potentially invite Xi
back to the United States in the same year.
[10:45:05]
So, there are a lot of things riding on this, I think, for the president.
And while he is, you know, confronting some economic headwinds at home, he has real domestic reasons for wanting to make sure this trade war with
China doesn't spiral into something worse.
HILL: Certainly, it needs to have a win on a number of levels. As all of this is playing out, you wrote an excellent column that published
overnight, talking about the fact that while the president is in Asia, the reality is he is continuing to beat the drum of war in Latin America,
specifically, in Venezuela.
This is understandably, has a number of people concerned. But there are real questions about the president's power and the power of Congress, and
how the two -- I mean, it really, I suppose, is just a further example of the president exerting his power over Congress and sort of ignoring the
legislative branch.
COLLINSON: Yes, and the fact that the Republican-led Congress seems to be willing to let the president do anything he wants. If, for example, the
president were to launch a new war in Venezuela to topple President Maduro, that would raise real questions about whether he has the legal power to do
so.
Presidents, especially, since the September 11th attacks in 2001 have been eroding Congress' power to declare war. There is a thing called The War
Powers Act. That means a president can use military force, but after 60 days, he needs Congress' authorization to do so.
These attacks on speed boats that we've seen supposedly carrying drug cartel members and drugs, they started the beginning of September. So, if
this is a U.S. military action, that period is about to elapse in early November, and supposedly, Trump would need Congress' authorization to carry
on. This has got even more urgent because we have this U.S. carrier battle group, the U.S. -- led by the USS Ford, the massive lethal aircraft carrier
steaming towards the Caribbean from Europe.
You don't need a massive aircraft carrier battle group to take a few speed boats out, as the administration has been doing in about 10 strikes so far.
So, that's raising all sorts of questions about what exactly Trump is planning. Is he planning to topple Maduro? Is he trying to send a message
through gunboat diplomacy? And, of course, this all comes in the context of Trump's wider pressure on all sorts of countries in Latin America to adhere
more to Trumpian values. The win in the midterm elections of President Javier Malilei's party in Argentina was a big win overnight for Trump
there.
HILL: Yes. And, of course, here in the U.S., there is also the backdrop of the government shutdown. Now, day 27 of that shutdown, and doesn't really
seem to be an end in sight.
Stephen, appreciate it as always. Thank you.
COLLINSON: Thank you.
HILL: The CEO of one of America's biggest airlines, telling CNN, the longer the U.S. government shutdown does go on, the more impact it will have on
the business. Ed Bastian, speaking to Richard Quest at the Fortune Global Forum in Riyadh.
Delta has just announced plans for a new route to Saudi Arabia with flights from Atlanta to Riyadh beginning next year. Here is a bit more of their
interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED BASTIAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DELTA: And when you're on the ground here in Riyadh, and you see the vibrancy, you see the development, you see
the growth in this marketplace, I think it's going to be a great route, and it will not be the only flight that we are having to Riyadh.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: What is the purpose of the flight? Is it for O and D? Origin and destination? Or is it ultimately to build out
through connectivity?
BASTIAN: I think, it's to bring us consumers, business, leisure travelers, to Saudi Arabia and to Riyadh, specifically.
QUEST: And within that, you have, of course, got the deal. I mean, you have already got SkyTeam, which, of course, has got Saudi in it, which is Jeddah
and elsewhere.
BASTIAN: Yes.
QUEST: And now you've got the arrangement with Riyadh Air, which just started flying yesterday.
BASTIAN: Yes.
QUEST: How does that fit in?
BASTIAN: Well, we can work with both of them. Riyadh will be the global, you know, airline for the kingdom. And I think when you look at the growth
aspirations and the investment that PIF is making into Riyadh Air, it's clear that will be the international of the two airlines.
Saudi is a great partner of ours. They will probably be for more local reasons.
QUEST: Would you like to see Riyadh in SkyTeam? Or is that a separate issue?
BASTIAN: I think that's a separate issue. I mean, we have -- we've done many deals over the last decade, we are including Virgin, we are -- we
didn't -- we are not requiring that they join SkyTeam. If they decide, it benefits them. We are -- we are happy to support that. But we are not going
to require that.
QUEST: Air traffic control issues in the U.S. at the moment. You are a victim like everybody else, in a sense of the government shutdown. There is
nothing what you can do about it other than open ends soon.
[10:50:03]
BASTIAN: I hope so. I hope so. Hopefully, in the next, next couple of weeks, it has to.
QUEST: You -- are you being badly affected in all your hopes.
BASTIAN: We are not being affected in a meaningful way. But the longer this goes, I think, it will start to have some impact.
QUEST: Are you seeing any reluctance inbound to the U.S., of people who do not want to travel to the U.S., either because they fear an unfriendly
arrival experience, or they just simply, you know, based on geopolitics, they don't want to visit America.
BASTIAN: We've seen some avoidance this year.
QUEST: I mean, besides Canada, which is obviously --
BASTIAN: Yes. Right now, we have -- we have seen -- we have seen some avoidance. We have back filled it with more Americans heading out, because
the desire, the demand for U.S. to go abroad, is high. 80 percent of our point of sale is turning into be us point of sale for international. But,
yes, we have seen some of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: You can see more of Richard's interview with Ed Bastian, later on "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS", live from Riyadh. That airs, of course, 4:00 p.m.
here in New York, midnight in Abu Dhabi.
Stay with us. We are back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: As battery powered devices become more common, so to do the potential environmental and safety hazards hiding in your trash.
In the U.K., one recycling plant is now turning to artificial intelligence to spot the dangers before they ignite. CNN's Allison Chinchar has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice over): At a recycling plant in Sittingbourne, England, workers are tackling a danger in everyday trash
fires erupting from the debris. The cause is batteries, but one type in particular, found in phones, toys, power tools, and vapes.
Lithium-ion batteries are the source of the flames.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And here you see a range of different types of batteries, all the different chemistries. But this one is a particular new
type that's causing a lot of challenges. These are the lithium-ion batteries that charge vapes.
And in the U.K. alone, we are seeing 8 million of these binned or littered every week.
CHINCHAR (voice over): The highly flammable batteries can ignite when crushed, setting fire to surrounding waste.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are seeing in the U.K. significant increases in fires associated with vapes and batteries and hidden batteries inside
electricals.
CHINCHAR (voice over): The U.K. startup Lion Vision thinks A.I. could help stop the fires before they start. The group has developed a camera led tool
that scans the debris flying through the conveyor belts, spotting and removing the lithium-ion batteries before they spark trouble.
GEORGE HAWKINS, MACHINE LEARNING ENGINEER: So, we are using a camera system mounted above a belt and that is connected to a computer that is running an
A.I. machine learning system that is scanning those images and looking for batteries and hazardous objects that we have trained the A.I. algorithm
what to detect.
CHINCHAR (voice over): When the system identifies one, an air ejection bar fires a jet of compressed air to knock it safely out of the waste stream.
And Lion Vision says with every pass, the system gets smarter.
HAWKINS: We are always looking at the data that we are collecting, detecting, and how we can improve that. So, new batteries might come
through different brands that we would then build back into our training data in order to deploy new models that can detect different brands of
batteries.
[10:55:02]
CHINCHAR (voice over): A high-tech fix for a growing waste problem. One that could make recycling safer and smarter for the future.
Allison Chinchar, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: A bit of a skeleton takeover to tell you about in Mexico City, hundreds of people parading through the streets last night to kick off Day
of the Dead festivities. The iconic skeleton character, La Catrina, was everywhere, taking a variety of forms, brightly colored costumes, some even
lighting up the night.
Dia de los Muertos, as it is called, of course, in Spanish, the Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 2nd, the tradition honors deceased loved
ones. It is also a celebration of life.
That's going to do it for this edition of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill. Thanks so much for joining me.
Be sure to stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
