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Connect the World
Maxwell Refuses to Answer Questions, Seeks Clemency; Unredacted Epstein Files Now Available to U.S. Lawmakers; Second Ransom Deadline Passes Amid Search for Nancy Guthrie; Trump Threatens to Block Opening of Major New Bridge; Air Canada Suspends Flights to Cuba Due to Local Fuel Shortages. Aired 9-9:45a ET
Aired February 10, 2026 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Who is being protected, two U.S. lawmakers who've seen the raw Epstein files say redactions are
shielding some powerful men. It's 09:00 a.m. in Washington. It's 02:00 p.m. here in London. I'm Christina Macfarlane, and this is "Connect the World".
Also coming up, Savannah Guthrie begs for the public's help as the FBI expands its search for her kidnap mother, Nancy Guthrie. And YouTube and
Meta go on trial, accused of being addiction machines. Lawyers argue their products are damaging the mental health of users.
Well stock market in New York opens in about 30 minutes from now. It looks like a very flat open after a few dramatic days. Tech stocks were a
standout yet again, on Monday. We're going to start the show now with the latest reverberations over the Epstein files in the U.S. and here in the
UK.
In Washington, the Republican and Democratic congressman who led the push to release the files say several powerful men are being protected by
partial redactions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): What I saw that bothered me were the names of at least six men that have been redacted that are likely incriminated by their
inclusion in these files.
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Our bigger concern is that there's still a lot that's redacted, even in what we're seeing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna speaking after they viewed a more comprehensive version of the files that the U.S. Justice Department
released to the public. Massie says he may reveal the names of those six individuals in Congress if the Justice Department won't.
Meantime, in Britain, King Charles is offering to cooperate with police in any investigations into his brother, the Former Prince Andrew. The files
appear to show Andrew shared confidential material with Epstein in 2010. Rule this coming as Epstein's jailed associate Ghislaine Maxwell refused to
answer questions in a U.S. House hearing while her lawyer said she would clear President Trump's name if offered clemency.
We will bring in our CNN's Politics Senior Reporter Stephen Collinson for following all of this. And Stephen, in your latest analysis online, you
write that lawmakers who got a chance to view the unredacted versions of the Epstein's files were kind of less perplexed with plenty of the
information still redacted, even going as far as to suggests that this was a cover up. Just tell us, talk us through the reaction that we've been
hearing.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, what happened was a number of these lawmakers got to go into the Justice Department and look at
some of the files that were released redacted several weeks ago now, and they found, and this is just a small proportion of the total files that
were released with massive redactions that they believe some people's names who should have been released were not by the Justice Department.
Now there was an exchange between Thomas Massie, the Republican Congressman behind the law that forced the Department of Justice to release these files
and the Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Monday evening. The result of that was at least one document was further un redacted, and some names
were released on that document.
So that is one piece of information, but the broader concern, I think, among these lawmakers is that the Department of Justice is not living up to
the requirements of the law that was passed after a Republican revolt last year. Some of them are going as far as to say, well, we hope there isn't a
cover up.
Massie isn't going quite that far. He seems to believe that pressure on the Justice Department could lead to further unredactions. But we're talking
about millions of files here, and what the lawmakers were able to see looking at a computer in the Justice Department for a few hours, I think,
is just the top of this iceberg.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, absolutely, an iceberg that is stretching to Europe and here to the UK. Stephen, thank you for now. Let's bring in Salma Abdelaziz,
who's been following the latest developments in the UK. And now Salma, we have King Charles saying that Buckingham Palace will cooperate fully with
any police investigation into his brother, Prince Andrew.
How significant is this? How big is this?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is huge, and it's so big for several reasons. First of all, he's getting ahead of something because
there is no police investigation as of yet. Thames Valley Police say they have received a complaint that has been filed by this anti monarchy group,
Republic.
[09:05:00]
They are accusing Prince Andrew, based on these files, of passing on government secrets when he was a trade official, essentially for the
country, a trade representative for Britain, between 2001 and 2011 and they're accusing him of essentially passing on government secrets to
Jeffrey Epstein.
Now, Thames Valley Police say, as per procedure, they are reviewing that complaint. They have yet to actually launch any investigation, but King
Charles coming out ahead of this shows how much he wants to say. Listen, we hear you. We understand you are concerned. We will work with whoever we
need to.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, this coming, of course, after King Charles was heckled on the streets yesterday in the north of England. Salma, thank you. Now Iran
says indirect talks held with the United States last week were meant to gage if Washington is serious on reaching a deal.
The Iranian Foreign Minister told counterparts in Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia the negotiations were, quote, a good start. Meantime, one of Iran's
top security officials is in Amman today, amid efforts to set up another round of indirect meetings between Tehran and Washington.
Well CNN International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson, is in Jerusalem. So, Nic, how are things progressing from what you're hearing towards that,
this next round of talks?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, the public positions taken by both President Trump and the Iranian Foreign Minister
following those talks last Friday, seemed positive. Both sides said that the talks went well. President Trump said there will be another round of
talks early this week.
And it really seemed as if the stage was set for the Omani interlocutors, if you will, which was the foreign minister there would again be it seemed
that he would be hosting the Iranian Foreign Minister again and potentially again, with Steve Witkoff at the other side of the table, or as happened at
the talks on Friday, proximity.
They only came together both sides, the U.S. and Iranian side only came together very, very briefly there. So today, Ali Larijani going to Muscat
to meet with the Sultan there, is sort of a departure, I think, from what we were sort of expecting over the weekend, which was a continuation of the
talks as they have been, and the formula that they've been based on, on Friday.
So, this puts a sort of a wrinkle in and raises that question, well, did the talks really go as well as everyone had said on Friday. And I think the
concerns about the talks are what Prime Minister Netanyahu will be taking into his meeting. He says this is the number one priority when he goes into
his meeting in the White House tomorrow morning with President Trump, that he wants to give Israel's views on how negotiations should be conducted and
handled.
And he says that's very important for the security, not just of Israel, but all those around the world who want peace in the Middle East. So, I think a
lot of people are looking at this meeting by this very Senior Iranian Official, the Head of the Supreme National Security Council, a more
experienced negotiator and a more senior diplomat with longer years of experience than the foreign minister who went into the talks on Friday.
You appear to be having higher level talks in Oman today than were had on Friday. And whether, if you will, the U.S. side in that that they're not
there today, but let's see, it sorts of upsets that narrative of Friday that the talks were going well.
MACFARLANE: And this comes, Nic, amidst a backdrop this week where we have seen a further crackdown on dissent within Iran, with the regime going
after those reformist figures in a kind of excessive crackdown. Is there any sense that, that will register at all with the United States, with, in
fact, anyone involved in these talks as to Iran's position right now?
And what they're prepared to do, given the brutal crackdown we saw on the protesters, it doesn't seem that they are changing tack?
ROBERTSON: Certainly, on the surface, looking from the outside, it doesn't. I think there was a sort of an instructive line by U.S. Ambassador to
Israel, Mike Huckabee, who was getting on the plane today at Ben Gurion Airport with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to fly to the United
States.
And he was asked various questions by journalists, but he said this, and I think this sort of gets to that point. He said, listen to what President
Trump says. When President Trump, Trump says something, then he acts on it. Well, what President Trump previously said about those protests was that he
wouldn't stand by and watch protesters being killed on the streets, and then he appeared to get assurances that wasn't going to happen.
[09:10:00]
And Human Rights Organizations have argued and said that their death toll is much higher than the Iranian leadership is saying and that there are
people being held who could still yet face a death sentence. So, in the context of that, President Trump hasn't said what he would do if these
leaders, these sort of leading opposition figures, were taken into custody by Iran.
But it doesn't present a particularly positive image of how President Trump has positioned himself and how he's positioned himself, on how Iran is
listening to him, but specifically because, and going back to U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee on this, because President Trump hasn't warned
anything about these types of figures being taken into custody.
One might assume he's not going to take action over this, but I think it will inform his picture, and certainly the picture presented to him by
Prime Minister Netanyahu, who wants to get his views about the talks with Iran in the White House tomorrow.
MACFARLANE: All right. Nic Robertson, for now. Appreciate it. Thank you. NBC News Anchor Savannah Guthrie says the search for her mother is growing
more desperate. Listen to her latest heart-breaking plea for help as the search for the 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie enters a 10th day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC NEWS ANCHOR: I'm coming on just to ask you, not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are, even if you're far from
Tucson, if you see anything, you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement. We are at an
hour of desperation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well-wishers have placed flowers and candles near Nancy Guthrie's home in Arizona, where authorities believe she was abducted over
a week ago. And a second reported ransom deadline has come and gone as the search for Nancy continues. The alleged note threatened Guthrie's life if
her family did not pay $6 million in Bitcoin by Monday evening.
Well CNN's Ivan Rodriguez is following the story for us. Ivan, we did hear the Guthrie family come out yesterday and say they were prepared to pay
that amount, but still, we have had no response. What is the latest on the investigation?
IVAN RODRIGUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christina, what we know so far is that last night, the FBI issued a message saying that they still have no person
or people of interest in this case, and there's still no suspect. And they also went on to say that there's just, you know, one piece of information
that could really help them move forward in this case, so they're asking the public to keep their eyes open.
The FBI is also bringing more personnel into Tucson. And as of last night, they say that they are not aware of any communication between the Guthrie
family and any alleged abductors. Now we are learning a little bit more information as well, Christina, about the morning that Nancy Guthrie was
reported missing.
And we all know that she did not go to church that morning, and then people began to worry. So, we're getting clarification into what happened there. A
person close to the family tells CNN that Nancy Guthrie would typically watch a church live stream at a friend's nearby home when she didn't go to
that friend's home, that's when people began to worry, and that's when friends contacted the Guthrie family.
Now, as you mentioned, that deadline has now passed, $6 million is what was being demanded. That note also contained a threat to Nancy Guthrie's life,
according to CNN Affiliate KGUN, TMZ's Harvey Levin, who also was sent that ransom note last week.
That first original ransom note revealed a direct line from that ransom note, which says, quote, it's in everyone's interest to have this completed
as soon as possible.
Harvey Levin also went on to say that the writer, or writers, bragged about how they wouldn't find the potential sender of that ransom note and that
police would not be able to help them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ FOUNDER: It just seems like Savannah is throwing her hands up, saying law enforcement is doing everything they possibly can, but
she is begging for the help of anybody, no matter how far away, for anything that could be a clue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODRIGUEZ: And over the last week, Christina, we've seen now four videos that were released by the Guthrie family. Each of them differs in the tone
and also the audience. That very last video that we've now seen from Savannah Guthrie alone, you can hear her asking, pleading for everybody
across the country, not just here in Arizona, to keep an eye out and to report any new information.
This is really the first video where we're seeing the family directly ask the public for help.
[09:15:00]
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and it is very stark to see as the situation becomes ever the more desperate with each passing hour. Ivan will continue to keep a
check in with you. Thank you for now. 19 monks and their rescue dog Aloka are completing their 3700 kilometer March for Peace.
They have now arrived in Washington, D.C. They set out on the journey in Fort Worth, Texas, all the way back in October, they've been traveling by
foot hoping to spread a message of healing, unity and compassion. Along the way, thousands of people went out to cheer them on.
The monks held to their street code of one meal per day and often slept beneath trees at makeshift camp sites. They'll participate in an interfaith
ceremony at Washington National Cathedral. Right, still to come, Donald Trump issues a new threat against Canada, this time over a major
infrastructure project.
We're live at the White House with the new details, next. And energy crisis in Cuba is hitting the country's tourism industry with one major airline
announcing that it's suspending flights to the island.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: U.S. President Donald Trump is taking aim at his northern neighbor yet again. In a social media post, Mr. Trump said he would block
the opening of a major new bridge linking the U.S. and Canada. It's called the Gordie Howe International Bridge, and it links the cities of Windsor,
Ontario and Detroit, Michigan.
It costs $4 billion and is set to open this year. The bridge was paid for by Canada, but is jointly owned with the U.S. Trump says it can't open
until Canada starts treating U.S. with quote, respect and fairness. CNN's Kevin Liptak following the story for us from the White House.
So, Kevin, this is a multibillion-dollar bridge, and it's basically ready and set to open later this year. Does President Trump actually have the
power to shut down such a major link between the two countries?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: You know, he could do something like declare an emergency that would force the closure of one of
these ports of entry. He's not specifying exactly how he plans to go about halting this bridge. And I do think that this caught a lot of people off
guard.
You know, as you said, this bridge is pretty much done. It just has to go through some final inspections before it opens early this year. You know,
President Trump, during his first term, actually praised the project. He said it was a vital economic link between our two countries.
You know, the other bridge between Windsor and Detroit is one of the busiest trade corridors in North America, and so this would be an enormous
amount of money that would be lost. It would be a very critical link between the two countries. Now President Trump, as U.S.-Canada ties seem to
deteriorate, and as his own personal relationship with the Prime Minister Mark Carney appears to bottom out, he is finding new reasons to oppose the
project.
[09:20:00]
He says, for example, that it didn't use any American steel. He's annoyed that the U.S. will not receive any of the toll revenues from the bridge.
But then he also expands it out into all of these other grievances that he has with Canada, including that its liquor stores aren't stocking American
spirits.
And that Carney has opened up trade talks with China, and in this a Truth Social post, the president wrote that the Canadian government expects me,
as President of the United States to permit them to just take advantage of America. What does the United States of America get out of it?
Absolutely nothing. He goes on to talk about these China talks. He says that China will eat Canada alive. We'll just get the leftovers. And then he
somewhat, you know, confusingly, says that the first thing China will do is to terminate all ice hockey blame being played in Canada and permanently
eliminate the Stanley cup.
It's not clear at all what he's talking about there. You know, the Canada had already paid for the entire construction of this bridge. They had
planned to use the toll revenues to recoup those costs. You know, that could potentially take decades. Then the plan was to eventually split the
revenues with the United States.
It's a joint ownership project here. The president says that they will start negotiations immediately for partial ownership of the bridge. But
this has drawn criticism from Democrats in Michigan. The Governor Gretchen Whitmer saying that it was going to eventually open one way or the other.
And Elissa Slotkin, the Democratic Senator from Michigan, says that the president's agenda for personal retribution should not come before what's
best for us.
MACFARLANE: Right. Goodness. So, we'll wait to see if he can prevent it. Kevin, appreciate the update there on Donald Trump's justifications. Now
Air Canada is suspending flights to Cuba due to a shortage of aviation fuel on the island. The announcement comes as U.S. squeeze on Cuba continues
with Trump Administration currently attempting to stop Cuba from receiving oil deliveries from its neighbors in the region.
Cuba's government says it has resorted to rationing resources in hospitals in response to the energy crisis. Patrick Oppmann is joining us from
Havana, So Patrick, what is the impact of this tightening of the belt in Cuba?
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're seeing that squeeze, as you said, more and more each day, could just be the less cars on the road, more
people hitchhiking, riding bikes, longer and longer power outages was out of my neighborhood last night when we went to bed, it was out when we woke
up this morning.
So that is just becoming the regular part of daily life here. This issue, though, with the jet fuel, is something quite serious. So, it is something
unusual for Cuba. It's only happened very rarely in the past, where the island runs out of the fuel it needs. Imagine, if you're coming from
Russia, you're coming from Europe, you need to be able to fill up to be able to get back home if you're on one of those longer flights, and they do
not have the capacity to do so anymore.
So, some airlines, as you mentioned, canceling the flights, others doing stop overs in places like the Dominican Republic, to fill up there before
continuing on to Cuba. If you're coming from someplace in the region, then you don't need to. You have enough jet fuel to fly here and back.
But of course, if you have any kind of issue, then you could face the issue. Could face the potential of getting a plane stuck here. So just
makes it even more difficult for air carriers to bring tourists here, something this island desperately needs at the moment, and means that many
people are second guessing coming to Cuba all because they could have their flight canceled.
They could, as some tourists have been, get stuck here for several extra days. So, this is a growing concern, especially as some in the U.S. are
threatening to cut the flights from the U.S. as part of this pressure campaign on the Cuban government to open up the economy, open up the
political system.
Certainly, the Trump Administration says they're going to bring all possible pressure to bear here until they get what they want from the Cuban
government. So, the Cuban government saying they're not going to bend to that pressure. But certainly, we are seeing something that has not been
witnessed here in years, which is the economy slowly grinding to a halt.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and just briefly, Patrick, to give our viewers a sense of how this is impacting the everyday person on the ground. I mean, how is
this impacting you as a resident of Cuba, like, how is home life right now with these rolling blackouts and cut offs?
OPPMANN: You know, of course, not a typical resident. I work for CNN, so that makes my life somewhat easier. I have solar panels. That's the only
reason I have power any day in my house is we got solar panels last year. You know, even for foreigners, of generators, if you don't have fuel for
generator, you can't can, you know, continue to run a generator for Cubans, it's a really serious situation.
It will -- get more and more serious as we get in the summer, where food begins to spoil quicker.
[09:25:00]
People, they're having university classes canceled. They go to the workplaces, and the power is out. So, you just feel that life is sort of
coming to a halt here, and Cubans have dealt with so much adversity over the years, but really nothing like this.
MACFARLANE: Yeah. All right, Patrick, we appreciate the update. Thank you. Let's get you up to speed on some other stories that are on our radar right
now. The U.S. military says two people were killed in the latest boat strike it carried out in the Eastern Pacific. Monday strikes seen here
targeted another alleged drug trafficking boat.
The U.S. Coast Guard was sent to search for one survivor on board. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife Usha have wrapped up a historic trip
to Armenia. They visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial today, something no sitting U.S. President or vice president has done.
France has moved on to the next stop in on his trip, which is Azerbaijan. Russia says to date, no date has been set for the next round of trilateral
peace talks, but those talks are likely to happen soon. Russian, Ukrainian and American officials met last week in Abu Dhabi for the second round of
negotiations.
No major breakthrough was reported. Still to come, a landmark trial that could reshape big tech. Meta and Google stand accused of designing
platforms that intentionally addict children. This case could set the tone for hundreds more. Plus, the U.S. President is forging ahead with plans to
build a massive new monument in Washington, but installing the world's biggest triumphal arch is much easier said than done it turns out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Welcome back. I'm Christina Macfarlane in London, and you are watching "Connect the World". Several U.S. lawmakers who viewed the
unredacted versions of the Jeffrey Epstein file say they still contain a good number of redactions. The co-sponsors of a law compelling the release
of the file say at least a half dozen men are being protected by those redactions.
One of Iran's Top Security Officials and advisor to this supreme leader is in Oman today, where the U.S. held indirect nuclear talks with Iran on
Friday. Meantime, the Iranian Foreign Minister describing those talks as a good start in separate phone calls to regional counterparts in Turkey,
Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
A second reported ransom deadline in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance has now passed. Her daughter NBC Anchor Savannah Guthrie made a new plea on Monday,
asking the public for any information in this case. The FBI says they don't know of any new communication between the Guthrie family and the possible
captors, and no suspect has been publicly identified.
[09:30:00]
U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to block the opening of a new bridge linking the U.S. and Canada. The bridge will connect Detroit,
Michigan with Windsor, Ontario. Trump says it can't open until Canada starts the treating U.S. with quote, fairness and respect.
And the opening bell, vehicle collision repair company, The Boyd Group, ringing the bell today. Let's have a look and see how the stocks are
getting on at the open. Of course, it looked a little flat at the top of the hour, but now you can see stocks are up. Perhaps not such a surprise,
given the dramatic trading days we've seen in recent days.
Investors might want to take a breather and assess where they are the DOW there, as you can see quite clearly up. And we are talking now about how
big tech can be liable for harming kids. That's the question. At the center of a high stakes trial that's putting the power of some of the world's
biggest social media companies under a microscope.
Opening statements began yesterday in the Los Angeles case where the plaintiff now a 20-year-old woman, accuses Instagram and YouTube of
intentionally building addictive apps that she says damaged her mental health. Lawmakers called them digital casinos driven by endless scrolling.
The tech giants have long denied that their platforms harm young users. Well CNN's Tech Reporter, Clare Duffy is covering the latest from San
Francisco. So, walk us through. Were there any big moments, Clare, from day one. And then, what are we expecting to get out of today? Because this is a
huge case.
CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: It's a huge case, Christina. We got yesterday opening statements from lawyers for both the plaintiff and for
Meta today. We're expecting to hear YouTube's opening statement. And this case, as you said, centers around this 20-year-old woman, Kaylee, who
started using Instagram and YouTube at a young age, and who also had a difficult childhood.
Her lawyer has said that her father was abusive, that her mother raised Kaylee and her two siblings mostly as a single mom. And her lawyer, made
the argument yesterday that that made her an especially vulnerable target for what they're calling these addictive features of social media
platforms.
He, as you said there, compared these platforms to digital casinos for young people. And I'll read you just a portion of his opening statement. He
said this case is about two of the richest corporations who have engineered addiction in children's brains. The swipe for a childlike Kaylee.
This motion is like the handle of a slot machine. He also talked about some of these other features, like the endlessly scrolling feeds and late-night
notifications, saying all of that caused Kaylee to develop mental health challenges like anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
And he pointed to internal documents from both Meta and YouTube, that he said indicated these companies have gone to great lengths to attract young
users. Now Meta's lawyer in his opening statement here, he is making the argument that it was Kaylee's difficult childhood and not Instagram that
caused her to develop these mental health challenges.
He brought in pretrial testimony from two therapists who have worked with Kaylee, neither of whom believed that Instagram played a major role in her
mental health challenges. And he talked about some of the features that Instagram has developed to protect young users, things like parental
controls and content restrictions.
So, this is starting to give us a sense of how these companies and the plaintiff are going to form their arguments. And again, we expect to hear
from YouTube today, ahead of trial, they said they believe the allegations in this lawsuit are simply not true, Christina, but we'll hear more today.
MACFARLANE: Yeah. And Clare, this lawsuit could really set the tone for more than 1000 similar cases, right? If the plaintiff wins, how big do you
think the ripple effects -- this could be for tech companies?
DUFFY: Yeah, it's really significant. This is what's being called a bellwether trial. It's the first of these more than 1000 cases to go to
trial, and so whatever happened in Kaylee's case could have ripple effects in terms of how those hundreds of other cases are resolved.
And again, if the tech companies lose, that could put them on the hook for significant, potentially billions of dollars in monetary damages, but also
require them to make changes to some of these features that Kaylee and other families have accused addicted and harmed them.
So that is really what is on the table here. And of course, we should mention that it is not just Meta and YouTube, those are the companies that
are defending in this case, but Kaylee also sued TikTok and Snap, and those companies are defendants and a number of other lawsuits.
They settled Kaylee's lawsuit ahead of trial. But again, this could have broad ripple effects across, really, the entire social media landscape.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and, of course, ripple effects for all of us, a very important case to follow. Clare, thank you. Now Donald Trump says he is
going ahead with plans for a massive new monument in Washington, a 76-meter triumphal arch, he says will outshine the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
[09:35:00]
The proposed arch will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, and it's already raising concerns over its location, air
space and symbolism. CNN Senior White House Reporter Betsy Klein is live from Washington. So, Betsy, explain why this has become so controversial?
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Right, Christina, we have seen President Trump take steps to impose his style and taste at the White
House and in Washington, D.C., we've seen the Oval Office, his ballroom project, even the Kennedy Center, but now Trump is getting into the
business of monuments.
Trump says he is building an arch, and he wants it to be the biggest in the world. 250 feet tall, that is to honor the country's 250th anniversary. But
the sheer scope and scale of this project is already prompting push back, and it's likely to face legal hurdles. Trump says he essentially wants an
American version of Paris' Arc de Triomphe, but about 100 feet taller, and also taller, by about 30 feet than the tallest arch in the world, and that
is in Mexico City.
This proposed arch is 160 feet tall and 165 feet wide. But then there is a 25-foot pedestal on top of that, and on top of that, there is a 60-foot
gilt bronze Lady Liberty sculpture. That is, according to one source familiar with the plans. Now, but for some perspective here, 250 feet.
That is the equivalent of 16 to 20 story building, smaller versions were considered. But that source familiar with the plans tells me that Trump was
dead set on having this huge, huge arch. And there are two key concerns with this project. Number one is a historically significant view that it
could potentially block.
It's going to sit at the base of a bridge that connects the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery. That house is
the former home to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. And according to the National Park Service, the bridge between those two places is a physical
and symbolic link between the North and the South.
Preservationists and historians have warned it's going to obstruct that very important link. And then there are these concerns about air safety.
This is right by Reagan National Airport, and it's a very tall structure that's going to give planes very little room for error that they are going
to be approaching at about 492 feet.
So again, a very small margin there. So, the federal aviation agency is going to have to take a very close look and review at this project. Now
President Trump says that he plans to sign an executive order on this arch, but it still has to undergo a series of reviews. It is almost certain to
draw legal challenges, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Almost certainly, the fact that the FAA are looking at this for air constraints or air restrictions gives you a sense of just how big it
is. Betsy, thank you. We'll follow this. And now, for the first time since her crash on Sunday, we're hearing from Lindsey Vonn.
Will tell you the inspiring words the American shared on social media overnight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:40:00]
MACFARLANE: Now Lyft is rolling it out a new ride sharing option for teenagers in selected U.S. cities. The company says Lyft Teen will provide
a safe and affordable way for parents to get their kids from point A to point B. Lyft said only drivers who meet the highest standards with
background checks, safe driving records and positive feedback history will be allowed to transport teens.
Only verified Lyft accounts will be able to create team profiles, and parents will be able to track the teen's location, live. The new service
launched Monday. Athletes at the Winter Olympics are being tasked with a new goal. Don't jump when celebrating the coveted medal win.
The iconic medals are apparently breaking almost as soon as they're awarded, with athletes reporting damaged medals, some even splitting from
the ribbon. When Americans women's downhill champion Breezy Johnson showed off her medal, it was apparently chipped and missing its ribbon.
It fell off while she was celebrating. Well U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu also showed on social media that her medal has separated from the ribbon,
and the same thing happened to a pair of German biathlon medalists. Oops, kind of embarrassing. Meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn said she has no regrets over
her decision to compete at the Winter Olympics.
This coming after a crash in Sunday's race in which she was already competing with a completely ruptured ACL. Patrick Snell is joining me. And
Patrick, it was so great to hear from Lindsey herself last night, wasn't it? After days of speculation as to how she is and how she's feeling about
it all.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yeah, absolutely. And we, first of all, I do just want to say this, Christy, we all wish her well in her recovery.
She is a wonderful, remarkable, inspiring athlete dedicated to her cause. And, yeah, it was very important to her after undergoing those surgeries on
Sunday, following that crash around which expectations have been so high.
Very important to her to get the statement out, which we got last night, and it was an inspiring message, no question about that. But absolutely, as
you just said, pushing back on the fact that she has no regrets at all, she feels absolutely in her mind, it was the right way to go about it.
And she said, yep, risk courage involved. I'm paraphrasing here, but look, that's basically what her career, her legacy has been built on a remarkable
athlete full of courage and an inspiring message as well that she wanted to get across to young athletes and skiers all over the world.
She has a massive global following, as you know Christy, and as I say, our thoughts with her at this time, as she focuses on recovery. Back to you.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, absolutely. And I know there'll be more action to come from the U.S. athletes today, I think on the ski hill, and Mikaela Shiffrin
action, right? So, I was what we back after this quick break with all the action from Milan.
SNELL: Yeah. Thank you.
MACFARLANE: Thanks, Pat.
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[09:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
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