Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with Rahel Solomon
Authorities Seek Public's Help In Search For Nancy Guthrie; U.S. Government Shutdown Over; Epstein Files Jolt Britain. Aired 5- 5:30a ET
Aired February 04, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:25]
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to our viewers joining us from the U.S. and all around the world. I'm Rahel Solomon. It is Wednesday, February 4th, 5:00 a.m. here in New York.
And straight ahead on EARLY START.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As the mystery of what happened to Nancy Guthrie deepens, investigators face the heartbreaking reality at this moment.
SHERIFF CHRIS NANOS, PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: We don't know where she is.
REPORTER: President Donald Trump signed a massive funding bill to reopen the government.
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: House Democrats wanted to shut the government down again and inflict pain on the American people. But I'm happy to report, Republicans got the job done.
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Epstein files are rocking the British establishment.
PRINCE EDWARD, BRITISH ROYAL: I think it's all really important always to remember the victims, and who are the victims in all this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
SOLOMON: We begin this morning in Arizona, where authorities are asking the public for help in finding the mother of "Today Show" host Savannah Guthrie. Eighty-four-year-old Nancy Gguthrie has been missing since late Saturday. Authorities use helicopters Tuesday in the search for Nancy, who they believe was abducted from her home in Tucson.
The Pima County sheriff says that there are still no suspects, but says that his department, as well as their FBI partners, are taking all leads seriously.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON EDWARDS, FBI ASSISTANT SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, TUCSON: We are looking at this from every angle, but we need your help. Every lead and tip is important. We are aggressively pursuing and looking into every single one. Again, please help us bring Nancy Guthrie home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: Savannah Guthrie's today show colleagues have also been asking viewers to help find Nancy, offering heartfelt tributes on air. While Guthrie's family remains hopeful. They also say that time is of the essence because Nancy doesn't have the daily medicine she needs.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Tucson with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHERIFF'S DISPATCH: Nancy, a white female, 84 years of age.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the mystery of what happened to Nancy Guthrie in her Tucson home deepens, investigators face the heartbreaking reality at this moment.
CHRIS NANOS, PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF: We don't know where she is. We have a lot of work in front of us.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): On Tuesday afternoon, the Pima County Sheriff's office said they're aware of reports of possible ransom notes for the 84-year-old mother of "Today Show" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, saying, "We are taking all tips and leads very seriously."
It started with a TMZ report claiming they received a note that appears to be a ransom demand, which they turned over to authorities and at least one other media organization in Tucson says they have received what appears to be a ransom note as well. But it's not clear if these notes are authentic.
The sheriff was asked earlier Tuesday if ransom demands had been made.
REPORTER: You were asked if there was any ransom and you didn't say no. You said we're following all leads. Does that mean a ransom has come in?
NANOS: We're following all leads we have. That's all I can tell you. We got -- we got hundreds of leads.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Authorities say Nancy Guthrie was brought back to her home just before 10 P.M. Saturday night.
LAVANDERA: Investigators are trying to piece together a visual timeline of that crucial late night and early morning hours leading up to the moment when Nancy Guthrie's friends realized she had not shown up for Church services on Sunday morning. LAVANDERA (voice-over): This is what the roads around Guthrie's home looked like in the darkness. Investigators are asking for anyone to share home camera videos or photos that could help them find clues, but this search is hampered by the darkness and homes scattered behind the desert landscape. Nancy Guthrie was reported missing around noon on Sunday.
Law enforcement says there are no suspects in her disappearance, and a reward of up to $2,500 has been offered for information leading to an arrest.
NANOS: Nancy was taken from her home against her will and that's we're at.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): But there is an almost 14-hour window from when Guthrie was last seen to when the family determined she was missing.
REPORTER: Is there any way to narrow down the window of time from when she was last seen to when she was reported missing?
NANOS: You know, I really don't want to get into narrowing down the time, because narrowing it down means we could miss some tips and leads.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): The sheriff and the FBI say they don't know if multiple people are involved in Guthrie's apparent abduction. And according to "The L.A. Times," investigators say they're also trying to track leads from cameras inside the house and possible blood evidence.
NANOS: We've submitted all, all kinds of samples for DNA, and we've gotten some back, but nothing to indicate any suspects.
JON EDWARDS, FBI ASST. SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, TUCSON, AZ: We're downloading and analyzing cell phones, obtaining cell tower information, conducting interviews.
[05:05:05]
The FBI is doing everything in our power to bring Nancy Guthrie home.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Officials also say they don't know what she was wearing or how she left her home. But that critical medication was left behind.
In recent years, Nancy Guthrie made frequent appearances on the "Today Show" with her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, who has traveled to Tucson, posted this plea overnight asking for prayers and Nancy's neighbors are showing their support for the family. We truly hope that they find her.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): As the investigation into her disappearance continues.
NANOS: We have someone's life who is in jeopardy. And so, job number one is we got to find her and we got to we got to work hard to do that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (on camera): Investigators are continuing to plead and urge the public to submit any kind of video or tips or photos, anything that they come across that might explain and fill in the gaps as to what happened to Nancy Guthrie here in this neighborhood in Tucson.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Tucson, Arizona.
SOLOMON: Washington Democrats are accusing President Trump of plotting to interfere in November's midterms, which are expected to threaten the Republican majorities in Congress. The president insists he's only calling for nationalized elections so that voting is fair and honest.
On Tuesday, he repeated his demand for Republicans to take over elections in several states.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to see elections be honest. And if a state can't run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it because, you know, if you think about it, a state is an agent for the federal government in elections. I don't know why the federal government doesn't do them anyway.
The federal government should get involved. These are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can't count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: The U.S. Constitution gives states and localities the power to run their elections. It's also worth pointing out that the places Trump keeps criticizing are Democratic strongholds like Atlanta. That's where the FBI seized hundreds of boxes of election materials last week.
And CNN spoke with Republican election lawyer Ben Ginsberg and asked about his take on the president's demand for Republicans to nationalize elections.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN GINSBERG, REPUBLICAN ELECTION LAWYER: It's certainly not constitutional or legal. The Constitution does give the power to run elections to the states. Congress can put rules in for Senate and congressional elections. The president has zero authority under the Constitution to do what he's suggesting. So, as a -- as a legal matter, it's wrong.
Now, can the president, as the president do things that were not anticipating now? Well, he's got a track record of doing that. And his rhetoric has been pretty plain about this. For years and years. It has been an article of faith of conservatives and Republicans that power should come from the states up to the federal government. Many of the members of the U.S. senate, the U.S. house, right now, advocated for that for all their careers. And all of a sudden, that's being turned upside down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: All right. Staying in Washington, the partial government shutdown has ended after three days, while the Senate reached an agreement on a funding bill Friday. The deal was an official until the House voted on Tuesday. The bill made it to the president's desk a short time later.
Sherrell Hubbard has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Donald Trump, flanked by fellow Republicans in the Oval Office, Tuesday, signed the massive funding bill to reopen the government. The end of the three-day shutdown coming after the House voted for the measure earlier in the day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On this vote, the yeas are 217 and ayes are 214. Without objection, the motion to -- the motion is adopted. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
HUBBARD (voice-over): The legislation funds almost all government agencies through September, except for the Department of Homeland Security. Lawmakers now have less than two weeks to work out a deal on changes to ICE following the killings of at least two U.S. citizens by federal immigration officers this year.
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: The American people want to see the masks come off. The American people want to see body cameras turned on and mandated. The American people want to see judicial warrants before ICE or DHS officers can storm homes.
HUBBARD (voice-over): House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed hard for GOP members to back the spending bill, despite some resistance.
JOHNSON: For some reason, many of the House Democrats wanted to shut the government down again and inflict pain on the American people. But I'm glad to tell you, I'm happy to report Republicans got the job done. Our majority worked together and we got the bills over the line.
HUBBARD (voice-over): I'm Sherrell Hubbard, reporting
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[05:10:01]
SOLOMON: Lawmakers on Capitol Hill heard powerful testimony from the brothers of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good. The 37-year-old mother was shot and killed by an ICE officer nearly one month ago on Tuesday. Her brothers described their grief and frustration with the circumstances surrounding their sister's death. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUKE GANGER, RENEE GOOD'S BROTHER: The deep distress our family feels because of Nee's losses in such a violent and unnecessary way is complicated by feelings of disbelief distress and desperation for change. This is not just a bad day or a rough week, or isolated incidents these encounters with federal agents are changing the community and changing many lives, including ours, forever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: Renee Good's death and the subsequent killing of Alex Pretti by federal officers two weeks later have sparked outrage and protests against the presence and aggressive tactics of ICE agents in Minneapolis. A high stakes court hearing in Washington on Tuesday, where a federal judge indicated he is likely to side with Senator Mark Kelly in his battle with the Pentagon. It's over this video that Kelly and other Democrats recorded, and in the video, they urge U.S. service members to refuse illegal orders.
The Pentagon planned to pursue administrative action against Kelly, including issuing a letter of censure, as well as reducing his last military rank, which would lower the pay he receives as a retired navy captain.
Now, Kelly alleges that the Trump administration is violating his First Amendment rights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): I wore the uniform for 25 years, fighting for this country and the Constitution, and they're coming after me for one reason. They want to set an example to everybody else. This administration thinks it's okay to violate people's constitutional rights, freedom of speech, freedom of the press. This isn't just about me. I'm just like the first one through the breach here that has to stick up for the rights of all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: All right. Still ahead for us, Russia and Ukraine ramp up the fighting just ahead of a new round of peace talks with the U.S. playing a mediating role. Plus, details of the meeting between President Trump and his Colombian counterpart and why, after weeks of threats, they now see a new path forward.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:16:57]
SOLOMON: Welcome back.
The next round of peace talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. is now underway in Abu Dhabi, a day after Moscow's largest attack on Ukraine so far this year. New video shows extensive damage to a power plant.
President Trump says that Vladimir Putin kept his word by not attacking Ukrainian cities for a week, but that pause ended with his latest siege. Ukraine's president says that Moscow targeted energy facilities, launching dozens of missiles and hundreds of attack drones. The assault knocked out heat to tens of thousands of people during bitterly cold winter temperatures.
Meanwhile, NATO secretary general told Ukrainian lawmakers that reaching a peace deal with Russia will require, quote, difficult choices. He said that the recent Russian attacks indicate that Moscow is not serious about peace.
Let's go live now to London and CNN's Clare Sebastian.
Clare, as I said, Trump says that Putin kept his word. Zelensky has a very different view.
So, where does that leave talks which are underway as we speak?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I don't think it inspires greater confidence of a breakthrough, Rahel. We have to be clear here, Russia has rejected any notion of any interim ceasefire to ease the path for peace talks. And I think this is why. Right?
So that they can -- they can step up attacks, then dial them down slightly and present it as a concession. And I think perhaps most concerning of all for Ukraine is that the U.S. president has accepted that as a concession by saying that Putin kept his word, therefore signaling to Moscow that this strategy is essentially working.
So, what we saw from Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials on Tuesday was a real concerted effort to get that message across to the U.S. side ahead of these peace talks. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: The Russians have once again disregarded the efforts of the American side. The president of the United States requested that they refrain from attacking energy facilities and critical infrastructures during the meetings between our negotiating teams. The American president said that they should refrain from attacks for a week. This was a very important and significant decision. In fact, it began on Friday night and tonight, in our opinion, the Russians broke their promise.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: The Russians broke their promise, Zelensky says. Meanwhile, of course, Trump said that they kept their word. But I think clearly this represents this attack on Monday night, a very large attack. And then the U.S. president's reaction is sort of a double setback for Ukraine at this point. Number one, because it does reveal the risk going into these talks that Trump, despite the efforts, the intensive negotiations and diplomacy that happened in December that resulted, of course, in an agreement on us, provided security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Despite all of that, the risk remains that Trump can default back to Moscow's way of thinking. And secondly, of course, the fact that this attack in itself an immensely brutal attack and almost half of those 70 plus missiles that were fired, did actually evade air defenses, that that has set back Ukraine's efforts to repair its energy grid and risks worsening the humanitarian crisis that we already see unfolding on the ground.
[05:20:01]
So it is under those conditions that Ukraine has to head into these talks that we hear now from the Ukrainian side have started in Abu Dhabi in a situation where as well as trying to lobby their allies to put greater pressure on Moscow, they also have to worry about where their next shipment of air defense missiles is going to come from.
SOLOMON: Yes, temperatures remain well below freezing there.
Clare Sebastian for us in London -- Clare, thank you.
U.S. and Iranian officials say that they will meet for nuclear talks later this week, though tensions between both countries remain high. A source tells CNN that discussions are expected to be held in Oman on Friday. Earlier, U.S. forces shot down an Iranian drone that, quote, aggressively approached the USS Abraham Lincoln as the aircraft carrier moved through the Arabian Sea. Iran says that its drone was flying in a routine, illegal mission to collect surveillance.
Separately, two Iranian gunboats approached a chemical tanker flying under the U.S. flag in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranians threatened via radio to board and seize the tanker, which was in international waters. U.S. military forces escorted the tanker away from the area.
After weeks of tensions, the leaders of the U.S. and Colombia say that they can see a, quote, "new path forward". President Trump hosted his Colombian counterpart at the White House on Tuesday. President Gustavo Petro described it as an optimistic and positive meeting. The talks come just one month after the U.S. captured Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and threatened Petro could be next if he didn't do more to stop drug trafficking.
Petro says that he has invited President Trump to Cartagena, a port city on Colombia's Caribbean coast.
Still to come for us, President Trump suggested Americans need to move on from the Epstein files. We'll show you his exchange with CNN at the Oval Office. Plus, uproar in the U.K. after well-known names appear in the latest batch of Epstein files. What we've learned about their connection to the late sex offender after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:26:26]
SOLOMON: Welcome back. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton, will appear for separate in-person depositions on February 27th and 26th. The House Oversight Committee wants to question them about their possible links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The agreement was reached as the house was gearing up for a vote to hold the Clintons in contempt for defying a congressional subpoena. Bill Clinton has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has never been accused of a crime.
Meantime, the president is also urging Americans to move on from the Epstein file.
CNN's Kaitlan Collins pressed him about the extent of redactions in this latest release of Epstein files and the concerns of survivors about their private information.
President Trump declined to address those complaints. Here's part of that interaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: A lot of women who are survivors of Epstein's are unhappy with those redactions that came out. Some of them entire witness interviews are totally blacked out. Do you think that they should be more transparent?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are those unhappy with the fact that they thought they released too much? You know, I heard that, and you're telling me something else. No. I think it's really time for the country to get on to something else. Really. You know, now that nothing came out about me other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally, by Epstein and other people.
But I think it's time now for the country to maybe get on to something else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: The latest batch of Epstein files is also making waves beyond the U.S. CNN understands that Britain's former Prince Andrew is no longer a resident of Windsor. One of the official residences and residences of the monarchy. The move was expected as he faces renewed pressure after his name and photos appeared in the latest release of the Epstein files.
Our Max Foster has more from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Epstein files are rocking the British establishment. In the latest tranche of documents, these three undated photos appear to show the king's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, kneeling over what appears to be a woman or girl whose face has been redacted, lying fully clothed and supine on the floor. It's unclear when or where the images were taken. No captions or context of the photographs was provided with the document release, and neither the photographs nor the email messages suggest any wrongdoing. But they are a further embarrassment for Mountbatten-Windsor, who previously faced pressure to explain a 2001 photograph, which showed him standing with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend and a convicted child sex trafficker, and Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Epstein and Andrew, who died by suicide in April.
Today, Mountbatten-Windsor's brother, Prince Edward, telling CNN in Dubai --
PRINCE EDWARD, DUKE OF EDINBURGH: I think it's really important always to remember the victims.
FOSTER (voice-over): The king stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal titles in October and began the process to evict him from the royal estate at Windsor.
Now, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged Mountbatten-Windsor to testify before the U.S. Congress.
Meanwhile, the former prince's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, is back in the headlines for her links to Epstein. The latest files revealing emails she sent to Epstein after he was found guilty of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008, including one where she thanked him "for being the brother I've always wished for."
And in January 2010, she wrote, "You are a legend. I really don't have the words to describe my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness. Kiss, kiss. I am at you services. Just marry me."
In another, she complained, "It was so crystal clear to me that you were only friends with me."
