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Early Start with Rahel Solomon
New Release Reveals Emails From Sarah Ferguson To Epstein; Conservatives Attack Netflix Over "Wokeness"; NBC Supports Savannah Guthrie Amid Search For Missing Mother. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired February 04, 2026 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: 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. XX. I'm at your service. Just marry me."
In another she complained. "It was so crystal clear to me that you were only friends with me to get to Andrew. And that really hurt me deeply. More than you will know."
Ferguson was dropped last year as the patron or ambassador to several British charities after earlier documents showed she had called Epstein her "supreme friend." At the time, a spokesperson for Ferguson said she regretted her association with Epstein.
On Monday evening, Ferguson's charitable foundation "Sarah's Trust" announced it will shortly close for the foreseeable future after some months of discussion, according to the U.K.'s PA Media news agency.
The U.K.'s former ambassador to Washington, Lord Peter Mandelson, also dragged into deeper scandal in the latest release of Epstein files. He was fired from his post in September over the scandal when U.S. lawmakers released the birthday book compiled for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003 in which Mandelson penned a handwritten note describing the financier as "my best pal."
The latest tranche of documents has revealed that in 2009 when Mandelson was business secretary, he appeared to leak a sensitive U.K. government document to the financier.
They also show that Mandelson's partner Reinaldo Avila Da Silva regularly received undisclosed payments from Epstein. A spokesperson for Mandelson told British media that neither the former ambassador nor Da Silva "Has any record or recollection of receiving payments in 2003 and 2004 or know whether the documentation is authentic."
Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday and is set to quit the House of Lords on Wednesday. In his resignation he apologized "To the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now." CNN was unable to contact Mandelson for further comment.
Max Foster, CNN, London.
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RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Bill Gates, meantime, is apologizing for his connections to Epstein. In an interview with CNN affiliate 9News in Australia, the Gates Foundation chair was asked about the latest documents and here is what he had to say about this name appearing in the files.
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BILL GATES, CHAIR, GATES FOUNDATION: I met Jeffrey in 2011. The focus was always he knew a lot of very rich people, and he was saying he could get them, uh, to give money to global health. You know, in retrospect that was a dead end. And I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him.
CHARLES CROUCHER, NINE POLITICAL EDITOR: You're no doubt saying the allegations, including some of them from the last 24 to 48 hours -- are they true?
GATES: No. The -- apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email was never sent. The email is, you know, false. So I don't know what his thinking was there. It just reminds me, you know, ever minute I spent with him I regret, and I apologize that I did that.
CROUCHER: The problem is some of the things that he sent and some of the information about other people that has come up in those files has been true.
Why would he do this and say this about you, do you think?
GATES: You know, it's factually true that I was only at dinners. You know, I never went to the island. I never met any women. And so, you know, the more that comes out the more clear it'll be that although the time was a mistake it had nothing to do with that kind of behavior.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: And still ahead of us, Netflix executives on the hotseat. Senate Republicans grilled them over what they call a woke agenda ahead of their planned purchase of Warner Bros.
We'll be right back.
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SOLOMON: Welcome back. The time now is 5:38, and this is your business breakout. Let's start with where U.S. future stand ahead of the opening bell, and it is a mixed picture at this point. Investors hoping for a more positive session after yesterday's rough day for stocks. Stocks closed between three-tenths of a percent lower to about 1.4 percent for the Nasdaq in the midst of that tech sell-off.
OK, let's take a look and see some other business headlines this morning.
One of President Trump's top economists has stepped down from his leadership role at the White House's Council of Economic Advisers. Stephan Miran is still serving out his term as Federal Reserve governor, a role that required Senate confirmation. In a letter dated Tuesday, Miran wrote that he had promised senators that he would leave the White House should he remain at the Fed past January.
The Disney Company has announced that Josh D'Amaro will succeed current CEO Bob Iger next month. D'Amaro currently chairs Disney's hugely successful parks division. His promotion to the top post emphasizes how important theme parks and cruises have become to Disney. Bob Iger will stay on as a senior adviser and board member until he retires at the end of this year.
And as I just mentioned there, Tuesday a tough day for tech on Wall Street. Bitcoin was hit especially hard, falling to its lowest level since President Trump won re-election in 2024. Despite his promise to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the world, Bitcoin is now down about 40 percent since hitting a record high in October.
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Senate Republicans are going after Netflix for what they call its woke content. The Trump administration will have to approve the company's $83 billion bid to buy Warner Bros. streaming and studio assets. Some conservative senators have accused Netflix of having a left-wing bias.
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SEN. ERIC SCHMITT (R-MO): Why in the world would we give a seal of approval or a thumbs up to make you the largest behemoth on the planet related to content? It seems as though you have -- you have engaged in creating not only a monopoly of content potentially but the wokest content in the history of the world.
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SOLOMON: Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said that his company has no political agenda.
Warner Bros. Discovery currently owns CNN, but CNN and other linear networks would not be included in the Netflix deal.
President Trump is sharing what he calls the first public rendering of the future White House ballroom. It's under construction right now after the old East Wing was demolished last year. The president says that the building keeps in tradition with the White House's height and scale. The estimated cost of the project has skyrocketed from $200 million to now $400 million. Trump says that it will be fully funded by private donations.
And still ahead for us we will take a closer look at the bond between Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy as authorities continue their search for the missing 84-year-old in Arizona.
We'll be right back.
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SOLOMON: Welcome back. I'm Rahel Solomon. And here are some of the stories we are watching for you today.
The partial shutdown of the U.S. government has ended. President Trump signed a sweeping spending bill on Tuesday. But funding for the Department of Homeland Security runs out in another two weeks. Democrats are demanding changes to the way that the administration is handling immigration enforcement.
Trilateral peace talks are underway this hour between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. Officials are meeting in Abu Dhabi through Thursday. Negotiations come a day after Russia launched its largest attack on Ukraine so far this year. The assault knocked out heat and electricity for tens of thousands of people during bitterly cold weather.
And authorities say that they are aware of reports of possible ransom notes in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. The mother of "TODAY" show host Savannah Guthrie has been missing since Saturday. She is believed to have been abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona. The local sheriff and the FBI are asking the public for any leads to help find the suspect.
And the uncertainty surrounding Nancy Guthrie's whereabouts is hitting very close to home for the staff of the "TODAY" show. Savannah Guthrie's mother was a frequent heartwarming guest on the program and was beloved by viewers.
CNN's Brian Stelter has more on the outpouring of support to help bring Nancy home.
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CRAIG MELVIN, NBC HOST, "TODAY": We know someone out there knows something. Call.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Savannah Guthrie's colleagues pleading for help today, hoping for a break in the case of Nancy Guthrie's shocking disappearance. The story hitting so close to home for viewers too because Savannah's mom has been a regular visitor to the "TODAY" show for 15 years.
NANCY GUTHRIE, MISSING: All my kids are absolutely amazing, so --
JENNA BUSH HAGER, NBC CO-HOST, "TODAY WITH JENNA & SHEINELLE: They sure are absolutely amazing.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC HOST, "TODAY": I love you, mama.
STELTER: When Savannah stepped up as co-host, her mom came along for the ride.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's Savannah's mom.
N. GUTHRIE: Savannah, I'm going to tell you --
S. GUTHRIE: Are you kidding me?
STELTER: And she played along with the show's surprises and stunts.
S. GUTHRIE: I am thrilled to welcome a very talented cook to our kitchen.
N. GUTHRIE: Oh, yes.
S. GUTHRIE: One I know well -- my mom, Nancy Guthrie. Hi, mom.
N. GUTHRIE: Hi.
S. GUTHRIE: Are you ready to cook?
N. GUTHRIE: I'm ready.
STELTER: Last year on "TODAY," Savannah looked into the game of Mahjong, which she says she saw her mom play since she was a little girl.
N. GUTHRIE: Savannah, this is my original Mahjong set that dad brought me back from Singapore.
STELTER: The family settled in Arizona when Savannah was young. Savannah was just a high schooler when her dad Charles died -- a tragedy that deepened her bond with her mom.
S. GUTHRIE: My mom was so strong and set aside her own grief in many ways just to be there and make sure that we could all move forward together.
STELTER: And Nancy kept the memory of Charles alive.
S. GUTHRIE: Guys, this is a real Kentucky recipe with just a touch of Arizona because you know my --
N. GUTHRIE: Yes.
S. GUTHRIE: -- mom and dad both grew up in Kentucky.
N. GUTHRIE: The green beans are -- you know, dad always grew them and he called them "Kentucky Wonders."
STELTER: Nancy never remarried. And Savannah felt guilty moving away from home but knew her mom wanted her to pursue a news career. S. GUTHRIE: It was really hard for me to leave her, and that's when she said, "If you can't leave me then I didn't do my job right, Savannah."
STELTER: Savannah talked over the years about her mom's faith.
S. GUTHRIE: The greatest gift my mother gave me was faith and belief in God. It changed my whole life.
STELTER: And now her "TODAY" show colleagues are repeating Savannah's prayers to bring her home.
CARSON DALY, NBC HOST, "TODAY": I don't think I've ever prayed for anything harder in my life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
MELVIN: And it's all we can do right now.
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SOLOMON: Our thanks to Brian Stelter.
And authorities ask anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department at the number on your screen -- 520-351-4900. There is a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest.
The ex-husband of former U.S. first lady Dr. Jill Biden has been indicted on a murder charge. Seventy-seven-year-old William Stevenson is being held on a $500,000 bail. He was arrested in connection with the death of his wife, 64-year-old Linda Stevenson. Authorities say that Linda Stevenson was found unresponsive in their Delaware home back in December after police got a call about a domestic dispute. Police would not share more details about the case or manner of death.
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William Stevenson married Jill Biden in 1970. The two got a divorce in 1975. The Biden Post-U.S. Presidential Office declined to comment about the charges or the arrest.
All right. Coming up for us, the stage is set for Super Bowl LX and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel could make NFL history if his team secures the win. Details straight ahead.
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SOLOMON: Welcome back.
Local, state, and federal agencies are beefing up security in the Bay Area ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California, but the NFL says that immigration enforcement operations are not part of the plan.
[05:55:05] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHY LANIER, NFL CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER: No planned ICE or immigration enforcement operations that are scheduled around the Super Bowl or any of the Super Bowl-related events. There are no known specific or credible threats to the Super Bowl or any of our related events.
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SOLOMON: Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots is set to take place Sunday at Levi Stadium.
And while both the Seahawks and Patriots have won Super Bowl championships before, a win would be a first for their head coaches.
CNN's Andy Scholes has more.
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ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, it was another day of meeting with the media for the Patriots and Seahawks here in the Bay Area -- and as Super Bowl LX is a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX. And back in 2015 the Patriots and the Seahawks making the Super Bowl was not a surprise at all, but this year it certainly is.
But both of these teams are here in the big game thanks in large part by the incredible job that their head coaches Mike Macdonald and Mike Vrabel did this season. And Macdonald has been a rising star in the coaching ranks since his time on the defensive staff with the Baltimore Ravens. His defense was tops in the NFL this year. In just his second season in Seattle he has them playing for a title.
Now I spoke with a bunch of his players, and they all said playing for Coach Macdonald -- it's very unique.
LEONARD WILLIAMS, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: He's a -- just a super smart guy. Um, we always joke about how he has a little bit of AI tendencies about him. Like, we said that he's, like, been planted and he's learned how to be human day by day. But I think he's just tremendously smart. We joke about having a -- you need a Harvard education to play in his defense.
JARRAN REED, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: He demands greatness from us, and you have to have that as a player. You know, you can't shy away from the work, so you've got to put the ground in to be able to go each and every day.
SCHOLES: And while Macdonald got the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in his second season, Vrabel did it in year one in New England. Now, Vrabel played linebacker for the Pats, winning three Super Bowls. And with a win, Vrabel would be the first-ever former player to win a Super Bowl for his former team as a player and head coach.
And all the players I spoke with said they just love playing for him. TREVEYON HENDERSON, RUNNING BACK, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: He's really passionate and he's done a really good job of just leading this team and helping us get to where we are now. And guys respect him a lot, you know. You know, he cares so much about us not just as players but as human beings and I really respect him a lot for that.
KAYSHON BOUTTE, WIDE RECEIVER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: It's great playing for Coach Vrabel. I mean, he's the reason why we're here today. He came in and talked about identity. Everybody believed in it and, I mean, I would say it paid off.
SCHOLES: Now, Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, meanwhile, is now back with the team after a five-month battle with prostate cancer. Williams attended meetings this season, but he hasn't traveled with the team all season long. He was declared cancer-free during the playoffs, and he says the support he received made all the difference.
TERRELL WILLIAMS, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: You can't go through a battle -- a battle with cancer and not have the support of our players -- just people in general. I mean, I needed that. Like, I don't think I would have been able to make it through mentally without the support of the players. Without the support of the coaches. Without the support of people that I don't even know.
SCHOLES: It's so awesome to see Williams back with the Patriots. He's been coaching for almost three decades and now he's just one win away from his first Super Bowl title.
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SOLOMON: Scientists in England have created a jelly-like robot that can rapidly change shape and move when controlled by electric fields. It's smaller than a human finger and features a soft composite that can stretch, bend, twist, and move, and is described as a step forward for adaptable and versatile machines as opposed to rigid robots.
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CIQUN XU, RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL: Like, if I generate -- generates electric field around here, it can be tracked to this area. Then if I switch fields -- if I move to this area then the robot will be attracted to this area. So by adjusting the field so it can move in three dimensional ways to different locations.
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SOLOMON: That researcher also says that electric field control could change the way scientists explore environments in the future. Scientists say that they could integrate sensing capabilities making the robot more powerful for real world scenarios.
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XU: And for example, it can do like environmental exploration. Like we said, the robot in an unexplored environment and use the electric field externally -- remotely to control it to move around this area to explore the environment.
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SOLOMON: All right. Before we go, the Westminster Kennel Club has crowned a new top dog.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For Best in Show at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, is the Doberman Pinscher. Penny, the Doberman Pinscher.
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SOLOMON: That would be Penny, a 4-year-old Doberman Pinscher who stole the judges' hearts, taking home the most coveted award of Best in Show. She outperformed nearly 2,500 canines from more than 200 breeds. It's the fifth time a Doberman has taken the top prize at Westminster. Penny's handler said, "She's as great a Doberman as I've ever seen." Congrats to Penny and her family.
And thanks for joining us her on EARLY START. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York. "CNN THIS MORNING" starts right now.
