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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

New Plea For Nancy Guthrie's Return; Ghislaine Won't Talk Without An Offer; U.S. Blockade Causes Cuba To Ration Remaining Oil Supply; Netanyahu Expected To Meet With Trump On Wednesday. Aired 5- 5:30a ET

Aired February 10, 2026 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[05:00:23]

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to our viewers joining us from the U.S. and all around the word. I'm Rahel Solomon. It is Tuesday, February 10th, 5:00 a.m. here in New York.

And straight ahead on EARLY START.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Savannah Guthrie makes a direct appeal to the public for help in the search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie.

NANCY GUTHRIE, NBC NEWS ANCHOR: We are at an hour of desperation and we need your help.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Ghislaine Maxwell, the accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the U.S. House Oversight Committee.

GHISLAINE MAXWELL, EPSTEIN ACCOMPLICE: I invoke my Fifth Amendment right to silence.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This may look like housecleaning on ice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lots of folks would not even think this is a sport.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's actually one of the most strategic sports in the Olympics.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Welcome to curling.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There you go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: We begin this hour with the search for Nancy Guthrie, now in its 10th day after her apparent abduction over a week ago. A second reported ransom deadline has now come and gone. The alleged note threatened the 84-year-old's life if her family did not pay $6 million in bitcoin by Monday afternoon.

No press briefings are currently scheduled to provide updates or new information on the investigation. The Pima County sheriff's office in Arizona says that the case remains active and ongoing, but authorities still have not publicly identified a suspect in Guthrie's disappearance.

Nancy's daughter today show host Savannah Guthrie says that the family is now at an hour of desperation.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Tucson with more on her latest plea to the public.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We believe our mom is still out there.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Savannah Guthrie, sitting alone, makes a direct appeal to the public for help in the search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, nine days after she was taken in the middle of the night from her home in Tucson, Arizona

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We need your help. Law enforcement is working tirelessly around the clock, trying to bring her home, trying to find her. She was taken, and we don't know where.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): It's been three days since the alleged kidnapper sent a ransom note to a local TV station after demanding $6 million. The latest note did not include a deadline.

The FBI and the local sheriff's department have searched Nancy's neighborhood day and night, scouring her home, her rooftop, even an underground septic tank near her property. Searches by air and ground of the nearby foothills and desert. And still Nancy's no closer to coming home.

Savannah and her family are reaching out again this time for more than prayers, asking people to look for their mother wherever they can.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: No matter where you are, even if you're far from Tucson, if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Expressing gratitude in this horrific moment as she appeals to everyone concerned about her mother's fate.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Thank you so much for all of the prayers, because we believe that somehow, some way, she is feeling these prayers and that God is lifting her even in this moment and in this darkest place.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): This is the fourth video the family has posted to social media including two from all three of Nancy's children and one video just from her son. Previous posts were aimed at the kidnappers.

CAMRON GUTHRIE, SON OF NANCY GUTHRIE: First, we have to know that you have our mom. We want to talk to you, and we are waiting for contact.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): And even directly to their mom.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Everyone is looking for you, mommy, everywhere. We will not rest.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): On Saturday, the siblings again reached out to the kidnappers, offering payment

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us and we will pay.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): With each message, another glimpse into this nightmare that Nancy Guthrie's family is facing, seemingly with no end in sight.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We are at an hour of desperation and we need your help.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA (on camera): Monday night, the FBI released a new statement to CNN saying, quote, the FBI is not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers, nor have we identified a suspect or persons of interest. And this also continues as the FBI is continuing to urge people to call in any tips, any clues, anything that might help them find Nancy Guthrie.

[05:05:05]

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Tucson, Arizona.

SOLOMON: And some experts believe that the media spotlight on Nancy Guthrie's disappearance is having an impact on how the case is evolving. Here's what a former hostage negotiator told CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT WALKER, FORMER HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR: This is a really unusual case ordinarily, the kidnappers would have gone in contact with the authorities or the family by now, and some kind of meaningful negotiation would be taking place. And ordinarily wed want to do that quite covertly, not in the full glare of the media however, in this case, there is something slightly unusual about it. And I think in these circumstances, actually getting the media and the public support to try and help financing is actually the right step to take here.

The most dangerous time in a negotiation is just when you think you're winning. And really, its only when, in this case Nancy's back safely with her family will people be able to breathe a sigh of relief here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Over the weekend, the Guthrie family said that they would pay the ransom for Nancy's safe return. It is unclear, though, if any financial transaction has occurred.

CNN spoke with Harry Levin or Harvey Levin, the founder of TMZ, who received one of the alleged ransom notes. And CNN cannot independently confirm the letters authenticity but Levin says that the note was chilling and that it laid out potential consequences if the bitcoin exchange did not occur.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARVEY LEVIN, FOUNDER OF TMZ: I want to read you just -- I'll read you one line from the ransom note we received, and they say it is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. So, you know, this was way back when the first ransom note was issued and days passed. And on Saturday, Savannah said we are going to pay this. So, it's baffling to us. We just don't understand what has transpired. But the account we're looking at does not show a deposit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Turning now to the Epstein files in the fallout in both the U.S. and U.K. Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the U.S. House Oversight Committee on Monday. Her lawyer says that if the president grants her clemency, she would clear his name of any wrongdoing as it pertains to Epstein. Now, some are accusing Maxwell of trying to buy her clemency by refusing to testify.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JAMES WALKINSHAW (D-VA): What we did not get were any substantive answers to the questions that were asked that would advance our investigation to help us learn who were the other men involved in these crimes, to help us learn? Who are the others who knew about these crimes?

REP. JAMES COMER (R-KY): Her attorney said -- Maxwell didn't say. Her attorney said that she would answer questions if she were granted clemency by the -- by the president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Meantime, Congressman Thomas Massie saw unredacted versions of the Epstein files on Monday and tells CNN that he was able to identify at least six men whose names were redacted when they shouldn't be. Massie didn't rule out revealing those names, but says that he is giving the Justice Department a chance to do it first.

And the U.K. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is fighting to stay in power amid calls for his resignation. He's facing backlash for appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S. last year.

Buckingham Palace also responding to the scandals. King Charles says that he is, quote, ready to support police as they investigate a report about the former Prince Andrew for suspected misconduct in public office. Let's get to Salma Abdelaziz, who is following these developments from

London.

So, Salma, from 10 Downing Street to Buckingham Palace. Clearly, the scandal continues to grow let's begin with the former Prince Andrew. What do we know about the focus of this police investigation?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. So. Thames Valley Police received a complaint from an anti-monarchy group called Republic. In this complaint is centered around the latest leak of documents, the latest Epstein leak. In those documents, it appears to show. And these are allegations, of course, that the former Prince Andrew was passing on government secrets, confidential information, financial trade secrets to Mr. Epstein after 2008 after his conviction as a sex offender.

Now, of course, again, Mr. Andrew -- former Prince Andrew has denied any wrongdoing has denied these allegations against him. But he did serve as a trade envoy for the U.K. between 2001 and 2011, which would have meant he would have been bound by the duty of confidentiality and if indeed any private government secrets were forwarded to Mr. Epstein, that would be a matter for the police to investigate.

Now, what has the police said so far?

[05:10:01]

Well, Thames Valley Police says it has received the complaint and it is assessing it.

Now, all of this this makes that statement from King Charles ever more extraordinary but it is because it is clearly him getting ahead of the possibility of the police asking for their questions.

SOLOMON: Salma Abdelaziz for us there in London. Salma, thank you.

U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn is speaking out for the first time since her devastating crash at the winter Olympics, saying that she has no regrets over her decision to compete. Vonn was skiing Sunday in the downhill race with a completely ruptured ACL, she said in a social media post that her ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with the crash. That crash resulted in a leg fracture that will require multiple surgeries, she said, quote, the only failure in life is not trying.

We're going to have live coverage of the winter Olympics from Milan a little later in the show.

Still ahead for us, a multi-billion dollar bridge is not even open yet appears to be triggering President Trump. Why he is lashing out at Canada over the project.

Then why the U.S. squeeze on Cuba's oil supply is causing new concerns for tourists? We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [05:15:38]

SOLOMON: President Trump is threatening to block the opening of a bridge between Ontario, Canada, and Michigan that's being paid for by Canada. Major construction on the Gordie Howe Bridge is already complete, and the total projected cost is more than $4 billion. But President Trump says that it will not open until the U.S. is fully compensated by Canada for, quote, "everything we have given them." He also demanded Canada treat the U.S. with what he calls the fairness and respect that we deserve.

The Pentagon says that U.S. military forces have boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean. A tracking organization reports that the ship departed from the Venezuelan coast last month after the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro. The Pentagon did not say whether the ship is connected to Venezuela. Data transmitted from the tanker shows that it is not currently carrying crude oil, according to tracking data, the ships radio transponder has been turned off for months, which is a tactic commonly used by smugglers to hide their location.

U.S. military has struck another alleged drug trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific. U.S. southern command says that two people were killed and one survived Monday's strike, claiming that the vessel was operated by, quote, designated terrorist organizations. At least 121 people have been killed in U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats since September, and what's become known as operation southern spear. But so far, the Trump administration has offered little public evidence that those killed were affiliated with cartels, or that the boats being targeted were actually carrying drugs.

And the U.S. blockade on oil to Cuba is dealing a huge blow to Cuba's tourism industry, its government warned that jet fuel will not be available until March 11th. Major U.S. carriers say that their planes can carry enough fuel to get to the island and back, but Air Canada has suspended its service, saying that it will still carry out ferry flights to pick up thousands of customers who are still in the country.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann reports from Havana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As more and more time goes by and oil shipments don't arrive to Cuba, stop by the Trump administration's insistence that countries are no longer able to send the government, the Cuban government, any kind of oil, saying that Cuba represents a threat to the United States.

We are seeing the impacts more and more here. There are less cars on the road. Now we're hearing that airlines are cutting flights to Cuba because there's not any jet fuel for them here to be able to refuel and bring the passengers back home.

So this is, of course, the impact. There'll be less tourists coming here. It really becomes a chain reaction for the already struggling Cuban economy.

Mexico is sending aid, tons, hundreds of tons of food, but they're not at this point sending any oil under U.S. pressure to not do that. The Kremlin has said that Cuba is now facing a crisis. The government here, essentially their ally, their old ally, is in deep trouble as what they call a U.S. chokehold continues on and on.

We know the U.S. and Cuba are exchanging messages. They are holding talks. Remains to be seen, though, if any deal can be struck, because the U.S. is really insisting on regime change.

The government leave power open up to multi-party elections that political prisoners here are afraid and a lot of other steps that the Cuban government up until now has been unwilling to agree to.

Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: U.S. lawmakers are fighting over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats demand and the Republican response as they look to avoid a DHS shutdown.

Plus, Israel tightens its grip on the West Bank ahead of Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to the U.S. Coming up, we'll go live to Jerusalem for the latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:23:52]

SOLOMON: Welcome back.

The U.S. government is facing another partial shutdown if lawmakers can't agree on funding for the department of homeland security by Friday, Democrats have a list of demands including judicial warrants for raids, visible IDs and a ban on federal agents wearing masks. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson claims that opposition lawmakers don't really want to rein in illegal immigration.

The GOP has submitted a counterproposal, which the Democrats call short on details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: Our demands for dramatic ICE reform are clear. It's a line in the sand that we've drawn on behalf of the American people.

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: Some of them are positive starting points for further discussion. Others are nonstarters and unnecessarily tie the hands of law enforcement. In the coming days, the administration and Democrats will need to work out their differences.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SOLOMON: Federal prosecutors are working to drop a criminal case against former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. A jury convicted Bannon with contempt of Congress in 2021 after he failed to comply with subpoenas from lawmakers investigating the January 6th riot.

[05:25:03]

He already served four months in prison but has appealed the conviction.

On Monday, U.S. attorney Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host, asked a federal judge to dismiss the case with prejudice that would mean that prosecutors could not refile in the future.

This is the Trump Justice Department's latest effort to undo criminal cases related to the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Iran's foreign minister says that the first round of indirect nuclear talks with the U.S. is a good start, but he emphasized the need to address long standing distrust of American intentions and objectives. The U.S. wants Iran to give up all plans to develop a nuclear weapon, if not, President Trump has threatened military action. Diplomats from Washington and Tehran negotiated via a mediator from Oman on Friday, a top Iranian official now working to set up the next round of indirect talks.

Australia is calling for calm after clashes broke out Monday between police and protesters opposing the Israeli president's visit. Isaac Herzog is on a multi-city trip in Australia visiting a synagogue in Sydney earlier today. He is also expected to meet with family members of victims of the Bondi beach shooting, where 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration last year.

Herzog's visit comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet President Trump in Washington on Wednesday.

Let's get to CNN's Nic Robertson, who joins us live from Jerusalem Nic, what more do we know about the agenda for the meeting

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, the prime ministers just left for Washington. He should be touching down there late east coast time this afternoon. He has said that he'll be talking about Gaza. He'll be talking about regional issues.

But he said really his focus will be about Iran and the talks the United States is having with Iran. Following a security cabinet meeting just a couple of days ago, he really emphasized the importance from Israel's perspective, that the United States engages in conversations not just about the nuclear issue, but about Iran's ballistic missiles, about its support for proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis in the region here.

And at the moment, the indication is that the United States is willing to just negotiate on the issue of Iran's nuclear enrichment and its stockpiles of enriched uranium on those issues at the moment. The president was asked about this on Friday, and he said that he was happy to just engage with Iran on the nuclear issue. And indeed, as long as Iran didn't have a nuclear weapon from his perspective, he said, he indicated that it would be okay for Iran to have a level of enrichment.

All of that clearly has raised a degree of concern in Israel with the prime minister, with the government about how those talks are going. So, what the Prime Minister Netanyahu is saying before he before he got on the plane, was to emphasize how close his relationship is with President Trump and Israel's relationship with the United States. He says this is the seventh meeting I'm going to have with President Trump. This will be his sixth visit during President Trump's second term in office.

And clearly, he intends to imply to his electorate here in Israel that he can have influence in the White House and the influence he wants to have that he is laying out here is that these talks that the United States is having with Iran should sort of follow up a negotiating tactic style, call it what you will. That there is -- Israel has its view on how negotiations should go and that that view would be not just better for Israel, but better for regional peace and security as well.

So that really is I think those Iran talks are the big issue for Prime Minister Netanyahu when he gets in the Oval Office with President Trump on Wednesday.

SOLOMON: Yeah, we'll certainly be watching to see what deliverables may or may not come from that meeting. Nic Robertson in Jerusalem, thank you.

Straight ahead, a landmark case that could reshape social media protections for children.

We'll be right back

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