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Isa Soares Tonight
President Trump Urges Europe To Pressure Russia To End War On Ukraine; Deadly Funicular Crash In Portugal Kills 16 People; U.S. HHS Secretary Grilled On Capitol Hill Over Vaccine Policies; U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Escalate; Maduro Denies Involvement In Drug Trafficking; DOJ Looks To Limit Transgender People To Possess Firearms; Afghanistan Hit By Another Earthquake; Giogio Armani Dies At The Age Of 91. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired September 04, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, U.S. President Donald Trump says it's up
to Europe to pressure Russia to end its war on Ukraine as Kyiv's allies say they're ready to commit to security guarantees if a peace deal is in place.
We'll break down for you how that might work. Then, three days of mourning in Portugal after a deadly funicular crash, at least, 16 people killed and
many more injured following a terrifying derailment. We are live in Lisbon this hour. Plus, RFK grilled on Capitol Hill. The Health and Human Services
Secretary facing tough questions by Senate lawmakers over his vaccine policies and the turmoil at the CDC.
But first, tonight, Europe is rushing to fill the diplomatic gap nearly three weeks after the U.S. and Russian Presidents failed to reach a peace
deal to end Moscow's war in Ukraine. In Paris today, Kyiv's western allies, known as the Coalition of the Willing, held talks with Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
French President Emmanuel Macron says 26 nations have pledged to provide post-war security guarantees to Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached. Have a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT, FRANCE (through translator): In the coming days, we are going to finalize the American support for the security
guarantees. The United States, as I mentioned, has been involved in every step of the process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, the White House says Mr. Zelenskyy and Mr. Trump spoke on the phone earlier. Both U.S. and European officials raiding -- raising the idea
of secondary sanctions, which would impact countries that trade, of course, with Russia. Trump says Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil and put
economic pressure on China. Our Melissa Bell has more for you on Europe's postwar plan from Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Macron says there are now 26 countries within the Coalition of the Willing that
have pledged to be on the ground in Ukraine post a ceasefire agreement. This came after a meeting of members of that coalition, some by video
conference, some who were here in Paris this Thursday, and a long phone conversation of the group with President Trump.
Very few details emerged about exactly what the American guarantees the so- called backstop would look like. We understand from the French President, that those details will be finalized in the coming days. But certainly, the
headline, as he spoke alongside the Ukrainian President who requested this meeting, that a growing number of countries are willing to pledge their
presence in Ukraine once a peace deal has been found.
For now, of course, there is no sense that the trilateral meeting that President Trump had been looking towards bringing together the Ukrainian
and the Russian Presidents is anywhere near happening. President Macron calling once again on the Russian President to try and make his way to the
negotiating table.
But these security guarantees that, this mainly European group have been looking at, are really designed to try and show that they are serious about
the technical issues they've now discussed at length to ensure that Ukraine is able to maintain its stability and independence once a peace deal has
been struck.
There have been questions about where these foreign troops might be located, President Macron said the details of the regions in which they'd
be stationed would be considered. There had been some concern about whether any of these troops might be near frontlines. That, again, will be for
future negotiations and future announcements.
For now, though, from a very small number of countries who seemed willing to commit to being on the ground in Ukraine, a list that has grown now to
include 26 at the end of this particular meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, according to President Macron. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, President Zelenskyy says there is an understanding as to which countries are prepared to send troops to bolster Kyiv's force.
Earlier, I spoke with Nick Paton Walsh about what this support may potentially look like. Joining us now is our Nick Paton Walsh. So, Nick, 26
countries agreeing to the security guarantees. What would that look like on the ground and what role would the U.S. play potentially here?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: There's a huge amount we don't know about this --
SOARES: Yes --
WALSH: What we do know is the psychological significance of European countries like France, probably the United Kingdom, saying that they would
put troops on the ground physically inside of Ukraine.
[14:05:00]
Russia has already rejected that as a principle. But for Ukrainians, it is huge. European military powers saying that they will have their backs in a
physical form. The American involvement here, Trump has reassured everybody that he's not going to put U.S. boots on the ground, but they will provide
what the Europeans call a backstop, which is logistics, Intelligence importantly, support militarily on the ground and also air power. So, if
any peace deal comes, which look -- that's still miles off --
SOARES: Yes --
WALSH: As we speak, there could be some kind of freeze along the frontlines, and the Americans could potentially use their significant Air
Force, easily able to challenge the Russian air superiority at the moment on the frontlines to basically freeze the skies, to stop the nightly drone
and missile assaults.
There has been talk in the media of the possibility of some kind of DMZ along the frontline where you keep the militaries 40, 30 kilometers apart,
essentially, a distance that drones can fly. Now, Zelenskyy has rejected that, saying, look, you're basically asking Ukraine to retreat further --
SOARES: Yes --
WALSH: And give the Russians an advantage, and that already drones make that kind of DMZ already exist. The gray zone, as they call it. So, we
don't know a lot about the details, but it looks like you would see European troops almost certainly in the capital, probably in a major city
like Dnipro down here.
They talk about defending the ports, that's going to mean Odesa here as well. But are you going to see them on the frontline? I would say almost
certainly not. They're going to be there as a psychological backup to the Ukrainians, saying that Europe and essentially by extension, NATO, has your
back, but not actually doing any fighting.
SOARES: And if we quickly have a look at the map in terms of the frontlines, you were there, what, two weeks or so ago, give us a sense --
or 2 or 3 weeks ago, give us a sense of what that looked like.
WALSH: Look, so, the whole peace deal we talked about in Alaska, potentially --
SOARES: Yes --
WALSH: We heard Putin ask for the rest of this Donetsk in exchange for stopping the fight. Now, he has desperately been trying for a year almost
to take Pokrovsk down here. They made progress over the past weeks, that's slowed. People were talking to there on the Ukrainian side, saying they
think the Russians are having what they call kind of a smoking break.
Re-equipping, bringing up new units, getting ready for another push, they'll almost certainly make another effort where they've moved quite fast
up here towards Kostyantynivka, that's another key frontline town and in their sights to Kramatorsk, where they'll be moving fast up here, held back
by the Ukrainians to try and to cut that off too.
Why is Putin playing for time? Because he thinks if he gets enough ground here, makes enough progress here before Winter, he'll change the reality of
what he controls, and therefore get a much more comprehensive and likeable peace deal if he even wants that, then.
SOARES: He certainly has the support from his ally Xi Jinping, of course, and Kim Jong un. Nick, appreciate it, thank you very much. Well, Hamas,
meantime, is responding to U.S. President Donald Trump's demand that it will release all hostages in Gaza, saying it's ready to enter what it calls
a comprehensive deal to end the war.
Hostage families say the Israeli government must act on that and immediately enter negotiations. But Israel's Defense Minister says Hamas
must accept Israel's terms or face mass onslaught. Israel says it now controls 40 percent of Gaza city ahead of a planned siege that would force
the entire population out.
A network of Palestinian NGOs warns that would be the most dangerous displacement since the war began. Many residents say they will not leave,
despite those relentless strikes we've been seeing. One woman says an expectant mother in a tent was among those killed today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Such important questions there. Well, Pope Leo is making a personal appeal for a ceasefire. The Vatican says he raised the, quote, "tragic
situation" in Gaza when he hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog today at Vatican City. I want to turn to Portugal now, because the country's Prime
Minister confirms that 16 people have now been killed after a Lisbon funicular derailed and crashed into a building.
More than 20 other people were injured. A witness says one of the carriages came off its tracks and hurtled into a building at full speed, falling
apart pretty much like a cardboard box. Emergency services say all victims have now been removed from the wreckage as authorities open a formal
investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES (voice-over): Lisbon in mourning and shaken to its core after a deadly funicular crash. As the sun rose over the Portuguese capital, it
revealed the extent of the damage of Wednesday evening's accident with one of its two linked cable streetcars in tatters. The Gloria Funicular is
extremely popular with both tourists and locals.
Its cars have carried passengers up and down a steep cobbled street in the heart of the city for over 140 years. Each car operates as a counterweight
to the other. But last night, something went horribly wrong.
[14:10:00]
BRUNO PEREIRA, EYEWITNESS: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
SOARES: More screams and a massive plume of smoke followed as passengers from the lower car frantically tried to climb out of the windows and flee
the scene. Abel Esteves was one of them.
ABEL ESTEVES, SURVIVOR: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
SOARES: But the funicular crashed into a building, stopping it from plunging even further. Local authorities say it's too early to determine
the cause of the derailment, but the Lisbon firefighters regiment says that a cable detached along the line, causing the descending funicular to lose
control.
MAYOR CARLOS MOEDAS, LISBON, PORTUGAL: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
SOARES: Forty-year-old and father of two, Andre Marques(ph) is the first victim to be identified. He was the vehicle's brakeman according to the
Transport Workers Union. There are also multiple foreign nationals on board. Lisbon City Council suspended operations of other streetcars in what
is known as the City of Seven Hills, and ordered immediate inspections according to local media.
The prosecutor general's office is opening a formal investigation. As Lisbon warns, there are already calls for accountability over how something
so tragic could happen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, let's get the very latest on this story. CNN's Portugal's Nuno de Sousa Moreira is in Lisbon for us. Nuno, appreciate you being with
us. We have been hearing from authorities in the last hour, we have also been hearing from the public prosecutor's office, which has been working to
identify the victims. Just bring us up to date with what they're telling us.
NUNO DE SOUSA MOREIRA, CNN PORTUGAL REPORTER: Yes, Isa. Yes, so that process of trying to identify all the victims, all the 16 that are
confirmed right now, it has been very difficult. But now, through those confirmations made by Portuguese authorities in the last hour, we can now
confirm that North American citizen is among the mortal victims from this tragedy.
Also, two Canadian citizens, one Ukrainian, one Swiss citizen, two South Korean and five Portuguese citizens are among the mortal victims for this
historic and without precedent, tragedy. So, there is still three undisclosed victims without a known identification right now. And we also
know that six critical injured remain in hospital trying to recover from the injuries that they suffered yesterday in this tragic accident in this
street. Kalsada(ph) de Gloria just behind where the debris are still on the scene. Isa.
SOARES: Yes, and that backdrop behind you, Nuno, it's so iconic, of course, to so many who not just of course, us, who are from Lisbon for so many
visitors. But you know, today -- last night, Lisbon --
MOREIRA: Yes --
SOARES: Continued to mourning, and but there are also, Nuno, some really deep questions about how this unfolded, where the protocols were in place,
where inspections had been carried out. What is your sense of what authorities are saying? What Carris is saying, the operator, of course, of
Lisbon's public transport.
MOREIRA: Of course, now, Isa, this is a country deeply in a state of grief and sour. And these are the most -- still the most difficult hours just a
few hours passed after this tragic accident. Today, we're leaving a nationwide grief day by a government decision. But most of all, this is a
country united in grief and sorrow after one of the most tragic accidents in Lisbon's history.
This is also a country in shock by all that images that we all have seen yesterday with the dead bodies being removed from the debris by the
rescuers in this street right behind me. And the injured trying to get out of the tragic scene and survive. Now, one thought is crossing the minds of
many Lisbon residents and tourists that I've come across with today, and that is, it could have been me.
[14:15:00]
It could have been me among the dead ones, among the injured. It could have been among those who have lost some relative or even a friend, among those
40 passengers inside this funicular yesterday. Among the victims, we know that there is a German man that was vacationing with -- their -- wife and
his three-year-old son.
The boy was -- has already recovered now from the injuries in the hospital, sadly, his father did not survive. This is just one of the stories that
give us a closer look on how brutal this accident was. And it's going still to be -- to the victims and their families. For now, all the funiculars in
Lisbon were closed under mayor's order, and inspection will be made to all of them.
An investigation, as you said, Isa, is already undergoing to tell us exactly what went wrong. It could have been a problem with the main cable.
Some specialists said to CNN Portugal, but the company that runs the Gloria's Funicular, it made right away public statements that says very
clear that all the security procedures and maintenance work was up to date.
From now on, how will this city residents and tourists deal with this funiculars and cable cars in the future, Isa? It's really hard to know
right now.
SOARES: Yes, indeed. And our thoughts and prayers are with all those victims, of course, those who have died, those families --
MOREIRA: Yes --
SOARES: And of course, those injured, and indeed the city of Lisbon, my hometown. Nuno, appreciate it, thank you very much indeed. That's Nuno de
Sousa Moreira for us live in Lisbon. And still to come tonight, fireworks on Capitol Hill as the U.S. Health Secretary faces a flurry of questions
about his stance on vaccines and the shake-up of the CDC.
Plus, amid a strained relationship between Washington and Caracas, I speak with one expert warning the U.S. could stumble into a disastrous
intervention in Venezuela. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, spurning decades of proven scientific research that have saved countless lives, Florida plans to become the first U.S. state to
eliminate vaccine mandates, including for school children. Florida's Surgeon-General framed the decision as a matter of choice, saying every
vaccine mandate, quote, "is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery".
[14:20:00]
All 50 U.S. states have had public school immunization requirements since the 1980s to fight against diseases such as measles, polio and rubella.
Critics say the move could have life or death consequences, and that declining immunization rates could compromise herd immunity for the wider
population.
While the intense debate over vaccine policy was front and center today, as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended his
stance on vaccines before a Senate panel in some very fiery exchanges with both Republicans and Democrats.
By the way, Kennedy called recent firings at the Centers for Disease Control absolutely necessary. He testified, we were lied to about
everything, he said, regarding COVID 19. In an explosive back-and-forth, the Secretary was asked by a Democratic senator about the removal of long-
time members of a CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT FRANCIS KENNEDY JR., SECRETARY OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, UNITED STATES: All the evidence is transparent. For the first time in history, and
you were never there complaining when the pharmaceutical companies were picking those people and then running their products through with no safety
tasking(ph) --
SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO): You can make -- you can characterize it any way you want. I quoted them today. What I said was accurate. What you said were
lies. You described people --
KENNEDY JR: Are you saying, senator --
BENNET: Moving the -- moving the Titanic --
KENNEDY: Senator, are you saying that the --
(CROSSTALK)
KENNEDY: Damn MRNA vaccine has never been associated with myocarditis or pericarditis in --
BENNET: I am saying -- I am simply --
KENNEDY: Is that what you're trying to tell us?
BENNET: I am simply trying to say that the people that you have put on that panel after firing the entire --
KENNEDY: You're evading the question.
BENNET: You -- no, I'm asking the questions here, Mr. Kennedy --
KENNEDY: You're evading that question.
BENNET: I'm asking the questions, Mr. Kennedy --
KENNEDY: Oh, I asked you a question --
BENNET: I'm asking the questions for -- Mr. Kennedy, on behalf of parents and schools and teachers all over the United States of America who deserve
so much better than your leadership. That's what this conversation is about, Mr. Chairman --
KENNEDY: Senator, they deserve the truth, and that's what we're going to give them for the first time in the history of that agency.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Fireworks there on Capitol Hill. We'll have more now from the hearing from our medical correspondent, Meg Tirrell.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, this was actually a previously-scheduled hearing for the Senate Finance Committee to discuss
President Trump's 2026 healthcare agenda, but that was completely overshadowed by the events at the CDC last week, where Secretary Kennedy
and the White House fired Director Susan Monarez, who they had just installed in that job, who had been confirmed by the Senate only about a
month previously.
And now, just before the hearing kicked off, Dr. Monarez published an op-ed in the "Wall Street Journal", giving her side of the story. And as part of
that, she said, quote, "I was told to pre-approve the recommendations of a vaccine advisory panel newly filled with people who have publicly expressed
anti-vaccine rhetoric."
Those folks, of course, having been installed on that panel by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And now, in the hearing today, he was asked
about that, and he said that Dr. Monarez was lying in that op-ed. Later on in the hearing, he gave his own recollection of -- he says -- why he asked
her to resign. Here's that exchange.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA): That if she refused to sign off on your changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, that she had to resign?
KENNEDY JR.: No, I told her that she had to resign because I asked her, are you a trustworthy person? And she said, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?
KENNEDY JR.: So --
WARREN: What?
KENNEDY JR.: If you had an employee who told you they weren't trustworthy, would you ask them to resign, senator?
WARREN: So, I'm sorry, but this is not what she has said publicly. She has said --
KENNEDY JR.: Well, I'm not surprised about that --
WARREN: She would take to re-appoint -- so, you're saying she's lying?
KENNEDY JR.: Yes.
TIRRELL: And that was just some of the back-and-forth during this hour's long hearing. But there is going to be more action coming ahead, because
there is a meeting of that outside panel of vaccine advisors to the CDC scheduled for September 18th, where they are set to vote on several key
childhood vaccines.
And so, there have been calls from Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who is a doctor and the chairman of the Health Committee, to indefinitely postpone
that meeting. That doesn't appear to be happening. And in fact, Secretary Kennedy may even appoint more members to that committee before that meeting
takes place.
But a lot of concerns from the public health world and from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over vaccine policy under Secretary Kennedy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And our thanks to Meg Tirrell there. And still to come tonight, I'll ask a top Biden-era official about the legality of Tuesday's U.S.
strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in the Caribbean. And legendary designer Giorgio Armani has died. We'll take a look back at his life as
well as his legacy.
[14:25:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back everyone. The governments of U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro have had a turbulent
relationship so far, from reaching agreements, from prisoner releases and taking actions that at times benefited both countries, to now exchanging
threatening measures and military orders.
The latest escalation came this week after the U.S. struck an alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean, that it says was linked to Venezuelan criminals.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Ecuador today, wrapping up his travels in Latin America as part of the Trump administration's focus on
countering drug trafficking. Rubio had this to say when questioned on Venezuela. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE, UNITED STATES: Number one, Venezuela is a major source, and the reason why it's the following -- and I've seen a lot
of this reporting and it's fake reporting, and I'll tell you why. It says that somehow Venezuela is not involved in the drug trade because the U.N.
says they're not involved.
Are you trying to -- the U.N. -- I don't care what the U.N. says. The U.N. doesn't know what they're talking about. Maduro is indicted by a grand jury
in the Southern District of New York. That means the Southern District of New York presented the evidence to a grand jury, and a grand jury indicted
him.
And then a superseding indictment came out that was unsealed about a year- and-a-half ago, that specifically detailed Maduro's actions. So, number one, let there be no doubt, he -- Nicolas Maduro is an indicted drug
trafficker in the United States and he's a fugitive of American justice.
Number two, for cooperative governments, there's no need because those governments are going to help us identify him.
[14:30:05]
We don't -- they're going to help us identify them. Now, they're going to help us find these people and blow them up, if that's what it takes.
They're going to help us with it.
I don't know if you saw yesterday, Trinidad. Trinidad, a country that has suffered greatly from all these drugs coming out of Venezuela, they were
congratulating us for it. They thought it was a great thing because they've suffered from it.
So, we're going to continue to hunt for, like we always have, but this time we're not just going to hunt for drug dealers with the little fast boats
and say, let's try to arrest him. No, we're -- the president has said he wants to wage war on these groups because they've been waging war on us for
30 years and no one has responded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Marco Rubio there without referring directly to the U.S. attack on the boat. Venezuela's president highlighted Venezuelan unity in the face
of, quote, "a new onslaught of imperialism." All this as the U.S. announced on Wednesday that it's terminating a form of humanitarian relief for
Venezuela's living in the U.S., urging them to self deport.
I want to bring in Juan Gonzalez. He served under President Biden as a National Security Council, senior director for the Western Hemisphere. He's
currently as a resident fellow at the Georgetown Americas Institute. Juan, welcome to the show.
Let me just pick up, first of all, on what we have seen and heard in the past kind of 48 hours or so from this U.S. administration. Secretary Rubio
has said, roughly this time yesterday, the interdicting vessels carrying drugs doesn't work, but blowing them up, he said, does. He also said this
would continue, you heard him there, hunting, talking about hunting these guys down. What do you make of this strategy, first of all?
JUAN GONZALEZ, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SENIOR DIRECTOR AND RESIDENT FELLOW, GEORGETOWN AMERICAS INSTITUTE: Well, I mean, he's right
that interdiction alone does not work. But if you look at examples like Plank Columbia is the combination of an interdiction eradication, economic
stimulus, but more, importantly demand reduction, that does work. We've seen a drop in cocaine consumption in the United States as a result of the
billions that the Biden administration invested in 2024 alone, we saw 27 percent drop in fentanyl debts. So, it, it does take work. But you know, as
long as people are consuming drugs, there will be trafficking.
The challenge with -- or the problem with using the military, particularly to take lethal action, is one that really opens the door toward tragedy.
Usually, the Coast Guard, which actually is responsible, has law enforcement authorities will board and verify before taking any sort of
action. And if the -- and if like the go-fast boat is non-responsive, they'll usually have a helicopter with a 50 caliber rifle that will take
out the motor, and that really helps not just seize the drugs, but also gather intelligence and go through the law enforcement route.
SOARES: Let's talk about the drugs because according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the UNODC, Venezuela is not a cocaine producing
country. Coca crops are concentrated in Columbia, Bolivia, Peru. And the U.N. went on to say that the majority of Colombia cocaine is being
trafficked north along the Pacific Coast, not the Caribbean.
So, if you are after -- if you're hunting, as he says, these criminals, these narco-trafficking rings, why not pursue (INAUDIBLE)? Why not talk to
Colombia, talk to Peru, talk to Bolivia? Why then just the Caribbean side?
GONZALEZ: That's the logical question. You're -- the U.N. is accurate that roughly two-thirds of the cocaine that comes to the United States comes
from the Pacific. But of course, there's a balloon effect. If you put pressure on the Pacific, it'll move toward another direction. It's also
accurate that Venezuela does not produce cocaine, but has become a major trans-shipment point for cocaine because when we started an airbridge
denial program, meaning a program to shoot down vessels that are transporting cocaine, the movement of cocaine moved, as you outlined east
through Venezuela where they weren't going to get shot down, and then west through Central America.
So, in the Caribbean, you know, the question is if the United States, under this administration, is very serious about combating the narco threat, then
they would be really plussing up the budget for the U.S. Coast Guard. They would be really expanding the presence. But more importantly, they would
not be cutting assistance to demand reduction programs, which under -- in the 2025 budget, the Trump administration has sought deep cuts to the
budgets that actually work in reducing demand in the United States.
SOARES: Then explain to our viewers around the world, Juan, what the U.S. is trying to achieve here and the repercussions. Because I read a piece
that you have written -- that you were mentioned in, that you said that you fear that the U.S. could stumble into protracted guerilla war in Venezuela.
Just expand what you mean by that. Because in the last, what, 10, 15 minutes we have heard from Marco Rubio again in speaking in Ecuador, saying
there is a possibility of stationing U.S. military personnel in Ecuador.
[14:35:00]
GONZALEZ: Yes, of course. I mean, the first three points, the first I'll say is that the attack which Trump said took place in international waters
is really legally questionable, because designating a group as an narco- terrorist does not give Washington a license to kill, shoot first and ask questions later there. There's rules of engagement that are there to
protect the innocent.
The second point is that, you know, right now this really looks less -- to be less about drugs and more about trying to coerce Maduro's inner circle.
Sanctions have failed to force the regime. So, Trump is turning to military pressure.
The concern here is that, you know, they said more operations will take place, is that the United States will stumble into military conflict inside
of Venezuela. This could go from, you know, shooting tomahawks at locations inside of the country. But if you see some of the deployment, the naval
deployment includes, you know, submersibles that are meant to take beaches. If you look at, you know, Venezuela, and I've studied this for decades now,
Caracas may be stable, but you leave Caracas in their entire swaths of that country.
In the West, the Natural Liberation Army, a Colombian guerilla group controls parts of it. In the East, you have criminal groups, certainly you
have Trend de Aragua and others. And so, if the United States comes in, it's, you know, not going to be as easy as you remove Madura, you were
placed with the with a duly elected president who was Edmundo Gonzalez, who won the elections last year, and that'll solve the problem. And you'll need
to have, you know, 10,000, 20,000 Marines inside the country and it'll become a cost elaborate for every single illegal arm group throughout the
Americas. And it won't be easy, it won't be, quote -- we won't be welcome with open arms, as has been said in the past.
SOARES: Such important insight there. Juan Gonzalez, really appreciate taking -- appreciate you taking the time to speak to us. Thank you, Juan.
GONZALEZ: My pleasure.
SOARES: And we have breaking news to bring to you. The Trump administration is dramatically escalating its fight against the right of transgender
Americans. CNN is told that senior Justice Department officials are looking to limit transgender people's right to possess firearms. And the talks come
in the wake, of course, of the Minneapolis Catholic Church shooting, which killed two children and injured 21 people. Police say the attack was
carried out by the 23-year-old transgender woman. This is reporting from my colleague Evan Perez, who joins me now.
So, Evan, just break it down for us. What are you understanding? How seriously are they considering these proposals?
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're told by some senior officials that they are seriously looking at this, top leadership of
the Justice Department is giving serious consideration to this. And you know, first I think we should pause for a second and point out that
obviously in this country we have a lot of mass shootings. We've had a tremendous number over the years. And the vast majority, the vast majority
are carried out by attackers who have nothing to do with transgender. They're not transgender people.
And so, this, however, because of the Minneapolis shooting and a couple others in recent years really has gotten currency in conservative circles.
They view transgenderism and the idea of people who claim to be transgender, they view that as a mental illness. And so, that's one of the
things that they're tackling here with this idea -- with this proposal.
Now, this is something that is still being worked through. They're -- what they're looking at is perhaps issuing a government rulemaking, which is
something through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the United States. And what this would do is simply order that people who claim to be
transgender, that they do not have their Second Amendment rights to have firearms.
Now, in this country there is -- you know, the federal law does allow for the government to take away guns from people who've been, quote/unquote,
"adjudicated mentally defective." That's the terminology in the federal law, or if you've been institutionalized.
And so, the question, Isa, from what we've been talking about here today is how is the United States government going to determine who are these people
that need to have their rights taken away from them? You know, one of the things that President Trump has done since taking office in his second
term, has been to say that the U.S. government no longer recognizes transgender people, that they have to go by the gender that is assigned at
birth.
And so, the question is, how are they going to come up with the names of these people? How are they going to even identify who the people are whose
guns need to be taken away from them? Of course, the other part of this is, you know, you have a lot of gun rights groups in this country who would
view this as a slippery slope. And so, you know, certainly, I think you're -- they're due -- they're up for a fight if this idea actually gains
traction inside the administration.
[14:40:00]
SOARES: Indeed. Lots of questions, answers, I know that you'll continue to push for. Evan Perez, good to see you.
PEREZ: You too. Thanks.
SOARES: Thank you. And still to come tonight, another earthquake has struck Afghanistan. This, after a 6.0 hit Sunday. We'll have the latest after the
U.N. issues a very grim warning. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, just about an hour ago, Afghanistan was hit by another earthquake. The U.S. Geological Service says it was a magnitude 5.6, a
little bit weaker than Sunday's quake. According to the Taliban, that one killed more than 2,200 people. Wet weather and damaged roads have made it
difficult for rescuers to reach remote villages. Afghanistan was already facing hunger and an economic crisis after decades of war. And the U.N.
warns food for victims could run out in four weeks if nothing changes. We will of course continue to keep an eye on the latest earthquake while our
Nic Robertson has the latest though on the recovery efforts from Sunday's earthquake.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): For these children, their first cooked food since the quake struck. Families in this
remote village in eastern Afghanistan, forced to seek shelter in their fields.
More than two days after the magnitude 6 tremor hit the rugged mountainous region, aid agencies are only just beginning to reach the worst affected.
We need everything, we don't have food, this villager tells us. We don't have the means to cook because we lost our kitchens and firewood, we don't
even have a pillow and a mattress to sleep on. Everything is gone.
The only way even these limited supplies are getting here is by helicopter. Firefighters with little more than picks and shovels joining the search for
survivors. Many villagers still missing, but time is running out.
Recovery efforts pausing to pay respects. As they discover those who didn't make it through that awful Sunday night.
Homes here, testament to the quake's power and an object lesson to the scale of the calamity for communities whose buildings are boulders, rock
and trees bound together by mud.
[14:45:00]
The majority of people from every household were killed. For example, there was a house where 19 people were living and now only one of them is alive,
this survivor tells us. I'm in a state of shock right now and so is everyone else, our brains have stopped working.
The government says the death toll is still climbing. Over 1450 people now and likely to get worse.
DR. MUKTA SHARMA, AFGHANISTAN DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE, WHO: Being able to bring in the heavy equipment to rescue people, to remove the rubble is
something which has not been possible to date in many sites. So really a very difficult situation on the ground.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Seen from a helicopter, the scale of the challenge becoming clearer. Miles of dirt roads cut by landslides, only accessible on
foot. After shocks and heavy rain are hampering relief efforts. But the challenge here goes way beyond just getting to those affected.
SHARMA: These are not wealthy people. These are people who are barely on the edge of existence. They eke out a living. So, for most of them, they
have lost everything. They've lost their homes, they've lost their animals. And they're starting, when they start life again, really from zero.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): For many here, for now at least, shedding Sunday's trauma is still their biggest challenge.
It was like doomsday for us, he says. It was a test from God and I pray that the Almighty God doesn't test us like this again.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, rescue efforts continue today in Tarsin, the Western Sudan village that was wiped out by the impact of torrential rains over the
weekend. An armed group that controls the area is appealing for international help to recover bodies and rescue residents. At least 1,000
people were killed when a landslide destroyed the village. According to the Sudan Liberation Movement Army, just one person survived. The situation in
Sudan and was already dire, of course, before this disaster. A two-year civil war has its placed millions of people, leaving them desperate for
food, as well as medical supplies. We'll stay on top of that story for you of course.
And still to come tonight, a talent for understated elegance turned a hungry child of World War II in one of the most celebrated designers of all
time. I'll talk to the fashion director of The New York Times about the life and legacy of Giorgio Armani.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. Fashion legend Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91. The Armani Group says the Italian designer passed away
peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. Giorgio Armani first began his design career in 1964 when given a job by designer Nino Cerruti.
He started his own brand in 1975 and quickly became a fixture, of course, on fashion runways. Giorgio Armani's impact was also felt in Hollywood. In
1980, actor Richard Gere wore an Armani suit in the movie "American Gigolo." This instantly turned an Armani suit into a permanent status
symbol.
Joining us now for more is Vanessa Friedman. She's the fashion director and chief fashion critic for The New York Times. Vanessa, welcome to the show.
We just quickly looking on X and, you know, the tributes continue to pour in. Morgan Freeman, just in the last 20 minutes on screen and off, in quiet
moments and on the grandest stages, I have had the honor of wearing Armani. Today you will remember a man whose genius touched many lives and whose
legacy of grace and timeless style will endure.
Talk to our viewers, just explain to our viewers what made him so special here, Vanessa, so, unique.
VANESSA FRIEDMAN, FASHION DIRECTOR AND CHIEF FASHION CRITIC, THE NEW YORK TIMES: You know, we know the names of lots of designers, but very few
designers really change how we dress permanently. And Armani did it not once, but twice, at least, if not more than that. You know, he completely
changed the silhouette of the power suit, which -- until he got ahold of it, really was about very strong shoulders, very tailored, very structured
by taking out the lining and relaxing it, right? So, he essentially redefined the idea of soft power and the look of soft power. It became the
uniform of boardrooms everywhere.
And then he changed the look of Hollywood, right? He really was the first designer to, you know, not only work on screen with film, but off screen
and to offer his services on the red carpet to stars, right? That is now something that we just take for granted, but he was the first one to ever
do it.
SOARES: And when you're talking about suits, Vanessa, not just men's suits, I mean, he redefined women's suits, right, as well, what he's done for
women's fashion.
FRIEDMAN: He invented the word greige, the combination of grey and beige. He -- yes. He -- you know, he was the power suit for executives, whatever
gender they were.
SOARES: Yes.
FRIEDMAN: And he really -- you know, he continued to be their -- that kind of a resource.
SOARES: And when you think Giorgio Armani, you don't even have to say Giorgio, you can say Armani, his name is synonymous, of course, it varies.
What very few people in the world have just, you know, recognized just by their one name that, you know, his clothes, his designs were clean, sharp
lines, exuded elegance and class, as well as confidence, and that, of course, and you touched on this, attracted a lot of the -- of Hollywood of
red carpet. Speak to that. I mean, I remember Grace Jones was in the cover, I think of Vogue in the 1980s, and that really then took off.
FRIEDMAN: I mean, if you think -- it is impossible to think of a red carpet and not think of Armani, right? He dressed Jodie Foster, he dressed Lady
Gaga, he dressed Kate Blanchett. He dressed, you know, men across the board, right. I think almost, you know, any Oscars there would be like at
least 10 people in Armani.
And it was because, as you say, he managed to create clothing that was both sort of relaxed and almost freeing, but also powerful, right? That would
seem to be an oxymoron, relaxed power. But he managed to, you know, get both those qualities into any single garment.
SOARES: I wonder then what happens to the American brand, you know, because I was just reading the last interview he gave to the FT. And it struck me
that he wanted the transition to be smooth. But, you know, he was the sole -- he was a sole shareholder in his company, right. He's a shrewd
businessman. Do we have a sense here, Vanessa, of what will happen next to Armani? Can there be an Armani without Giorgio Armani?
[14:55:00]
FRIEDMAN: It's a very good question. There are a number of family members in the company. There are clearly people who, you know, grew up in the
world of Armani, understand intrinsically the ethos of Armani. But whether that is something that can be replicated without Mr. Armani, you know, it
necessarily will have to become something different. How it becomes something different, we don't really know. Like many designers, like many
founders, I think he found it hard to imagine a world without himself in control.
And so, while he ensured the longevity of the name and the business, he didn't really address ideas of creative succession. And that's the big
question right now.
SOARES: Yes. We've got about 40 seconds left on show, but I was wondering, you know, if there's one piece, one suit, one, you know, design that you --
that struck you, that stood out as very much Armani, Vanessa?
FRIEDMAN: I mean, the quintessential Armani look has got to be the soft greige pants suit. You know, it's -- I remember when he did his
retrospective. And I was talking to a curator and they said, you know, it was easy to find those incredibly beautiful sparkling faces, but it was
almost impossible to find a pen suit because everyone wore them.
SOARES: Vanessa, thank you so much. Really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us. Vanessa Friedman there.
And that does it for us for tonight. Thank you very much for watching "What We Know" with Max Foster is up next. I shall see you tomorrow. Bye-bye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
