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Isa Soares Tonight
President Trump Addresses Detroit Economic Club About Current State Of U.S. Economy; Trump Says He's Canceled Meetings With Iranian Officials Until Deadly Crackdown Ceases; Iran's Alarming Death Toll Of Protesters Rises To 1,800; Trump Urges Iranians To Keep Protesting; 1,850 Protesters Killed In Iran's Crackdown; Clintons Refuse To Testify In Congressional Probe; Peter Mandelson Issues Apology Over Epstein Files; Danish And Greenlandic Officials To Meet Vance At WH. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired January 13, 2026 - 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: Hello, and a very warm welcome, everyone. I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, we are keeping an eye on Michigan, let
me show you the images we're getting live from Michigan, where U.S. President Donald Trump, as you can see there, has taken to the podium.
He is speaking to the Detroit Economic Club at this hour. We are listening, we are monitoring any critical lines, but of course, we will bring it to
your attention. And it's important because while the President is set to discuss the economy there in Detroit, he clearly has Iran on his mind.
Mr. Trump says he has canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until they end their deadly crackdown. An online message to anti-government
protests earlier, let me show you this. The President wrote, "keep protesting. Take over your institutions", he writes. "Help is on the way."
His message ended with MIGA, or make Iran great again. Mr. Trump did not attend a meeting earlier today with his national security team, regarding
Iran, and it came on the heels of his decision to slap a 25 percent tariff on countries doing business with Iran -- with Tehran that happened late on
Monday.
Meantime, the death toll is surging. More than 1,800 protesters have been killed, and that is according to a U.S.-based human rights group. CNN has
not been able to independently verify those figures. We have coverage for you, though, as you would expect.
Nada Bashir is with me here in London. But first, I want to go to Kevin Liptak, who is at the White House. Kevin, Nada, just a heads up if the
President does start to speak on any of the key topics, including the economy, of course, will have to -- I will have to interject or have to
interrupt.
Let me go to you first, Kevin, as we wait to hear from -- to hear from the President, do we know what he means with help is on the way? We know that
he's meeting with his national security team today. What options from what you understand, what you are hearing, Kevin, are being considered right
now?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, the President was pretty vague on what he meant by that when he was touring a pickup truck factory
in Michigan, someone asked him, well, what do you mean by help is on the way? And he answered sort of characteristically vaguely, saying, you'll
have to figure that out.
And so, the President at this point not revealing any of his cards, although we do understand that he does have a host of options in front of
him that he is now weighing. On the help front, that could include trying to bolster the internet in Iran.
And we know that the U.S. has been looking into ways to help the protesters get around this blackout, essentially, of the internet. You know, the
President spoke to Elon Musk just in the last few days about potentially getting more Starlink apparatuses into Iran to help get around this
information blackout.
But we haven't received word that those have been green-lit just yet. We also understand the President is considering some kind of cyber attack,
potentially, on the regime, on regime figures that could potentially stymie the crackdown that we've seen underway.
But, you know, the President has also not ruled out some sort of military action, and essentially firing a missile into Iran. If he goes that route,
he'll have to decide what targets to select. You know, anything from the nuclear sites. We saw the President target those earlier this year, but
that's certainly on the realm of possibility.
Also, potentially, the security services that are leading the crackdown on the protesters. So, a lot we don't know, but a lot -- we also understand
that the President is considering, it was pretty striking earlier today to see the President essentially rule out diplomacy at all, because it was
only two days ago that the President on Air Force One said that there had been these messages back and forth with the Iranians.
We understand that the Foreign Minister got in touch with Steve Witkoff, the President's foreign envoy. And yesterday, officials described those
messages as somewhat conciliatory, you know, much less fiery than what we've heard from the Iranians in public.
The President seems to have reversed course on that completely. You know, the window for diplomacy now seems to be closed. The President saying that
he had canceled all meetings with the Iranians, although it wasn't clear that any meetings had actually been scheduled.
[14:05:00]
So, I think a lot for the President to weigh here. Also, weighing what the risks of all of these options would be. You know, we've heard from the
Iranians that retaliation would be swift, that potentially American military facilities in the region could be targeted as a response. And so,
that all I think factoring in to what the President will have to decide in the coming days.
SOARES: Stay with me, let me bring in Nada into the conversation, because as we -- you know, as we were just discussing there, the President in that
social media post, Nada, wrote, "keep protesting" to the protesters, "take over your institutions." Do we know and I know, and Kevin was mentioning
this.
There's an internet blackout, trying to get information seems to be harder and harder. Do we know whether those protests are continuing or whether the
regime has been successful in their own way as they always have been in cracking down?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know according to the little information that we are getting out of Iran, that protests continued last
night. But according to some contacts that we've been able to reach on the ground, those protests were a lot smaller than what we have seen over the
last few nights, where, of course, we have seen huge crowds --
SOARES: Yes --
BASHIR: Taking to the streets not only in Tehran, but across the country. And of course, it's important to underscore here that when we're talking
about the death toll, according to this U.S.-based --
SOARES: Yes --
BASHIR: Human rights organization, this is a staggering jump from the 500 that was reported yesterday to now 1,800 at least --
SOARES: And that's probably conservative, right?
BASHIR: That is based off whatever information they're able to get at this stage. But again, that full picture isn't clear yet. And we're not able to
independently verify those figures. But it does give you a sense of the scale of the brutality of Iran's security forces when it comes to this
violent crackdown that has been ongoing now for several days.
And these protests are, according to contacts on the ground, getting smaller. But we're also seeing those violent tactics intensifying. We've
been hearing from some contacts who have been able to reach the outside world for just a few seconds, in some cases, just a few minutes through
landline phones.
One contact telling me that a relative reached out to let them know that a number of their students had been arrested, that security forces were
firing with live ammunition indiscriminately --
SOARES: Goodness --
BASHIR: At crowds. So, this certainly has become a much more deadly protest movement than we have seen in past instances in Iran. And whether this is
enough to quell that protest movement --
SOARES: Yes, I'm glad you brought us some of that. A sense of what is happening inside the country, because we've spoken, you know, about the
politics, the diplomacy. But it's so important to get a sense of what is happening on the ground from the people on the ground.
So, is there a sense that they are united? I know the pressure. I know that the regime is cracking down hard. Is the -- is there a sense from what
you're hearing that those tactics while incredibly painful and deadly, as we have seen, that they're willing to continue this?
BASHIR: Look, there are -- there is an overwhelming size to this protest movement in a way that we haven't seen before. We're talking about protests
that are taking place in every province of the country. But of course, Iran is a very diverse country. We're talking about multiple different ethnic
backgrounds, religious sects, and of course, we are seeing this demographic split in the protest movement.
People of all ages, of all religious sects and ethnic backgrounds are taking part in this movement. And there is a wide variety of grievances
that people hold towards the Iranian regime. But we have also seen signs of support for the regime itself. They called for protesters or supporters to
take to the streets on Monday and to rally in support of the Islamic Republic.
And we did see these huge crowds taking to the streets in support of the regime, broadcast across state media on Monday. So, there certainly is that
split the regime is trying to shift the narrative, certainly within Iran, but we are still seeing protesters against the regime taking to the
streets.
And it is a huge indication --
SOARES: Yes --
BASHIR: Of the frustration that people feel, given the fact that they are willing to risk their lives.
SOARES: Stay with us, Nada and Kevin, I want to go to President Trump. Let's listen in to what he's speaking right now in Detroit. Let's have a
listen.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No inflation and super high growth. So, we have the highest growth we've ever had. Think of that. The
highest growth we've ever had, and we've only been there 11 months. Think of what we can do for the rest of it. But do we have wood around here?
I'm knocking on a little wood. They have one little -- everything is plastic nowadays. It's very tough. Now, we have the greatest growth and we
have, you know, inflation way down. But we inherited terrible growth and we inherited the worst inflation in the history of our country.
The fake news would say 49 years. So, when I say -- when I say the history, they give me a lot of time, but I believe it's the history. But let's say
49 years. Would you say 49 years is OK, right? It's pretty bad. What do you think, Mr. Senator? Mr. future senator. I'd say 49 -- what sounds worse?
Forty nine years or history? I think 49 years almost sounds worse.
Maybe I'll just use it, I won't argue with these people. As of this morning, core inflation for the past three months has been just 1.6
percent. The numbers were just announced just before I came on stage, and GDP is smashing expectations with the fastest growth for this country in
many years.
[14:10:00]
The fourth quarter is projected at 5.4 percent, and that's despite the Democrat shutdown where we lost at least one-and-a-half points. You know,
the Democrat shut down, we would have had close to seven. Think of that. Close to seven. They were projecting too, the fakers were projecting too.
And if we keep deregulating and adding more capacity, like I saw today at Ford, and if we don't raise interest rates every time good news is
mentioned -- you know, in the old days, I'm probably old. I used to be up at these lecterns and I'd say I'm younger than pretty much everybody in the
room.
Now, I say I'm older than pretty much everybody in the room. I like it the other way better actually. But you're too young, but in the old days, when
you had good numbers, interest rates would go down. When you had good numbers, the market would go through the roof. That's the way we're going
to make it again. That's the old-fashioned way. That's the right way.
Today, if you announce great numbers, they raise interest rates to try and kill it. So, you can never really have the kind of rally you should have.
What happens and what we want, we're going to have a lot of great months, a lot of great quarters. I want the market to go up.
You announce unbelievable numbers and the market goes down because they know they're going to -- you're going to do everything possible in the Fed.
We have a real stiff in the Fed. But that's for another day. But they raise rates. So, everyone says, oh they announced great numbers. It's great.
And the market goes down because they immediately raise rates. No. When the market goes up, they should lower rates. You want to see 20 percent and 25
percent. You want to see what we can do, we've got to go back to an old standard, when there's good news, the market should go up, not go down.
Does that make sense to everybody? And that's the way it used to be for most of the time. That's the way you make a country great. But our growth
potentially --
SOARES: You've been listening there to President Trump there speaking in Detroit, in Michigan, really showcasing the U.S. economy. He says greatest
growth inflation may -- way down, GDP smashing expectations. And then talking about the Fed, which we'll get to in just a moment.
He's saying we have a real stiff on the Fed. Kristen Holmes is in Detroit, Michigan. And this is similar to what we heard from him earlier today. You
know, speaking about the virtues of the U.S. economy under his leadership. Yet, inflation, from what we've seen today shows a very different picture.
Is this what we're likely to hear? Just give us a sense of the expectations here.
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, President Trump is expected to focus on the economy. Just remember that this is exactly what
Republicans and even his own administration officials, cabinet officials want him to do. They want him to be focusing on the economy despite what
the numbers are saying.
They believe that he can send a message on the economy, talking about programs that they have put in place that they believe, the White House
believes will help the U.S. economy over the next several months and so on. So, what we've seen though from President Trump in the past, and it is
interesting to hear him here, because he really is doubling down on this message on the economy here at the Detroit Economic Club.
But what we've heard in the past is some kind of going off the rails, not maintaining this messaging on the economy. And I will tell you, I talked to
a number of people here, and just like most of America, the results were split. Half the people I talked to said they loved Donald Trump. They loved
the economy. Things are good.
That he keeps working for the people. The other half said the complete opposite. They thought that he wasn't doing enough, that they didn't want
to be involved in some of these foreign wars. It was almost exactly split down the middle. But going into those midterms, the Republicans really want
him to double-down on this message of affordability.
Now, we also expect to hear him talk about cars, automobiles. He just visited this Ford plant in Detroit. We know that one of the things that he
did was roll back regulations under the Biden era that put a focus on electric vehicles to try and jumpstart production here in the U.S.
Among those big car manufacturing companies, that's something that we believe he will talk about as well. But again, this is all happening at a
time where one, now we have this investigation into his Fed chair by the Department of Justice, which is, of course, part of the Trump
administration.
But two, this involvement, this rising involvement in all of these various foreign endeavors, whether it be Venezuela, which is one of the first
things that he mentioned when he took the stage here, or Iran, which we know he's currently weighing options on.
So, we did hear from the press secretary that she was also likely to touch on Iran, we're keeping our ears open for that. But right now, he is on
message, and he is talking about some of what President Trump and his administration has put in place, which they believe can convince -- they
can convince the American public that this is in their best interest.
And moving forward, it will be helpful to them with the economy.
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SOARES: Yes, Kristen, I know you'll stay across his messaging, thank you very much indeed. Let me bring in Richard Quest, who has been listening in.
So, Richard, the President, as you heard there, bragging, I think it's fair to say about the U.S. economy.
We will talk about Powell, which is why you are here in just a moment. But I want to just pick your brain regarding what we heard from the President.
Greatest growth, inflation way down, GDP smashing expectations. So, really trying to showcase, you know, the strength of the U.S. economy. But the
U.N. -- the inflation numbers paint a very different picture today.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Yes, the way the President has put it, it's very difficult to fact-check this fire-hose of statistics. But
most of them have a bit of truth in them. Some of them are simply wrong. But the idea that the U.S. economy has never grown faster and has never
been in a better shape is simply not borne out by the numbers.
Growth is actually moderate. It has been slowing. There are concerns inflation has not come down. Yes, it's come down from the very high
elevated levels that it was at the end of the Biden administration. But then that's the same in all the other countries.
The reality is, it's stuck. It's stuck around 2.7 percent to 3 percent, and it's unlikely the Fed is going to cut rates to try and make it simply
because they're still worried about inflation. The U.S. economy is doing fine. It's doing well, but it is not doing as well as the President would
have you believe.
SOARES: And as you heard there, one reason for that, the one person he blames, one of the people he blames is Jay Powell. He said we have a real
stiff on the Fed. You and I -- since you and I last spoke on this yesterday, we have now heard from the world's central bankers.
We've heard from one of the world's most renowned bankers, Jamie Dimon, really throwing their support not just behind Jay Powell here, but behind
the independence of the central bank. What have you been hearing from those speakers and some of the guests on your show about how important, how
fundamental that is?
QUEST: Take -- let's split this into two definable groups. The markets and, if you will, the bankers, the economy and the central bank regime. The
markets are taking it in their stride. Not today. We're down 300 on the Dow. But the markets have until now been sort of pretty calm about it for
the simple reason that Jay Powell is one vote, and it takes quite a lot before you're going to be able to turn the Fed in a sense.
And anyway, we know what the decisions are going to be for the next meeting, and arguably, the meetings for the rest of this year, because we
know the way the economics are looking. So, the markets are sanguine at the moment. Put that absolutely, underline in bold, at the moment.
The central bankers are not. And the reason is because the independence of the central bank has been questioned. And that goes to a long, deep debate
over the future security, integrity of the U.S. markets, U.S. monetarism, the whole process by which the U.S. economy is run.
SOARES: Right, so, then answer this for our viewers. Then why go after Jay Powell? Why go after the Fed, Richard? What does he get out of it?
QUEST: He gets to fear. He gets to send a signal of nobody is immune. And the reason I say this, is if you look at the way they've gone for Powell,
they haven't gone with an investigation about the overrun costs of the Fed building. Why it's got this marble and that elevator and this, they haven't
done that.
They're going after him for his testimony and saying it's allegedly or potentially perjury. Now, the U.S. attorney responsible, Jeanine Pirro,
interesting because of course, she was a "Fox" anchor, a "Fox" commentator. She's a lawyer, so she knows her stuff.
She is now saying -- she's the U.S. attorney who's launched the investigation. She is now saying, we only brought this investigation
because Powell wouldn't answer our questions. In other words, they're starting to get worried. The wall of opposition against them is looking
pretty impregnable.
SOARES: And we've heard throughout the day today from several Republican voices --
QUEST: Exactly --
SOARES: Speaking out against President Trump on this, that speaks volumes. Richard, thank you very much for laying it all out for us. We are going to
continue to keep our ears on President Trump, who is speaking in Detroit, in Michigan, not just for the economic lines, as Richard was saying, but
also, of course, the situation, geopolitical situation that we are seeing in Iran as we've heard the President is expected to huddle with his top
national security advisors.
This as we hear them, more than 1,800 anti-government protesters have been killed. This is according to U.S.-based rights group.
[14:20:00]
Earlier, President Trump saying that he had canceled all meetings with Iran until the killings have stopped. He then told protesters, and I'm quoting
him here, "help is on the way". We are monitoring on this -- all these lines for you. Still to come in the meantime, right here on the show,
former U.S. President Bill Clinton was expected before a House investigation panel, but he didn't show up.
We'll report from Capitol Hill next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Returning now to our top story this hour. In Iran, at least, 1,850 protesters have been killed in more than two weeks of anti-government
demonstrations. That is according, as you heard me say earlier to a U.S.- based human rights group.
U.S. President Donald Trump says that all meetings with Iran are off the table until he says the regime ends its brutal crackdown. In a message on
social media, Mr. Trump encouraged demonstrators, as you can see there, to keep going, and said, quote, "help is on the way".
He did not elaborate, by the way, on what that help may be or what that may look like. He ended by writing MIGA or make Iran great again. Europe also
piling pressure on the Ayatollahs, German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz suggests Iran's ruling theocracy could be on the verge of collapse, telling
reporters that when a regime can only stay in power through violence, then it has the de facto reached the end.
Our Salma Abdelaziz takes a closer look at how the world is reacting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): A police crackdown, mass arrests, expedited executions and brute force. That is what Iran's
protesters are facing. Hundreds have been killed, say human rights groups, with the death toll expected to rise.
But outside of Iran's borders, the movement could threaten to shake up the geopolitical landscape. And it has already drawn the ire of the White
House. So, in what capitals can these defiant demonstrators find allies? Well, the street movement is unlikely to gain the support of leaders across
the region, which has mostly been quiet.
That's because nearly 15 years ago, the Arab Spring toppled longstanding dictatorships. So, expect capitals like Riyadh, Cairo, Abu Dhabi to make
quiet appeals for calm and order. Instability generally makes rulers across this region very nervous.
Turkey, which is a lead mediator in the Middle East, has echoed this sentiment. It warned against foreign intervention and called the protests
an internal matter. But one country may see this as a moment of opportunity.
[14:25:00]
Israel, which fought a 12-day war with Iran last year. Prime Minister Netanyahu has openly called for regime change in Iran in the past, and says
his government is monitoring developments and will be ready to respond with, quote, "power if needed".
Leading to fears that Israel may yet again strike. Members of the Iran Diaspora, from London to L.A. have championed the protest movements
already, with demonstrations at several Iranian embassies abroad. Condemnation has also poured in from Europe, which has been swift with the
European parliament, banning all Iranian diplomatic staff and representatives from its premises.
The German Chancellor going so far as to say that he believes the world is seeing the last days and weeks of the Islamic Republic. But the loudest
support is coming from the White House. President Trump has slapped a 25 percent tariff on countries that do business with Iran, which could deal a
major blow to trading partners China and India.
He is also weighing military action. President Trump called off all meetings with Iranian officials on his social account. He told Iranians to
keep protesting, take over your institutions, he added, help is on its way. But with body bags already lining the streets of Tehran, some fear the
President's rhetoric can only add fuel to the fire. Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, let's stay with this. Let me bring in Colin Clarke; he's the Executive Director of the Intelligence security consultancy, the Soufan
Group. Colin, great to see you. Just want to say that we are keeping our ears peeled for President Trump, who is speaking in Michigan, is talking --
is touting the U.S. economy.
If he does talk about Iran, I may have to interject. So, apologies in advance. Let me pick up with where Salma Abdelaziz just left off, and that
is that those comments by the President on social media saying that help is on its way. What would that help look like? And does this suggest a
military option to you?
COLIN CLARKE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOUFAN GROUP: Well, thanks for having me. So, I think there's a range of what we would call military or kinetic
options on the table, and a range of non-kinetic options as well. You might even see non-kinetic options kind of shaping the battlefield, so-to-speak,
to lead to some military strikes.
The non-kinetic options would be cyber warfare, electronic warfare, various cyber attacks against the command and control nodes of the regime of the
IRGC Quds Force of the besieged paramilitaries in a way that doesn't harm the broader Iranian population.
And so, that's likely what the administration is looking at. There could also be hard targets that the administration goes after, things that kind
of clean up the job from Operation Midnight Hammer this Summer. That's nuclear and missile targets, as well as some potential leadership targets
as well.
SOARES: Right, so, as you talk through those, the kinetic and the other options that you've just laid out for us, Colin, what then would be the
calculation for the President for these options? What is the aim goal here? Clearly, as you saw in the social media, he's calling on protesters to take
to the streets to continue protesting, take over institutions. What is that calculation?
CLARKE: I think one of the keys will be if we start seeing large scale defections from the security services, from the Intelligence agencies, you
know, from the kind of very public symbols of the regime itself. So, the IRGC, which kind of, you know, stands as this, you know, strong actor in
within the broader kind of Iranian ecosystem.
So, if we start seeing high level commanders, mid-level commanders peeling off, that's something that the Trump administration is going to want to use
as leverage and keep turning the screws there to encourage more of that as the regime really begins to crumble.
SOARES: I want to get your thoughts on what we heard from the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz. I think we have the sound. Let me just play
this for you, Colin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRIEDRICH MERZ, CHANCELLOR, GERMANY: I am taking this opportunity to once again call on the muller regime to stop this violence immediately. If a
regime can only maintain its power through violence, then it is effectively finished. I assume that we are now seeing the last days and weeks of this
regime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: I mean, that's pretty statement. I mean, pretty astounding to hear the last days and weeks. First of all, how do we know that? Is there
anything to suggest the regime may be on this last days or weeks? Maybe on its knees? Give -- I know -- we know, and you and I have discussed this
before, that the regime has faced major hurdles of course, since October the 7th. But do you think -- are we there yet?
CLARKE: You know, why is this different than previous protests? And there's a lot of --
SOARES: Yes --
CLARKE: Debate about that in the media. A lot of think-tanks. Everybody is kind of weighing in. I don't know that we're there yet. One sign is the
desperation of the regime, and the lengths that it's gone to, to suppress these protests. We're seeing reports of potentially upwards of 20,000
Iranians killed.
[14:30:06]
That's when you know the regime has its back against the wall and it's going to be very difficult to come back from that in terms of legitimacy,
in terms of, you know, being able to govern over this this country moving forward.
SOARES: And this was -- I mean, this regime -- these protests, Colin, pardon me, started off the back of economic concerns and this is the crux
of it. So, I'm keen to get your thoughts on what the Iranians could offer the people or the United States or President Trump that would appease those
protesters other than reforms, which clearly might not be enough.
CLARKE: I think very little. Look, you know, the current regime has mismanaged the economy to a devastating extent. It's mismanaged natural
resources like water. Tehran's going dry. And for all of its bluster, you know, it sends hundreds of millions of dollars a year out of the country to
Lebanon, to Yemen, to support this vast proxy network. It has very little to show militarily because it was on the receiving end of a massive
beatdown from Operation Midnight Hammer, the joint Israeli-U.S. operation.
So, really not a lot of, not a lot to show for this regime. Layered on top of that, it's been very repressive for the last four decades. So, you know,
maybe this is the straw that breaks the camel's back. I think a lot of people are hoping for that, but this regime is also pretty remarkably
resilient in the past.
SOARES: As we -- as you're talking, we look at some images of these protests and that's from Saturday night. And what is staggering, not just
the size of the crowds and just really how widespread we've been hearing they have been, but reminded that this is a leaderless revolt.
So, for -- as President Trump meets with his senior national security team to decide what help that would look like, does the United States need to be
thinking about asking itself what comes after?
CLARKE: Absolutely. And I hope that those questions are being asked already. We know in any kind of post-conflict setting there's going to be
massive complexity. Look no further than Syria. And that's a regime that really started to crumble organically as well.
And so, you know, at this point, I think the United States, even rhetorically, lending its support, talking about the sympathy it has for
Iranians that are out in the streets, risking their lives for freedom, that's all well and good. But is there something else that the Trump
administration can do to help push this regime over, but also plan for what comes next? And that's a really difficult question. We could spend hours
talking about that.
SOARES: We'll leave that then for another day, Colin. I have no doubt you and I will speak again about this. Colin Clark there for us. Thank you,
Colin. We are going to take a short break. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:35:00]
SOARES: Well, Bill Clinton is expected to face contempt proceedings for failing to appear before a U.S. House Oversight Committee. The former
president and first lady, Hillary Clinton, have refused to testify in the House investigation involving convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Their
lawyers say they've already provided all the information they have about Epstein and his partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. Committee chair James Comer
says the Clintons could now face charges for not showing up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JAMES COMER (R-KY), CHAIR, U.S. HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: So, no one's accusing Bill Clinton of any wrongdoing. We just have questions. And
that's why the Democrats voted, along with Republicans, to subpoena Bill Clinton. This is the amount of preparation that went into this deposition
today. These were the questions that we were prepared to ask. We've communicated with President Clinton's legal team for months now, giving
them opportunity after opportunity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on this. Annie Grayer joins me now from Capitol Hill. Annie, good to see you. So, just outline for us the reasons why the
Clintons were a no-show. What are they telling you?
ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, they have argued that they don't have any first-hand knowledge to help the Republicans and Democrats in
their investigation into Epstein and the alleged cover-up by the Department of Justice, that they say they cut ties with Epstein long before he was
charged in 2019.
And they say that anything that they could provide would be useful in written testimony, which is what the committee has allowed other witnesses
in this investigation to do. And they're arguing, why can't we be given the same treatment?
I want to read for you a piece of the letter that Hillary and Bill Clinton sent directly to James Comer today, as they really summarized their entire
argument here. They said, quote, "Every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles
and its people, no matter the consequences. For us, now is that time."
Now, Comer maintains he has questions for Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. He wants to know about the times that Epstein visited Clinton while he was
president in the White House, about the times that Clinton rode on Epstein's private planes, about all the photographs of Bill Clinton that
have come out and what has been released of the Jeffrey Epstein files by the Department of Justice so far.
But Clinton has not been accused of any wrongdoing and, again, has maintained that he's cut ties here. But now that Comer has set in motion
this contempt of Congress proceedings, there's a set of steps that need to happen.
Next week, the committee will meet to mark up these proceedings. Then the entire House floor has to vote on it. And then if it passes the House, we
are well on our way to what's potentially a very lengthy and potentially historic legal battle here over the testimony of Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Now, Hillary Clinton has her deposition scheduled for tomorrow. But based on the letters that we've received, both from them and their lawyers
directly, we are not expecting her to show up.
SOARES: I'll know you'll stay across this for us, Annie. Thank you very much indeed. And after initially refusing to do so, a former British
ambassador to the U.K. is now apologizing to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein for his ties to the disgraced financier. Peter Mandelson was fired from his
diplomatic post in September and is currently on a leave of absence from the British House of Lords.
During an interview on Sunday, the veteran Labour Party politician did not apologies for maintaining his friendship with a convicted sex offender even
after he pleaded guilty. And he suggested he didn't know anything about Epstein's activities because he is gay.
But in a statement on Monday, Mandelson changed course and wrote this, I was wrong to believe him following his conviction and to continue my
association with him afterwards. I apologies unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered.
We're going to take a short break. Be back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:40:00]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. The White House is continuing discussions of Greenland. Officials from both Denmark and Greenland are headed to
Washington to meet with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Tensions have not eased since their last meeting,
according to the Danish foreign minister, with Greenland's leader calling the situation a geopolitical crisis earlier today. I want you to have a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENS-FREDERIK NIELSEN, GREENLANDIC PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Greenland does not want to be owned by the USA. Greenland does not want to
be governed by the USA. Greenland will not be a part of the USA. We choose the Greenland we know today, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Now, we are faced with a geopolitical crisis. And if we have to choose between the USA and Denmark, here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose
NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. And we choose the E.U.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Our Nic Robertson has more for you from Nuuk in Greenland.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's 11:00 a.m., daybreak off the coast of Greenland. The strategic Danish
island President Trump wants for American security. 150 miles from the Arctic Circle, it is a winter wonderland of stark, snowy beauty.
ROBERTSON: Out here in these remote fields, it seems impossible to imagine that this tranquil Arctic wilderness could really be at the heart of a
geopolitical crisis that has the United States pitted against its NATO allies, potentially threatening to upend decades of global security.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Aron Josvassen, an Inuit, a native Greenlander, is taking a seal hunting. Food from the land sea is a core Inuit connection
with nature, a cultural totem.
ROBERTSON: So, I know we're waiting for the seal, looking out for the seal. But Donald Trump says there's Russian and Chinese ships here. Where are
they?
ARON JOSVASSEN, CAPTAIN: There are no ships from China or Russia.
ROBERTSON: Donald Trump says that it's not enough just to be friends with Greenland have a treaty, that he has to own it. What do you say?
JOSVASSEN: I'm afraid, the nature will be destroyed and many animals will disappear.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Greenland is massive, more than 1,600 miles from Arctic tip to Atlantic tail, so wide it straddles several time zones. It is
also geographically strategic, sits right between the U.S. and Russia, adjacent to newly thawing polar shipping lanes.
[14:45:00]
But despite its size, barely 57,000 people live on the ice-shrouded island, most of them like Aron Inuit.
SARA OLSVIG, CHAIR, INIUT CIRCUMPOLAR COUNCIL: We are people of the Arctic. We have specialized skills in surviving and thriving in the Arctic. Inuit
have been here in Greenland for 4,500 years, at least, maybe longer.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Sarah Olsvig is also Inuit, a former Greenland politician in the Danish parliament, stands up for Inuit rights.
ROBERTSON: But President Trump now says that he has to own Greenland. That's the only way, psychologically, that he thinks that the deal will be
right.
OLSVIG: If the case is so that he really thinks that Greenland is so important for the US, well, then there's something to talk about. And let's
solve it through dialogue.
ROBERTSON: Is there a dignified dialogue right now?
OLSVIG: I think we are far from what we would call a dignified dialogue. I think that's obvious. Silence has a significance in our culture.
ROBERTSON: So, how do you deal with somebody loud, like Donald Trump, and be heard?
OLSVIG: Hopefully, there will continue to be a path in a respectful manner for creating stronger bonds of partnerships. But that doesn't mean, you
know, that coercion or taking over or annexing.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Inuits are traditionally quiet. But what they say now will be the single biggest factor facing a Trump takeover. Mia Chemnitz
is a successful businesswoman, has been silent until now.
ROBERTSON: Does Donald Trump understand Greenland?
MIA CHERMINTZ, FASHION DESIGNER: I'm afraid that he understands everything and that he doesn't care.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): She specializes in Inuit clothing. Her store is doing well with locals and tourists. But she's got orders to fill. So,
she's taking us to her workshop.
CHERMINTZ: Donald Trump and his government, they know about them, all the agreements between Denmark and Greenland the U.S. They know everything.
They are very welcome to invest in Greenland. We're always looking for investments we want to develop. I don't think it's about that.
ROBERTSON: What's it about?
CHERMINTZ: I think it's about land.
ROBERTSON: Donald Trump wants a big country?
CHERMINTZ: I'm afraid so, yes.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Inside her tiny workshop, she is busy, ready to hire more staff. Items like seal mitts, jackets and trousers, making a
comeback. Exports possible because the animals are hunted for food, as well as the hides. But Trump's Greenland grab is crimping her business, putting
her own expansion plans on hold.
CHERMINTZ: Well, if you don't know which country you're living in in a month, then, you know.
ROBERTSON: Is that real for you right now?
CHERMINTZ: No, I don't want it to be real. I really try to push that thought down. But that is the worst-case scenario that, you know, in a
month I'm American. We don't even have military in Greenland because we don't do war.
So, of course, you know, there would be -- I don't know, you know, we wouldn't be able to resist the American military. No one can resist the
American military.
ROBERTSON: Trump isn't the first president to try to get Greenland. The U.S. tried shortly after buying Alaska from Russia more than 150 years ago,
tried again in 1910. And then after World War II, U.S. President Harry Truman secretly offered Denmark $100 million in gold. This time, Donald
Trump seems determined to have it his way.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not. Because if we don't do it, Russia or China
will take over Greenland. And we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Trump also says he wants Greenland's rare earths and minerals. Deposits are scattered along Greenland's rugged, remote
coastline. Under the 1951 Greenland Defense Agreement between the U.S. and Denmark, Trump already has missile bases and sweeping rights to military
activity, as well as access to any amount of rare earths and minerals the U.S. desires.
JORGEN HAMMEKEN-HOLM, GREENLANDIC DEPUTY MINING MINISTER: We have been welcoming the United States for many years. It doesn't seem that the
commercial way to do things has been of interest for them.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Jorgen Hammeken-Holm is Greenland's deputy minister for mining resources, has agreed to talk. But such is the sensitivity
around Trump's possible land grab, he is limited about what he can tell me.
ROBERTSON: What happens if the United States does take control of Greenland? What happens to the minerals and resources then?
HAMMEKEN-HOLM: I have no idea.
ROBERTSON: From a sort of a personal perspective, how big a deal for Greenland is what's happening right now?
HAMMEKEN-HOLM: Big. Very big.
[14:50:00]
ROBERTSON: Have you ever seen anything this big?
HAMMEKEN-HOLM: No. No.
ROBERTSON: Does it scare you?
HAMMEKEN-HOLM: Absolutely.
ROBERTSON: Why?
HAMMEKEN-HOLM: The unknown situation on what is going on.
ROBERTSON: What does your gut tell you is going to happen?
HAMMEKEN-HOLM: I have no idea. But I have hopes and expect the worst. He is not alone.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Greenlanders across the country are struggling with Trump's dogma just as much as the deputy minister, trying to wrangle
American attitudes against Inuit logic.
ROBERTSON: But he says he's going to do it the easy way or the hard way. What does the hard way mean?
OLSVIG: I think he wants to use the military, I think.
ROBERTSON: And what will you do then?
OLSVIG: I cannot do something. Just, I say, I give up.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Greenland's options, it seems, in the balance, diplomacy, the preference, all else as potentially unforgiving as its
Arctic surrounds.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Nuuk Fjord, Greenland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Our thanks to Nic and the team for that fantastic report from Greenland. And still to come tonight, we'll take a look at the daring
athletes who conquered the jaw-dropping snowboarding challenge high in the Italian Alps. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, Singapore, Switzerland, Japan, Denmark, what do all these countries have in common, you ask? Well, according to a report from the
Henley Passport Index, they make up the most powerful passports of 2026. You might be wondering what it takes to earn a spot on this coveted list,
it's the number of countries the passport can get you into visa-free.
While the UAE has climbed the heights of fifth place, rising 57 places in the last 20 years, the United Kingdom has become the country with the
steepest decline, losing eight countries in just 12 months. Even though the ranking may seem trivial, it has been suggested that passport power is a
relevant indicator of political stability as well as diplomatic credibility.
And finally, tonight, look straight ahead and never down. That is the advice from one of four daredevils who have just conquered, have a look at
that, a terrifying snowboard course in the Italian Alps.
[14:55:00]
The course, as you can see right there, was built on the ridge of the mountain. And that's not all that makes it dangerous. There's a six-meter-
long rail connecting two boulders. And get this, it's at a 45-degree angle. And if you fall, well, some areas are dotted with rocky edges that would
make for a most unpleasant day, to say the least. Italian Olympian Ian Matteoli shared his secret to surviving the treacherous course. Have a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IAN MATTEOLI, ITALIAN OLYMPIAN: Luckily, I don't fear the heights that much. And when I'm riding this, I just look straight forward and don't look
at the sides. Don't want to look down here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: That's very good advice. That does it for us for this hour. Do stay right here. My colleague Max Foster has more. Of course, we'll continue to
monitor President Trump, who is speaking still at this moment in Detroit, Michigan.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
