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Trump Urges Republicans to Vote to Release Epstein Files; Charlotte Becomes Latest Target of Trump's Immigration to Crackdown; World's Largest Aircraft Carrier Arrives in the Caribbean as Trump Mulls Next Steps on Venezuela. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired November 17, 2025 - 10:00   ET

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

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PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, reversing course. President Trump is now urging Holist Republicans to release the Epstein files. But will the legislation ever end up at his desk? Why the road to release may end in the Senate.

Plus, immigration cracked down, agents' tactics are coming under scrutiny as leaders and residents question why Charlotte? We're live on the ground with the very latest.

And a women's health alert, new data say about a quarter of pregnant women in the U.S. are not getting prenatal care in their first trimester.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Rising tensions with Venezuela, the U.S. Navy's largest aircraft carrier is in the Caribbean, and now President Trump says there could be a path to discussions with the Venezuelan president.

Plus, the British journalist, Sami Hamdi, joins us live in The Situation Room after being held in ICE detention for more than two weeks.

And later, record setting rains in California as more could be on the way.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with Pamela Brown, and you're in The Situation Room.

We begin with a significant reversal. President Trump is now encouraging House Republicans to support releasing the files related to the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. The president's social media post last night declared, and I'm quoting now, we have nothing to hide.

Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who is co-sponsoring the bill seeking the release of more documents, said he believes that 100 or more Republican lawmakers could support their release. Ahead of tomorrow's expected vote, Epstein survivors made a final plea. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was 14 years old.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was 16 years old.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was 16.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 17.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 14 years old.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is me when I met Jeffrey Epstein.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is me when I met Jeffrey Epstein.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's time to bring the secrets out of the shadows. It's time to shine a light into the darkness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: CNN White House Reporter Alatna Treene and CNN Senior Reporter Annie Grayer are following all of these dramatic developments.

Alayna, let me begin with you. What can you tell us is going on behind the President's dramatic shift?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, look, I think there's no question, Wolf, that there has been so much frustration from the president and many of his top advisers in the building behind me about how this has been handled, but more importantly that it just won't go away.

And that is the problem with this vote. I think it's important to recognize that the president is supporting this vote now because, essentially, the Republicans were going to pass it anyway. Many Republicans were going to get on board. We've heard from Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, one of the key people pushing this vote, saying that he expects a hundred or so more Republicans to support it. And so, essentially, they knew the White House that they were going to be on the losing side on this. And so this is a way to try and own the result in some respects.

And it comes, I think, the part of the President's post that I think is worth really highlighting here is him saying, you know, I don't care. He said, all I do care about is that Republicans get back on point. And that is the key thing here. The president sees this as a distraction. He wants to move on. Of course, this is the story that no one will let him move on from, because so many people have questions about why not just release these, particularly if you don't believe that you are implicated in any of it. But I do think, Wolf, one of the key things, of course, is what will happen in the Senate now because of the president's message here, He's encouraging Republicans to support this vote. I'd argue that gives them a lot of cover when they do, you know, potentially put their names behind this. What will happen in the Senate because everyone thought this was going to die in the Senate?

But now that the president is encouraging Republicans to get behind it that could change the calculus and make them want to back this effort further.

BLITZER: Can we assume, Alayna, that if it does pass the House and the Senate, the president will then, when he gets the the legislation, will sign it into law?

TREENE: Yes. Look, I mean, from my conversations with people here, they're still going through all of that. But I think there's a broad recognition that if it comes to that point, they're going to have no choice. I'll have to see how that all plays out. Again, they had been expecting that this bill would have a very uncertain future in the Senate.

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And I think they're still trying to deal with all of that.

But I think, again, the other thing we have to point out is that you don't need Congress to release the files. The president can ask the Justice Department. The Justice Department can just release them. They don't need a vote to do so. And so that's really where a lot of this messaging gets a little murky, Wolf.

BLITZER: It certainly gets murky, indeed.

All right, Alayna, thank you very, very much. Pamela?

BROWN: And now you have this added layer, Wolf, where the president, as you know, called on DOJ to investigate high-profile Democrats in Epstein. So, DOJ could say, now we have an ongoing investigation, we can't release anything. So, there's a lot of question marks still.

But even before President Trump's reversal on releasing the Epstein files, the bill's co-authors voiced confidence that they'd get the measure through the House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): I think we could have a deluge of Republicans. There could be a hundred or more. I'm hoping to get a veto-proof majority on this legislation when it comes up for a vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: All right. Let's go live now to CNN Senior Reporter Annie Grayer. Annie, typically it's President Trump putting pressure on Republicans in Congress, but is this a case where you have Republicans in Congress putting pressure on the president?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, it sure seems that way and the dynamics have really been shifting here. Because if you were to look back to last week, there were only four Republicans who were publicly supporting this measure, they were the ones who signed on to the petition that made this floor vote possible. There was a pressure campaign on those four Republicans from the White House, from Trump allies, from even House Republican leadership, to try and take maybe one of those names off to prevent this vote from happening.

But once those 218 signatures we're clinched to create this floor vote to make it possible, there was no turning back. And that's why I reported that the House speaker decided to schedule this vote quickly because he knew that momentum was there, that Republicans were going to support it. Now, we're looking at somewhere between 40 and 100 Republicans that could support this vote tomorrow.

But just passing the House will be the first hurdle. It will now have to go to the Republican-controlled Senate, who's largely kept their powder dry on this issue and stayed out of it. But now this issue is going to fall. Front and center on their laps. As Alayna pointed out with the president's post last night, maybe that gives some Senate Republicans more cover. And then from there we'll have to go to the president's desk where he's going to have to sign it.

Now, House Republicans are hoping that so many Republican lawmakers vote for this, that Trump will not have the option but to release these files.

BROWN: All right. Annie Grayer, thanks so much. Wolf?

BLITZER: I want to get back to Alayna Trina over at the White House. Alayna, this has also exposed a very public and surprising political split between President Trump and Congressman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Until now, she was one of his most vocal supporters upon Capitol Hill, but now he's calling her a traitor. Alayna, what are you hearing?

TREENE: Yes, Wolf. I mean, look, if you told me a year ago when I was covering Donald Trump's campaign before he was president for the second time that Marjorie Taylor Greene and him would be feuding so openly and so harshly against one another, I wouldn't believe you, because, essentially, she was one of his fiercest supporters on the trail. She's been one of his fiercest supporters for years now. But we're seeing this break, this massive rift between her and the president because of the Epstein files.

Now, I should note, there have been other contributing factors. Greene has been critical of the president's handling, for example, of spending a lot of time, she argues, on foreign affairs rather than domestic issues back home. But this really seemed to be one of the tipping points.

And we heard the president repeatedly attack her over the weekend, but last night included, he said that she is a traitor, that she's a traitor to the country. And I'd remind, you part of that is because she was one of four Republicans to get onto that discharge position. That essentially is the reason we're worrying and the White House has to worry now about this votes to try and force the Justice Department to release all of these files.

Now, Greene, for her part, argues that she's not a traitor. She believes that she's still very much supportive of all of what the president is doing, but this is one of these issues, she says, that she couldn't get behind him on.

And so, to me, it's just fascinating. I think it's a broader representation as well of how this entire Epstein saga is one of the few areas where, really, Trump is not in line with a lot of his party. And we're going to see a lot of Republicans this week kind of make that point when they vote.

BLITZER: All right. Alayna, thank you very much.

An important note, our Dana Bash, who did that important interview with, Marjorie Taylor Greene, will be joining us live in the next hour here in The Situation Room. We'll discuss a lot more. Pamela?

BROWN: And we should also note that on Wednesday, Congresswoman Greene will be joining us here in The Situation Room as well.

BLITZER: I look forward to that as well.

BROWN: And still ahead, cleared for takeoff. The FAA says, no more reductions in flights, and it's just in time for what's expected to be a record Thanksgiving travel season.

BLITZER: Plus, my Buffalo Bills had a thrilling win. We're going to have more on that game coming up.

Stay with us. You're in The Situation Room.

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BROWN: Happening now, Customs and Border Patrol agents are carrying out what they're calling Operation Charlotte's Web in North Carolina's largest city. And the fear there is palpable.

Homeland Security released this video claiming the driver of that white van tried to ram into law enforcement yesterday. DHS says that led to a high speed chase. The alleged ramming attempt isn't seen in the video.

And here's this.

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This Honduran immigrant, a man who has real I.D. and is in the country legally was detained, and then later released from custody.

According to top Border Patrol Official Gregory Bovino, 81 people were arrested in Charlotte on Sunday. It's unclear at this point how many of them had criminal records. North Carolinians are taking the governor's advice to record videos of federal agents, and they're showing up to protest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOSH STEIN (D-NC): North Carolina, I know this is a stressful moment, but please stay peaceful. And if you see something wrong, record it and report it to local law enforcement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: All right. Let's go live now to CNN National Correspondent Dianne Gallagher in Charlotte. Dianne, you've been based there in the Queen City for years. What are you seeing and what is the feel like there on the ground?

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, Pamela, I was not just been based in Charlotte, but I actually live here in the East Charlotte part of town, which is where much of that customs and border protection activity was taking place on Saturday and Sunday, as a high immigrant population here.

And you can kind of see we're on Central Avenue. We actually just saw some people who are calling themselves community watchers walking down the street. They're wearing vests, carrying the whistles like we've seen in Chicago and Los Angeles and cities like that where we've seen these enhanced immigration enforcement operations, like this one, which they're calling Charlotte's Web.

Here on Central Avenue, there were a lot of businesses that are both owned by and catered to immigrants, and many of those have closed in the past couple of days since we have seen these arrests take place.

Now, we're outside of Manolo's Bakery, which is a very popular Colombian bakery here in town. Manolo has closed because he says that he doesn't want to put his customers at risk. We were out here actually, these signs were not here to begin with these private property signs. He put them out here because he says he saw men wearing green uniforms running through his parking lot, chasing people. He didn't want to put his customers at risk. That's why he closed. He himself is a U.S. citizen, but he is now taken to carrying his passport with him everywhere he goes.

And, look, he isn't the only person that we've heard from who says they feel this way. Even a future member of City Council told CNN this same thing just a little bit ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. MAZUERA ARIAS (D), CHARLOTTE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER-ELECT: I went through the right process. I became a legal U.S. citizen. And even I cannot feel safe, especially after seeing the footage of a U.S. citizen being detained and his windows and his car getting broken.

(END VIDEO CLIP) GALLAGHER: So, I can tell you that today the big concern is the fact that school is back in session. And so some of these people in the community who put on vests or are wearing whistles are showing up and sort of hanging out around those schools just so they can potentially be there in case something they say happens at pickup or drop off today.

BROWN: All right. Dianne Gallagher and Charlotte, thank you.

BLITZER: Also happening now airports here in the United States are getting back to normal after more than a week of forced cancelations. The FAA is ending its air traffic reduction mandates at 40 major airports across the country. That was all linked to air traffic control staffing issues amid the government shutdown. And this comes just in time for Thanksgiving, which kicks off the busiest travel period of the year. In the next hour, Pete Muntean, our aviation correspondent, will join us with information you need to know, especially if you're planning on flying in the coming days.

BROWN: Yes, hopefully some good news from Pete coming up.

Also, President Trump now says Venezuela would like to talk as a massive U.S. military buildup grows in the Caribbean. What we know about the drills U.S troops are taking part in this week, that's just ahead. . (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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BLITZER: New this morning, the U.S. says its largest aircraft carrier strike group is joining other U.S. warships in the Caribbean as tensions with Venezuela clearly intensify. The Pentagon branding all of this as part of Operation Southern Spear. The USS Gerald R. Ford will sit off of Venezuela's coast while the U.S. conducts military exercises with the tiny nation of Trinidad and Tobago.

Just yesterday, the State Department announced it would designate an alleged drug gang, Cartel de los Soles, as a foreign terrorist organization, President Trump was asked if the designation means the U.S. could strike targets connected with the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: it allows us to do that, but we haven't said we're going to do that. And we may be discussing -- we may be having some discussions with Maduro and we'll see how that turns out. They would like to talk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: A White House official tells CNN today that the president has yet to make a final decision on whether to attack Venezuela on land. CNN National Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood is joining us right now. Kylie, President Trump appeared to be opening the door least slightly for the possibility of the diplomatic solution with this crisis involving Venezuela. What can you tell us?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It was really interesting to see him say that hours after the State Department had ruled out this foreign terrorist organization determination for this cartel. President Trump saying that it's Maduro who wants to speak after that comment there indicates that there is some interest on behalf of the Trump administration to engage in some sort of diplomatic solution here.

But, Wolf, we have reported that earlier this year, there were talks between the Trump administration and members of the Maduro regime and those had fallen apart.

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The White House actually put a halt on those conversations. So, we'll have to watch and see what more we can learn about the state of those conversations at this moment when the U.S. military buildup in the region is tremendous.

And that's the important thing about this foreign terrorist organization is the timing of it. When you have Cartel de la Soles, who has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization and you have this military buildup, it does beg the question, is this the justification that the Trump administration is looking to to expand their operations, not to just be counter terror -- not to just be, excuse me, counter-drug operations, but also to be regime change operations inside of Venezuela?

President Trump said there that he does believe that this designation allows the administration to strike elements of Maduro's regime, those that are involved in drug trafficking, of course. But, technically, the foreign terrorist organization does not actually allow the State Department to do that. It gives the State Department, the Treasury Department, financial tools, sanctions that they can put in place, but, technically, it does not allow the U.S. military to carry out strikes.

So, this is a very interesting area to watch, not just only for those legal questions, but also for the question of strategy here on the Trump administration's behalf. What is their end goal when it comes to Maduro, president of Venezuela, who they don't believe is the legitimate leader?

BLITZER: And the fact that the Pentagon is calling this operation Southern Spear, an offensive word, obviously, as opposed to operation Southern Shield suggests that military action against Venezuela potentially is in the cards.

ATWOOD: That does. And that was an announcement that just came in recent days as well, even after we've seen this military buildup. It seems that we're learning more details as every day goes on, as every hour goes on about how the administration is thinking about this, indicating that they may be putting the strategy together as they're moving.

BLITZER: Kylie, thank you very, very much, Pamela.

BROWN: Thank you, Kylie.

And just ahead here in the situation room, a notable House vote seeking the release of the Epstein files is expected tomorrow, and President Trump, for his part, is taking a new position on the controversy. We'll discuss next.

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