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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Trump Considering Fierce Loyalist Kash Patel To Lead FBI; Former VP Pence Urges Senate To Reject RFK Jr. Over Abortion Stance; CNN Speaks To U.S. Pilots Who Shot Down Missiles, Drones Aimed At Israel. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired November 15, 2024 - 16:00   ET

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

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And they even have a video on how to safely capture funnel web spiders. If I'm doing that, I'm going for the egg sac. I'm just going to get like a web of little babies that haven't hatched. That seems safe.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: That's what you're doing, speaking of egg sac hunting.

KEILAR: No, but if I were to do it --

JIMENEZ: But if you were?

KEILAR: Yeah.

JIMENEZ: Yeah. Okay. I -- honestly, the egg sacs are better than whatever is out there.

KEILAR: It could crawl into your boot and you don't want that.

JIMENEZ: I'm good, I'm good.

KEILAR: THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER starts right now.

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JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: President Trump's defense team is going to help him run the justice system.

THE LEAD starts right now.

The namedrops keep coming as the President-elect Donald Trump tries to fill out the front lines of his incoming administration. Today, a communications director and interior secretary, a personnel director.

Plus, a push to fire the FBI Director Christopher Wray and possibly install a relentless loyalist Kash Patel in the premier law enforcement position.

And House Speaker Mike Johnson has spoken again after originally saying it would be inappropriate for him to weigh in on whether the House Ethics Committee should release its investigation into Matt Gaetz, Trump's pick for U.S. attorney general. Today, Johnson said that the report should not be released, that it should stay secret.

So, what changed?

And video of the response by U.S. fighter pilots who fended this off, a night raid by Iran you're seeing on your screen right now, with drones aimed at Israel.

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TAPPER: Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

And we begin with our politics lead and what has become something of a daily afternoon parade of controversial names being rolled out or being floated for top jobs in the incoming Trump administration, heading up today's list, Trump reportedly considering whether to hire Breitbart's Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Patel worked inside the Defense Department during Trump's first term, among other jobs.

This new appointment would mean a fierce Trump loyalist running the nation's top investigative law enforcement agency. Here's Mr. Patel talking about Trump's perceived enemies both inside and outside the government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KASH PATEL, FORMER TRUMP DEFENSE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: We will go out and find the conspiratorial not just in government but in the media. Yes, we're going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rigor presidential elections. We're going to come after you, whether it's criminally or civilly, we'll figure it out. But, yeah, we're putting you all on notice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: So, obviously, the presidential election was not rigged, but suffice it to say, Mr. Patel, people are on notice. This all comes as Congress is in a quandary over how to confirm other controversial cabinet picks such as now former Congressman Matt Gaetz for U.S. attorney general.

Today, House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters he's going to, quote, strongly request the Ethics Committee not release a report on its investigation into alleged misconduct by Gaetz. According to the committee statement last June, members have been looking at allegations that Matt Gaetz may have engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors with individuals to whom he had a personal relationship and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conducts, unquote.

Gaetz has repeatedly and forcefully denied any wrongdoing and a reminder to all of you watching, investigations are not indictments and indictments are not convictions. Still, the House Ethics Committee was supposed to meet today to decide whether to release this report but the House Republicans on the committee decided to block that meeting. The meeting, we're told, has not been canceled, only postponed. We'll see.

The committee's report, presuming that it exists, is now the most wanted document in Washington, D.C., a city notorious for leaks.

Let's go down to Florida, Matt Gaetz's hometown, home state, where CNN's Kristen Holmes is keeping track of Trump world.

What is the thinking about floating Kash Patel's name to be FBI director? Is that -- is that real?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. I mean, Jake, it is real. We know that these are MAGA allies who are really trying to push the idea of Kash Patel in this role. And Kash is somebody who has said he wants to dismantle the Department of Justice. He wants to dismantle the FBI. He has been a big propagator of the idea of the, quote/unquote, deep state, and there are a lot of people in Trump's orbit who are pushing this idea that he would be a good fit, particularly after you see some of these names that have been announced like Matt Gaetz, whom we know part of the reason he chose Matt Gaetz was because he believes he would be an effective communicator of what they are doing with the Department of Justice.

There are arguments being made on Kash Patel's part that he would be an effective communicator. But one thing to keep in mind here, it's not as though everyone in Trump's orbit is a big fan of Kash Patel. In fact, his comments about the media did not play well during the campaign and I spoke to a number of senior advisors at that sign who told me they were incredibly angry with Kash Patel over those comments saying they weren't helpful to then former President Trump who is running his campaign.

[16:05:06]

So, how this plays out, of course, we're going to wait and see. I am told that we are expecting more big names tonight, at least two more big names. We're still waiting for those announcements. We'll see what's coming down the pike, Jake.

TAPPER: What other picks have been announced today?

HOLMES: So in addition to Doug Burgum, which Donald Trump actually announced last night, the head of Department of Interior, there are two non-cabinet positions that I do we should keep an eye on. One is Steven Cheung who's going to be communications director. He's been by Donald Trump's side since Donald Trump left office, serving as a spokesman for the campaign.

But the other one is for a kind of little known public job which is the Office of Personnel, and this will be run by Sergio Gor. Sergio Gor is a Trump loyalist. He ran one of the super PACs aligned with Donald Trump with Ike Perlmutter. They raised more than $80 million. He also owns a publishing company with Donald Trump Jr. which he put forward the former president now president-elect's books.

But the real reason why we're looking at this job is for what exactly it means for the next administration. It is not just the big cabinet positions that Donald Trump is going to fill. As we know, Donald Trump wants to essentially get rid of a number of bureaucrats is what he says and people who are not loyal to him, and Sergio's job is going to be to essentially be in charge of that. He is going to be the one who is rooting out people they believe are disloyal to Donald Trump.

That's a big job when you know what Donald Trump wants to do with the government which essentially is take it over and fill it with people who are loyal to him not these career officials yeah I mean they're of course supposed to be loyal to the U.S. Constitution, not to anyone individual or party. But maybe I'm living in the --

HOLMES: That's why they're career officials.

TAPPER: All right. Kristen Holmes, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

Donald Trump's making nominations one -- is one thing getting them confirmed by the U.S. Senate is another, especially when it comes to Trump's pick for attorney general, former congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida.

CNN's Lauren Fox is keeping track of developments on Capitol Hill. Paula Reid has new reporting on what might be that -- what might be in that much sought-after House Ethics Committee report.

Paula, you first. What are your sources telling you about what might be in that ethics committee report about Matt Gaetz?

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, one source who spoke with Hill investigators tells me that they have obtained, quote, highly damaging evidence against the former congressman, also learned that Hill investigators spoke with many of the same witnesses who participated in the federal criminal case examining allegations of possible sex trafficking and possible obstruction of justice.

Those witnesses include the girl who's just 17 years old when Gaetz allegedly had sex with her, as well as Gaetz's ex-girlfriend who was a critical witness in the federal investigation.

Now, a lawyer for the underage girl has called for the ethics report to be released, but, Jake, I've spoken with several witnesses who've been involved in both the criminal probe and the Hill investigation, and I've gotten mixed reaction about whether they want this report released. Two of them have told me that they lived with these allegations, very salacious allegations for several years while the criminal case was pending, and they really don't want to relive that again especially after criminal charges were not brought against the former congressman.

Now, beyond what we know they have gathered it is also expected that they have gathered evidence on other issues beyond what the Justice Department investigated and while the big question where Lauren is up on Capitol Hill is will this report be released? What I'm looking for is if and when this is released, how much of this damaging evidence will they include in that final report? TAPPER: Yeah, and again, allegations are not convictions but also sometimes prosecutors don't bring cases not because the person's not guilty but because they don't think that they could get a guilty verdict because perhaps a witness wouldn't be considered credible just throwing it out there.

Lauren, House Speaker Mike Johnson says he doesn't want the ethics committee's report on Matt Gaetz to come out. Tell us about that.

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. I mean, this was an unusual comment from a sitting House speaker in part because typically, a House speaker would not be involved in conversations about what and how the ethics committee goes about doing its business. Obviously, all eyes are on the House Ethics Committee and whether or not they decide to release this report publicly. The other huge question mark right now is whether or not the United States Senate, the Judiciary Committee which will have the role of vetting nominees including attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz here, whether they will get a copy of the report.

They have officially asked for it from the Democrats but that committee will turn over to Republicans starting in January.

But, you know, it was interesting because the speaker told our colleague Ali Main that he didn't believe that Michael Guest should hand it over to the Senate Judiciary Committee either. Here is what we heard though from the judiciary committee. In response, the Democratic spokesman saying, quote, there is longstanding precedent for releasing ethics investigation materials after a member resigns, whether in the House or the Senate. The now former congressman should not be able to resign away an ethics investigation involving allegations of grave misconduct especially when he will be nominated to be the country's top law enforcement officer.

[16:10:05]

Now, there are still huge questions right now about whether or not Gaetz can get through the United States Senate and be confirmed to being Trump's attorney general. It's really interesting because over the course of the last several days, you're hearing from not just Democrats who want this report but Republicans as well -- John Cornyn as well as Mike rounds of South Dakota -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Lauren Fox, Paula Reid, thanks to both of you.

Here now to talk more about the transition as our political panel.

So Trump is reportedly considering Kash Patel to lead the FBI. I want you to take a listen to what Kash Patel had to say at CPAC, the conservative -- conservative gathering earlier this year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATEL: We're blessed by God to have Donald Trump be our juggernaut of justice, to be our leader, to be our continued warrior in the arena.

I'm going on a government gangsters, man, on. Who's coming with me?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Trump, of course, would first have to fire the current FBI Director Christopher Wray.

What do you think about this, Tiffany?

TIFFANY SMILEY (R), FORMER WASHINGTON SENATE CANDIDATE: Yeah, I mean, look, Kash Patel, the FBI is scared of him and I think, you know, he's there to shake things up. And in fact, when -- when you look at, you know, D.C. insiders, they don't want him, that that's actually sellable to the American people, especially when you look at the election and what we saw with the popular vote. You know, the American people are sick and tired of this.

Let's remember that Joe Biden and Merrick Garland weaponized the government against parents and school boards, calling them terrorists, went after Catholics that were pro-life and let's not forget that they also weaponized the witch hunts against Donald Trump. Democrats ran on locking up Donald Trump and putting him in jail.

So I think it's important, you know, I don't remember hearing hand wringing in the media when all of that was going on. So I think he's there to shake it up. Donald Trump wants change agents. He's ready to get this country back on the right track.

TAPPER: Do you think he's there to clean it up or do you think he's there to weaponize it for Donald Trump?

KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: He'll probably weaponize it for Donald Trump. But you know what, Jake? I am of the "be all you can be". Let's have the full Trump. This is what the people --

TAPPER: The full Monty?

FINNEY: Let's do it. The full Monty, the full Trump. You know, the Army motto, be all you can be -- get it all. I want everybody to experience what the full Trump is really like. Let all the crazy come out, let them all have to go through confirmation hearings because there should be transparency and we should get to know all of the things about their backgrounds that could make them vulnerable in certain situations, that would be dangerous to American national security or would make them more or less qualified.

But, you know, obviously, Joe Biden didn't weaponize the FBI or the government, but if that's what Donald Trump believes and if you voted for Donald Trump or you didn't vote at all, that's what you're about to get.

The editorial board of Rupert Murdoch's "New York Post" a paper that is very friendly to Donald Trump and for a long time issued a blistering response to the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be department -- secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. "The Post" writing, quote, Donald Trump won on promises to fix the --

fix the economy, the border and soaring global disorder. His team needs to focus on delivering change on those fronts, not spent energy either having to defend crackpot theories or trying to control RFK Jr.'s mouth.

It goes on to say: We fear the worm that he claims ate some of his brain some years ago is contagious and there's been an outbreak at Mar-a-Lago.

That is shocking language from the conservative Trump supporting "New York Post".

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, and with traditional "New York Post" subtlety and the point that they're trying to make there -- look, there are -- it is -- the fascinating thing about the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nomination is not that it happened, Trump said it was going to happen he made very clear on the campaign trail, not unlike Kash Patel where this is what he told you he was going to do, he's doing.

TAPPER: Correct.

MATTINGLY: I think the -- what I'm hearing right now from Republicans on Capitol Hill and outside groups as well is grappling with the reality of not just on vaccines or other issues that we rightly spent a lot of focus on yesterday when he was nominated, abortion in particular. We heard from Mike Pence today, in talking with Republicans right now, Mike Pence is probably a leading indicator coming out with very strong statements.

TAPPER: Yeah, let me read it to you and come right back to you.

So, Vice President Pence uncharacteristically putting out the statement saying: If confirmed, RFK Jr. would be the most pro-abortion Republican appointed secretary of HHS in modern history.

I -- probably in history, let's be honest. I don't know about modern history, but I respectfully urge Senate Republicans to reject this nomination and give the American people a leader who will respect the sanctity of life as secretary of health and human services.

So, sorry, go ahead.

MATTINGLY: That in particular, depending on how the pro-life groups operate, in a normal era, in a normal time, they would come out so vigorously and with a lot of money against this pick. In a normal time, he wouldn't have been the pick though.

And so, I think the question right now, the Republicans on Capital Hill trying to grapple with is they want to have difference to the former president -- president-elect. They want to give him his picks. They understand the relationship between the two men but also the relationship in their coalition.

[16:15:02] But if life and abortion is an issue that you care deeply about, many in that 53-member conference do, this is a really, really difficult policy pick.

FINNEY: But can I two thoughts I would offer. Number one, you know, RFK Jr. in this position will do what Donald Trump and Stephen Miller who we should be talking more about frankly because he's going to have a lot of control as the deputy chief of staff in the White House, architect of Project 2025, they'll have a lot more control over what is happening with women's healthcare.

Number two, I actually would like to see Democrats almost take a step back and get out of the way. Let Republicans have to defend the crazy for once, because we end up being the foil let's not be the foil this time. Let's let RFK Jr. get up there and say what he wants to say in a hearing and make Republicans have to --

SMILEY: And I wish that Mike Pence wouldn't have weighed in on this in this realm because really, truly, the Supreme Court decision gave that abortion rights back to the state, to the people where it belongs. And if Republicans want to win on this issue, they need to make sure that we're empowering women, that we make sure that women have access to health care, education, child care is affordable. That's how we'll save more lives, so a woman doesn't have to choose between poverty or the American dream.

And we need RFK Jr. to heal our children. I mean, 40 percent of children have a chronic illness. So --

TAPPER: So I don't think anyone takes this issue with the focus on chronic illness and processed foods. It's -- it's the vaccine stuff.

But let me ask you this quick question, because you ran for Senate. If you were a senator right now and maybe someday you will be, do you see any of these nominees that you would be an automatic no?

SMILEY: I mean, I would have to -- you know, they have to go through the process. I would need to question them. I need to know -- I need to know more information.

TAPPER: Fair enough.

SMILEY: From them, but again, I think we need to remember that at the end of the day, the American people spoke loud and clear.

TAPPER: All right. Thanks to all of you. Appreciate it.

Some Senate Republicans really want to see that House Ethics Committee report on Matt Gaetz, but we have not heard the same push from House Republicans. Why is that? We're going to talk to one next.

Plus, day one in the trial for the undocumented migrant accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. What happened when bodycam video evidence played in court in this tragic, awful case?

Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:21:07]

TAPPER: In our politics lead, the selection of former Congressman Matt Gaetz for U.S. attorney general continues to leave lawmakers scrambling to find out what happens next.

Joining us now, Republican Congressman Tom Emmer of Minnesota. He is the third highest ranking Republican in the House. He is -- he is -- the actual title is House majority whip.

Do people have to call you Whip Emmer? Is that -- is that like a thing?

REP. TOM EMMER (R-MN): Might be one of the nicer things.

TAPPER: So let me -- so let me ask you first of all about Gaetz.

Today, the house ethics committee postponed the meeting where they were going to decide what to do with the report. Speaker Johnson said earlier today that he doesn't think that this report about these allegations this investigation into Matt Gaetz should be released.

But there are senators -- Republican senators who would like to read it for the confirmation hearing. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): I think there should not be any limitation on the Senate judiciary committee's investigation including whatever the House Ethics Committee has generated.

SEN. MIKE ROUNDS (R-SD): And we should have access to it one way or another based on the way that we do all of these nominations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Do you think that your Senate colleagues at the very least should -- Republican colleagues in the Senate should -- should get to see it?

EMMER: Well, let's remember, first, Jake, that the Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland used the office to prosecute his political opponents and to go after parents who were peacefully protesting at school board meetings. Donald Trump ran on a promise to shake up Washington, D.C. He's doing exactly that and Matt Gaetz is one of the examples.

TAPPER: Right. But there is -- there are questions about that -- that your colleagues on the House Ethics Committee, Republicans and Democrats were looking into and Republicans in the Senate say, we'd like to see that before we confirm him. Is that -- is that an unreasonable request you think?

EMMER: Actually, when you look at what Matt Gaetz has done over the last -- I think he spent the last six years on the judiciary committee, which has direct oversight over the Department of Justice and -- and the attorney general's office. I think he's the perfect pick for this job because, again, you can't fix what's broken by taking people from inside what they broke. You're going to have to bring people from outside. You're going to have to bring change agents.

At the end of the day, Jake, they're all going to be executing on the Trump agenda, not their agenda.

TAPPER: Right, but certainly somebody, and this is -- he's accused of having sex with a high school girl, a 17-year-old. He denies it. He says it's not true but the House of Ethics Committee is looking into that.

Whether or not he's good at his job or good at his -- will be good at his future job, your Republican Senate colleagues say we'd like to see what's in the report.

EMMER: Jake, this was investigated by the FBI. I think the FBI is probably the preeminent investigation arm of the government, not a House Ethics Committee. That FBI gave that investigation to the attorney general's office or to the Department of Justice, they chose not to prosecute because there wasn't a crime to charge. They closed their -- their file.

TAPPER: I don't know that there wasn't a crime to charge. I think they didn't think that they -- they were -- they weren't confident they could get a conviction I think is.

EMMER: This, Jake, again, so you're going to convict him in the public court of public opinion --

TAPPER: No, I'm not, I'm just trying --

EMMER: -- when they --

TAPPER: -- do a nice thing for John Cornyn.

EMMER: Does anyone believe that the Biden Justice Department if they had evidence to charge Matt Gaetz with a crime, wouldn't have done it? They don't have the evidence. They close the file. Matt Gaetz is a great pick.

TAPPER: So let me ask you about the confirmation process because there are questions about whether or not the Senate is just going to adjourn and give president-elect Trump an opportunity just to do recess appointments or I guess he'd be president at the time, President Trump had the opportunity to recess appointments.

John Thune, the newly elected Republican Senate majority leader, said this last night on Fox.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): You know, you have to have all Republicans vote to recess as well. So the same Republicans that you mentioned that might have a problem voting for somebody under regular order, probably also have a problem voting to put the Senate into recess.

[16:25:00]

You have to have concurrence from the House. There's a process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: There is this other contingent, this other provision that if the House and the Senate can't agree, I can't even get into it. It's too in the weeds, but you know what I'm talking about.

Do you think Donald Trump should be able to just do recess appointments and bypass the normal way of having a confirmation hearing?

EMMER: Look, I'm in the House. That's a question for John Thune.

In the House, we've got our job, the Senate's got theirs. We try to work together but this confirmation process is entirely a Senate responsibility. John Thune, as I understand it, the part that isn't part of that clip has said that all of these appointees are going to get -- get vetted through the process and they'll all have an honest process. And I think they'll get confirm.

TAPPER: So I want to ask you a question about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee to be head of the Department of Health and Human Services. He's an outspoken critic of vaccines. I want to bring up Minnesota where you're from because there's no mandate for kids to get the measles vaccine in Minnesota I don't believe, and the latest numbers released yesterday show that there are 52 cases of measles in Minnesota, 28 of those cases are among kids under the age of five. Currently, there are in the hospital.

We don't see this kind of epidemic of measles in places where there is a vaccine mandate.

What is your take on that? Do -- are you concerned about that at all?

EMMER: I'm a Minnesotan, Jake, and you're telling me -- I'm 63 years old. I got vaccinated for measles. You're telling me that at some point, we decide we're not doing that anymore? I think that's a poor example.

Bottom line is Donald Trump was elected to shake things up in Washington, D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the HHS secretary will be moving to enact the Trump agenda. This is what the country asked for and he's going to honor the promises that he campaigned.

TAPPER: But you don't think that the country asked for measles.

EMMER: Again, Jake, you're -- you're trying to --

TAPPER: Well, tell me what's going on in Minnesota --

EMMER: Because again, you -- you're going to have to give me more information --

TAPPER: OK.

EMMER: -- because bottom line is, I believe everyone is vaccinated for measles in Minnesota. If there's something that is changed, that's news to me.

TAPPER: OK. Whip Emmer, it's good to see you sir. Don't be a stranger. Thanks so much for being here. Congratulations on your party, keeping control of the House, winning control of the Senate, winning control of the White House, quite -- quite a day. You must -- you guys must be pretty excited, you haven't had a day like this since -- well, two -- I don't -- I can't even keep --

EMMER: Oh, Jake, we haven't had a day like this since last Tuesday. It's great. You know what I mean.

TAPPER: All right. Anyway, thanks for being here. Appreciate it.

Then there's the renewed attention on Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick to lead HHS. Did his views contribute to a 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa? A physician turned governor who treated patients on the island of Samoa is going to be here to tell us what he observed. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:31:46]

TAPPER: In our health lead, one day after Donald Trump, the president- elect, tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be his secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, renewed reports are emerging about Kennedy's alleged role in a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa. The outbreak infected thousands and killed at least 80 people, including many children.

"The Washington Post" today reporting, quote, RFK Jr., the health secretary nominee widely known for his anti-vaccine views, questioned whether problems with the measles vaccine caused the Samoan outbreak rather than insufficient vaccine coverage. Kennedy's own family members have said he is spreading dangerous misinformation about vaccine doses, unquote.

In the documentary "Shot in the Arm", RFK Jr. tried to deny any responsibility or involvement in the tragedy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. (I), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yeah, I'm aware there was a measles outbreak, but I didn't have anything thing -- you know, I have nothing to do with -- with people not vaccinating in Samoa. I never told anybody not to vaccinate. I didn't -- you know, go there for any reason to do with that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Let's bring in CNN medical correspondent Meg Tirrell.

And, Meg, that is not a fully transparent accounting of what happened and it's not a fully honest accounting for the role that RFK Jr. and his organization, the role they played in the Samoan tragedy, is it?

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Jake. I mean, RFK Jr. actually describes his trip to Samoa himself in a post on his organization's website from 2021, looking back on this in 2019, in which he describes going to visit the Samoan prime minister before this all happened on a visit that he described was to discuss a medical informatic system he says to assess safety and efficacy of every medical intervention on overall health there.

So that's how he describes that and further on in that post, he calls this a mild outbreak and then later associates the deaths with it to coming after they started vaccinating folks with a new vaccine.

But just to walk you through the sort of timeline of what really happened with this outbreak, it's a real tragedy starting from the very beginning, when there was a mistake in 2018 when two infants died who were given MMR vaccine, measles, mumps, rubella. That was improperly mixed with something it shouldn't have been instead of water. That was an accident.

But as that was being investigated, the country paused its vaccinations, recalled the vaccine, that lasted for nine months into 2019. Then in June of 2019, RFK Jr. visited Samoa. That's the visit he was talking about where as part of that visit, he met with anti- vaccine activists. There are posts about this on social media. There -- then in October of 2019, Samoa declared a measles outbreak.

You saw after that tragedy the year before, vaccination rate started to plummet. A visitor came from it seems like New Zealand, then this started to take root in October, and this really began to spread. In November of 2019, RFK Jr. wrote a letter to the Samoan prime minister. This was reported on at the time by "The Washington Post".

He was encouraging that government to look into whether the outbreak was caused by inadequate vaccine coverage or alternatively by a defective vaccine. In December of that year, 2019, the World Health Organization warned that this outbreak was being fueled by misinformation from one group in particular.

[16:35:08]

And by January of 2020, there had been more than 5,700 cases and 83 deaths from this measles outbreak, and the majority of those deaths were in kids under five -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Meg Tirrell, thanks so much.

Joining us now, Democratic governor of Hawaii, Josh Green. Governor Green is also a doctor, a physician who worked in emergency rooms in family medicine.

Governor Green, thanks for joining us. When you were lieutenant governor in 2019 of Hawaii, you were contacted by the prime minister of Samoa during the measles outbreak. He wanted you to go and help them vaccinate the population. You led a team of doctors and nurses and medical professionals there.

What did you see on the ground?

GOV. JOSH GREEN (D-HI): We -- we saw dead children. We saw the remnants of that anti-vaxx campaign by RFK and his -- and his organization. We -- we saw devastation.

And it is beyond unconscionable that President Trump is asking him to be the head of HHS because this is what, he did he scared the wits of everybody in Samoa. There was a lot of health literacy issues. They did not have all the information. You -- your previous guest you described the situation very well.

We went there and we did 36,997 vaccinations over the course of two days to fix the problem. The prime minister asked us to come in because I'm a physician and because I had government connections.

And so, we did it, and it was a extraordinary medical mission but we would have never had to do that had a person like RFK Jr. not torpedoed their country's confidence in vaccinations and if he becomes HHS secretary, you can expect that in America, too.

TAPPER: You heard RFK Jr. deny any involvement in the tragedy. If there are confirmation hearings, I'm sure he will say the same. What's your response?

GREEN: Well, I hope lying is something that will prohibit him from becoming HHS secretary because that would knock him out right there.

Look, I don't have anything against some of President Trump's nominees. It's his prerogative as president-elect to put people into positions, but not if they don't have any experience, number one. RFK Jr. has no training like me as a physician or as a public health professional. He's not a nurse. He's not a social worker.

He is nothing in health care. Actually what he is, is he's a disruptor which is, of course, why he's getting this nomination. But children's lives are on the line. We already have challenges in some parts of America where we have lower rates of vaccination and if you dip below a certain threshold like they did Samoa and had that terrible outbreak, you'll see fatalities or you'll see spread of disease not just like measles, mumps and rubella, you'll see polio and you'll see a polio resurgence.

Can you imagine having children that have paralysis in this generation?

You'll see meningitis outbreaks and I watched your earlier segment, yes, for Christmas, this coming year, we'll get a measles outbreak and then for Valentine's Day or Easter, we'll get a meningitis outbreak if we have the gift of RFK Jr. as the head of our most important health entities. So I was there, and I hope he doesn't lie about it but we all knew

from his own posts from his own bragging, from the stories, he told his own family who I'm close to, that he -- he was proud of this movement.

And look, I -- it should not be partisan, it should not be political it should be about the well-being of our families. And that department is simply too important to allow someone who has no business being its head confirmed. It can't happen.

TAPPER: What specifically do you think he will do as director of HHS that will lead to outbreaks of preventable diseases that there are vaccines for but if people are not vaccinated, then it will spread?

GREEN: Well, one thing he'll do and he'll -- he'll do this eloquently is spread misinformation and doubt. And you already have always 20 or 30 percent of the population that is either suspicious you've seen how conspiracy theory and misinformation permeated the election, and have permeated really the dialogue that's gone on for the last several years.

And the power of a director or a surgeon general to cast doubt on treatments or on vaccinations will torpedo those populations. They will not get vaccinated and then what will happen is remember as these diseases spread, you will not have herd immunity.

So other people will be vulnerable. You will have, you know, one-year- olds and under all across America that are not even eligible for vaccination. They will be catching measles like crazy. They will be catching other diseases like chickenpox like crazy, and that can cause neurologic damage.

When you dip down below 95 or 90 percent, I think Sanjay said it very well today earlier on the programs, you see the spread of these diseases where you never otherwise see it.

And remember, another thing, Jake, there are a lot of people who have immune disorders that are not able to take vaccinations that are not able to take certain medications, they will be collateral damage. They will also be threatened by the process.

There's another thing that the HHS secretary can do, they can cut funds. They can decide that we're not going to spend as much Medicaid or Medicare dollars on certain treatments or processes. They control a $2 trillion budget, that's the health care cost that we have in America.

And imagine if they cut 10 percent and you see Departments of Health not able to do education campaign pains, or if they don't allow for free clinics at community health centers which are often the safety net for poorer communities where there are health disparities, that is all within the purview of the head of HHS, and that's exactly the kind of things you'll see especially when you have a president that's talking about cutting trillions of dollars through Elon Musk, who's talking about different priorities, who's talking about disrupting. Now, I'm not trying to disparage the president, but I am saying that putting the wrong person at the head of HHS will hurt your children. It will hurt my children. It'll hurt children all across America.

And let's rethink this. Let's pull back this nomination and let him go be some part of the Environmental Protection Agency which is what he wanted to do originally under Obama. Let other people who have experience, Republican, conservatives, I'm sure, but who have training like for instance Surgeon General Adams that was under President Trump before, a very good human being.

TAPPER: Yeah.

GREEN: Let those kind of people who will do the right things run the health department.

TAPPER: Hawaii Governor Josh Green, a Democrat and a doctor, thanks to you. Appreciate it, sir.

Coming up, next day one wrapping up in the trial of an undocumented immigrant accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. The shocking moment in court today from body camera footage as evidence was introduced.

Stay with us.

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[16:46:01]

TAPPER: In our law and justice lead, day one of the trial in Georgia of the undocumented immigrant charge with the February murder, a shocking murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.

In court today, a dramatic moment as bodycam video was played.

CNN's Rafael Romo has that, and we want to warn you that some of this in the details the prosecutors shared today might be hard to hear about.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the opening day of the trial of Jose Ibarra, prosecutors played body camera video too graphic to be shown beyond the courtroom of when Laken Riley was found.

Sergeant Kenneth Maxwell with the University of Georgia Police Department performing CPR as emergency sirens wailed and observers in the court cried as a responding officer described the scene.

SGT. KENNETH MAXWELL, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA POLICE: It was intentional and that somebody had attempted to either remove her top or maybe had used it to drag her.

ROMO: Also entered into evidence images of the crime scene and fingerprints found on her phone and pictures of injuries of the defendant that prosecutors say came from the attack.

Pieces of evidence that the prosecutor Sheila Ross told the judge in her opening statement would lead them to a verdict of guilty in the trial of Jose Ibarra, the undocumented migrant charged with murder and aggravated assault with the intent to rape college student Laken Riley in February.

SHEILA ROSS, PROSECUTOR: He went hunting for females on the University of Georgia's campus.

ROMO: In her opening, Ross previewed more evidence to come.

ROSS: She fought for her dignity and in that fight, she caused this defendant to leave forensic evidence behind.

ROMO: Including fingerprint and DNA analysis.

ROSS: It is Jose Ibarra's left thumb on Laken Riley's phone.

ROMO: And evidence collected by police.

ROSS: We will ask that you find him guilty on every count of this indictment, because the state will be able to prove this.

ROMO: Ibarra's defense attorney calling that evidence of graphic and what happened to Riley tragic.

JOHN DONNELLY, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The evidence that Jose Ibarra killed Laken Riley is circumstantial.

ROMO: And explained the defendants waving a jury trial saying that if the judge made, quote, honest assessment of the evidence --

DONNELLY: There should not be enough evidence to convince you beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty of the crimes charged.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMO: And, Jake, we are live here now outside of the courthouse in Athens where the trial wrapped up a few minutes ago. It will resume at 8:30 in the morning on Monday.

Now, back to you.

TAPPER: All right. Rafael Romo in Athens, Georgia, for us -- thank you so much. A horrible case.

Coming up next, video rarely seen of U.S. fighter pilots, how they responded to a night raid by Iran targeting Israel.

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[16:53:04]

TAPPER: And we're back with an exclusive in our world lead. The U.S. Air Force pilots who raced to action the night Iran attacked Israel earlier this year and speaking to CNN and only to CNN.

CNN's Natasha Bertrand has this exclusive behind the scenes look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As missiles and rounds exploded overhead, U.S. troops scramble to get fighter jets in the air.

MAJ. BENJAMIN "IRISH" COFFEY, U.S. AIR FORCE: The scale that we expected from most dangerous was vastly under four or five times under what actually occurred April 13.

BERTRAND: Iran fired 300 missiles and attack drones to Israel, an unprecedented. In their first interview since that night, F-15 pilots and crew call sings Irish, Sonic, Rifle, and Voodoo described trying to hit dozens of missiles and slow moving drones while flying over 1,000 miles per hour.

CAPT. LACIE "SONIC" HESTER, U.S. AIR FORCE: It took a few seconds and on the sweep of the radar we see all of these dots and I think that first picture was a little overwhelming I think for me in the backseat just seeing how many are airborne and tracking in our direction.

BERTRAND: For the F-15 squadron shown here at their home base in Lakenheath, England, this was the first real test against a large scale drone attack.

Can you talk about how difficult that was to take down these very slow-moving drones?

COFFEY: You are talking about something on the very edge of a fighter aircraft's ability to detect what we call fine, fix, track, target and engage. We weren't sure if our radar, the best radar in the inventory, is in this airplane behind us and nobody really knew whether or not of its capability to find these things even existed.

BERTRAND: Several of the F-15's air to air missiles failed to launch, leaving live munitions hanging on the wing.

Was there anything really surprised about that night or anything that went wrong?

MAJ. CLAYTON "RIFLE" WICKS, U.S. AIR FORCE: I mean, a lot of stuff went wrong.

[16:55:01]

We had a lot of jets coming back with ordnance (ph).

BERTRAND: Yeah, and that's treated as an emergency, isn't it?

WICKS: Yeah, it is. And they are by default, an emergency aircraft.

BERTRAND: Rifle was managing operation at an undisclosed base in the Middle East where missiles and drones were exploding overhead. The chaos is shown here for the first time.

Pilots called in asking what to do is debris fell on the runways.

WICKS: Really, almost like we could say stay airborne as long as you can with the gas you have and don't divert because even the divert airfields, we don't know what is going on either so if something is blowing up over our heads it is very likely stuff there as well.

BERTRAND: Many troops refused to go to bunkers.

LT. COL. CURTIS "VOODOO" CULVER, U.S. AIR FORCE: There was an airman at one point standing next to a fuel truck with tons and tons of jet fuel in it, just pumping gas into the jet with stuff exploding over the base. I mean, the courage of that person to stand up and do that for an ally is incredible.

BERTRAND: Almost every single plane that landed had to be reloaded.

So, have you ever seen that situation before where they are using all of these munitions and they have to come back and get all of this replaced at once?

WICKS: We trained for it, but I have never actually seen it.

BERTRAND: Ultimately, U.S. and allied forces shutdown every projectile launched at Israel. Sonic, Irish, Voodoo and Rifle all received awards this week for valor in combat.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: And our thanks to Natasha Bertrand for that piece.

And it's been around this time of day when President-elect Trump has traditionally announced new names for his incoming administration. Will we get more today? I have not had a chance to check my phone yet, but I will look during the commercial break.

We're also asking about the sexual assault investigation tied to Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for the defense secretary . His lawyer and Hegseth denied any wrongdoing whatsoever and there were no charges filed. What we've learned so far, that's next.

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