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Biden Allows Ukraine to Use Long-Range Weapons Against Russia; Trump Cabinet Picks Facing Scrutiny. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired November 18, 2024 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:44]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: President-elect Trump's Cabinet picks on a collision course with the Washington establishment. And, today, we're learning more about the accusations against perhaps his most controversial choice, former Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general, how a civil lawsuit in Florida is revealing lurid details of the sexual misconduct allegations the House Ethics Committee has been investigating.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Plus: Russia responds. The Kremlin says President Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range U.S. missiles inside Russia is -- quote -- "throwing oil on the fire of war." We're following the latest there.

And budget airline Spirit files for bankruptcy protection. What this means for all those no-frill flights before the holiday season.

We are following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

KEILAR: Sixty-three days until president-elect Trump's inauguration, and his transition is moving forward at breakneck speed.

And speaking of whiplash, eye-popping revelations about his most high- profile Cabinet picks have Washington in a tizzy. There's also his TRUTH Social post from the wee morning hours today confirming Trump's plans to declare a national emergency over illegal immigration and use the military to assist in the mass deportations, like he promised throughout his campaign.

Trump appears impervious to the backlash against his Cabinet picks, even as some could face an uphill confirmation battle in the Senate. Trump's newest administration pick is Brendan Carr to head the Federal Communications Commission. Carr is currently an FCC commissioner and authored a chapter on proposed changes to the agency in Project 2025, that controversial Trump tried to distance himself from during the campaign.

CNN's Kristen Holmes is joining us now.

So, Kristen, tell us a little bit more about this FCC pick and just where things stand overall. KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he was appointed to

the FCC by Trump in 2017. He is considered the senior-most Republican and really a shoo-in for this position.

But the thing to keep in mind here is, he's not just an ally of Donald Trump. He's also an ally of Elon Musk's. And it is likely, or at least possible, that he could help him with some government contracts, particularly when it comes to Starlink.

Now, just to give you an idea of what Carr is going to be focused on, this was a quote that he put on Twitter right -- or -- excuse me -- X right after he was named. It says: "We must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans."

The reason why this is interesting, it's something we have heard time and time again from the president-elect as something he cares about, essentially tech companies censoring people, particularly when it comes to Facebook. He's brought that up or Instagram.

But, again, this is an ally of his. But the real thing to watch here is something that we reported some time ago, my colleague Steve Contorno, when he did a deep dive on people who are still advisers to Donald Trump or in his orbit writing those different proposals for Project 2025.

He was one of them. And with this same idea that Donald Trump tried to distance himself from so many of these proposals, clearly, here, he is linking up with someone who was the author of an entire section about the FCC for Project 2025.

KEILAR: And there's another key position that we're still waiting for, which is Treasury. What can you tell us about that?

HOLMES: Yes, we were told we were going to get Treasury likely on Friday. I talked to a number of people who said there was a meeting where they were going to go over it.

But what we have been essentially told is that they are adding more people to the mix for Treasury because of what we have seen with the two top candidates, Scott Bessent and Howard Lutnick. There's been a lot of knife-fighting, I am told, particularly on this part of Lutnick, who ran the transition. They

are still working out how this is going to play out. One thing to keep in mind is that Lutnick has been close to Trump for a very long time. So, clearly, some people are trying to handle this entire situation with kid gloves. We will see when we actually hear about that post.

KEILAR: All right, Kristen, thank you so much for that report live for us from West Palm Beach.

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And the House Ethics Committee is now expected to meet on Wednesday, and they could actually decide whether to release their report on Trump's controversial attorney general pick, Matt Gaetz. SCIUTTO: The committee launched an investigation, you will remember,

in 2021 after salacious allegations surfaced about sexual misconduct and drug use. Gaetz flatly denies those accusations, but, today, we are getting new insight into some of the evidence uncovered.

CNN chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid is here with us, along with CNN chief congressional correspondent and anchor of "INSIDE POLITICS SUNDAY," Manu Raju.

Paula, let me begin with you. I mean, I often hesitate to ask this question because some of the details are lurid, but they details are nonetheless of a serious investigation. So what do you know?

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so this all comes out of civil litigation in Florida.

This is a lawsuit that was filed by one of Gaetz's associates. The congressman is not a party to this litigation, but the lawsuit went after both another one of their friends, but also the girl who was underage when she allegedly had sex with the former congressman.

And as a result of this litigation, they did discovery. They engaged in the process of creating a whole new record of evidence, including depositions with some of the women who were at these parties, including also that girl who was allegedly underage when she had sex with the congressman, though those depositions of the underage victim and the other women, those are under seal.

But the lawyers involved in this case were kind of clever. They took some parts of her deposition that's under seal and incorporated portions of it into their questions that are publicly available in the docket. So they referenced, for example, that she said in her deposition that she had sex with Gaetz on an air hockey table.

So the lawyer asked specifically, he said -- quote -- "And you heard her testimony that she said that you observed her and Matt Gaetz having sex on the air hockey table." So there he's putting her deposition right before -- part of it in his question.

So the person being asked that denied that he saw it, but the lawyer also notes that the friend of the underage woman who brought her to the party that they were talking about testified that she too had sex with Gaetz at the same gathering.

Now, the reason this is relevant to the Ethics Committee report is that we know that the Ethics Committee has spoken with many of these same witnesses. They have also gotten access to a lot of the evidence that was gathered in the civil litigation. And, again, this is a flavor of what they have collected.

Now, the congressman has, of course, consistently denied wrongdoing.

KEILAR: And the Ethics Committee is meeting on Wednesday, Manu.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And the decision is going to be about whether or not to go ahead and release this report.

Even though he is now a resigned member of Congress and even though the speaker of the House has leaned on them not to release a report, they can still go ahead if one Republican were essentially to vote with the Democrats. This is a narrow, evenly divided panel. So, it would require one member.

But given the amount of pressure that they're under, it's unclear whether or not they would actually do that. Johnson has maintained that the reason why he is -- that they shouldn't release it, because he said it would breach protocol. Typically, he says this does not happen for members who have resigned.

But there is precedent for people who have resigned both in the House and the Senate to see their investigations by the Ethics Committee come out afterwards in a form of reports. So we will see which side they ultimately come down, but no doubt about it there is a ton of pressure on these Republicans, because, on the Senate side, there are a lot of Senate Republicans who say they want to see this before they cast a key vote.

SCIUTTO: To that point, could the Senate formally request the House to do so?

RAJU: I mean, that will be an interesting clash between the two chambers if it ultimately comes to that. We don't know where the Judiciary Committee, incoming Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, stands on this issue.

So if he sides with some of his members on the committee, like John Cornyn, a senior member of that committee who wants to see that report, perhaps he will put some pressure on them to move ahead. But we will see how that plays out.

KEILAR: You have broken so many of the stories of this Ethics investigation, Paula. i wonder if you think it's going to leak, the report?

REID: So if they don't release it through formal channels, either officially or in a redacted form, I would actually be a little bit surprised if it leaks, because this committee does not leak, much to my chagrin.

But I understand why it is. They're trying to protect not only the subjects of these Ethics investigations, but also the witnesses. Because remember, at the heart of the Gaetz investigation is a group of pretty vulnerable women who were perhaps preyed upon by much more powerful, wealthy men in the state of Florida.

I have talked to some witnesses who were interviewed in the Justice Department probe and for the Ethics probe. They don't want the report released. They don't want to drudge all this up again. That's part of why they don't just leak information. They wouldn't talk to us about their investigation.

But there is an enormous amount of pressure on them politically to release this, so lawmakers can assess whatever evidence they have gathered as they decide whether or not Matt Gaetz should be the nation's top law enforcement official.

SCIUTTO: OK, speaking of other top officials, it's Trump's nominee for the Defense Department, Pete Hegseth, who has his own allegations of personal misconduct.

Where does that stand in terms of his support in getting confirmed?

RAJU: You know, a lot of Republican senators who I have spoken with, they really just don't know much about him. They know he was a FOX News personality. They have read about his military service, but they don't know where he stands on key policy decisions. He's never been in that role before.

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And, of course, this is a sprawling agency, where critical decisions need to be met. And, clearly, the vetting was not such that we have seen in other nominees. And, typically, they go through a pretty intense vetting process before a president decides in how to go ahead. It did not happen here, which really raises the stakes for the confirmation hearings next year, Republicans, whether they break ranks.

I'd be hard-pressed to see them break ranks. But if he trips up in the confirmation hearings or if there are more problems like this that emerge, perhaps that changes the calculus of some on the GOP side.

SCIUTTO: Yes. And the question becomes, do they break ranks on multiple nominations, right, given the questions that have become public so far?

Manu Raju, Paula Reid, thanks so much.

Still ahead: The Kremlin accuses the U.S. of throwing -- quote -- "oil on the fire of war," this after President Biden green-lit Ukraine to use U.S. long-range weapons for attacks inside Russia.

KEILAR: Plus: President-elect Trump promised he would bring down prices, but could another promise concerning immigration actually drive those prices up?

And residents in Columbus, Ohio, seeing a shocking scene there over the weekend, neo-Nazi marchers shouting racial slurs, holding up swastika flags. We're going to speak with a city official ahead.

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[13:15:38]

KEILAR: Right now, President Biden is in Brazil for the final G20 summit of his presidency just today after making a major policy decision that will allow Ukraine to use American-made long-range missiles inside Russia, well inside of Russia for the first time. This is a move that the White House previously resisted, fearing that

it would escalate the conflict further. But Moscow has now deployed 50,000 troops to push Ukraine out of its Kursk region in the south, where Kyiv launched a surprise counteroffensive this summer. There are also thousands of North Korean soldiers who are among the troops there supporting Russia's efforts.

And the Kremlin says Biden's decision is showing that his administration wants to -- quote -- "throw oil on the fire." The U.S. responding by saying it was Russia who ignited it in the first place.

Let's go now to CNN's Kayla Tausche. She is traveling with the president in Rio de Janeiro.

Kayla, tell us about Biden's agenda and what you're hearing about his decision.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, the administration essentially describes two developments that led to this decision, first what they see is an extremely brazen recruitment by Russia of tens of thousands of North Korean troops that are stationed in and around Russia and who we expect will be targeted by some of these very weapons, and then, second, the largest aerial attack by Russia on Ukraine in months, with blackouts and casualties across the country as Russia targets Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

That is what led President Biden to reverse this decision that had been months of deliberations where he declined to move in this direction. We now expect that these long-range missiles known as ATACMS will be used primarily in the Kursk region that you were just mentioning in Western Russia, where Ukraine had made some strongholds and hopes to hold on to that territory to bring Russia to the negotiating table for an eventual peace deal.

How and when these weapons will be used, neither side will say at this point. They don't want to give away the game on the battlefield. But, just today, U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer said that the U.S., they believe, is on stronger footing on the world stage than four years ago, even as he acknowledges inevitable changes coming forth with a new administration that could change tack on everything from Ukraine to Israel, just the general relationship with the world under the new administration.

President Biden himself nodded to that when he spoke from the Amazon rain forest yesterday, saying no one can undo his legacy on climate in particular. And he echoed that message when he was speaking to leaders and their delegations from the G20 here in Rio earlier today. Here's what Biden said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is my last G20 summit. We have made progress together, but I urge you to keep going. And I'm sure you will, regardless of my urging or not.

This group has within its power to usher a new era of sustainable development, to go from billions to trillions in assistance to those most in need. This is all may sound lofty, but this group can lay the foundation to make that achievable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAUSCHE: Biden here in Brazil will meet with the country's president. He will also be having more informal brief meetings on the sidelines of the summit itself.

But, of course, all world leaders here have been trying to reach out directly to president-elect Donald Trump, who still looms large over this gathering -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Kayla Tausche live for us in Rio, thank you.

And we have CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen joining us now live from Moscow.

Fred, how is this all being perceived in Russia?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, as you said, Brianna, the Russians and the Kremlin specifically saying that the Biden administration, as they put it, is pouring oil onto the fire.

And it's been quite interesting to see because there have been some angry reactions coming from Russian members of Parliament, but then also Russian state media. In fact, a couple of minutes ago, they opened up their main show saying the Biden administration has decided to extend this conflict that Donald Trump said that he wanted to stop.

So that's sort of one of the things, one of the narratives that's being pushed here in Russia is that all of this will extend the conflict and escalate the conflict of the war in Ukraine. Obviously, we heard the White House's perspective on all of that.

[13:20:02]

But the second thing is that the Russians believe that the Russians are trying to stop the on all of that. But the second thing is that the Russians believe that this could actually lead to an escalation between Russia and the United States as well.

We have been hearing that from Vladimir Putin over the past couple of weeks. What we have seen is a campaign by the Kremlin to try and dissuade the White House, the Biden administration, from making exactly the decision that it has now made.

And one of the things that Vladimir Putin has said is that he believes that these types of weapons, specifically the ATACMS surface-to- surface missiles, cannot be used by Ukraine without the help of specialists from the United States, other weapons, of course, from other NATO members by specialists from those countries.

And so the Russians are saying that they would consider an attack deep into their territory using these weapons as an attack coming from NATO or coming from the United States, which obviously could lead to a grave escalation.

And, Brianna, we have seen the Russians in the past, when the Ukrainians have gotten new gear from NATO states, from the United States, we have seen them draw red lines. But, in this case, what they have done is they have actually changed the entire nuclear doctrine of their country to specifically include a long-distance attack by a non- nuclear nation, like for instance, Ukraine, aided by a nuclear nation, for instance, the United States, which could trigger the Russians to use nuclear weapons.

Now, so far, of course, we're nowhere near that kind of territory. But that's the kind of pressure campaign that the Kremlin has been building up to try and stop the Biden administration from making this decision. And now the Kremlin is saying they will take what they call appropriate action if these weapons are actually used, Brianna.

KEILAR: All right, Fred Pleitgen, thank you so much for the report -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: All right, let's discuss this now with the retired Army Major General James "Spider" Marks, senior military analyst, head of geopolitical strategy at Academy Securities.

Good to have you on, sir.

BRIG. GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Thank you, Jim.

SCIUTTO: So I want to get your read as to how serious Russia is likely to be at this point in terms of its potential responses to this, because Russia has threatened escalation before at each increase in U.S. support for Ukraine, whether that be weapons systems like the HIMARS system or even tanks, right, armored personnel carriers.

So here they are saying again that we might view this as an attack on us with the aid of the U.S. and NATO. Do you believe that? Do you believe that this step now is the one that trips that wire, as it were, in terms of an escalation or some sort of response by Russia?

MARKS: Well, I think, Jim, the Russians believe that.

I also need to say that, from the outset, the strategy by NATO has been -- has achieved some phenomenal results, but has really been a stairstep. And I don't know that in terms of applying pressure, providing support over the course of time that it has achieved what we see today, which is the maintenance of Ukrainian sovereignty, which is phenomenal based on Ukrainian capabilities and creativity.

It's quite unprecedented. But I don't know what the overarching strategy is for NATO and the United States moving forward. Look, conditions on the ground change. Ergo, policies will change. And, clearly, with the effort by Russia now going against the Kursk region and the application of possibly 10,000 North Korean troops, we will see how that plays out, certainly will alter the determination in terms of what needs to be done. But the targeting process, the value of reaching deep behind enemy

lines, determining what can be brought to the fight, attriting the enemy before you engage, has never changed. That has always been something that is going to provide positive outcomes.

SCIUTTO: Right.

MARKS: So I think the difference that we see right now is that there are more factors that this administration is dealing with and they are now unleashing some capabilities.

The United States needs to be very cautious, Jim, and not get in the middle of the targeting process and slow all that down.

SCIUTTO: OK.

The question now is, what is the military impact of allowing Ukraine to do this? And, by the way, it happened on yet another weekend, we should just remind folks, where Russia pummeled Ukraine, including civilian targets across the country, from firing positions inside Russia that Ukraine wants to strike to defend itself. That's the rationale. It makes sense.

Now the Biden administration is allowing this, but the Biden administration only in charge for a couple of more months. You have a new administration coming in, may do something different. I mean, is there military significance to President Biden saying now through January 20, right, at least, you can do this and we will see what the benefit is?

MARKS: Right.

Well, clearly, the benefit -- now, look, this is not going to strategically alter the potential outcome. This is going to change the conditions on the ground. And if this incoming administration is hoping to achieve some type of a monitored, agreed-to cease-fire and the exit of U.S. support, I don't know.

[13:25:13]

We have had all the -- this narrative is out there in terms of what the new administration might want to try to achieve.

SCIUTTO: Right.

MARKS: This eventually increases Volodymyr Zelenskyy's ability going forward to be able -- he wants to lock in the rates now. He wants to achieve his potential outcomes now.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

MARKS: If there is a negotiation that's going to come place, it puts him in a better position.

SCIUTTO: Yes, we have heard this for some time, right, that they're basically fighting for better negotiating position. It's sort of saying the quiet part out loud, right, because no one wants to say that, well, you're going to have to negotiate your way out of this war.

MARKS: Correct.

SCIUTTO: In a radio interview, Zelenskyy said the war -- quote -- "will end faster with the policy of this team that will now lead the White House," that is, under the Trump team.

Now, the concern, right, of some of Ukraine's allies in the U.S. that that means Trump forces Ukraine's hand into a deal that it doesn't want. Do you see a different outcome potentially?

MARKS: Oh, sure.

I think it's been very clear that the incoming Trump administration has made it clear that there is a potential for a negotiated settlement, look, and with historical precedent, right? We achieved a cease-fire in Korea and we end up with the status quo that exists right now, which is an armistice. It's not an agreement, a peace agreement.

SCIUTTO: Right.

MARKS: Yes, I really feel -- and you look at Zelenskyy's quote, it could end faster.

SCIUTTO: Right. Right.

MARKS: What does that end look like? It may just be a cessation in hostilities, and then you agree to something on the ground, which was not necessarily positive to Zelenskyy a priori the fighting.

SCIUTTO: Yes, for better or for worse, right?

We should note that Mike Waltz, Trump's selection for national security adviser, he has publicly supported giving Ukraine the ability to strike inside Russia, at least prior. Not clear whether he will -- he'd advise the president to do the same.

General James "Spider" Marks, thanks so much, as always.

MARKS: Thank you, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Still ahead: Just in time for the holiday travel season, unfortunately, Spirit Airlines has declared bankruptcy. So the big question now, what's unclear is, how will that impact travelers?

Plus, a break-in at Windsor Castle. Ahead, how burglars got into the royal estates and what they took.

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