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Markets Open Ahead of Tariff Announcement; Boeing CEO Testifies on The Hill; Noah Wyle is Interviewed About His New Show "The Pitt." Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired April 02, 2025 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:33:34]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Moments ago, opening bell ringing on Wall Street ahead of what is sure to be a consequential day when it comes to the U.S. economy and everyone's personal economy. President Trump preparing to reveal his sweeping tariff plan on America's trading partners. But which countries and how stiff the tariff, that is still a mystery at this hour.

CNN's Matt Egan joining us now.

So, we see where things at least are starting the day.

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Yes, Kate. Look, I like a good mystery. Investors, not so much. We're seeing liberation day start solidly in the red over on Wall Street. The Dow off about a half a percent, but steeper losses of nearly 1 percent for the S&P. And the Nasdaq, which has been the biggest loser this year, is down more than 1 percent.

I mean here's the problem, right? Investors, they want stability and clarity. But this trade war has just caused so much chaos, so much confusion. Market veteran Art Hogan, he told me that investors are bracing, not for a scalpel from the president, but from - for a sledgehammer when it comes to tariffs.

Now, there's a lot of major questions that still loom. From the perspective of investors, they want to know where exactly is the tariff rate going to go, right? How high. Whether or not there's going to be any sort of exclusions for various countries, various industries, whether or not tariffs can get removed or if they're in place for the long run.

BOLDUAN: Yes, what's the measure of - yes, what's the measure they have to meet?

EGAN: Right. And also, is this peak tariff, right? Is the worst over for tariffs right now?

[09:35:01]

BOLDUAN: Oh, I hadn't even thought of that one. EGAN: Yes. And look, I think, unfortunately, we may not really get the

answers to almost any of these questions today because there's still going to be all of these uncertainties about retaliation.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

EGAN: And also there's further tariffs that could potentially be in the works.

I do think, though, the big fear among investors is this 20 percent universal tariff, which has been threatened.

BOLDUAN: Mark Zandi was saying that, yes.

EGAN: Yes. And even Mark Zandi, who's warned that could actually cause a recession.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

EGAN: But if the president ends up announcing something that is short of that worst case, we could see markets rally and just enjoy a relief rally in the short run because it would be, again, worse than feared. But I do think, Kate, the big concern among investors is whether or not tariffs are going to slow growth or reignite inflation or possibly both. And I think until we get real clarity on tariffs and this trade war, we're going to see more and more volatility over on Wall Street.

BOLDUAN: Yes, and some of the answers to those very key questions that you laid out there.

EGAN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Great to see you. Thank you, Matt.

EGAN: Thanks, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, any minute now the CEO of Boeing heads to Capitol Hill to answer questions about what he calls serious missteps the company has had in recent years. His plan to try to restore trust in Boeing.

And what do actors Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan have in common with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr? Yes, The Beatles. We shall see, ahead.

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[09:40:52]

SIDNER: Today, the CEO of Boeing is expected to testify that the company's recent missteps are unacceptable. Kelly Ortberg has been at the helm only about six months, taking over as the company faced heightened scrutiny. In recent years, Boeing planes, as you remember, were involved in two deadly crashes, a door plug flying off of a fuselage and other terrifying incidents, like the wheels literally coming off. But it's been working with the FAA for more than a year now to implement recommendations. That hearing is slated to start at ten this morning. So, in just 20 minutes.

CNN's Pete Muntean is joining us now.

Pete, ultimately, what is the goal of this hearing and this testimony?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is pretty significant, Sara. The first time Kelly Ortberg is appearing publicly on Capitol Hill since he became Boeing's CEO about eight months ago. Also the first time he's testifying in the wake of that dramatic door plug blowout on a nearly new Boeing 737 Max 9. Remember, that incident exposed major quality control issues at Boeing's plant in Renton, Washington, because that plane left the factory without the four critical bolts that held the door plug in place. Ortberg will say this to the Senate Commerce Committee. "Boeing has made serious missteps in recent years," he says in his prepared testimony, "and it is unacceptable. In response, we have made sweeping changes to the people, processes and overall structure of our company."

We will see if that testimony is enough for senators who have been especially rough on America's top exporter. The top Democrat on this committee is from Washington state, where Boeing is among one of the state's largest employers.

Also remains to be seen if Boeings' message is really resonating with the Trump administration. Just last month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited Boeing's 737 plant outside Seattle. And after he tweeted that Boeing must regain the trust of the American people. And this is what Duffy said during an interview on Fox News after that visit.

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SEAN DUFFY, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: They've lost trust. When you breach the trust of the American people with that safety and with your manufacturing, we're going to - we're going to put the screws to you to make sure you change your ways and start doing things right.

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MUNTEAN: Of note, Duffy is appearing today in a separate hearing on Capitol Hill. The last time a Boeing CEO appeared before the Senate was last June, and then outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun apologized to the families of the 737 Max disasters who were in the audience. Remember, 346 people were killed in those two crashes abroad. I'm told that victims' families will be in the audience again today to hear what the new CEO has to say. Could be a lot of fireworks during this Senate committee hearing, Sara.

SIDNER: Yes, there was definitely a smackdown on Calhoun, but this CEO has only been there for six months. It will be interesting to see if what is said calms the waters, but it's really what they do that is important.

Pete Muntean, thank you so much. Always great reporting. Good to see you. John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, it wasn't just Signal. A new report from "The Washington Post," the national security advisor, Mike Waltz, received work-related emails on Gmail.

A nurse, assaulted, a doctor, fired, an ambulance, stolen. That's just one day in "The Pitt." We will tell you all the secrets from the season finale with star Noah Wyle.

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[09:48:43]

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VAL KILMER, ACTOR, "BATMAN FOREVER": You see, I'm both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Not because I have to be, now because I choose to be.

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BERMAN: That was actor Val Kilmer, a onetime Batman and all-time Iceman in "Top Gun." He passed away at the age of 65. In a statement his daughter said he died from pneumonia. Kilmer had mostly stepped away from acting after a cancer battle he survived in 2014. He was just in "Top Gun: Maverick," where he played Iceman once again.

Dramatic rescues in Myanmar five days after the earthquake there. Crews pulled a 63-year-old woman out of the rubble alive. She'd been trapped for 91 hours after the 7.7 magnitude quake. Hours later, a man was also pulled out alive from an air pocket between sheets of concrete. He had been trapped for 100 hours. Rescuers now say the odds of finding any more survivors are fading. More than 2,700 people have been killed there.

All right, a big morning for Beatles fans. An announcement on the stars of four separate films on The Beatles, all directed by Sam Mendes. Harris Dickinson, known for his role in "Babygirl," will play John Lennon. Paul Mescal, who really was "Gladiator II," is doing Paul McCartney Barry Keoghan from "Saltburn" and more is Ringo Starr.

[09:50:02]

And Joseph Quinn from "Stranger Things," who's kind of really hot, lately, he's in a ton of stuff, he will be George Harrison. Each film will tell a story of The Beatles through the eyes of each of its members. The films will be released together in 2028, creating, as the studio puts it, the first bingeable theatrical experience.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Fascinating.

So, a new medical drama called "The Pitt" is being hailed as the best new show on TV. It follows the medical staff in a fictionalized Pittsburgh emergency room over the course of a 15-hour shift. Each episode depicting one hour of that shift. And while the premise of a medical drama, of course, is not new, the

approach that "Pitt" takes is different. The headline from "The Atlantic" on this, "The Pitt" has revolutionized the medical drama.

Here's a preview.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wait. Hold on. What does she mean, more blood donors? You didn't use unscreened blood donations, did you?

NOAH WYLE, ACTOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE PITT": We did what we had to do to save as many people as we could.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're killing me, Robinavitch. And for the love of God, can you tell me that you didn't know about a shooter's hit list, and then you let him go this morning?

WYLE: He didn't do it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Police confirmation?

WYLE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then, this nightmare -

WYLE: Jesus, Gloria, the police are still looking. Why don't you go back to your micro managerial ivory tower and let us get back to work.

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BOLDUAN: Joining us right now is the star of the show, Noah Wyle, also executive producer.

Necessary disclosure, "The Pitt" streaming on Max, also owned by CNN's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.

It's good to have you here.

NOAH WYLE, ACTOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE PITT": Thank you for giving that disclosure out. Much appreciated.

BOLDUAN: Very - very important.

WYLE: Pretty important.

BOLDUAN: This is an intense show.

WYLE: Yes.

BOLDUAN: I will say, a delightfully intense show, as someone who loves an intense show. But you also, after "ER," I read that you said you don't want to get back into the medical drama - the medical genre for quite some time. What changed it for you?

WYLE: Well, I felt like that was sort of both hallowed ground and traveled road. And I was looking to do something different for a change.

But then pandemic changed a lot of that for me, and I felt like there was a line of demarcation in American health care, almost B.C., A.D., and that line was Covid. It's been five years now, and we're still reeling from supply chain issues, the burnout rate, the emotional toll it's taken on our practitioners, the long haul patients that are coming in sicker, that are still clogging up the emergency rooms and causing our boarding crisis. It's been sort of a second storm of - of disaster in health care. And we wanted to put the spotlight back on practitioners, talk about how hard it's been for them over the last five years and show what's been going on.

BOLDUAN: And you see that right from the first episode, talking about the national nursing shortage. And that choice seems intentional, I'm guessing, on your part to shine a spotlight on some of the very real struggles that our health care system is kind of feeling the pressure of and sometimes, in some ways, breaking under the weight of.

Is that a challenge? Is - does that feel like a minefield to walk?

WYLE: Well, you know, we wrote a lot of these episodes over a year ago, and it's amazing how prophetically some of these things have come to pass. But now we're in the middle of trying to write season two, which will come out next January. And it's difficult to have a crystal ball trying to peer around the corner of what's going to happen. These changes are happening so quickly.

I watched the segment this morning about the layoffs at NIH, the ripple effect that that's going to have to every aspect of health care is going to be extreme. And like you said, it's going to have a long tail. And we want to be able to reflect that accurately. But it's really tricky to - to sort of look into the future and see what that's going to look like. So, it -

BOLDUAN: More so than probably any - any other genre -

WYLE: Oh, my goodness.

BOLDUAN: When you're kind of like trying to stay true.

The - the accuracy and how realistic the show is, is something I've heard from more than one person. Actually, a segment producer on our show says her sister's an ER nurse and says she's never seen a more accurate depiction of how an emergency room operates.

"The New York Times" quotes a doctor saying, "it's the first time that I've watched doctors on television that I felt like I could see myself in them."

Is that intentional?

WYLE: Totally. That was the thesis. Can we make the most accurate and realistic medical show that's ever been on TV? And can we make it more practitioner-centric, where "ER" and a lot of these other shows can be sort of patient centric, and you're focusing on the cases. This was intentionally to show the aggregate toll that a shift or a career can take on somebody, especially if they've got a couple decades in and they haven't done the kind of work to offload some of the things that they've seen and done. You know, it's a real issue. ER physicians, unfortunately, run the highest rates of divorce and alcohol addiction, suicide. And it's - it's a major problem.

BOLDUAN: Where - that must be a challenging line to also figure out how accurate is going to be maybe too much for the audience.

[09:55:03]

WYLE: It's been triggering for some practitioners, especially these last couple episodes, and the ones that involve flashbacks to Covid.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

WYLE: You know, those were out of necessity, things that people tend to compartmentalize to get on with their everyday lives. And my own mother came over last Sunday. She was an operating room nurse for ten years. And she told me that that last episode, suddenly she remembered everybody that had died on her table. And we had a conversation we've never had. And I said, I was on a medical show for 15 years, we never talked about this. And she said, well, that wasn't - that wasn't as real.

BOLDUAN: How different does it feel - how different from ER does this feel for you? Just -

WYLE: Well, you know, 15 years, 15 pounds, you know, 15,000 miles. It's a - it's been quite a journey. But its' been wonderfully synchronistic to go back to the studio where I once worked to play in a genre that I'm really familiar with and to bring attention back onto something I care a lot about.

BOLDUAN: It is - it is a great show. I mean, I've really enjoyed it. And it's so intense.

WYLE: We've got two great episodes left. We finish, I think, very elegantly and very satisfyingly. I think the audience is going to love it.

BOLDUAN: Thank you so much for coming in.

WYLE: My pleasure.

SIDNER: And we've shown up to be a little comic relief, because I just wanted to ask you one really quick thing, and that is, when you and the crew from "The Pitt" went to a hospital, there was a doctor that came up to you - this is what I read, so I just want you to confirm it - and said to you, can you sign my certificate? Because I - from "ER," that's why I became a doctor is watching you and watching others. Is that true?

WYLE: There are certain - there's a certain practitioner of a certain age who went into medical school when I was in medical school and is now a senior attending, and they feel very much like I've bookended their medical career. SIDNER: Awe.

WYLE: And this gentleman came in and asked me to sign his board certification diploma, which was a - a first for me. It was very gratifying.

BOLDUAN: That's very good.

SIDNER: Did you say, from one doctor to another -

BOLDUAN: Yes, exactly.

SIDNER: Thank you so much for -

WYLE: Yes, exactly.

BERMAN: Legally binding, which is the best part of all.

WYLE: Yes, I've opened my own outpatient clinic in my garage.

BOLDUAN: That's -

SIDNER: Fantastic.

BOLDUAN: No one should do.

BERMAN: On behalf of our new best friend, Noah Wyle, this has been CNN NEWS CENTRAL. Do not miss the rest of "Pitt" on Max. New episodes drop Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

SIDNER: All right, thank you guys for joining us. Thank you for joining us as well, Noah.

WYLE: It's been my pleasure.

SIDNER: "THE SITUATION ROOM," up next.

BOLDUAN: Thanks, Noah.

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