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Pete Hegseth Sworn In As Secretary Of Defense After Vance Casts Tie Breaking Vote; Sen. Grassley, Long-Time Proponent Of Inspectors General, Calls On Trump To Explain Firings Of Watchdogs; Schumer Slams Trump For "Chilling Purge" Of Several Inspectors General; Trump To Set To Meet With Supporters Today In Las Vegas; 4 Israeli Soldiers Freed In Latest Round Of Hamas Hostage Releases; Advocate Groups Ordered To Stop Aiding Refugees Who Have Already Arrived In U.S.; "Operation Panda" Airs Sunday At 8PM ET. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired January 25, 2025 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN ANCHOR: That is it from us for now. Don't forget, you can find all our shows online as podcasts at CNN.com/audio and on all other major platforms.

I'm Christiane Amanpour in London. Thank you for watching and see you again next week.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin this hour with breaking news. Right now, the U.S. Senate is voting on the confirmation of Kristi Noem as the new Homeland Security Secretary. As we await that final vote tally, the new leader of the U.S. military taking the oath of office after narrowly winning confirmation.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

JD VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The duties of the office on which I'm about to enter.

PETE HEGSETH, NEWLY SWORN IN AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The duties of the office of which I am about to enter.

VANCE: So help you God?

HEGSETH: So help me God.

VANCE: Congratulations, Mr. Secretary.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEOCLIP)

WHITFIELD: Just a short time ago, Vice President JD Vance officially swearing in Pete Hegseth there to be the new Defense Secretary. It was Vice -- the Vice President who had to cast the tie-breaking vote last night after the Senate deadlocked on Hegseth's nomination.

It's just the second time now in U.S. history a vice president broke a tie for a Cabinet nominee. Three Republicans voted with the Democrats against Hegseth's nomination including former GOP Leader Mitch McConnell. The Kentucky Senator issued a scathing rebuke of Hegseth's promise to restore a, quote, "warrior culture" to the Pentagon, saying that will not happen by trading one set of culture warriors for another.

All right, more on this historically close vote in a moment, but first let's bring in CNN's Annie Grayer on Capitol Hill. So what is happening right now with the vote for Kristi Noem?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Well, we just learned that Kristi Noem was confirmed to be Donald Trump's Secretary for Homeland Security. The vote was 59-34 which means that Democratic Senators joined Republicans in confirming Noem who was the Governor of South Dakota before this.

So, Noem now has a huge job in front of her. Just getting confirmed was honestly just the first step. Leading the Department of Homeland Security means that she's going to have to take on Trump's very aggressive immigration proposals, whether it comes to the southern border when it comes to mass deportations.

And DHS also oversees FEMA which deals with disaster relief and Trump is making news on that. And just yesterday he's saying that he doesn't even know FEMA should continue to exist. And as the country is reeling from the devastating fires in California and hurricanes across the south, Noem is going to have to contend with all of that.

So she has a huge agenda in front of her. But the Senate gave Donald Trump another win for his Cabinet today.

WHITFIELD: Right. And so, let's talk a little bit more about the President's, you know, Pentagon pick. While he was confirmed and he got that tie-breaking vote from the new Vice President, it didn't come easily.

GRAYER: No, it was a very close vote. Given the narrow majority that Republicans have in the Senate, they could only lose three Republican senators and that's how many they lost which is what required Vice President Vance to have to come in at the 11th hour to put Hegseth over the finish line.

Now, we knew that Senators Collins and Murkowski were going to be voting no on Hegseth. They had made that clear prior to the vote. But the big surprise of the night was Mitch McConnell voting against Hegseth.

And there is no secret to the tense relationship between McConnell and Trump. In fact, I caught up with Republican Senator Tuberville just a few minutes ago who spoke with me about just how tense this relationship is and how it's no mystery why McConnell voted no.

But Hegseth's nomination process in general was just full of controversies. There were a number of allegations of sexual misconduct with women, of excessive drinking and how he spent his money in his former jobs. So he had a lot to defend throughout this entire process.

He continued to maintain he did nothing wrong and Trump stood by him this whole time. So getting Hegseth over the finish line and doing so so quickly was a huge win for Trump. And now with Hegseth officially sworn in, that's another win for Trump and his administration.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And one has to wonder whether that will help set the tone for the process for some of the other nominees.

All right, Annie Grayer, thank you so much for that.

WHITFIELD: All right, with me now to talk more about this Cabinet vote and other issues surrounding Trump's first week in office for his new term, Carrie Cordero. She's a CNN National Security and Legal Analyst. Carrie, great to see you this morning.

[12:05:09]

CARRIE CORDERO, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Thanks. Good to be with you.

WHITFIELD: All right. So this was just the second time in history a vice president had to cast the tie breaking vote for a Cabinet pick. One of Hegseth's first tests will be how he handles Trump's demand to send U.S. troops to the border and potentially assist in his vows of mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. So what kind of legal and national security concerns might you have on this?

CORDERO: Well, now that he's in the position of Secretary of Defense, I think anybody who's involved in national security issues is rooting for his ability to manage the -- and completely complex enterprise that is the Department of Defense.

Domestic deployment of the military is just one aspect of the responsibilities that he's going to have. When we look at all of the executive orders that the President has issued this week, declaring the national emergency on the border and the ability to deploy domestic troops is actually I think on the lower scale of the things that will be challenged or that the administration won't be able to do.

I think the more complex challenges from the military perspective will be dealing with international partners, dealing with the hot spots all around the world.

WHITFIELD: Some pretty powerful words coming from Senator Mitch McConnell. He didn't mince words really on talking about all of those things that you just mentioned. In his words, he said, "Effective management of nearly 3 million military and civilian personnel, an annual budget of nearly $1 trillion and alliances and partnerships around the world is a daily test with staggering consequences for the security of the American people and our global interests. Mr. Hegseth has failed, as yet, to demonstrate that he will pass this test".

Your thoughts on this. And he was one of those, you know, votes dissenting here along with Murkowski and Collins.

CORDERO: Sure. So one of three Republican senators who had a different view as to really both his qualifications and his fitness, when we look at the statements of both Senator McConnell and Senators Collins and Murkowski. But he's in the position now.

The Vice President under our system casted the deciding vote. He has been sworn in. He's the Secretary of Defense. And so we will see whether he is -- has the capabilities moving forward to lead the department, put in place the individuals and whether their Senate confirmation of the individuals who will work beneath him so that they can move forward. But it will be an incredible test as it is for anybody given the complexity of the job.

WHITFIELD: Right. He has no government or agency leadership whereas the flip side to that also being confirmed now this morning as former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem now confirmed as a new leader of the Department of Homeland Security. Of course, she does come with government leadership. How do you see her being able to transition from governor to now Homeland Security Secretary?

CORDERO: So the Homeland Security Department works really closely with state and local partners. And so hopefully the fact that she has been a governor and worked extensively at the state and local level will be a benefit for her in this role.

I think the biggest challenge that she will have and that any secretary of Homeland Security has, but particularly she will have given the policy attention that the Trump administration places on immigration and border security in particular is whether or not she can also balance the responsibilities with everything else that the department does.

Secretary of Homeland Security is a really complicated job. It has so many different responsibilities. So, for example, it's got 22 different agencies originally that were then rolled into the department over 20 years.

And so, she's got to manage the cyber security functions of the department. Obviously, the last year has demonstrated that there needs serious attention towards the management operations of the Secret Service. She's got transportation security agency.

I mean she's got so many responsibilities that are beyond border security and immigration. And so the question will be will she have the bandwidth to pay attention to those other issues.

WHITFIELD: What's going on in these first five days of Trump being in office from those nominations and confirmations also executive orders and then in a late night purge overnight. Trump also reportedly fired at least a dozen independent inspector generals who serve as the government watchdogs.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley is already calling on Trump to explain these firings because he was supposed to, you know, provide notice to lawmakers before making such a move. Democrats also very concerned. Take a listen to Senator Schumer.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

[12:10:09]

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: Yesterday in the dark of night, President Trump fired at least 12 independent inspector generals at important federal agencies across the administration. This is a chilling purge and it's a preview of the lawless approach Donald Trump and his administration are taking far too often as he's becoming president.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

WHITFIELD: So can Trump unilaterally do this or do you see some legal challenges coming here?

CORDERO: Well it's going to be difficult to challenge it at this point. But what the law says, so the inspector general act was it's -- first of all, inspector generals were put in place by Congress to provide independent oversight over the executive branch. And so they have special authorities that enable them to do investigations within the executive branch.

Then the inspector general act was amended 2008 I think in terms of being able to have the president have authority to remove inspector generals. But the president under the law is supposed to provide 30 days notice to Congress. So the president has authority to do it, but the law requires that he provide 30 days notice.

In this case, he didn't --

WHITFIELD: And if not? And if not, then what? What's the potential ramification?

CORDERO: If not, then the Congress has a problem. So we are going to be in a situation. And this inspector general issue is one. The tip top law is another where Congress passed a law that said a certain thing is supposed to happen and then that doesn't happen.

So the remedies available to Congress are obviously, number one, they can do oversight, they can demand information from the executive branch explaining what happened. They can hold hearings if they want to.

Normally the other lever that Congress has available to it is the budget query whether in this particular situation Congress would want to adjust budgets because they want inspector generals to be funded. And then another option that's potentially available is sometimes the House of Representatives actually brings lawsuits.

But we'll see whether any of those things will happen. I think Senator Grassley obviously who has long been a defender of inspectors general will want to demand answers for why these individuals were removed. But it is contrary to Congress' law.

WHITFIELD: All right. All fascinating and more to come.

Carrie Cordero, thank you so much.

All right, President Donald Trump is right now in Las Vegas where he is expected to meet with supporters later on this afternoon there. This follows late night action from the administration aimed at furthering Trump's agenda. I've just mentioned a few, a wide range of issues tackled including the elimination of DEI from federal agencies within 60 days to advocacy groups ordered to stop aiding refugees.

I'd like to bring in now CNN's Senior White House Reporter Kevin Liptak. Kevin, pretty busy first week. We're not even in the first full week for the Trump administration and busy there from Las Vegas. But today really is going to be about hearing from his supporters, thanking them for his support. And what else?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. And this is really the President's first trip out into the country to talk to some of the people who helped elect him into the White House. And I think that has been a real theme of his first week in office is trying to demonstrate to his most ardent fans that he is doing exactly what he said he would do on the campaign trail.

And you look at the scope of the actions that the President has taken over the last week or so. You really do see an attempt to reshape the federal government to his will, whether it's in staffing and personnel, things like ordering federal workers back to the workforce. Or when it's purging employees from various departments of aid and agencies like those inspectors general.

You do see the President really testing the bounds of his executive authority in ways we didn't necessarily see the first time Trump was president. He certainly has much more experience now that he has served for four years. He and his team know the level -- levers of power much more intimately. And you see that putting -- being put into quite striking effect as the President settles into office.

But that is not to say everything that he promised on the campaign he will be able to do on his own. And one of those things was eliminating taxes on tips. And that is something that we will hear about from the president today here in Las Vegas.

That was a policy that he unveiled here in Las Vegas as a candidate. Of course this is a city with a huge number of restaurant workers hospitality workers. Even some of the President's own economic aides didn't necessarily know that this was going to be proposed when he proposed it as a candidate. But it's not something he can do on his own.

He will require support from Congress. Of course, the tax laws will have to be rewritten this year. The tax cuts that Trump signed when he was president first time around are expiring. So this could be all part of that attempt to rewrite tax policy.

[12:15:13] But it is an example of the President really putting an intense amount of focus on doing exactly what he said he would do as a candidate. And we're seeing that play out quite strikingly as he concludes his first week in office.

WHITFIELD: Yes, strikingly indeed. Good word choice.

All right, Kevin Liptak, thank you so much.

All right, dramatic moments today when four more Israeli hostages were released. We'll go live to Israel and hear why there are still issues over who is being released, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:20:23]

WHITFIELD: Just a short time ago, four female Israeli soldiers were freed by Hamas as part of the latest round of hostage releases under the ceasefire agreement. Hamas handed them over to the Red Cross in a highly staged event in Gaza City. Here's the moment the hostages were brought on a stage just before the transfer.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

(SHOUTING)

(END VIDEOCLIP)

WHITFIELD: A short time later, there were emotional moments when each of the hostages was reunited with their families.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

(CRYING)

(END VIDEOCLIP)

WHITFIELD: You could just feel every moment there. The uncle of freed hostage Daniella Gilboa described the moment of her release.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

RAZI SHERABI, UNCLE OF FORMER HOSTAGE DANIELLA GILBOA: My sister didn't stop to cry but it's a cry of like having a birth. She's like giving a birth right now and she just got her daughter back, Daniella.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

WHITFIELD: As part of the deal, 200 Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv. Jeremy, I mean, this was an event really for all to see, right, especially the hostages being released by Hamas parading them out on the street there before the stage. What was the message that was being sent in that moment? JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: It truly was a remarkable moment and Hamas clearly taking advantage of the fact that it has the world's attention on it as it is releasing these hostages wave after wave. Today, in particular, we saw a lot of the pageantry of this Hamas propaganda event as they had these four female Israeli soldiers who've been captive for more than 15 months emerge from these Hamas vehicles be taken up onto a stage where they were then smiling and waving at a crowd.

This is obviously Hamas' way of trying to suggest that these women who've been held against their will for 15 months were not mistreated but rather were treated well and are quite happy with their captors. That obviously is happening under duress in their final moments of captivity.

And then, of course, there is the other message that Hamas is sending to the world, to the Israeli public and even to the people of Gaza. And that is coming out in strength like this, armed, masked, showing that they are in control of an area in Gaza. Determined to show that after 15 months of war, they are still standing.

Now, beyond the PR and the propaganda that we've seen today, we also saw these emotional reunions between these four newly released Israeli soldiers and their families who until seeing them alive today, did not know with certainty what their fate would be.

The hospital where they are now being treated and reunited with their families says that they are in stable condition and will be helping them with their physical and emotional recovery over the course of the coming days and weeks. We've also seen about 200 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails in exchange for those women.

Because these are soldiers being released, Israel not only has to release 50 Palestinian prisoners for each one but 30 of those 50 must be prisoners who have been sentenced to life in prison in Israel. The majority of those with those life imprisonment charges instead of being released into the West Bank, they are being released into the Gaza Strip or to a third country which will then receive them. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right. Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much.

All right, let's bring in now Avi Mayer, he is the former editor-in- chief of the Jerusalem Post. Good to see you. I mean, this was a very visual. It was really highly choreographed, wasn't it, too with the Hamas fighters and their guns surrounding these hostages upon the release showing everybody that this is indeed happening.

And to Jeremy's point perhaps, also conveying a message of we are in control. What do you believe the messaging was here?

AVI MAYER, FORMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, JERUSALEM POST: Well, Fredricka, good evening from Jerusalem. You know, I like many Israelis have emerged from Shabbat spirit to those heartwarming images of those young women being reunited with their families after 15 months of captivity, while at the same time also seeing those grotesque images from Gaza that horrific display of propaganda with those young women being paraded on stage as though they had enjoyed their time in Hamas captivity.

[12:25:24]

I think that that is indeed, as your correspondent said, a message to the world that perhaps they were being held under normal conditions or something that perhaps they enjoyed, deplorable truly disgusting act by Hamas to milk their horror and their pain for everything that it's worth.

But, of course, the immediate concern is for those who remain in captivity. There are over 80 hostages who are still in Hamas captivity. We know that a large number of them have been wounded. Some are likely dead. And that has to be immediate -- or I think that is a consensus amongst most Israelis.

WHITFIELD: And clearly the family members are elated that their loved ones have been released. And those whose family members are still being held hostage, they too are celebrating the release here. But then, you know, Israel is also saying this wasn't completely what they were expecting.

They were expecting while they celebrate these four ladies, you know, their release, they were expecting a civilian to be included. So, what does this tell you about the deal making that either took place or perhaps the areas that are still remaining gray in this deal?

MAYER: So Hamas is doing whatever it can to defy the terms of the agreement that it itself signed in an attempt to show that it is indeed in charge but not pushing quite so far. So in this particular case, there was indeed a female civilian who was to have been released, they did not release her.

They're now saying, with a degree of nervousness, that she's going to be released next week in the next round of hostage releases next weekend. Israel saying that's not good enough, that Hamas is in violation of the terms of the agreement which stipulates that it was civilians that were to be released first.

And so Israel will not in turn comply with its obligations, full obligations until she is released. That is one point of contention. There have been a series of those. Last week, Israel was to receive the list of those hostages to be released. Hamas delayed doing that which of course postponed the implementation of the ceasefire.

And again, it looks like this is Hamas attempt to do whatever it can to defy the terms of the agreement so that it is indeed in charge. Well, eventually, it does capitulate to those terms.

WHITFIELD: Israeli officials told CNN today that they still have not received a list of which hostages are still alive. What does that tell you?

MAYER: Look that, too, was something Israel was to receive this weekend. It was particularly with regard to this phase of the agreement where about 33 hostages were to have been released. Israel was to receive a list of those who are still alive and those who no longer are. We have yet to receive that list.

There are grave concerns particularly amongst the family members of those hostages who are female, who are infirm, who are known to have been wounded. And of course those two small children, the Bibas boys that they may no longer be alive. And they've been held in tremendous agonizing suspense for the past 15 months.

We hope that list will be received soon and those families will see at least some degree of closure.

WHITFIELD: All right. Avi Mayer, thank you so much. Thanks for being with us this evening.

MAYER: Fred, thank you.

WHITFIELD: On this evening. Thank you.

All right, coming up, on new details on the scale of the Trump administration's ongoing deportation operation as the administration takes new action against refugees.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:15]

WHITFIELD: We're getting new details about the Trump administration sweeping new immigration priorities. A source tells CNN that the Department of Homeland Security is planning for new operations in as many as 30 cities across the U.S. with the first major action planned for Chicago. The scale and speed of the operations are sending shockwaves throughout immigrant communities.

The White House says deportations on U.S. military aircraft are now underway. You see the pictures provided by the warehouse -- White House. And Guatemalan officials say they are in permanent communication with the U.S. and expect to handle around 18 flights weekly of citizens deported. National Guard and other American troops are also being deployed along the U.S.-Mexico border as the U.S. Northern Command is now, I'm quoting now, aggressively bolstering, end quote, security there.

The Trump administration is also taking action against refugees. Last night the White House ordered all advocate groups to immediately stop helping tens of thousands of refugees who have already arrived in the U.S. That includes Afghans who provided critical support to the U.S. war in Afghanistan. Let's talk more about what all of this means. Joining me right now is Krish O'Mara Vignarajah. She's the president and CEO of Global Refuge, a nonprofit which supports migrants and refugees who enter the United States. And she was also policy director former first lady Michelle Obama. Krish, welcome. Good to see you.

KRISH O'MARA VIGNARAJAH, PRESIDENT & CEO, GLOBAL REFUGE: Thanks for having me back on.

WHITFIELD: So -- so this assistance ranges from caseworker support to housing. What does this mean to you? How do you interpret this new order of freezing a refugee services? And this would start and has started immediately.

[12:35:10]

VIGNARAJAH: Yes. It was surprising to get a letter on Friday afternoon essentially saying stop operations. We're carefully reviewing the order to ensure compliance, of course, and to explore all of our options in terms of how do we continue to serve, in particular, the Afghan allies who risk their lives to protect our U.S. troops, the idea that for some, they'll be arriving this week, upcoming week, the next month. And we're obviously grateful that the administration didn't pause their ability to seek protection here in the U.S. and to avoid Taliban -- Taliban retribution.

But the question is, how do we make sure we can pick them up at the airport, that we can find them affordable housing so they don't go homeless, that we can enroll their young children into -- into schools? It's obviously difficult to process.

WHITFIELD: So you're trying to get clarity on what those steps, you know, you're able to do. But then that means while you're also trying to get clarity, you probably have a plan B or Plan C that you're working on. What might those be? I mean, do you now lean on, you know, some other nonprofit organizations or churches? I mean, what are your plan B and Cs?

VIGNARAJAH: Yes. I mean, the virtue of refugee resettlement is it is a program that's always been implemented through public private partnerships. We've heavily relied on congregations, community-based groups to support this work for over four decades. And frankly, even since we began in 19 -- 1939, it was as a result of the work of Americans that became a federal program.

So we'll certainly be looking, you know, to donors, these community- based groups. Obviously, if listeners want to support the work of welcome, globalrefuge.org provides additional resources. But it's hard because obviously the federal government's, our partnership with the State Department is critically important to what is the gold standard in terms of a program.

These are refugees who have gone through extreme vetting. They come here only when their application has been processed. It's why this program has always had bipartisan support.

WHITFIELD: I mean, the U.S. effectively, you know, shut down its border with Mexico as well now, you know, suspending refugee admissions. There are currently, you know, are there really any, you know, avenues left for those who are seeking asylum in the U.S. or is all of that on hold and is that message being sent?

VIGNARAJAH: Yes, unfortunately, it is all on hold. And it's difficult because, you know, were heartened to hear President Trump say in the Oval Office while signing the executive orders that, like us, he supported legal immigration. But when you shut down refugee resettlement, when you shut down the CBP1 app by which applicants were applying in an orderly fashion to receive appointments so that they could plead their legal case. What I fear is that we are driving families who are fleeing for their lives from the most desperate of circumstances into the hands of cartels. But of course, an executive order rightfully, you know, looked at designating cartels as terrorist organizations. But for some of these families who, you know, their parents who are trying to protect their children, they're extremely desperate. And I -- and I pray that there are legal pathways for them to enter because I don't want other things to happen.

WHITFIELD: All right, Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, I hope to talk to you again soon because really this is just the beginning, right? And all kinds of contingency plans are soon to get underway. We'd love to have you back. Thank you so much.

VIGNARAJAH: Thanks again.

[12:39:00]

WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, today's rain is expected to bring much needed relief to the fire battered areas of Los Angeles. But with that relief also comes new concerns, mudslides. The forecast next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Another fire is burning in Southern California. The Border 2 Fire near the San Diego, Mexico border is only 10 percent contained, prompting evacuations in neighboring communities. Further north rain is expected to bring much needed relief to the fire scorched Los Angeles area. CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar has more on that new worry, mudslides.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Southern California desperately needs the rain, but you can in some cases have too much of a good thing. And that's one of the concerns we have not only for today but also through Sunday. This is a look at the flash flood threat. You can see all of that green highlighted area there has that potential for some flash flooding, especially in the burn scar areas of the wildfires where you could end up getting mudslides and perhaps some debris flows.

Also out ahead of the rain that's coming in, you are going to have some pretty breezy conditions. Now, it's more of an onshore flow, so there's more moisture involved than the dry Santa Ana winds. But still you're talking some gusts could be 20, 30, even as much as 40 miles per hour. And the worst part there is that could end up continuing to spread some of the fires before the rain ends up coming in.

Now, we do anticipate those showers to come in throughout the day today. Here's the thing, they're going to become a bit isolated to begin and then start to become more numerous as we head through the evening hours tonight and certainly throughout the day on Sunday.

[12:45:13]

And several of these areas will still even see some isolated showers for at least the first half of the day on Monday. So that's why we showed you the image for Saturday. This now is also the flooding potential risk for Sunday. And you can see it even extends a little bit farther south to include some portions of the greater San Diego area.

When we talk about total rainfall, most of these areas looking at maybe about a half of an inch, some isolated spots, especially where you get those heavier downpours and thunderstorms, could see as much as an inch and a half. Snow is also in the forecast. You are looking at some of these areas, especially above 3,500 or even 4,000ft in elevation, could be looking at several inches. And the highest elevations could end up topping out with at least a foot of snow.

WHITFIELD: My goodness. That's a lot. Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.

All right. Washington, D.C. has two giant new residents pandas at the National Zoo.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:50:44]

WHITFIELD: All right, a major moment in Washington D.C. yesterday. These guys right here, two giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, made their long awaited public debut at the National Zoo. CNN's David Culver was given rare access, exclusive access, in fact, to follow their journey from their natural habitat in China to their new home there in the nation's capital.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I think when people think of Chengdu and the pandas, perhaps you think of one panda base. But the reality is it is a massive project, one that spans over several different locations, about five altogether.

CULVER: At this location alone, they have some 80 pandas. Everywhere you look there's -- there's pandas.

I would see video of people like just watching and recording for hours. And I found myself up there. You're mesmerized.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you stand here and you watch giant pandas, we actually release certain hormones that makes you feel joy and it makes you feel closer and more connected to other people.

CULVER: The world could use more pandas, I think.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It certainly could.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh, how cute. David Culver joining us now. I mean, we're all living vicariously through you because you had this spectacular up close and personal journey. You were there for the debut at the Smithsonian yesterday. I mean, these pandas seem like they're, you know, kind of chill and they've gotten acclimated and settled in. Are they?

CULVER: Well, definitely chill because it's freezing cold here in Washington.

WHITFIELD: Oh yes, that kind of chill.

CULVER: But -- but they like it too, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

CULVER: This was really cool. I mean, as you know, I lived in China for three years, covered a lot of geopolitics, covered a lot of COVID. But to get this kind of access to the pandas was something I had never experienced. So I'm really excited for this documentary and what you're going to be able to see. As far as those two new residents here in D.C., Bao Li and Qing Bao, yes, they're adjusting. They're three years old.

Today might be a really big test, though, because Friday was the debut yesterday. Today's a Saturday. You've got weekend crowds, which here in D.C. can be quite large.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

CULVER: So while they're used to actually being on public display, you saw a part of that documentary. I mean, you've got these massive bases in China where you have dozens upon dozens of pandas at each of the bases. They're going to have the concentrated attention, I would say, of being the only two pandas in D.C. So I think that's what makes it a bit more unique. But, yes, I think they're -- they're coming along pretty well.

WHITFIELD: Oh, I love it. Hey, look, David, you know, I -- I grew up in the Washington, D.C. area --

CULVER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: And I was what's called a FONZ. It was a Friend of the National Zoo. So as a kid --

CULVER: Right.

WHITFIELD: -- I got to, you know, watch some of the feedings or perhaps learn from the zookeepers about something unique about any and all of the animals there. So I know something different about the whole panda diplomacy, but it's a big deal, this kind of relationship between the U.S. and China for so many years. So -- so talk to us more about, you know, how this is an indicator of maybe more to come or --

CULVER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: -- perhaps that cool relationship is, like, warmed up a little bit.

CULVER: I met a woman in line yesterday who was from Texas and she said, I did not think this was going to happen. I thought because of U.S.-China relations, we wouldn't get any more pandas.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

CULVER: But it was interesting because last night, Fredricka, I went to the U.S. Embassy for an event that was about welcoming the pandas. The ambassador there spoke. It was also about the Chinese New Year coming up. And upon the messaging was a -- a really direct line towards U.S.-China relations that said tariffs aren't the way forward. The issue of Taiwan shouldn't be discussed. And this was a crowd that had some U.S. service members, it had members of the U.S. State Department, and they even played U.S. and Chinese anthems at that event.

So it was really a moment to try to send the message of, look, yes, pandas are one thing, but this is also a moment of panda diplomacy. And we're hoping to reset with this new administration that U.S.-China relations can be on a -- a certain perhaps calmer track. I mean, there's no guarantee just a few days into the U.S. administration. But that's certainly the messaging they wanted to come across.

WHITFIELD: Well, incredible. Well, something else we look forward to in your documentary is we really get to see, I mean, you're up close and personal experience with the journey of the panda is -- is really unique.

[12:55:05]

CULVER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Tell us more about how you, I guess, became immersed, so to speak, in this experience. We see you there putting on this panda suit.

CULVER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: I mean, explain why this was necessary, important and unique.

CULVER: Yes. People have been giving me a hard time for this one. You know, I -- I -- I am a journalist, I'm a storyteller, right? But at the same time --

WHITFIELD: Yes.

CULVER: -- that is a perfectly legitimate part of what these researchers do because they don't want to look like humans when they're in these wild spaces. So went to an area in Sichuan province. It's beautiful, it's mountainous and it is remote and I felt like I was very out of shape hiking some of those hills. But it -- it really gives you a sense of where they're trying to rewild these pandas that has put them back into their natural habitat. And I probably scared most of them there, that suit. But the documentary I think really gets you into spaces that you may have never seen before. I'm excited.

WHITFIELD: Oh, I'm excited too. I can't wait to see it. Everybody --

CULVER: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: -- can't wait to see it. We're going to watch it. And thank you so much, David Culver, for making yourself available now as this preview.

CULVER: Thanks Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So this all new episode of The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper, Operation Panda airs tomorrow at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN. And we'll be right back.

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