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Trump Fires Inspectors General From Over A Dozen Federal Agencies; White House Begins Deportations On Military; Hegseth Sworn In As Defense Secretary: We Will Put America First; Trump Executive Action On Housing Is Short On Specifics; Record Prices, Higher Mortgage Rates Weigh On Home Sales; Mother Of Missing American Journalist Austin Tice Goes To Syria Seeking Information On His Fate; D.C.'s Newest Giant Pandas Make Public Debut At National Zoo. Aired 6- 7p ET

Aired January 25, 2025 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:18]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jessica Dean in New York.

Some Senate lawmakers raising alarms after President Trump fired more than a dozen independent government watchdogs in a late Friday night purge.

The inspectors general receiving an e-mail from the White House Office of Presidential Personnel saying: "Changing priorities led to their termination." This decision clears the way for Trump to install his own picks for the roles, which are meant to operate independently.

CNN's Annie Grayer is live now on Capitol Hill, with more reaction from lawmakers. Annie, I know they were in for a special session to confirm some nominees. We will talk about that in a minute, but you were able to catch up with some of the lawmakers, some of those senators today. What were they saying?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Well, Jessica, there was really mixed reaction on a bipartisan basis, because what Trump did is really unprecedented.

He got rid of individuals that run independent agencies that do oversight of the federal government to make sure that there is no waste, fraud and abuse going on, and by eliminating those individuals, he opens the door to install his own picks for those independent roles.

And the biggest issue here is that Trump did not give Congress a 30- day notice, which is required by law, and that left some lawmakers very frustrated.

So first, Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican senator from Iowa, who leads the Judiciary Committee, and he has worked very closely with these independent watchdogs over the years. He issued a statement this morning raising questions about Trump's decision. I am going to read you his statement. He said: "There may be good reason the IGs were fired." IGs meaning inspectors general. "We need to know that, if so, I'd like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30- day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress."

Now, beyond just Grassley, I spoke with Senators Murkowski and Collins, and they were very concerned about this move. But the majority of senators I spoke to honestly didn't even know that this had happened because it happened overnight and I was actually telling them about it in real time.

And then there was another group of Republicans who were just quick to support anything that Trump does and did so again, with this move, trying to offer him the president support. But I want to play you what the top Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, had to say about Donald Trump's move.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): 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 is a preview of the lawless approach Donald Trump and his administration are taking far too often as he is becoming president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRAYER: So that is Schumer calling it a "chilling purge" and this is definitely not the last we are going to be hearing about this move from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

DEAN: And Annie, there has been a flurry of activity up there on the Hill over the last 24 hours with the Senate confirming two of Trump's top Cabinet picks, Kristi Noem for Secretary of Homeland Security, Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, and it appears these lawmakers, they're even working on a Saturday, which we know they don't often do quickly to get these confirmations through.

GRAYER: That is right.

Republicans in the Senate are trying to move as quickly as possible to deliver Trump as many wins for his Cabinet as possible and they cleared a huge hurdle with Pete Hegseth on Friday night because he had a very rocky confirmation process, as you know, from allegations of sexual misconduct of women to excessive drinking to misuse of funds for some of his previous jobs. Now, Hegseth denied all of those allegations, and Trump stood with him the entire time.

So it is a huge win for Trump that his pick to lead the Department of Defense actually made it through Congress and got confirmed. There were three Republicans who voted against Hegseth nomination, though, which made it a real nail biter, including Mitch McConnell, who has a long history of bad blood between him and Trump. So Vice President Vance had to come in at the last moment to deliver that Hegseth victory.

And Kristi Noem's nomination vote this morning went off pretty much without a hitch. In fact, seven Democratic senators joined Republicans in confirming her, but of course, for both Hegseth and Noem, the hardest work is yet to come.

DEAN: All right, Annie Grayer, thanks so much.

And we just got some news, too, that President Trump has accepted an invitation from House Speaker Johnson to speak to a Joint Session of Congress on March 4th. So, we put that on our calendar, March 4th. We will see that unfold.

Let's turn to developments now on President Trump's new immigration policies. The first deportation flights have started with the White House press secretary sharing images last night of migrants lined up, handcuffed, and boarding a military aircraft.

Guatemalan officials are confirming 264 Guatemalan nationals have been deported from the US on military flights back to their home country.

CNN's Rafael Romo is joining us now.

Rafael, you've been tracking this. What more are you learning tonight?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jessica, Guatemalan officials have been trying to put a brave face to weather this storm. They have chosen to seek cooperation with the Trump White House so that they can prepare for what could be a large number of Guatemalan citizens returning to their country.

Santiago Palomo, press secretary for the Guatemalan President's Office, told us several key things regarding the deportations. Number one, the government of Guatemala has been in what he described as permanent communication with the White House.

Palomo also confirmed that what you mentioned before, that 264 citizens of this country were deported on US Military flights on Friday to Guatemala, including six children.

And number three, Jessica. This official also said that Guatemala is ready to handle around 18 weekly flights of Guatemalan citizens deported from the US. The issue of deportations seems to be a top priority for the government of the Central American nation.

Guatemalan Vice President Karin Herrera personally welcomed back to her country some of the migrants deported this week, greeting them at a Guatemalan air force base just outside the capital.

Meanwhile, the official we spoke with says the deportations were not a surprise for his government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANTIAGO PALOMO, GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT'S OFFICE SECRETARY (through translator): Authorities in the United States, led by Ambassador Hugo Beteta, were in communication this week with senior officials in the Donald Trump administration.

The communication was very fluid. We had fairly detailed information about the flights that they were expecting Friday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: But Jessica, to put the issue of deportations of Guatemalan citizens in perspective, the US deported more than 66,000 back to their home country in fiscal year 2024, according to data from US Immigration officials. That's nearly a quarter of all non-citizens removed by the US that year.

The Guatemalan official we spoke with said those returning to Guatemala are being treated in a dignified way through a government assistance program spearheaded by President Bernardo Arevalo called returning home and probably that's what's going to happen in the next few weeks and months -- Jessica.

DEAN: Wow. I am really struck by that. They are counting on 18 flights a week. Wow.

All right, Rafael Romo, thank you very much for that reporting.

Joining us now, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, General Wesley Clark.

General, thanks so much for being here with us. I do want to get your thoughts on those military planes being used to deport migrants in a moment. But first, I do want to go back to The Pentagon. It now has its new leader in place, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

He has to get to work now. What do you see what he needs to be doing and what he needs to be focusing on?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, he has got some big challenges ahead and he will have the support of the men and women in uniform and he has got to prove himself, but they are going to automatically support him because he is the Secretary of Defense.

He has got to work the budget, that's the first thing. He has got to participate in policy decisions, foremost, on what to do about the aid to Ukraine, and also assistance to Taiwan.

He has got to participate as the president is directing him in sending troops to the border. He has got to look longer term at how he reforms the US Defense acquisitions process. We are way behind in terms of being able to repair our ships, in terms of getting new equipment out there, in terms of the way we do contracting.

There is a whole lot of legal stuff on this, and of course, the budget.

Now, Senator Roger Wicker, who is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee wants to double the Defense budget. So what's that money going to go into? How quickly can we get it in there? What about the strength of the Armed Forces and recruiting? The Army is down to 435, it has the lowest it has been. We know it is hard stretch to cover Asia and Europe and whatever is going to be required in Central America and on the border. So we've got multiple problems here. He is going to have some able assistance not only from the uniform, but from the Service Secretaries and the Deputy Secretary of Defense, but it is going to be a very steep learning curve. It is going to be tough.

DEAN: Yes, and he says he wants to bring peace through strength while he leads The Pentagon. We have heard that from military officials before. But what do you think that means under the Trump administration, peace through strength?

[18:10:00]

CLARK: I think it is going to be a real challenge because there are many in Congress, including Mitch McConnell and Roger Wicker, who believe we should double the Defense budget.

Now, the Democrats haven't supported this in the past, but if you also want to put in massive tax cuts or even extend the tax cuts that are supposed to expire next year that were put in by President Trump, what about the national debt? People are worried about the debt. Well, what about social safety programs? How is all this going to work out inside the budget?

And I think that is one of the real challenges that Secretary Hegseth will face and also President Trump.

DEAN: And now I do want to go back to what our colleague, Rafael Romo was reporting on, these deportation flights and we saw the photos coming from the Trump administration. What is -- there are deportation flights. People are lined up that way.

But what was striking about this were the military planes that they were boarding. What do you think about that?

CLARK: Well, I think it is probably not necessary, but it was a strong picture, and if you wanted a symbol to say, okay, the military is going to get in there, we are going to get these people out, that was the symbol.

But in fact, normally you contract commercial aircraft and it is cheaper, and the military aircraft are -- they are more expensive and they are in scarce supply and they need maintenance.

So I hope we will move away from using the military aircraft for this. There are plenty of civilian aircraft that are available, they just have to be contracted for.

DEAN: And what role does the military typically play when it comes to immigration? What is customary?

CLARK: Well, you might send military troops down to the border and they might provide logistics support, intelligence collection, back up to the Border Patrol. But they're not going to be out there, traditionally intercepting people trying to get across the border, because that violates the law that was put in after the Civil War called posse comitatus. So without the Insurrection Act being invoked, the military is not legally able to go in and do police work or border work that is actually involved in the apprehension of civilians.

So I understand there are 10,000 troops being mobilized. Right now, it seems that they are going to back up the Customs and Border Patrol. They are going to do logistics. They're going to take some of the administrative load, intelligence load off the Customs and Border Patrol, but that's the limit of it thus far.

DEAN: Yes, all right, more to come on this.

General Wesley Clark, thanks so much for your analysis. We appreciate it.

CLARK: Thank you. Jessica.

DEAN: As Israeli hostages freed from Gaza tearfully reunite with their loved ones, we are seeing similar scenes of emotion among Palestinian prisoners released as part of the same deal.

How one mother, who has been locked up for close to a year for social media posts, describes her time as an Israeli prisoner.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:17:38]

DEAN: Four female Israeli soldiers held captive in Gaza for 15 months are back home safe in Israel tonight. Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag were all released by Hamas today, and here is the moment when they were reunited with their families.

(HOSTAGE REUNIFICATION WITH THEIR FAMILIES VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

DEAN: They were part of the second round of releases under the Israel- Hamas ceasefire and hostage agreement. Israel believes 90 hostages are still being held in Gaza, although it is unknown how many of them are alive.

Another 26 hostages are expected to be handed over in phase one of this deal.

Israel's Prison Service, saying it released 200 Palestinian prisoners today as part of that deal. Some of those released were serving life sentences, and they were welcomed by thousands of Palestinians in the Israeli occupied West Bank.

It comes less than a week after the first group of prisoners were freed, and among them a journalist who was jailed for her social media posts. But after ten months behind bars, she is now back with her family and a young daughter who barely knows her mother's face.

CNN's Nada Bashir has more on this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (voice over): Little Elia is adjusting to finally having her mother back home.

Rula Hassanein, a Palestinian journalist from the occupied West Bank was arrested by Israeli Security Forces when her daughter was just nine months old.

Now, after 10 months in detention, she is among the first Palestinian prisoners to be freed as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement.

(RULA HASSANEIN, PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST AND RELEASED DETAINEE speaking in foreign language.)

TRANSLATION: Of course, my daughter forgot what I looked like. My husband and family members would show her photos of me. They would tell her that is your mother but a photo is nothing like the real thing. I would dream about my daughter a lot.

My first Ramadan after having Elia was spent in prison. I was in prison for her first Eid and I also missed out on the memory of her first birthday.

[18:20:00]

BASHIR (voice over): This was the moment Rula was reunited with her daughter and husband last week. Having suffered from health complications in the first few months of life, Rula says it was a relief to see her daughter doing well after almost a year of agonizing separation.

But Rula herself has also been through unimaginable suffering while in detention.

(RULA HASSANEIN speaking in foreign language.)

TRANSLATION: During our transfer, we weren't allowed to drink water, eat any food, use the bathroom or even to pray.

BASHIR (voice-over): Rula says that the day she and 89 other prisoners were transferred for release as part of the ceasefire deal, they were subjected to hours of psychological and physical abuse.

She recalls that they were pushed down to their knees, dragged across the ground while handcuffed, and dressed only in thin layers while out in the cold. They were then made to watch hours of Israeli propaganda video before being released.

But, like so many other Palestinians in Israeli jails, abuse and harassment had become a daily occurrence for Rula.

BASHIR on camera: What were the conditions like inside the prison?

(RULA HASSANEIN speaking in foreign language.)

TRANSLATION: The female prisoners, they violated all international human rights to protect us. We were also deprived of our most essential private needs. During our time of the month, male guards would say we don't need to change our sanitary pads every hour, only every four or five hours.

They confiscated our underwear and left us with only one piece to wear. We saw female prisoners from Gaza who were brought to Damon Prison. Some of them looked like they were in a very different state.

During their time of the month their clothes would be covered by blood. It was horrifying. The guards were mocking them.

BASHIR (voice over): The Israeli Prison Service has told CNN that they are not aware of any such claims, but the harsh conditions faced by Palestinians in Israeli jails has been widely documented.

In a report published in July 2024, the UN Human Rights Office said Palestinian detainees are subjected to systematic beatings, humiliation and threats, in addition to severe restrictions on food, water and essential hygiene products.

Like many Palestinians, Rula was tried before a military court rather than a civil court, and later charged with incitement on social media of a post shared where she had expressed frustration over the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

(RULA HASSANEIN speaking in foreign language.)

TRANSLATION: It isn't a new policy to hold Palestinians accountable for their thoughts. Many Palestinians have been targeted for their art or writing. It has become so easy for them to arrest someone simply by accusing them of incitement on social media.

BASHIR (voice over): For Rula, it is impossible to forget the suffering that she and other Palestinian detainees have been forced to endure. But, she says, her focus now is on enjoying each moment with her daughter and husband.

Nada Bashir, CNN, in Bethlehem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DEAN: And we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:27:34]

DEAN The Border 2 Fire is raging in Southern California, near the border with Mexico. That fire in the Otay Wilderness outside San Diego now only 10 percent contained. It has razed more than 6,000 acres and has led to evacuations.

Rain is forecast for parts of California, and while that may help control the fires, the issue is it could also lead to the threat of flooding and mudslides. A Flood Watch, now in effect from Sunday afternoon until Monday for many areas that have already been burned. Also tonight, President Trump due to arrive at his resort in Doral, Florida, after today's trip to Las Vegas. It has been a whirlwind first week back in office for the president.

CNN's Steve Contorno is there. He joins us with the latest.

And Steve, it hasn't even been a week. it has been five days with a lot that has happened in between. We just saw Trump rallying with supporters in Las Vegas, and we saw him both talking about what he is doing in the future and going backward and attacking, continuing to attack now former President Biden.

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: That's right, Jessica.

Donald trump, going through many of his first week actions, including his new plan to pause aid to foreign countries. This will be a 90-day moratorium that his administration will put in place. And during that time, they will look to determine which countries deserve aid, which countries align with the US interests. Of course, all of that will be under Donald Trump's decision as to determining that alignment.

And just one of many areas that he covered in what was essentially an extended victory lap for Donald Trump in Las Vegas, where he walked through many of his political accomplishments and his accomplishments during the first week, including his decision to pardon some of the violent January 6th rioters. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I pardoned hundreds of political prisoners who had been viciously persecuted --

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: -- by the Biden regime. Hundreds of people were persecuted, including Christians, pro-life activists to Washington, DC police officers just yesterday whose lives were destroyed from chasing down a dangerous illegal alien criminal. And of course, I was very proud to pardon the J6 hostages.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[18:30:03]

CONTORNO: Trump also reiterated his promise to this Vegas audience to get rid of taxes on tips, although we have yet to see how that will materialize in the Republican tax package that we expect to be part of this massive reconciliation bill that will potentially extend the Trump tax cuts. We don't know yet if all Republicans are on board with limiting taxes on tipped wages as Trump has promised he would do, Jessica.

DEAN: All right. Steve Contorno, thanks for that reporting. When we come back, a group of mayors from across the country are warning of a housing crisis that's only getting worse. We'll talk with one of those mayors, that's next in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:35:19]

DEAN: New data shows existing home sales for 2024 hit their lowest in nearly 30 years, hurt by higher prices and mortgage rates. President Trump says he's tackling the issue or tackling the issue is one of his many executive orders this week. It's called for, quote, "emergency price relief," with few details on how that would work.

Analysts say his plans to deport undocumented migrant workers and put tariffs on imports would likely drive up the cost to build more homes. And joining us now, Columbus, Ohio, Mayor Andrew Ginther. He's also the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Mayor, thanks so much for being here with us. We appreciate it.

MAYOR ANDREW GINTHER, (D) COLUMBUS, OHIO: Thank you so much for having me.

DEAN: You have called on the President and for Congress to act. What could they do to help with the housing crisis in this country?

GINTHER: Well, we have underbuilt in America's cities since before the Great Recession, and that's an issue that's just compounded over the last 12 or 14 years. We know we're several million housing units short right now in America. Based on our data and survey results, we think that gap is going to grow by maybe up to two million over the next five years.

We're calling for a Marshall Plan. We're asking the federal government to step up and invest in housing the way we have infrastructure and other things over the last several years. We know that the best way for us to tackle this housing crisis is to deal with the supply crisis that's going on right now. We know median rents and home prices have grown far faster than wages.

We know that a record number of folks across our country are spending upwards towards 50 percent of their income toward housing. We know this isn't sustainable and that's why we want to work with the administration and the Congress to make sure that there's safe, affordable housing for folks in our communities all across the country. This is the most important issue facing America's cities.

DEAN: Yes. And your - you and the council of Mayors are waving your hands. I feel like the American people are trying to wave their hands as well. This is an issue that time and time again, when they are polled, it's the cost of living, but it's housing. That's - that is what is driving it for so many people is not even being able to find an affordable place to live.

Do you feel like there is a disconnect between your local government, what you are seeing, talking to your constituents and what's going on in Washington, D.C.?

GINTHER: We think there's a great opportunity for partnership here. You know, we are working very closely with our private sector, major employers here in Central Ohio. We need about 200,000 units here in Central Ohio over the next 10 years to deal with the supply crisis here as we grow in the next 30 years as much as we did in the last 75.

But this is really an issue north, south, east, west, red states, blue states, all of our communities are struggling with this housing issue. I think there's an incredible opportunity to work with the administration and the Congress to focus on housing.

We know economic safety and security are some of the most important issues facing the country, and housing truly is a foundational part towards economic safety and security.

DEAN: Yes. And have you had any contact with the new administration? I know they're only five days old at this point. But have you been able to talk with them at all about maybe some solutions here?

GINTHER: Yes, we've had some great initial conversations with the Trump White House, the intergovernmental office there. And we also were very inspired by the words of the Secretary nominee. His - the language and what he shared during his testimony, you probably would have heard the same types of words and messages at our U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting a week ago in Washington.

We think there's great opportunity for us to work together here. But we've got to stand up and deliver for the American people if we want to continue to move our economy, our nation and our great American cities forward together.

DEAN: And how much of this, too, is about regulations, kind of cutting ...

GINTHER: Yes.

DEAN: ... through the proverbial red tape as it is?

GINTHER: Well, there are a couple of different things. First of all, America's mayors have already been leading the way. We just updated our zoning code here in Columbus for the first time in 70 years. You think about that. Our city was less than half the size it is today when that code was put in place. And oftentimes, archaic zoning codes are albatrosses or barriers from moving forward and building the type of housing we need to.

[18:40:04]

We also need some more innovation and disruption in this space. You know, different ways of bringing more housing online faster. And we also believe that there are many federal housing programs that create a great deal of burden on local governments and public-private partnerships from putting them in place. So we think there's another opportunity to make sure that the federal housing programs that currently exist make them more flexible, responsive and nimble in working with local leaders, with mayors across the country.

DEAN: All right. Mayor Andrew Ginther, thanks so much for being here. We really appreciate it.

GINTHER: Thank you so much. Have a great day.

DEAN: You, too.

Ahead, how far will a mother go to find her child?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBRA TICE, MOTHER OF AUSTIN TICE: You know, Austin has been held by the Syrian government all this time. Who is holding him now? Where is he?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: We'll meet the American mother who traveled to Syria to get answers about her son who has been missing for more than 12 years now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:45:46]

DEAN: A mother's desperate search for her missing son. American journalist Austin Tice vanished in Syria in 2012. This is the last known video of him recorded in August of that year. The U.S. believes the regime of Syria's former dictator Bashar al-Assad abducted him.

Since his disappearance, Tice's mother has gone on a long journey to find him. A journey that has brought her all the way to Syria's capital. And she hopes the fall of Assad's government will finally bring some answers about where her son is. CNN's Clarissa Ward has this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is the story of the lengths a mother will go to find her son. It's the story of so many Syrian mothers and one American. For 12.5 years, Debra Tice has not stopped looking for U.S. Journalist Austin Tice. Taken at a regime checkpoint in Syria in 2012, he has been missing ever since. One of many thousands who disappeared in the prisons of Syrian dictator, Bashar al-Assad.

Six weeks after Assad's ouster, Debra is now going back to Damascus, joined by the head of Hostage Aid Worldwide, Nizar Zakka, who is coordinating the search.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBRA TICE, MOTHER OF AUSTIN TICE: Almost 10 years ...

NIZAR ZAKKA, PRESIDENT OF HOSTAGE AID WORLDWIDE: When was the last time? Which ... TICE: The last time I was here was in 2015 in May.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): At the hotel in Damascus, a group of journalists eagerly await her arrival. But for now, there are more questions than answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TICE: It's hard for me to think about how - where is my way forward here, you know? Austin has been held by the Syrian government all this time. Who is holding him now? Where is he? How - what is the approach? I mean, it's like it's first grade again.

WARD (on camera): And where do you think he is? What do you know? What can you share?

TICE: I feel like he is still in Syria, and I do think it's most likely he's in a safe house.

WARD: Are you saying that based on what you feel or what you know?

TICE: There's some of each. There's some of each.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): Faith has played a vital role in Debra's journey. First thing Sunday morning, she heads to St. Anthony's Church, the place she came to pray on an almost daily basis when she first visited Damascus in 2014 and ended up staying 3.5 months trying to gain Austin's release.

Prayers are needed by so many here. Dotted around the city, flyers with photos of those who disappeared under the Assad regime, leaving devastated families desperately looking for answers. For Debra and Nizar, the prisons where they believe Austin was detained hold important clues.

They visit Al-Khatib prison, where Nizar's team has discovered some graffiti that the Tice family is convinced was written by Austin. Debra has been steeling herself for this moment for weeks, and is intent on seeing it for herself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (on camera): Take a minute. Take a minute. Take a minute. Okay? Take a minute.

TICE: Okay.

WARD: Okay.

TICE: (INAUDIBLE) ...

WARD: I'll hold that for you. Do you want me to hold the light for you?

TICE: Yes. Yes, yes, yes.

WARD: Okay. All right. I'll hold the light for you.

TICE: Okay.

WARD: Okay, I'll go in first. Okay, it's very small in here, okay.

TICE: Okay. (INAUDIBLE) ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): The Tice family asked us not to show the graffiti itself, out of respect for their privacy.

[18:50:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TICE: I'm going to stay in here for a minute.

WARD: Okay.

TICE: Okay?

WARD: Okay.

TICE: I just want to be - hang in here for a minute.

WARD: Yes.

TICE: Just for a minute.

WARD: Sure.

TICE: I hardly even know what to say about that experience. It was beyond anything I could have imagined. These pictures don't even begin to tell you how unbelievably - unbelievably horrible, awful, terrible nightmare they are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): At a press conference the next day, Debra talks about her experience visiting the prisons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TICE: For all the mothers whose sons were disappeared in these dungeons, our hearts are joined for all those looking now for answers about their family members, I am here with you in solidarity. We share ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): Unlike those Syrian mothers, Debra and Nizar, were able to meet with Syria's New Leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who offered support and confidence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZAKKA: He believes, like all of us, that Austin is alive and he's going to be joined with his mom, and we promised him that when he's back, we're going to come visit Sharaa again with Austin.

WARD (on camera): Lot of people will think, after the fall of the Assad regime, after the prisons were opened more than a month later, the fact that Austin doesn't turn up, hasn't turned up is not a good sign, and there are many people who assume that he was likely killed. How do you know or do you know, with conviction, that he is alive?

ZAKKA: We have enough information collected that Austin is alive and is in a safe house is controlled somehow by the regime. Everybody - we are receiving this information from the highest sources, confirming what we believe in. So, we don't see any reason to think differently. In fact, we didn't have one thing - no ever - nobody provided one single evidence that Austin is not alive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): It's Monday afternoon, the day of the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (on camera): Have you been in contact with the Trump Administration? Do you feel optimistic?

TICE: Oh, I feel hugely optimistic. And one of the main things is that his people reached out to me. I mean, they are in. They are ready. They want to go with it. They want Austin home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): Looking out at the city as the sun starts to fade. Debra's hopes are high.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TICE: You remember the feeling of the baby's almost due? You know that kind of thing of just waiting, you know, when are we going to be together again?

I have very much that kind of feeling.

WARD: Do you feel when you look around that you're closer to him.

TICE: Yes, I feel like I'm closer to him. I feel like he knows that I'm here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): The next morning, it's time to leave.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TICE: ... so much ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice over): But Debra is certain she will be back and soon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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[18:57:59]

DEAN: Giant pandas are once again a star attraction at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. CNN's Brian Todd has more.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A bamboo breakfast enjoyed by Bao Li, a giant panda frolicking in his new home. Bao, a three- year-old male and three-year-old female, Qing Bao, making their public debut today at Washington's Smithsonian national zoo.

Qing Bao is known for her tree climbing exploits, zoo officials say. And we caught her doing her thing.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, there she is.

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TODD (voice over): And we saw her male counterpart pushing his oversize ball. Exciting and heartwarming moments for zoo-goers who've waited more than a year to see pandas again.

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SARAH CHEW, ZOO VISITOR: It's so exciting that they're back at the zoo and I'm just here to support them.

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TODD (voice over): In November 2023, the National Zoo's previous set of pandas, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang and their cub were sent back to China as a loan agreement expired. These new pandas will be in Washington for ten years, with the goal of getting them to breed. They won't start doing that for at least a couple more years. And hey, no pressure. But ...

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TODD (on camera): They only have about a 48-hour window each year to breed.

MICHAEL BROWN-PALSGROVE, CURATOR OF PANDAS, SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL ZOO: Yes. That's correct. So, a female only comes into estrus once a year? Ovulates that one time. And so, really, it is, you know, us against the clock to make sure that we put them together at the optimal time.

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TODD: In the meantime, Bao Li and Qing Bao, who are considered the equivalent of teenagers, now need to grow. That means a constant diet of bamboo. Lots of it.

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BROWN-PALSGROVE: We offer over a hundred pounds of bamboo to each panda every day. They're bringing truckloads, 500, 600 pounds, three times a week back to us.

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TODD: The two pandas are kept in separate areas. Have had three months to acclimate to their habitat here. And zoo officials say they've developed distinct personalities.

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BRANDIE SMITH, DIRECTOR, SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL ZOO: Qing Bao, these our female and she is, I'll say, a little more independent. She kind of likes to do her own thing.

Bao Li definitely loves people. He loves his keepers. He talks to them all the time.

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TODD: They're part of a diplomatic and scientific cooperation with China that's been around for more than 50 years, since the first pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, arrived at the National Zoo in 1972, a conservation pact that's brought the pandas back from the endangered list.