Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba to Meet with Trump; Rubio Walks Back Claim of Free Transit for U.S. Ships through Panama Canal; 5.2 Magnitude Quake Forces Evacuation in Santorini; Life-Saving Weather Warnings on the Lone Amid Buyout Offers; Fallout Over Offensive Tweets by Best Actress Nominee; Philadelphia Eagles Verses Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired February 07, 2025 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us here are some of today's top stories.

A pair of labor groups are suing the Trump administration over efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development. Nearly 10,000 workers at the U.S. Agency for International Development are bracing to be put on administrative leave today or fired outright. Only about 300 personnel deemed essential are expected to survive the mass layoffs.

A federal judge limiting Elon Musk's Department of Government efficiencies access to the Treasury Department's payments information. Two members of Musk's team will keep read-only access to the system.

Another federal judge has paused the deadline for President Trump's so-called buyout offer to federal workers. The deadline to accept the offer was midnight on Thursday but now workers will have until at least Monday to decide. That's when the next hearing is scheduled.

The White House says 65,000 federal employees have accepted the deal. That's roughly 3 percent of those who received the offer.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba arrived in the U.S. on Thursday ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump. The meeting makes Ishiba the first Asian leader to meet Trump since his return to office.

CNN's Hanako Montgomery has more from Tokyo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lot is at stake for the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during his first meeting with President Donald Trump. Ishiba told Japanese lawmakers at his last dyad session that the two leaders will discuss defense and he plans to reaffirm the U.S.-Japan alliance in dealing with security threats in the Indo-Pacific region. He added he'll also push for U.S. commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. On the economic front Ishiba says he aims to boost cooperation on generative AI, semiconductors and more. But while Ishiba's main goals are to emphasize continued cooperation and to show Trump that this is the golden age for the U.S.-Japan alliance, two political experts I spoke with say the bigger question is can Ishiba handle Trump?

They say unlike his predecessor Shinzo Abe, who built strong ties with Trump during his first term, Ishiba is often criticized for lacking charm. In fact he's been training all week to navigate Trump's bold, often unpredictable and transactional style according to experts.

Local media reports say there's also concern that Trump may see the summit as a test of Japan's role in his America first policy rather than a chance to strengthen ties. Experts say he could slap tariffs on Japan, the fifth largest exporter to the U.S.

Trump could also demand higher defense spending or push for more payments for U.S. troops as he did during his first term.

But experts say if he does make any unduly demands Ishiba may have little choice but to comply given how vital the U.S. is to Japan's foreign policy. Experts also say whether this summit strengthens the alliance or exposes Japan's vulnerabilities really depends on how well Ishiba can navigate Trump's demands.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is expected to travel to the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba today. She'll visit the Migrant Operations Center as the Trump administration moves forward with its plan to dramatically expand the number of migrants being held there. U.S. military flights have already started transporting at least 23 migrants to the island.

Earlier this week, President Trump directed the federal government to prepare the military base to house tens of thousands of migrants.

Outrage growing in India over the treatment of undocumented migrants deported from the U.S. 100 migrants who flew home on Wednesday say they were kept in prison-like conditions and shackled during the entire 40-hour flight. They say they were yelled -- they were yelled at and misled about their destination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Our hands and feet were cuffed and we were told that we were being taken to a detention center, but they brought us to the airport instead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Our legs and hands were cuffed, including women, except the children, those who are below 18 years of age. All of us were shackled. We were given no washroom facilities and they never removed the cuffs, even to eat. (END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, the news prompted a crowd in New Delhi to burn an effigy of President Donald Trump on Thursday. Some Indian lawmakers also staged a protest near Parliament. The pushback comes just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expected visit to Mr. Trump in Washington.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has walked back his assertion that Panama agreed to no longer charge American ships for transiting the Panama Canal. As CNN's Patrick Oppmann now reports, Rubio backtracked after the Panamanian leader said, not so fast.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A social media posting from the State Department that said that Panama had granted the U.S. free passage for military ships through the Panama Canal kicked off an international incident with Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino during a press conference on Thursday, angrily denying this, saying that it was intolerable of the U.S. to have come out with this claim and calling on the U.S. to essentially take it back.

[04:35:10]

Which is more or less what Secretary of State Marco Rubio hours later did while he said that the U.S. does want Panama to grant U.S. Navy ships passage free of cost through the canal, that that had not had been done as of yet.

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Those are our expectations. They were clear. They were clearly understood in those conversations.

But I respect very much the fact that Panama has a process of laws and procedures that they need to follow as it relates to the Panamanian port.

OPPMANN: According to Panama's president, the U.S. every year only pays about $6 or $7 million to transit its Navy ships through Panama's Canal. Surprisingly, a small amount, he said, for the U.S. to have created such a international incident between these two countries. On Friday, Mulino is expected to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump, who, of course, has called on the U.S. to take back control of the Panama Canal because he says that China's influence in Panama has grown, and he has claimed without evidence that China now controls the Panama Canal.

Those claims appeared to have put somewhat to rest with Marco Rubio's visit to Panama and Panama's agreement that it will no longer take part in Chinese investment initiatives in the region and that the Panamanian authorities are prioritizing the relationship with the United States.

Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The process of awarding new research funds at the National Institutes of Health is being held up despite guidance that would allow some closed-review meetings to proceed. Five sources tell CNN that some of these meetings have been cancelled despite the updated guidance. Advisory Council meetings are a key step to awarding new funding at the NIH, which is the world's largest public funder of biomedical research. The meetings are only held every few months.

Scientists are warning a new variant of H5N1 bird flu virus may be here to stay. The Nevada Department of Agriculture says six dairy herds have tested positive for the variant, the first time it's been found in dairy cattle. That means the pathogen passed from wild birds to the cows directly. The new variant has been associated with severe infections in humans. One expert says the variant should be classified as an endemic or continuously circulating virus.

A Bering Air flight with ten people on board is now missing in western Alaska. The plane was last seen on radar flying over the Norton Sound Thursday evening. The U.S. Coast Guard and Air Force are now assisting in search efforts for the missing Cessna.

We'll bring you updates as they become available to us.

Thousands of people and their pets are fleeing the island of Santorini. Ahead, the latest on the earthquake activity that has people worried.

Plus, U.S. storm forecasting departments could lose crucial staff in the Trump administration has pushed towards government efficiency. Details on that just ahead.

[04:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: One of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece is now almost deserted. Thousands have left the island of Santorini because of increasing earthquake activity. Journalist Elinda Labropoulou has more details from Athens.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELINDA LABROPOULOU, JOURNALIST: A state of emergency has been declared at the Greek island of Santorini after a 5.2 earthquake hit the island in the early morning hours. Now this is not the first earthquake that those who are on the island have felt these last days. Seismic activity has been going on for nearly 10 days now and in total 770 tremors have been recorded.

Now experts say that this phenomenon is unprecedented. They're saying there's a good scenario and a bad scenario as to how this could play out. The good scenario is that the activity could eventually subside but this could take weeks or even months.

There is a bad scenario that these could be just for shocks and we might be waiting for the big earthquake yet.

People have been leaving the islands in huge numbers. Basically they're saying that they do not want to be somewhere where they can feel the earth trembling under their feet. So a lot of them have gotten on boats and planes left to Athens. Some of the tourists have already gone home.

And authorities are preparing. They have sent special units on the island. They're preparing for emergency situations. We have had a few landslides so far but nothing more dramatic yet. So this could be a waiting game is what the experts here are saying until we see which way this is going to go.

Elinda Labropoulou, CNN, Athens.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass visited the Palisades Thursday to review the area's recovery from devastating wildfires that sparked a month ago today. She says the Environmental Protection Agency is working to finish the first phase of debris removal.

Meanwhile officials with Southern California Edison say the company's equipment may be associated with ignition of the Hurst fire. That fire burned about 800 acres in LA County but did not destroy any structures or lead to any deaths -- thankfully.

[04:45:00]

The company also says that videos showing early stages of the Eaton fire suggest a possible link to its equipment. The Eaton fire killed at least 17 people and devastated Altadena.

Now concerns are growing amongst employees of the U.S. National Weather Service after the Trump administration's so-called buyout offers this week. Getting rid of employees would severely hit the forecasting agency which is already suffering its lowest staffing in decades. CNN's Derek Van Dam has the latest national forecast but first explains how the cutbacks could impact American lives and property.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You're looking at the various weather alerts issued by human meteorologists at the local National Weather Service office scattered across the U.S. It's been a very active weather pattern putting a lot of strain on the meteorologists that are in charge of these individual alerts.

Well with the looming federal cutbacks at this particular agency this could have implications down the line that maybe you don't notice because their sole purpose and one of their most important tasks at hand is communicating life-saving and property saving information to the public, you at home.

So if we start to dwindle down the numbers on an already reduced staff that could have implications down the line. Not only are these meteorologists analyzing and making weather forecasts and communicating the threats but they're also responsible for the hardware that's used for day-to-day weather forecasting and now casting into the immediate future.

Think of radar. If we don't have the people to maintain that that's going to be a concern when we're talking about severe weather forecasting specifically tornadoes.

What about storm surge? What about hurricane arrival times? All these are variables here and if we start cutting down and reducing the number of staff the threat and the ability to collect that data and disseminate it out into the public becomes reduced.

Think about the National Weather Service in Los Angeles for instance. They were some of the first meteorologists to warn of the impending strong Santa Ana wind event and the potential there for a high fire danger.

Well now we look forward to this spring season where we have of course the increase in tornado activity and then into the summer and fall with hurricane activity as well. We do not want to reduce the number of meteorologists in charge of providing that data.

And we've got an active stretch of weather that will keep these meteorologists extremely busy in the days to come. Storm system knocking on the West Coast right now just after we say goodbye to our initial storm on the East Coast another one waiting in its wings.

This is second of four winter storms over this two-week stretch that's all being driven by a jet stream running from west to east locking in the cold air to the north and the warm air to the south and it's following the weather pattern basically aligning itself with this jet stream. So we've got our second storm system through the early parts of the weekend and then our third and even a fourth for the second half of next week. Notice the areas that is producing snow ice and rain almost the identical regions that had the storm previously before this.

So it is going to be one after another we'll call it a parade of storms for now. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Just ahead, why costars and now Netflix are withdrawing support for the star of "Emilia Perez" this year's most Oscar- nominated movie. Stay with us.

[04:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Netflix is distancing itself from Karla Sofia Gascon, the Oscar nominated star of the film "Emilia Perez." Amid the growing scandal over her now deleted offensive tweets that is. Gascon is the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for an Academy Award. Here's CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Emilia Perez Netflix's big Oscar contender with 13 nominations. Now reduced to a tearful apology from its breakout star, Karla Sofia Gascon, whose controversial tweets shocked Hollywood at the height of her Oscar campaign. The tweets uncovered by an independent writer included this 2016 post.

Islam is becoming a hotbed of infection for humanity that urgently needs to be cured.

Alongside a Muslim family photo, she called Islam a deep, disgusting humanity.

During protests over the police killing of George Floyd, Gascon called Floyd a drug addict swindler whose death has served to once again demonstrate that there are people who still consider Black people to be monkeys without rights and consider policemen to be assassins. They're all wrong.

In an exclusive interview with CNN and Espanol's Juan Carlos Arciniegas, Gascon apologized and said she's not a racist.

KARLA SOFIA GASCON, OSCAR NOMINEE (through translator): I've been condemned and sacrificed and crucified in stone without a trial and with no option to defend myself, she said. Tearfully adding that she felt the public made her out to be a terrible monster.

It's a stunning turn of events for Gascon, who made history just last month as the first openly transgender actor to ever be nominated for an Oscar.

CLAYTON DAVIS, SENIOR AWARDS EDITOR, VARIETY: The reconciling of the moment is like this historic nomination. We're supposed to be celebrating. She would have been prominently displayed and cut to during the Oscar telecast.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): In another resurfaced post, Gascon mocked the Oscar telecast itself, calling it a vindictive film awards ceremony. I didn't know if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration or March 8th -- apparently referring to International Women's Day.

The Academy immediately unfollowed Gascon on social media, and her costars and the film's director are distancing themselves too.

ZOE SALDANA, ACTRESS: He desires to remain anonymous.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Zoe Saldana, who won the Golden Globe last month, is now vying for her first Oscar and spoke to Variety's Clayton Davis.

SALDANA: I'm very sad. I'm -- I'm also disappointed.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Despite the growing backlash, Gascon says she won't pull out of the race.

GASCON (through translator): I cannot step down from an Oscar nomination, she said, because I have not committed any crime, nor have I harmed anyone.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Few doubt the power of Gascon's performance. She plays a complex role, a cartel leader, both as a man and a woman. But now many are asking how Netflix missed a huge landmine on its road to Oscar gold.

DAVIS: All that work and money was flushed down the toilet just a week ago.

WAGMEISTER: Now, Netflix has not publicly commented on this situation at all. I've reached out to Netflix. I have not heard back, but I do hear that they're actively distancing themselves from Karla Sofia Gascon in an effort to salvage this campaign for the rest of the cast crew and creatives who worked so hard on this film.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Now, the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani will be spending the next four years in prison. Ippei Mizuhara was sentenced on Thursday for stealing nearly $17 million from the L.A. Dodgers player. Mizuhara also must pay $18 million in restitution, $17 million to Ohtani and the rest to the IRS.

Mizuhara was -- or has acknowledged fraudulently accessing Ohtani's accounts, using the money to cover his growing gambling debts and debts with an illegal bookmaker. The interpreter also bought $325,000 worth of baseball cards and paid his dental bills as well with the money.

[04:55:04]

CNN's Andy Scholes is in New Orleans with a look at what Eagles and Chiefs players are saying ahead of the big game.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Saquon Barkley needs just 30 yards on Sunday to end up with the most rushing yards ever for a player in a season and playoff. So you know the Chiefs are going to try to be gearing up that defense to stop him, which means Jalen Hurts is going to need to have a good game for the Eagles if they want to be victorious in Super Bowl 59.

And two years ago in the Super Bowl, Hurts was fantastic against the Chiefs. He threw for more than 300 yards, had four total touchdowns, but of course the Eagles fell short in that one. Well, Hurts says he's used that loss to fuel him to be even better in the biggest moments.

JALEN HURTS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES QUARTERBACK: My mentality and my approach is always to find ways to better myself and it's always looking internal first and then looking at my teammates and how I can better the guys around me as well. So I've always been focused on, you know, what I'm asked to do and can I do it at a high level and then also processing the way that I'm being taught to see the game and then how I already see the game. And then obviously you have that burning desire to win. So all of those things are a priority to me.

SCHOLES: Now only two players have ever been able to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. That's Tom Brady and Joe Burrow. Hurts certainly hoping he is the third come Sunday.

Now President Trump is coming to New Orleans on Sunday and he's going to be the first sitting president to ever attend the Super Bowl. And Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce think that's pretty cool.

TRAVIS KELCE, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS TIGHT END: That's awesome. It's a great honor. I think, you know, no matter who the president is. I know I'm excited because it's the biggest game of my life, you know, and having the president there, you know, it's the best country in the world. So it would be pretty cool.

PATRICK MAHOMES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS QUARTERBACK: It's always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president, someone that is at the top position in our country. And so, I didn't see that clip, but obviously it's cool to hear that he's seen me play football and respects to the game that I play.

SCHOLES: Now, on Thursday, we had the Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime press conference. It wasn't a traditional press conference like years past. No questions came from the media. Now Lamar said his performance on Sunday will be like his career and focus on storytelling. And he didn't give any hints on any surprise guests that may show up, but Taylor Swift and Lamar, they did collaborate on that 2014 bad blood remix. A lot of Swifties are certainly hoping that she shows up at halftime. We'll have to wait and see.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Indeed we will. Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London, CNN "THIS MORNING" up next after the break.