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Trump's Recent Actions Show His Revenge Tour Isn't Slowing Down; New Orleans Ramps Up Security Ahead Of Today's Big Game; Winter Storm Moves Offshore As Three More Storms Are Expected; Interview With Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA). Aired 3-4p ET
Aired February 09, 2025 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
VALERIA LEON, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: But the industry may soon face revenue challenges if US President Donald Trump's tariff threat is carried out. Nearly three-quarters of Mexican avocados come from Michoacan, a Mexican state that has become the world's top producer, earning the fruit the nickname of "Green Gold."
Mexico's avocados exports were worth around $3 billion in 2023, with about 81 percent of them going to the US. But with Trump's threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on goods from Mexico, producers like Edgar feared this could affect the industry's revenues.
EDGAR BUSTOS, DIRECTOR, FREEWAY OCCIDENTE (through translator): We have faith that this will not happen because that would increase prices for consumers, who are the ones who would end up paying more.
LEON: On Monday, that tariff on Mexican goods was put on pause until March 1st due to a last minute agreement reached by the Trump administration and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
If the Trump administration follows through next month and takes the tariff plan, the whole nine yards, most consumers in the US will have little to celebrate.
Valeria Leon, CNN Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[15:01:15]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I am Fredricka Whitfield.
President trump is doubling down on his dismantling of government agencies and proclaiming in a new interview that he has a mandate from the American people to eliminate wasteful spending and vow more drastic cuts.
The interview is set to air this hour ahead of kickoff for the Super Bowl. And just moments ago, President Trump left Florida for New Orleans, where he will be the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl. All of this is happening as the president is giving billionaire Elon Musk and his DOGE team the greenlight to gut numerous government agencies, even as the courts block some of those actions. CNN's Betsy Klein is joining us right now.
Betsy, what can you tell us about this new interview and how it seems to be really flexing the president's powers.
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: That's exactly right, Fredricka.
I mean, back in 2024, during the campaign, then candidate Trump said he wouldn't have time for retribution. He would be too busy making the US successful, but as we have seen him really reimagining the use of executive authority, we are seeing him use those presidential powers to take revenge and retribution against his perceived political enemies.
Now, that started fast and furious on his first days in office. Of course, we saw him pull the security details of top officials. He reassigned and dismissed career Department of Justice officials. He also issued executive orders, weakening protections for career civil servants.
But in the past few days, his actions have expanded on these themes of revenge and retribution, and the through line has really been a personal one. Of course, we saw him on Friday, announce that he was revoking the security clearance for former President Joe Biden taking aim at Biden, who did the same to him back in 2021. He announced that he would be gutting the Board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center and appointing himself as chairman.
He announced that he had dismissed the National Archivist. We also saw him strip additional officials of their security details, including former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who of course, is under threat from Iran due to his actions during Trump's first administration.
Now, we are also seeing DOGE, the Elon Musk led Department of Government Efficiency head into different parts of the federal government and start taking effort -- making efforts to slash federal spending and also root out people who may be perceived to be disloyal.
But President Trump, for his part, believes he has a mandate. Here is what he said in a new interview with Fox News moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Trust Elon? Oh, he is not gaining anything. In fact, I wonder how he can devote the time to it. He is so into it.
But I told him, do that. Then I am going to tell him very soon, like maybe in 24 hours to go check the Department of Education. He is going to find the same thing.
Then I am going to go, go to the military. Let's check the military. We are going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse. And, you know, the people elected me on that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KLEIN: Trump's actions really underscore a president who remains intent on settling scores new and old, but also a president who has implicit confidence in his administration's ability to fight any potential legal challenges -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Okay. And then how about today? The president is going to be at the Super Bowl. Do we know anything more about his plans?
KLEIN: Yes, President Trump, by most measures, having a pretty good Sunday, starting the day, golfing with Tiger Woods and he is right now on Air Force One on his way to New Orleans, where he will attend the super bowl in the Superdome as a guest of Gayle Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints.
[15:05:07]
Now we have a little new information from a White House official on his activities while he is in town, he will be doing a meet and greet with the game's honorary coin toss participants. He will meet with members -- family members of victims of that terror attack on New Year's Day on Bourbon Street. He will also be meeting with members of the New Orleans Police Department and other emergency personnel -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Okay, Betsy Klein, thank you so much.
All right, in just about three-and-a-half hours from now, kickoff of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, and for many Americans, Game Day isn't just about the football, but the ads as well.
CNN has learned that the US Secret Service is among those making their pitch on game day through an ad. Sources telling CNN the agency spent $2 million on a recruitment advertisement produced by blockbuster movie director, Michael Bay. It is expected to air on the jumbotron during the pre-game show in the Superdome.
CNN's senior national correspondent, Ryan Young is in New Orleans where security has been ramped up even more than usual because of the president's attendance. And, of course, because of that New Year's Day deadly attack.
So what is happening now?
RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I am hiding off camera, Fred, because you can see the amount of people that have hit Bourbon Street even since the last time we talked. The big concern is, of course, people talk about security. But, look, this is one of the biggest parties in America when it comes to the Super Bowl and how much it means, it is America's game, quite honestly.
You see fans coming from all over. Look, I had to ask because I saw your son.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing?
YOUNG: First of all, how excited are you to be here for the Super Bowl, first of all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are so excited. My son was dreaming about this in July, I promised to take him in the Super Bowl and we are here with my cousin. This is amazing. It is all about the kids.
YOUNG: Security-wise, how do you feel so far with your family here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Totally safe. The National Guard is here. Everyone is here. It is really amazing what they've done.
YOUNG: Thank you so much. Appreciate you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. Go Birds.
YOUNG: Look, so you've got a lot of fans here. We also wanted to talk to someone who worked in the business community.
Look, from a business perspective, how has this been this week in terms of the security and the fans coming into the city?
KEN GARCES, MANAGER, THE SWAMP: Oh definitely, security has helped out. I think the people feel a lot safer being out here. It is definitely shown all over the -- all over Bourbon Street, and the business has been really well, you know.
YOUNG: Obviously, January 1st was very difficult for the folks who live and work here. What has that been like for your people who work here and yourself who have worked here for quite some time?
GARCES: The event that happened is -- it was bad. It was. Nobody expected it. It came out of nowhere and we had, you know, we had to deal with our staff having to deal with grief counseling and that kind of stuff.
But we are happy to see that the city has turned around and given us the security that we actually need, you know, to have an event like this.
YOUNG: Fantastic.
Do you -- are you proud to see what's happened? Because this is unbelievable in terms of how many people are out here.
GARCES: This is great. This is really nice to see that, you know, people have come out to enjoy the sport, to come out here and enjoy the bars and, you know, give our economy a boost that it actually needs.
YOUNG: Thank you. I appreciate that, man. Thank you so much. Thank you.
So look, on top of all that, as we wrap this up, Fred, the president put out a statement basically talking about the victims and the folks who were injured here. So no one is forgetting that as well. And obviously, they're trying to make sure that doesn't happen again. The security has been everywhere. There's people on rooftops with drones, helicopters and planes. We will continue to cover it as we move through and get closer to this ultimate American celebration.
WHITFIELD: All right, good to see protecting everyone who is there to just have some fun.
All right, Ryan Young, thank you so much.
All right, joining me right now to talk more about what is soon to be the fourth week of Trump's new presidential term, John Dean. He is a CNN contributor and a former Nixon White House counsel.
John, great to see you.
All right, so it has been three -- three whirlwind weeks already now heading into week four of the Trump presidency and the president seems intent on continuing to sign executive orders, testing the limits of his presidential powers, regardless of whether, you know, they will be challenged in court or not.
So what do you see going on?
JOHN DEAN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I see a lot of preparation that went on before he ever got re-elected, several years of activity where they planned what they wanted to do if he did get elected and how they would execute it.
They knew these were going to go to court. So I am surprised they are not better prepared with their arguments in court than they really are, because every time they go to court, they get checked, and that's little bit of a surprise that they didn't do better preparation.
WHITFIELD: And speaking of court, tomorrow, a federal judge will hear arguments over the legality of the Trump administration's unprecedented buyout offer to federal employees.
Do you believe this will help buy more time for federal employees who are wondering what's next? Or do you see it, you know, ending careers very early?
[15:10:10]
DEAN: Well, I think obviously a large number have accepted or are inclined to accept the offer, a large number relative to the entirety of the federal workforce, it is not that large, but a significant number. And the question is, is it a valid offer? And is there money to back it up? Right now, there is not.
The government funding ends in March. There is no agreement by Congress how they would pay for this, what would happen in September when these agreements for buyouts are due? So a lot of people that are accepting them are at high risk, if indeed they have committed and left and are on leave right now and hoping to get paid through September.
So i think this will get shaken out and it is going to take more than one day in court to do this.
WHITFIELD: Are you disappointed that the Republican controlled Congress, Republicans controlling both the House and the Senate, are not stepping in to challenge what the president is doing, dismantling agencies, agencies that would need congressional approval for funding and should need congressional approval to dismantle that they are not challenging this White House.
DEAN: Fred, this is not the Republican Party of my years with the Republican Party, which I have been an Independent for a long time because I've seen this sort of disintegration of the nature of the Republican Party. So they really have -- they've collapsed, if you will.
There is no Republican Party. There is the MAGA supporting Trump following group that will do whatever he says. They don't want to be primaried is their argument. Well, that's a pretty weak argument to serve in the public just because you might have to have another election to stay in office.
If you're good, you'll stay in office. If you're bad, you should be out of office.
So yes, I am surprised. I am disappointed, and I don't see any future where that's going to change. I think the dimensions of the House of Representatives could be changed, for example, if New York decides not to have a special election for Elise Stefanik's seat, that even makes the margin smaller if the governor of New York waits until the next election to fill that seat.
The two races in Florida for two vacancies there in the House, they could be more contested than initially was thought. So even the Republicans are not sure they have a hold on the House.
WHITFIELD: President Trump campaigned on fixing things. Is this fixing?
DEAN: It is certainly chaos. If chaos is what they wanted for a fix, they've got that and I don't see any likelihood it is going to get better in the short term. We are really being tested as a democracy right now where our processes are not being followed, the institutions, some are holding, some are not.
The courts are holding right now. The courts are following the rule of law. No one else seems inclined to do so.
WHITFIELD: John Dean, always great hearing from you. Thank you so much.
DEAN: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Coming up, millions of people hit by snow, sleet, and ice and the severe weather threat this week is far from over. The forecast is next.
Also ahead, a look at more potential cuts to government agencies. The Education Department now appearing to be president trumps next target.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:18:45]
WHITFIELD: Crews for the NTSB have now recovered all major pieces of the American Airlines plane and Black Hawk helicopter involved in that deadly air collision, mid-air collision in Washington, DC.
The NTSB says the parts were taken to a secure airport facility for further examination and documentation. Meanwhile, crews are continuing their recovery efforts at the crash site. Sixty-seven people died last month when the two aircraft crashed and plunged into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport.
The winter storm that barreled through parts of the Midwest and the Northeast has led to the cancellation of more than 380 flights today, and officials are warning people to watch out for snow covered, slippery roads. The fast moving storm has now exited the country, but more storms are on the way.
CNN meteorologist, Allison Chinchar has more.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The system in the northeast finally starting to wrap up, and it dumped a pretty significant amount of snow, widespread totals about four to six inches, but we did have one spot in Upstate New York that topped out at 14 inches of snow.
Ice was also a concern, especially across Pennsylvania, where we had at least a quarter of an inch of ice accumulating on those roadways, power lines and even the trees.
But now, it is time for us to get a little bit of a break across the central portion of the country before the next system begins to arrive. It should start to take shape late Monday and continue to spread eastward on Tuesday, sliding over portions of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys and then into the Mid-Atlantic.
[15:20:13]
Right on the heels of that storm, the next system begins to spread in on Wednesday across portions of the Midwest, sliding over the Great Lakes and back into the Northeast, bringing additional snow and even some ice chances as well.
Saturday, this comes, the next system late Friday, setting up over the Central US and then Saturday spreading 1into portions of the Midwest and into the Northeast, but also noting, too, the southern end of these areas are also going to get some precipitation. It is just going to be warmer here.
So you're going to get a significant amount of rain on the southern end of all of these systems, but just like the snow, the rain is also going to accumulate. You can see widespread totals from Louisiana up to the Carolinas of three to five inches of rain. Not out of the question, however, to see six, maybe even seven inches of rain total on the northern tier. You're looking at widespread snow totals of at least four to six inches. Keep in mind, this is on top of what they've already had as we finished out the rest of the weekend, and that snow is likely going to stay there because those temperatures in the northern tier are going to remain below average.
So any additional snow that comes in is just going to accumulate on top of what is already there. The southern tier, however, that's where the above average temperatures are located. That's why you're mostly going to see rain, but a lot of rain.
So you've got Tuesday and Wednesday both looking at a slight risk of excessive rainfall and the potential for flooding exists both of those days.
WHITFIELD: All right, Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.
All right, Coming up, NFL player, Justin Jefferson gives a surprise gift of Super Bowl tickets to an amazing veteran. We will explain. A live report from New Orleans next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:25:16]
WHITFIELD: All right, here we go.
Just three hours away now from kickoff of Super Bowl LIX, Philadelphia Eagles hope to hoist that Lombardi Trophy for the first time since 2018, while the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to become the first team to win three in a row.
CNN's Coy Wire is live for us in New Orleans as we count down to kick off.
Okay, so how are these two teams gearing up for this epic battle in The Big Easy?
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, it is getting spicy down here like a big bowl of jambalaya with hot sauce in it, Fredricka.
But the teams, they are trying to keep it calm before the storm in this rematch from two seasons ago, the Eagles, they'll be leading on their all world running back, Saquon Barkley had one of the best seasons we've ever seen in the NFL. And Jalen Hurts of course leading the way for their offense.
But on the other side, they have that tough task of stopping the Kansas City Chiefs that could become the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowls. And they are all led by that man you see on your screen right now, Patrick Mahomes. He is looking to further solidify his case to be one of the GOATS -- Greatest Of All Time.
He just recently had his third child, his baby daughter, Golden. This will be her first game he told me on Super Bowl Sunday. That's pretty awesome.
His coach, Andy Reid, has coached some legends. He is a legend himself and he said there are none other like Patrick Mahomes. Here is what he had to say about his star quarterback.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDY REID, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS COACH: I have tried not to compare him. I mean, I've been blessed to have been around some great ones. And listen, you can take a little piece out of every guy and say, he is kind of like this guy. He is kind of like that guy, but he is really rewriting it for himself.
And it is really what makes him unique is that he does so many things so well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Should he be able to pull this off, Fredricka, that would be four Super Bowl championships in seven seasons as a starter, that's absurd.
All right, Super Bowl week is really cool and that a lot of the NFL stars come here who aren't playing in this Big Game to have some fun, probably have some drinks or a lot of drinks, but they look to give back and spread love.
One of them is Justin Jefferson. I caught up with him yesterday. He lights up the field with his insane leaping ability, catching ability, elite speed, and his flashy style. He, you know, you see him dancing, doing the gritty, but yesterday he was teaming up with his friends at USAA to show some love and give hugs to our military veterans, giving them meet and greets, spending some quality time and tickets to the Big Game.
Here he is on what it was like to show that love.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN JEFFERSON, MINNESOTA VIKINGS: To give a little bit of excitement; give a little bit of happiness for them to smile and to be excited to meet me and to be right here in front of me.
And even this, to give Super Bowl tickets to you know, somebody that is very well deserving. It is an honor. It is a blessing to be in this position.
WAYNE PEACOCK, CEO, USAA: Our military folks think about the NFL players as heroes. And our NFL players think about the military as heroes. And that connection is really powerful. And I know so many of these players want to give back, do the right thing and help our country in such a powerful way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Awesome of Justin Jefferson, one of the biggest stars in the league to light up some hearts and minds yesterday and showing off that grill and those chains. He taught me how to do the gritty.
WHITFIELD: Okay.. Caught my eye.
WIRE: I think I learned it really well, but he did give me some tips. Next time I am in studio with you, we will give it a run. We will see how we do.
But hey, Fredricka, it is almost game time for this Super Bowl LIX. Can those Chiefs pull off an historic threepeat, or will the Eagles get revenge? We shall soon see.
WHITFIELD: We shall see. Yes. I am so distracted by that bling. I think, was that like a jet on his necklace?
WIRE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Jefferson? Okay.
WIRE: Justin Jefferson --
WHITFIELD: Because he is soaring.
WIRE: Jet -- The Jet, that's his name.
WHITFIELD: There it is.
WIRE: Because he soars, he flies. Yes.
WHITFIELD: Yes, that was fun. All right. Very good. Thanks for introducing us to so many of these amazing moments there in New Orleans. Thank you, Coy Wire.
WIRE: You got it, Fredricka. Thank you.
WHITFIELD: We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:33:50]
WHITFIELD: President Trump is continuing his plans to dismantle government agencies, and now appears to make the Department of Education his next target.
[15:35:00]
In a Super Bowl interview with Fox News, Trump says he will have Elon Musk and his Department of the Government Efficiency team look into the Department of Education, as well as other agencies in the coming days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Trust Elon? Oh, he is not gaining anything. In fact, I wonder how he can devote the time to it. He is so into it. But I told him, do that. Then I am going to tell him very soon, like maybe in 24 hours to go check the Department of Education. He is going to find the same thing.
Then I am going to go, go to the military. Let's check the military. We are going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse. And, you know, the people elected me on that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Here with us now, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania.
Congresswoman, great to see you.
You're a former professor, right? How do you think the president's plans for the Department of Education could potentially shape classrooms across the country?
REP. MADELEINE DEAN (D-PA): Good to be with you, Fredricka and I know you're covering the Super Bowl from New Orleans, but you're also covering it from the Philadelphia region. We are proud. Go Birds, Eagles fans here.
But to your question and to the point, I am a former teacher. I was a professor for ten years at a university here in Philadelphia, and the mission of the university was to educate the children of the working folks, the poor. This was something from Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, who is the patron saint of teachers.
I loved being a teacher. I taught writing and rhetoric and ethics. I loved watching young people claim their education, learn how to critically think.
And so what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing by taking a wrecking ball to something we should actually prize, the Department of Education to educate our citizens. I find it just to be dumb.
I am all for making sure we protect against waste and we find it. We find waste, we find fraud. But to just tear something down is actually economically not smart for these two smart businessmen and it also is very harmful, directly harmful to my constituents, children, families, children with disabilities, children who enjoy after school programs or summer programs, so that we have the very best educational levels in this country, so that we have a smart citizenry.
What I am watching Donald Trump and Elon Musk do, which was in Project 2025, Page 319, the very first sentence of the chapter on education is to dismantle the Department of Education. It is just a dumb move.
WHITFIELD: So the president and his advocates have said, and we just recently heard President Trump say before the weekend that he is hoping that, you know, if she gets through the nomination process, that the new Education Secretary will be out of a job, because it won't be necessary, because any kind of federal moneys would go to states, and it would be up to the states to take care of their educational system.
What is wrong with that scenario in your view?
M. DEAN: Well, I am very much in favor of states supporting education. I am a former state representative. For six-and-a-half years, I served in the Pennsylvania House in Harrisburg, and my number one, two, and three issues were education, education, education.
The Pennsylvania Constitution guarantees our citizens, our children a fair and equitable public school education. But you can't just have it scattershot.
We should want the federal government to be overseeing and supporting states as they support our teachers in public schools. What you're seeing here is just an attempt to tear it down, wrecking ball to it. These are talented people, many of them former teachers themselves, who believe in the mission of educating our children, who believe that an educated electorate is important to our future.
After all, how we educate our kids determines not only their future, but our own. But you see that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing something very Orwellian. What they want to do is not have an educated electorate. They don't care about equity. They don't care about social equity in terms of educational dollars flowing equally to the children who are in families who are struggling, as well as to families who are doing well.
They don't care about the inequity that we often see in our schools around race, color, economic circumstances, disability. There is so much that our federal government does well.
If they really want to go in and find the waste, fraud and abuse, they'll have an ally in me. But the way they are going about it is actually just to harm families. Ultimately, this will harm us, our economy, our National Security. It is a wrecking ball approach. And as I say, it is just not smart.
WHITFIELD: Yesterday, you signed a letter right along with dozens of your Democratic colleagues, demanding answers from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over the work stoppage for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
[15:40:15]
The letter calls it an illegal stop work order. What are the options that you have to end what is happening there?
M. DEAN: Well, I think it is really a three pronged approach, and you're already seeing it in action. The number one prong is litigation and we've seen terrific robust litigation. And folks were preparing because obviously this last year through the campaign cycle, through the authorship of Project 2025, they revealed their hand. They showed what they were going to do, which was this wrecking ball approach.
And so, number one, its litigation. We've been very successful, lawyers in courts, to show what I want people to understand is the illegality, the unconstitutional nature of these last 20 days and the hundred plus executive orders or executive actions. So, it is litigation.
Number two, we have a legislative role to play and I ask my Republican colleagues to not abdicate that role. We have oversight. We have the power of the purse, not the Executive.
And number three, it is mobilization. My constituents, I have to tell you, at a town hall, Fredricka, Thursday evening, 9,000 of my constituents got on the call to say they are fearful. They are worried for their lives, and I am worried for them, too.
But they wanted to hear from me and other representatives to say, we stand by you. We recognize the illegal actions being taken by this president and Mr. Musk, an unelected billionaire that are really harming American families.
Remember, Donald Trump ran not that he was going to be vice president by Elon Musk, but he ran and said he was going to make us safer and he was going to correct that which was hurting our pocketbooks.
Everything he has done so far does none of that.
WHITFIELD: All right, we will leave it there for now.
Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, thank you so much.
I see you --
M. DEAN: Go Birds.
WHITFIELD: I see you. You said it. You said it. Go Eagles.
All right --
M. DEAN: Go Eagles.
WHITFIELD: Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
All right, coming up, a CNN exclusive interview with French President Emmanuel Macron about his concerns over tariff wars.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:47:17]
WHITFIELD: This week, President Trump is expected to announce so- called reciprocal tariffs on several countries in an effort to restore what he believes is fairness to international trade.
While it is not clear what form those tariffs will take, CNN's Richard Quest spoke exclusively with French President Emmanuel Macron about how concerned he and other European allies are about this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT: Look, I think it is not the top priority in the current environment given all the challenges we have. We have to fix Ukraine. We have the situation in Middle East. We have this competition between US and China, and we have all this innovation from AI to clean tech as well, to deliver.
Honestly, I don't think it should be the top priority. Nevertheless, what is the concern of President Trump? And you know that we have a very good relation and we speak very regularly. He says I am not happy with the situation with Europe because I have a trade deficit.
When you look at the situation, my first question to the US, is the European Union your first problem? No, I don't think so. Your first problem is China. So you should focus on the first problem.
Second, Europe is an ally for you. If you want Europe to be engaged on a more investment and security and defense, if you want Europe to develop, which is, I think, the interest of the US, should not hurt the European economies by threatening it with tariffs.
Third, the integration of the value chain between US and Europe is super high. What does it mean? It means, if you put tariffs on a lot of sectors, it will increase the costs and create inflation in the US. Is it what your people want? I am not so sure.
Fourth, it is very simple. When you look at the trade deficits you can have the figures mentioned by President Trump. But I insisted in my discussion with him on some very small issues, look at the financial outflows.
A lot of the European savings are going to finance the US economy. If you start putting tariffs everywhere, you cut the links, it will not be good for the financing of the US economy.
Second, digital services. We are big, huge buyers of digital services. It is unfair not to take the digital services in the trade deficit and to say I have a trade deficit, but I don't speak about the digital services.
You will keep buying them. Why? Why?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": Are you prepared to go head-to-head on this or toe-to-toe on this?
MACRON: I already did so and I will do it again. And I think we should be ready to, obviously be in the room and react. But I think more than that, the European Union has to be ready to deliver what we want and what we need for ourselves.
[15:50:07]
QUEST: Can I suggest to you that the European Union is not fit for purpose when it comes to dealing with something like President Trump, who is threatening tariffs and basically saying my way or the highway?
MACRON: I think it could be the opposite when you have direct contact and you are clear. I think the European Union should not be the one to wait for the initiative of the others and just react.
What we have to do is to act for ourselves and to tell our people, this is our project, this is what we want. This is why, for me, the top priority of Europe is competitiveness agenda, it is defense and security agenda, it is AI ambition and let's go fast for ourselves.
If in the meanwhile we have tariff issue, we will discuss them and we will fix it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:55:33]
WHITFIELD: A pregnant Palestinian woman was killed and her husband critically injured as Israel expanded its military operations in the occupied West Bank today. That is according to Palestinian Health officials.
The 23-year-old woman was eight months pregnant when she was shot inside the Nur Shams Refugee Camp and was dead by the time medical crews transferred her to a hospital.
CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment about the incident, but the IDF previously said it is targeting terror infrastructure inside refugee camps as part of its operations in the West Bank.
The city of Dearborn, Michigan, is home to the largest population of Arab Americans in the US, and many of them did not support Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election because of the Biden administration's support for Israel in its war against Hamas.
CNN's Jason Carroll talked to voters the day after President Trump proposed a US takeover of Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Days before the last presidential election, Donald Trump was the invited guest at the Great Commoner Restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan.
Albert Abbas says he extended that invitation, a decision he is now reflecting on, given all that has happened in the last 24 hours.
ALBERT ABBAS, DEARBORN, MICHIGAN RESIDENT: Many in the community are at a loss for words. Last night was a very rough night for most of us.
CARROLL (voice over): Abbas is Arab American and one of a number of Democrats who voted for Trump. Abbas says he hoped Trump would do more than President Joe Biden did to help Palestinians suffering in Gaza.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The US will take over the Gaza Strip. CARROLL (voice over): But after Trump said Palestinians should leave Gaza so it can be redeveloped, Abbas says not only does he feel betrayed, he's hearing from a number of people angered over his past support of Trump.
ABBAS: People were really, really frustrated. And I don't think there's anyone to blame. At the end of the day, as Arab Americans or Muslims, we really didn't have much of a choice.
CARROLL (voice over): Dearborn, a Detroit suburb, is home to the largest Arab American population in the United States, a community which helped Trump carry the critical swing state.
He won 42 percent of the vote in Dearborn versus Vice President Harris with 36 percent and Jill Stein with 18. In 2020, Biden handily carried the city with 69 percent.
Faye Nimmer (ph) voted for Trump in 2024 out of frustration over the previous administration's support of Israel. Now, she is troubled by the President's proposal to move Palestinians out of Gaza.
FAYE NIMMER, VOTER: I mean, it's very concerning and it's infuriating.
CARROLL (on camera): Personal feelings, you're infuriated, but standing by your decision for now to have voted for Trump.
NIMMER: Correct.
CARROLL: And what would move that needle for you to say, you know what? I made a mistake.
NIMMER: Palestine is the red line for this community.
CARROLL (voice over): Nimmer says she suspects Trump is bluffing and is using his proposal as some sort of negotiating tactic. That's the same sentiment shared by Amer Zahr.
AMER ZAHR, COMEDIAN: First, this is clearly not going to happen, right?
CARROLL (voice over): And real estate broker Ali Farajalla.
ALI FARAJALLA, REAL ESTATE AGENT: A lot of people are calling me and texting me saying, hey, you know, how did your vote work out, you know? How is that third party vote?
CARROLL (voice over): Both were so-called protest voters. Neither supported Trump or Harris.
CARROLL (on camera): Are there any sort of second thoughts now about having supported a third party candidate?
FARAJALLA: Absolutely not. And I'll still do it again and again and again.
ZAHR: I didn't vote for Trump. So a protest vote? I don't know. I would say it was a targeted vote of conscience to say that the children of Gaza have to mean something. Their death has to mean something.
CARROLL (voice over): And while Arab Americans here were divided in the past going forward, one point is uniting them, opposition to Trump's proposal to move Palestinians out of Gaza.
SAM BAYDOUN, WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN COMMISSIONER: The community will be unified. I will tell you this, the Palestinian people would rather die and live in a demolition site than to be ethnically cleansed and being sent out of Gaza to Egypt or Jordan.
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WHITFIELD: Thanks to Jason Carroll for that report. The group Arab Americans for Trump last week changed its name to Arab Americans for Peace after the president's comments on removing Palestinians from Gaza. The head of the group spoke with CNN's Victor Blackwell this weekend and explained the change.
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BISHARA BAHBAH, CHAIRMAN, ARAB AMERICANS FOR PEACE: The Arab Americans for Trump was created to help President Trump win the elections. We wanted an end to the war in Gaza, primarily, and the president also promised us a lasting peace in the Middle East that is satisfactory to all parties.
Based on those two promises, we lent the president our vote. Now, when he started suggesting that relocating Gazans, which is against international law, against Palestinian interests, against the continuity of a Palestinian state between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, we could not come out with a statement under the title of Arab Americans for Trump.
First of all, were not a cult. Secondly, we want peace. We started supporting the president because we wanted peace. And as a result, we changed the name.
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WHITFIELD: Several key Arab nations, including Jordan and Egypt, have said they will not support Trump's plan for Gaza.
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