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Netanyahu: We Will Eliminate Hamas; Judge Blocks DOGE For Accessing Payment System; Artistic License. Aired 3-3:30a ET

Aired February 09, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all our viewers watching around the world. I'm Lynda Kincade. Good to have you with us.

Ahead on CNN Newsroom, the Israeli prime minister says he would do everything to bring the rest of the hostages home after families criticized the excruciating slow return of their loved ones.

The U.S. federal judge blocks Elon Musk's team from accessing a payment system used by the Treasury, the judge citing an increased risk of hacking sensitive information.

And an auction is testing the interest in art created by artificial intelligence.

Many Israelis are expressing shock over the frail appearance of three hostages released by Hamas on Saturday. Take a look at these images. You can see the differences, showing the three men before they were abducted and when they were released 491 days later.

Their appearance has some Israelis pressing the government to get all the hostages home as soon as possible. On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to do all he can to bring them home and eliminate Hamas.

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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: We will do everything to bring all our hostages back. We will ensure their safety. This is the instruction I gave to the delegation to tell the mediators this and demand it. But beyond that, President Trump completely agrees with me. We will do everything to bring back all the hostages, but Hamas will not be there. We will eliminate Hamas, and we will bring our hostages home. This is the instruction, and this is what we will do.

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KINKADE: Well, the family of murdered Israeli American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin is appealing to U.S. President Donald Trump to help free the hostages.

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JON GOLDBERG-POLIN, FATHER OF SLAIN HOSTAGE HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN: We need to do more. And I'm turning directly to President Trump and to Mr. Witkoff. You have shown that you are the only ones who have been able to get this situation moving forward. And my plea to you, our plea to you right now is, now that you've done the hard part of getting movement, getting a deal started, let's not think about phase one and phase two and phase three in many months. Let's think bigger and faster.

All 76 hostages, out this week, end of war. Who benefits from dragging it out for so long? Not the people of this region. Let's get it done right now. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Godspeed.

KINKADE: Alon Pinkas served as the former Israeli consul general in New York, he joins us now live from Tel Aviv. Thanks for your time.

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL IN NEW YORK: Of course, Lynda. Good morning.

KINKADE: So, Israel released 183 Palestinians in exchange for these three Israeli hostages. This was the fifth exchange since the ceasefire began January 19. How is the condition of these hostages and the way they're being released viewed in Israel?

PINKAS: Well, it began -- you know, it began in a promising way because the first hostages that were released seem to be in good physical health. Obviously, they're what they've been through tormented and tortured and the mental burdens that will be sorted out later. But physically and medically, they were fine.

What happened yesterday was a complete 180-degree turn in terms of the medical condition, not just the medical, but you can see it. It's tangible. It's visible. And immediately people were talking about, you know, that this is reminiscent of 1945 concentration camps or American POWs in Japan in 1945, on Vietnam in 1973, '74, '75, so on and so forth.

So, the reaction has been a very, very negative in terms of what they're doing. But they're not -- it's not directed at Hamas. We all know what Hamas is, a savage barbaric terror organization. No, the criticism, the anger, the resentment is directed toward Prime Minister Netanyahu, who could have done this deal in May of 2024, and, again, in August, in July, or in -- and in August of 2024. It waited until now, stays for no reason in a hotel in Washington, four days after his meeting with President Trump.

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And then these three hostages are released and the entire country is sort of shell shocked by how they look.

So, the reaction is very negative and angry. KINKADE: Yes. And, of course, Donald Trump suggested the U.S. should take control of Gaza and own it. How does that further complicate the next stage of this ceasefire and hostage release negotiation?

PINKAS: Well, it has an effect, although, you know, it's an intangible because we don't know anything about Trump's idea beyond a one line press conference sentence, oh, we will take Gaza, we will own Gaza, we will build a Riviera, we will move out or relocate 2.3 million Palestinians without any specifics, without any details, without any logistical, financial, political, and humanitarian dimensions added to it to give us a big picture.

So, thus far, you know, it basically threw everything into uncertainty and unpredictability as Mr. Trump likes to do. But what you asked is much more importantly, that was how this affects the next stages, not just Trump's idea, but how what's going on in general affects the next stages. And there are clear signs -- and I think we've discussed this in a previous show you and I, there are clear signs that Mr. Netanyahu was opting out of phase two.

He had two routes to do that. One is to convince Trump that he was forced into the agreement by the Qataris and the Egyptians, but he couldn't really do that because Trump himself, via Steve Witkoff, whose name was just mentioned, they were intervening -- it was still doing a transition period. They were intervening to get this deal done. So, Netanyahu had to go into route 2, and that is derail this through the negotiations.

He already instructed the Israeli negotiating team not, I emphasize, not to discuss phase 2. What he's thinking of doing, Lynda, is extending phase 1, which means a cessation of hostilities, looking for a pretext to resume the war. And the big question is, if that is the case, and you know you're going to resume the war and you keep on saying you will eliminate Hamas 16 months after you haven't, what incentive and what motivation does Hamas have to complete phase 1, the one we're witnessing every weekend, if there's no phase 2,

KINKADE: Yes, exactly. I want to get more perspective from you alone on the pressure that is on Netanyahu right now to bring the rest of the hostages home, and where is that pressure coming from?

PINKAS: It's coming from the public, and I think it's going to intensify and increase in the next few weeks. The more there are signs that he's working against phase 2 -- and phase 2 begins on day 42. Today, we are on day 22, the 22nd day of the ceasefire. So, there's going to be a very intense public pressure. You may see it in demonstrations. You won't see the pressures that the military is putting on Netanyahu to get this over with for the negotiating. But the one type or the one set of pressures that he was particularly anxious and worried about was from the Trump administration, and right now, there is no pressure from the Trump administration.

There are all these one liners, you know, we want the hostages released, we need this deal to be done, but I don't think Mr. Netanyahu would opt out so brazenly out of the agreement had it not been sort of cleared with President Trump or that he manipulated him. I don't know. I'm just speculating here, but the pressure from the public, particularly after the photos emerging on those three yesterday, which really, really shocked people.

I mean, you don't expect you know, a poster of health and beauty coming out of Hamas tunnels after a year and three months, but you didn't. No one expected what we saw yesterday.

KINKADE: And just finally, Alon, can you give us a sense of how Netanyahu's meeting and visit with Trump is being viewed in the region given that the King of Jordan will be in D.C. on Tuesday? What can we expect when he meets with Donald Trump?

PINKAS: Well, I can expect him to push back on the plan to explain that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan cannot conceivably take in 750,000 or 1.5 million Palestinians without destabilizing the country. Egypt would say more or less the same less the stabilization issue but in terms of the inability to accept them.

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The Saudis have issued a very a sharp statement against his idea.

And look at the common denominator, Lynda. He's been alienating Mexico and Canada on tariffs, Denmark on Greenland, Panama on the Panama Canal, now Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The common denominator that all these have is that these are allies. These are American allies.

He's not alienating North Korea or China or Somalia. He's alienating allies. And in the Middle East, there is a lot -- I mean, you know, I haven't -- it's not like I spoke to all heads of state, but there is a lot of resentment and total confusion as to where is he going with this. Was it just a real estate developer's idea thrown out at a press conference, or is there something more of this than meets the eye? No one knows.

KINKADE: Yes. I mean, that's the major concern, right? No one knows.

Alon Pinkas in Tel Aviv, always good to get your perspective and analysis, thank you.

PINKAS: Thank you, Lynda, always good to be with you.

KINKADE: Well, five former hostages from Thailand released last week and now back in their home country. Hamas abducted the men during the October 7th attacks. Thailand's labor minister says around 5,000 ties were employed in the area when Hamas attacked. Human Rights Watch says Thailand has dominated the foreign migrant worker market in Israel for the past decade.

The U.S. judge is blocking Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Efficiency from accessing a core payment system used by the Treasury Department. It comes amid President Donald Trump's sweeping plan to dismantle the federal workforce. On Saturday, the court ordered Musk's team to also destroy any information they've downloaded from the system, saying that there is a risk of hacking of that personal information.

It is, of course, used to distribute tax returns, Social Security benefits and disability payments, as well as federal workers' salaries. The White House is slamming the decision, calling it judicial overreach.

CNN's Betsy Klein is following the latest developments and filed this report.

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: President Trump ran and won in 2024 on slashing waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government. And as part of those plans, he has really empowered Elon Musk and the so called DOGE, Department of Government Efficiency. So, we are starting to see DOGE employees deploy into different government departments and start going through different systems, including this very sensitive Treasury Department payment system.

Now, New York Attorney General Letitia James and 18 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit that contended that Musk's associates, who are categorized as special government employees, were unlawfully granted access to that Treasury system. And a U.S. District Court judge temporarily restricted the DOGE team from that system. That judge cited risks to sensitive and confidential information, as well as vulnerability to hacking.

Now, the White House lambasted that ruling on Saturday in a new statement. Spokesman Harrison Fields telling CNN, quote, these frivolous lawsuits are akin to children throwing pasta at the wall to see if it will stick. Grandstanding government efficiency speaks volumes about those who'd rather delay much needed change with legal shenanigans than work with the Trump administration of breeding the government of waste, fraud, and abuse.

Now, for his part, President Trump himself appears to be pleased with the work that Musk and his team are doing. Take a look.

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REPORTER: Mr. President, I wonder what you make of the criticism from Democrats that these staff reductions, the cuts that Elon Musk and DOGE are doing are an unlawful power grab. Is there anything you've told Elon Musk he cannot touch?

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Well, we haven't discussed that much. I'll tell him to go here, go there. He does it. He's got a very capable group of people, very, very capable. They know what they're doing and they'll ask questions and they'll see immediately as somebody gets tongue tied that they're either crooked or don't know what they're doing. We have very smart people going in. So, I've instructed him go into education, go into military, go into other things.

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KLEIN: Now, Trump's team overall has much confidence in its ability to defend itself from these lawsuits, but a hearing is next scheduled for Friday, February 14th, on the matter.

KINKADE: Well it is a new day and a new government in Lebanon. The breakthrough is a step towards rebuilding after months of war between Israel and Hezbollah. The U.S. warns of a red line the government can't cross. We'll have the details next.

Plus, victims of an Alaska Air crash have been recovered. That story and much more after the break.

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KINKADE: Welcome back. Lebanon formed a new government Saturday following an unusual direct intervention by the U.S. Saturday's announcement comes after weeks of deadlocked negotiations, but marks a major turning point. Lebanon is one step closer to accessing reconstruction funds after the devastating war between Israel and the Iranian-backed proxy group Hezbollah.

The U.S. Department, the U.S. deputy Middle East Envoy made clear on Friday that Washington considers Hezbollah's involvement in new cabinet choices to be, quote, a red line. Well, Lebanon's new prime minister underscored the importance of reforming and rebuilding the country.

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NAWAF SALAM, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: Now, that we have announced the government, which I hope will be a government of reform and salvation, I would like to emphasize the following points, which I place at the top of my priorities. First, reform is the only path to real salvation. And this requires the government to ensure security and stability in Lebanon by completing the implementation of Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement, and following up on Israel's withdrawal to the last inch of Lebanese territory. This is in conjunction with reconstruction, which I previously said is not a promise, but a commitment.

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KINKADE: Well, voters in Ecuador will cast their ballots in the coming hours in a pivotal presidential election defined by drug-related violence and widespread energy blackouts. Current President Daniel Naboa was elected in 2023 after his predecessor resigned, dissolved Congress, and triggered new elections to avoid impeachment. Naboa faces a rematch against political rival Luisa Gonzalez, a leftist politician who's running on a platform to, quote, revive Ecuador.

International observers have been dispatched to monitor the vote. On Saturday, Ecuador's electoral council distributed election kits and heightened law enforcement presence across the country to ensure Sunday's election runs peacefully.

Well, the bodies of ten victims of a fatal Alaska plane crash have been retrieved and identified. Officials say the pilot and nine passengers have been accounted for. The Bering Air flight disappeared from radar shortly after takeoff Thursday. On Friday, it was found about 34 miles or 55 kilometers southeast of its destination, the western coastal city of Nome.

The wreckage is currently resting on new and unstable sea ice. Investigators hope to retrieve it, but a winter weather advisory is in effect through Sunday night.

Well, the major pieces of the plane and military helicopter that collided over Washington D.C. have now been recovered. That's according to the National Transportation Safety Board, after scanning the Potomac River using advanced imaging technology. The American Airlines jet and U.S. Army helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport on January 29th killing all 67 people. Investigators will now be looking for marks that might show the angle of the collision and trying to determine whether the helicopter's advanced tracking technology was operating at the time of the crash.

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The art world may be a little queasy at the growing influence of artificial intelligence, but that isn't stopping a major auction house from featuring A.I. art pieces. What sort of price will these works fetch? We'll have the details next.

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KINKADE: Welcome back. Vatican officials are holding a man suspected of ransacking an altar at St. Peter's Basilica, where Pope Francis often prays. Have a look at this video showing a man knocking over a 19th century candelabra worth more than $30,000. Security scrambled to stop him as visitors watched in disbelief.

An Italian news agency quotes police saying the suspect, who's from Romania, has a serious mental health disability. The incident happened as Rome prepares for an expected flood of pilgrims, marking the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year.

Well, if a human didn't create it, is it really art? Well, you might get some answers as paintings, drawings and other pieces, all generated with artificial intelligence, goes under an auctioneer's hammer later this month. Take a look.

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KINKADE (voice over): Striking and thought provoking, it's not unusual for art to be critiqued, pondered, and sold to the highest bidder. But an upcoming auction at Christie's New York is pushing the boundaries of the art world, featuring only works created with artificial intelligence.

The art sale, called Augmented Intelligence, consists of about 30 pieces that have been created or enhanced using A.I. tools, which Christie says is a sign of the times.

NICOLE SALES GILES, V.P. AND DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL ART SALES, CHRISTIE'S: So, A.I. art is such an interesting topic and an interesting category now. It's really been surging in demand. We have clients that are interested from the blockchain and crypto community, but we also have a lot of -- we've also seen a lot of demand from more high net worth individuals in the tech community.

KINKADE: According to Christie's, many of the works are expected to sell for tens of thousands of dollars apiece. Last year, a painting by an A.I. robot of World War II Codebreaker Alan Turing sold for over a million dollars at Sotheby's, surpassing initial estimates of $120,000 to $180,000. That's a lot of money and potential interest in a medium where there are still many questions over what role A.I. should have in art.

Christie's says its auction will feature many top A.I. artists, some who describe their work as a collaboration with A.I., but not driven by it.

GILES: It's definitely not a substitute for agency and it is not a way to create more mediocre art quicker. It is a way to enhance what the artist can do and even push the boundaries of art and creativity into a completely new dimension.

KINKADE: Its cutting edge creativity in the spotlight where at least in this exhibit, code is a tool just like a paintbrush. The online auction runs from February 20th to March 5th.

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KINKADE (on camera): Well, crowds in Taiwan celebrated the beginning of the Year of the Snake by sending hundreds of lanterns floating into the night sky. The spectacular light show marks the end of the Lunar New Year holiday and the beginning of spring. People from all around the world gathered in the mountainous region of Northern Taiwan, and they write their hopes for the New Year and send them soaring into the sky.

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The Sky Lantern Festival started in 1999 and is one of the island's top tourist draws.

Millions of sports fans around the world are gearing up to watch the biggest game of the American sports calendar, the Super Bowl, the championship of U.S. football. The Philadelphia Eagles face off today against the Kansas City Chiefs.

CNN's Andy Scholes has more on their strategies.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, we are counting down the hours until Super Bowl 59 between the Eagles and the Chiefs. You can just feel the electricity in the air here in New Orleans, thousands of fans enjoying the NFL experience here at the New Orleans Convention Center.

The teams, meanwhile, holding one last walkthrough on Saturday before Super Bowl 59 at the Superdome. And for the Chiefs, they are looking to make some history on Sunday. They would be the first team ever to win back to back to back Super Bowls. And for the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, this would be their fourth Super Bowl title in a matter of six years. And Kelce, for one, is certainly appreciating the run this team is on.

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TRAVIS KELCE, TIGHT END, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: It's such a special time in Chiefs' history and this legacy is just -- it's so fun to be a part of because of the people that we have here, and I'm just trying to, you know, cherish all these memories and make the most out of all these opportunities that we have chasing these rings.

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SCHOLES: The Eagles, meanwhile, they're looking to avenge their loss from Super Bowl 57 when they fell to the Chiefs in a thriller 38-35. And Quarterback Jalen Hurts, he was fantastic in that game, throwing for more than 300 yards. He had four total touchdowns, but Hurts knows he's going to need to come through in the big moments.

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JALEN HURTS, QUARTERBACK, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: You have to find a way to finish, you know, coming to these opportunities in these games. Everything is about finishing. You want to have the right focus in that, and that comes with the preparation and the work that you put in. But, ultimately, it's about finishing.

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SCHOLES: The Chiefs are favored by one in Super Bowl 59, and a lot of times these Super Bowls come down to one field goal. What's more pressure? Kicking in the Super Bowl, or kicking in front of all of these fans at the NFL experience? Let's give it a shot.

KINKADE: Nice try, Andy.

Well, thanks so much for joining us. I'm Lynda Kincade in Atlanta.

African Voices Changemakers is up next, and then there'll be much more CNN Newsroom my colleague, Kim Brunhuber, in about 30 minutes from now.

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