Return to Transcripts main page

CNN This Morning

Johnson: "Should Probably Be Conditions" On California Aid; Officials: Israel Nears Hostage And Ceasefire Deal With Hamas; Rams Roll To Emotional Victory Over Vikings. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired January 14, 2025 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:33:10]

KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: All right, 5:32 a.m. here on the East Coast. Here's a live look at Dallas, Texas on this Tuesday. Good morning, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt. It's wonderful to have you with us.

The House Speaker Mike Johnson leveling the latest round of criticism targeting leadership in California. Republicans have questioned the state's preparedness and response to the deadly wildfires that have ravaged L.A. and the surrounding area. Johnson says there were issues with resource management and wants oversight of any federal funding.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: It appears to us that state and local leaders were derelict in their duty in many respects, so that's something that has to be factored in. I think there should probably be conditions on that aid. That's my personal view. We'll see what the consensus is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: CNN senior political analyst Ron Brownstein joins us live now from Los Angeles. Ron, good morning to you.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST, SENIOR EDITOR, THE ATLANTIC (via Webex by Cisco): Good morning.

HUNT: We obviously are always here talking about national politics typically but can you kind of read us into how this has affected you. You have been someone who has covered this region of the world for many, many --

BROWNSTEIN: Yeah.

HUNT: -- years. And sort of your reflections on the emerging, very complicated, very acrimonious political dynamics.

BROWNSTEIN: Yeah. I mean, obviously our hearts go -- we have friends who have lost everything and everyone in L.A. knows someone who has lost everything. I mean, this will be one of the most damaging natural disasters in the history of the country -- certainly in the history of California and Los Angeles. And, you know, there is lots to critique about the way the city and state have dealt with all the manifestations of this -- of this disaster. What's harder to do Kasie I think, is make a plausible case that even if things had been done differently that the outcome would have been much less horrific.

[05:35:05]

I mean, municipal water systems, municipal fire departments are not built to deal with conditions this severe, fires this extreme. And to me it's an encapsulation of the reality that no matter how fast we try to adapt to the new threats that are unleashed by climate change -- you know, climate change kind of leapfrogs over us. Leapfrogs past us.

It's not that the state and the city have done nothing in recent years to strengthen building codes or to increase its overall firefighting capacity. But when you have what someone described to me yesterday as a hurrifire -- a hurricane fire -- it just -- it was just overwhelmed.

On the narrow politics very -- again, it might not have been different otherwise, but I think it is very difficult for the mayor -- going to be very difficult for the mayor to overcome not being here when this broke out. We're about to re-inaugurate Donald Trump four years after January 6, so you never say never. But this I think is going to be a very difficult situation for her to overcome if she does, in fact, seek a second term in 2026.

HUNT: One of the things that I've noticed, at least from our vantage point in the national media, is her relatively reduced visibility compared to the governor California, Gavin Newsom.

How would you compare how those two -- both Democrats obviously -- those two leaders are handling this situation?

BROWNSTEIN: You know, well look, I mean, Bass' situation in terms of visibility is kind of shadowed by the fact that the first question is always where were you? You know, why did you go when the warning -- I -- you know, the warnings were issued -- after the warnings were issued?

And Newsom really has been extremely visible and extremely sharp -- I mean, in terms of this comments at times questioning city officials and certainly pushing back on the state and the critics at the national level or Republicans from out of state.

I mean, the idea that, like, individual -- water choices of the state have really affected this or that DEI policies at the fire department have really materially changed the outcome here.

What we are talking about I think is fundamentally how the threats are leapfrogging our ability to respond to them. And ultimately, whether we're talking about fire -- the response to fires or the insurance markets that are facing enormous pressure, we are in a race that we are losing.

I mean, ultimately, we have to find ways to tamp down the risk itself and that involves dealing with the changes in the climate. And that is something that is emphatically off the table and you kind of get the feeling that some of the Republicans in Congress want to talk about anything but that.

Yes, you can criticize, as I said, individual elements of what the response has been and those are legitimate questions to have, and we are inevitably going to be reforming a whole bunch of things in California on a whole bunch of fronts. But I feel like there's no guarantee that those changes will fully immunize us from the future threats any more than the changes we've made over the last 15 years solved what we saw emerge this time.

HUNT: Ron, one of the dynamics here too -- and I feel like I've watched this evolve with our politics in the Trump era around disaster relief -- this idea of conditioning disaster aid is something that is relatively new in our modern era. Typically this has been something where everyone seems to recognize that the tornado, or the hurricane, or the fire could hit my state next. So if your state is in trouble, I'm going to help you now so that you'll help me later on.

Now there's already conversations about trying to tie the debt ceiling to --

BROWNSTEIN: Yeah.

HUNT: -- California disaster aid.

I mean, what are -- what does that say about where we are, and is that the right way to go about all of this?

BROWNSTEIN: Well look -- I mean, what I often said during Trump's first term was that he governed as a wartime president with blue America rather than any foreign adversary as kind of the opponent.

And you have -- I mean, I don't think -- I believe -- I'm not the expert on this. I believe there have been times when there have been conditions attached to disaster relief after Katrina, for example. But it is much more the exception. You not -- you do not hear these Republican members of Congress demanding changes in Florida after hurricanes.

And the broader point -- you know, Donald Trump won the popular vote this time. He didn't win -- he didn't win a majority, but he won a plurality.

And the question of whether he would try to govern in a more inclusive way as opposed to kind of hitting -- you know, presenting part of America as the foil for his arguments -- this doesn't really offer a very promising start on that. I mean, this is very much out of the first term playbook of essentially using blue America -- less courting blue America than targeting blue America as a way of mobilizing his base.

[05:40:05]

I mean, we may see something similar on mass deportation as that gets going and the kind of conflicts that will bring with blue states and cities.

But this is pretty much -- this is pretty much term one, I think, behavior and one that's kind of disappointing given the opportunity that the election gave him to kind of hold the broader view of who he's representing.

HUNT: A sharp way to think about it. Ron Brownstein, that's why we have you. Thank you very much for being here. I really appreciate your time. See you soon.

BROWNSTEIN: Yeah, thanks for having me. And really, you know, just thinking about everybody out there who is suffering unimaginably today -- our neighbors and friends.

HUNT: Yeah, no -- of course. And thank you for ending on that. We are -- we are thinking about them here as well. Thanks, Ron.

All right, coming up next here on CNN THIS MORNING a deal reportedly imminent. How the outgoing Biden and incoming Trump administrations are working together to secure a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Plus, an emotional win. The Los Angeles Rams paying tribute to their hometown giving their fans a reason to smile.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW STAFFORD, QUARTERBACK, LOS ANGELES RAMS: I mean, we knew who we were playing for today, you know? It was -- it was go get this win but man, it's for the people of Los Angeles struggling right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL)

[05:45:35]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE: Steve Witkoff has been a terrific partner in this and also President-elect Trump in making clear that he wants to see this deal go forward and go forward before January 20. This has been a very good partnership and we hope that together we get this over the goal line.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: The outgoing Biden administration and incoming Trump administration working together to create the framework for a potential hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. Israeli officials say that under the emerging deal Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages during an initial 42-day ceasefire. The remains of those who have died expected to be handed over as well.

The breakthrough coming as President Biden prepares to leave office next week. His team having spent months searching for a resolution to the Middle East crisis that has loomed over his presidency. Biden's national security spokesman telling me this yesterday about

how the president's legacy factors into this moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: How does getting this deal here in his final days in final office -- what does that mean to him, and how does it fit into his legacy as a world leader?

JOHN KIRBY, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER: He's not thinking about his legacy, not when it comes to this. He's thinking about those hostages and those families and getting them reunited. He's thinking about increasing a terrific surge of humanitarian assistance into the Palestinian people who are so desperately in need of it. And they're also in need of peace and security on both -- both in Israel and in Gaza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: All right, joining us now, CNN political and national security analyst David Sanger, also the White House national security correspondent for The New York Times.

David, I saw you also about 12 hours ago on that same program where --

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES (via Webex by Cisco): Yes.

HUNT: -- I spoke with Mr. Kirby -- with Admiral Kirby. Thanks very much for being up early with us as well.

What do you make of where we are and where this deal is? How far -- how close we are to the line? And what is your understanding of the dynamics between the incoming and outgoing administrations and the role that the pressure Trump is putting on this is playing here?

SANGER: Well, first, I think we are close, Kasie, but we've been close before. As described to me by everybody who is involved never quite this close because at this point some of the big issues, including keeping Israeli troops for some period of time in Gaza seemed to have been resolved.

There is some question about how many hostages are still alive. And thus, if you've got 33, as you heard -- I've heard 34 -- hostages out, would that be two-thirds of those who are still alive? Would that be only half? So that's going to be one of the -- one of the big questions of the next 24 hours.

But this dynamic that you described in which the Trump and Biden administrations are working together on this -- I mean, how many times have you heard those words ever described about anything, right? Yet here we've heard this from both Sec. Blinken yesterday and when I was down in Palm Beach last week at the Mar-a-Lago press conference I chatted for a bit with Steve Witkoff who is the president's Mideast envoy. He was headed back to Doha. And he said the same thing. He said he's sort of just been locked up with Brett McGurk who, of course, has served both Democrats and Republicans but is President Biden's lead negotiator, because they understand that the deadlines that are coming together here will fall into the Trump administration.

HUNT: So how likely do you think it is that this occurs before January 20? And I guess I should say -- my question to -- Donald Trump has said there will be hell to pay, right, if this isn't done before January 20. There's obviously been a focus on Hamas, right? There will be hell to pay for Hamas. But it seems like Benjamin Netanyahu also feels a different set of pressures with Trump coming in than he did with Biden in the Oval Office, no?

SANGER: I think that's right. I mean, I was there when the president issued his threat. It was full of bluster about hell to pay. But the fact of the matter is I'm not sure that the Israeli government held back much on their attacks on Hamas when President Biden was there. So it's not as if there's something direct for Donald Trump to unleash here other than telling the Israelis go do what you need to do.

[05:50:17]

It's not in the Israelis' interest right now to go do that because it could result in the deaths of hostages just at the moment that they're on the cusp of freedom. So I think this was more rhetorical.

That said, I think that it's going to be a bit of a management problem for Prime Minister Netanyahu to be dealing with President Trump. Not necessarily on this -- which I think Trump will allow him to do what he wants to do -- but on the question of whether or not they go after Iran's nuclear program.

HUNT: Very interesting.

All right, David Sanger. I want to have you back to talk some more about this recent story that you have about the exploding consumer devices that the Russians are putting on airplanes because I found it alarming and fascinating, but unfortunately, we're out of time right now. So let's have that discussion --

SANGER: We'll do it anytime you want.

HUNT: -- next time.

All right, David Sanger.

SANGER: OK.

HUNT: Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

SANGER: Bye-bye.

HUNT: All right, time now for sports. The Rams roll to an emotional victory in their playoff game against the Vikings. This was moved to Arizona because of those wildfires that have swept across Southern California.

Coy Wire has this morning's CNN sports update. Coy, I have to say I'm really glad the Rams pulled this out.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. Man, what -- those players -- you could tell they really were playing in passion and with purpose.

It's the first time in league history, Kasie, that a natural disaster forced a postseason game to be moved to a neutral site. The NFL and the Rams working to relocate this playoff game amid the catastrophic events. The Rams arranging buses, some rented by Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford's wife Kelly to take fans to the Cardinals' stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said if they'd played at home in Inglewood, California it could sap resources from responders.

Players wore custom L.A. Fire Department hats and shirts, and fans were seen holding up signs showing support for all those folks struggling back home. A moment of silence was held for the victims of the wildfire.

Former Rams captain Andrew Whitworth sharing an impassioned message for all the people back in L.A.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW WITWORTH, FORMER OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, L.A. RAMS: We are strong. We will not be defined by this devastation. We will rebuild L.A. hand- in-hand together. For as long as it takes and whatever it takes, we will build it together. Los Angeles, I love you. We love you and we are with you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right. Despite all the sorrow and uncertainty, Kasie, the Rams maintaining focus and putting on a dominant performance on the field. The defense sacking Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold an NFL playoff record-tying nine times. One of the biggest plays right here. Second quarter -- linebacker Jared Verse somersaulting into the end zone after he took a loose ball 57 yards for the touchdown.

Minutes later, L.A. playing inspired and to inspire, Stafford throwing his second touchdown pass of the game. Stafford spoke about the team's motivation after the 27-9 win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STAFFORD: I mean, we knew who we were playing for today, you know? It was -- it was go get this win but man, it's for the people of Los Angeles struggling right now. It's been unbelievable to watch the whole community -- the -- you know, the state and the country kind of get behind them. It's a tough time to be back there and we're just happy that we came out and played like this tonight to get to something to be happy about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Now, both of L.A.'s NBA teams were able to play at home last night after having games postponed due to the wildfires. Clippers players wearing "L.A. Strong" shirts before their game in Inglewood. L.A. native James Harden scoring 21 of his 26 points in the second half to beat the Heat.

And about 10 miles down the road the Lakers lost to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs 126-102. But in a touching moment after the game, Wemby and his teammate Chris Paul giving their jerseys to L.A. coach JJ Redick's two sons, Knox and Kai who lost their home in the wildfires. The simple act of kindness goes a long way in the healing process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JJ REDICK, HEAD COACH, LOS ANGELES LAKERS: It's our job to go give strength, and give hope, and give joy. And sports are a lot of things and sports can certainly provide an escape and a distraction and hopefully, sports and tonight can provide some joy as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Now, the NFL and several of their teams, Kasie, donating millions of dollars to help those suffering in L.A. And as JJ Redick said it there quite well, sports can bring hope and inspire. And that's, I think, the thing to focus on with these games happening amidst all the tragedy.

HUNT: Yeah. And that's something, of course, that you know well, Coy. So thank you very much --

WIRE: You got it.

HUNT: -- for that. I really appreciate it.

All right. In our next hour here on CNN THIS MORNING in just a few hours confirmation hearings set to begin for Donald Trump's cabinet. The senior adviser for Donald Trump's presidential transition Jason Miller will be here to discuss.

[05:55:05]

Plus, breaking overnight, Jack Smith's report on Donald Trump's election subversion case released. Why he believes he had enough evidence to get a conviction.

(COMMERCIAL)

HUNT: It's Tuesday, January 14. Right now on CNN THIS MORNING, breaking overnight, special counsel Jack Smith's report released to the public. Smith says he had sufficient evidence to convict Donald Trump.

And --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're pressing hard to close this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Deal on the doorstep? Hostage and ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas inch closer to the finish line this morning.