Trump Says He’s Canceling Anything Biden Signed Via Autopen

24:55As soon as it comes through the border, the duties are going to come in and we're going to have that 50 % tariff. So that's been challenging. We have had to cut back our staff. We have had to raise prices, but the benefit is that we have a product that has a passionate customer base. And so through COVID, through tariffs, through whatever, you know, they show up and really support us. And that's been the game changer for us. And you talked about that support for small businesses, obviously tomorrow, Small Business Saturday. What's your message to folks out there about how important it is to support small and local businesses?

25:30Yeah, it's incredibly important because small business makes up a huge part of our economy, a huge part of our employment base, and we need them. We need small businesses to survive. And right now, again, they are being disproportionately impacted. They are paying more tariffs than the large companies. So I know it's tempting to try and find the lowest priced item, but that's really going to off balance who we are country. We really need those small businesses to survive. Yeah. And if you are interested in checking out these bags, you can visit the sash life dot com. Nicole McDonald, thanks so much.

26:08Thanks so much, Boris. So is there anything out there that could convince you to go out into a store, potentially standing in line for hours to get Black Friday deals? We'll talk about that in just moments. Plus, President Trump's Thanksgiving message targeting lawmakers from a certain state using slurs we'll discuss with our political panel.

26:55It doesn't look like taxes. Taxes? Safe.

27:25with us now. And just today, as part of this directive to tighten the administration's immigration agenda, the Treasury Secretary, Scott Besson, says his department is working to cut off federal benefits to illegal aliens and preserve them for U.S. citizens. What do you make of that response, Sabrina? Well, what's confusing about that response is that illegal aliens can't get access to benefits like SNAP or anything else that the federal government provides. So it's a little confusing why he's saying that, other than that's just a political point to score with President Trump. I think obviously what happened earlier this week is horrific.

27:59And, you know, we're keeping in mind of the one National Guardsman who's still fighting for his life. But, you know, to do something like this, to just, you know, swing so far and say no one else can come to our country from these 19 countries, you're just going to alienate so many communities that are already here who did fight alongside Americans abroad and did help save American lives. Joe, the administration has wasted no time on advancing some of its efforts, whether it's an immigration crackdown using this potentially as justification, but also moving the National Guard into U.S. cities.

28:30Right. And I understand how controversial that is. And this is an opportunity to really kind of take a step back and unfortunately use this tragedy as an opportunity to think about is our immigration system working? Is the deployment of the National Guard causing more harm than good? And these are all things that we could have vigorous but respectful debates about. and unfortunately we keep falling into this name calling back and forth process really not helpful eva some afghans in the united states are feeling great fear about this effort that's according to the leader of afghan evac a non-profit that works to relocate afghani immigrants take a listen to this they absolutely decry what this man did they are very upset he's not indicative of the larger Afghan community.

29:19And they're worried that the president and his team are going to use this man's actions, this deranged man's actions, as a cudgel to kick them out of a place that they've spent their entire lives serving. You have somebody reporting on this. Boris, this is really the worst case scenario for every Afghan immigrant in this country. You know from covering immigrants and other marginalized communities that often when these episodes happen, folks kind of hold their breath, praying that it isn't someone who holds their identity, right? Because often there is this reflex to demonize entire communities.

29:58And so if you've never had that experience of sort of holding your breath, that's something to think about. But I just got off the phone with Molly Gray. She is the executive director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance. And actually she tells me that Vermont is home to the largest population of Afghans in the nation per capita. And so she does work with these communities. They are frightened. Some of them are not leaving their homes out of fear of retribution, but also many of them are deeply integrated into the small towns across the state at this point. And she says from a real practical perspective, the state is very reliant on Afghans and the immigrant workforce because of the shrinking workforce and very small tax base in the state.

30:40And so often we get an emotional response to these horrible tragedies. But I think once cooler heads ultimately, hopefully prevail, there are real practical implications about how to move forward. Sabrina, do you sense that there is potentially a shift in public sentiment toward these Afghan refugees, given that after the withdrawal, there was bipartisan eagerness to expedite their entry into the United States, those folks that helped U.S. forces abroad? Do you sense there might be a shift now? Well, I think, you know, to something that Joe said, you know, we're becoming so politically divided that the rhetoric that's coming out of this administration and demonizing the entire community, some of which did help Americans' military abroad and help save lives, is such a detriment to that community and to the fabric of, you know, our country.

31:29And so I think, you know, if we continue to see this rhetoric coming from the administration, you're going to see targeted violence towards these communities. And that's, of course, something that we don't want, whether it's a small community in Vermont, to Seattle to, you know, in Washington, where you have concentrations of Afghan refugees. That's what you don't want to see happen. You actually want to see the temperature being taken down right now. Sadly, that's not something that happens. And to that point, something you mentioned a moment ago, Joe, the president's messaging generally posted a Thanksgiving message online, not incredibly traditional, right?

31:59He wished, quote, a very happy Thanksgiving salutation to all of our great American citizens and patriots who have been so nice in allowing our country to be divided, disruptive, carved up, murdered, beaten, mugged, and laughed at. He then used an offensive term to describe Governor Tim Walz, who he says does nothing, and wrote about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar always wrapped in her swaddling hijab, and who probably came into the USA illegally, and that you're not allowed to marry your brother, advancing a conspiracy theory about her, who does nothing but hatefully complain about our country. What happened to Happy Thanksgiving?

32:33Boris, you're putting your finger, honestly, on what's so difficult to be a conservative-leaning citizen, who my whole life has cherished vigorous but respectful debate. And so when you see something like this, which is absolutely indefensible, and you're sitting at the Thanksgiving table, and your family and friends say, how can you possibly support an administration that comes out with messages like this? It's not easy. And you have to take the big picture view. Do you think that we're better off as a country now than we would be under a Biden or Harris administration? And is it worth putting up with a president that puts out messaging like this?

33:12It's a tough one, and I'm not going to pretend I know the answer to that. You can say, you know, I totally agree with the sentiment there. But, you know, President Joe Biden or had it been President Kamala Harris would never in their mind put anything out like that. It's so demeaning. It's so disgraceful. It's so despicable from the office of, you know, one of the most powerful leaders in the world. to put something out like that and target lawmakers also. It's just horrific. But President Trump does occupy a really unique space in American politics that he can routinely make these kinds of comments, and there is no real consequence from his supporters.

33:44I would just say, though, I really do wish a lot of the left would also tone it down, because you can only say things like fascist, king, Nazi, invasion by the National Guard so many times before young, impressionable, possibly mentally ill young people take matters into their own hands. So look, I'm not defending President Trump, but there's opportunities on both sides to really lower the temperature. We appreciate this vigorous debate and conversation. Thank you all so much. Thanks. Up next, the highly emotional toll of President Trump's immigration crackdown. It shouldn't feel like a war zone when you're going into a courtroom.

34:23Next, we're going to take you inside America's halls of justice, where migrant arrests know few bounds.

34:35In our national lead, an eye-opening look inside America's courthouses in the age of Trump's immigration crackdown. Across the U.S., migrants showing up for hearings are being detained by Customs and Border officers either before they enter a courtroom or when they come out. Last spring, the Department of Homeland Security rescinded guidance that had previously limited immigration enforcement near courthouses. CNN's Omar Jimenez reports on the emotional toll of these arrests.

35:06I will never forget the visuals of seeing masked, armed men walking past my courtroom as I'm watching the people in front of me shake in fear from what is coming. The woman was forcibly slammed to the floor. ICE took the rare step of relieving an officer of his duties. Every weekday in New York City, foreigners come here to 26th Federal Plaza to meet with the judges overseeing their immigration cases. But since this past spring, they're not just seeing judges. ICE agents are there, too. Detaining some men and women without explanation as they leave routine court hearings, even when their case is still ongoing.

35:48These are civil courts, and according to an analysis of federal data, over 70 percent of people in ICE detention have no criminal convictions. Ben Remy comes here almost every day to deliver free legal advice to whoever needs it, wherever they need it. This was a first for me giving legal advice in a bathroom, but I actually encountered them in the bathroom with a CPP agent that was asking them questions. I'm an immigration lawyer. You don't have to call with an official. If you don't want it, it's your right. An hour later, that same man is immediately detained outside the courtroom. You have your rights.

36:27You can give me your rights if you want. Is it the direction? Yes, yes. I'm going to walk with you, not alone. In New York City, ICE made nearly half of all of its arrests outside courtrooms through July this year. The detainees are then transferred to ICE detention facilities across the country, like Sonia's husband, who was sent to a detention center in New Jersey. Sonia and her family came from Ecuador in 2023 and filed an asylum claim. Here in the United States, her husband worked as a truck driver. Earlier this year, he was arrested for petty theft, but the charges were set to be dismissed and sealed.

37:08In response to CNN, the Department of Homeland Security referenced Sonia's husband's petty theft charges without mentioning those charges were set to be dismissed, saying, quote, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S. Sonia says her children are struggling.

37:44These detentions are leaving immigrants with an impossible choice. If they skip a hearing, that's grounds for removal. But since President Donald Trump has come into office, they can still be detained, even while trying to go through the legal process. I have friends from the neighborhood who have never been presented to court and they have never happened to us. Since they arrived, they were not in court. But I always presented myself. We were doing the best. as being. Judge Carmen Rey Caldas worked on the 12th floor of 26 Federal Plaza, ruling on asylum cases just like Sonia's and her family.

38:23The hallway space at 26 Federal Plaza is public, and so the court really doesn't have a lot that it can do to prevent ICE from being in the hallways. At the beginning of 2025, there were approximately 700 immigration judges across the U.S. About 150 of them have either been fired or taken an early out offer since Trump took office. In August, Judge Ray Caldas was one of them. Honestly, the courthouse just doesn't feel the same. I've seen attorneys, both defense and ICE, shake from the screams coming in out of the hallways. It shouldn't feel like a war zone when you're going into a courtroom. DHS told us arrests outside courtrooms are common sense and safer because people have gone through security and been screened to not have any weapons.

39:17Sonia's husband was supposed to appear in court from detention this morning.

39:35And that, I hope they will take them out soon and be together again. That they don't separate so many families because it's weird.

40:04as part of this, told us he had been transferred across four states in detention facilities in just 11 days. And when we asked DHS about him, DHS said he came in the country through the Biden era CBP1 app, which even DHS didn't describe as illegal to us, but described it as, quote, disastrous and that he's been put in removal proceedings. And we're showing you this because you might hear a CEO, this person was taken or arrested by ICE, but this is the reality of what comes next, Boris.

40:36Welcome to The Lead. I'm Boris Sanchez in for Jake Tapper. This hour, a cross-country winter storm threatening to wreak havoc on post-Thanksgiving travel with the potential to drop heavy rain and multiple inches of snow across the U.S. This weekend, the storm also bringing frigid Arctic air that will send temperatures plummeting or tracking it all in the CNN Weather Center. Plus, an urgent software problem could also cause issues for air travel as Airbus announces thousands of passenger planes need immediate maintenance before they can fly again. What airlines are saying about delays and cancellations ahead.

41:09Also, President Trump's new immigration crackdown, the White House working to permanently pause migration from what he calls third world countries after an Afghan national was confirmed as the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard members. The new information we're just learning about him. And the iconic famous Amos cookies are a staple in living rooms and lunch rooms across the country. Tonight, the daughter of Wally Amos joins the lead to introduce you to the man behind so many sweet memories.

41:41The lead tonight, the suspect in Wednesday's attack on two National Guard members in downtown Washington, D.C., now facing a murder charge after 20-year-old U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom died of her injuries. The other wounded guardsman, 24-year-old Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition. CNN's Brian Todd is near the scene of the attack with the latest details. Brian? Right, Boris, we have some incremental but important new information regarding the one guardsman who was wounded in the attack, Andrew Wolfe, 24 years old. A spokesperson for the Joint Task Force DC, which oversees the National Guard, told us a short time ago that Wolfe is still in critical condition.

42:22The spokesperson said she was not aware of, at the moment, of any pending surgeries or other procedures for Wolf, but they're trying to nail that down. So we hope to get some additional information regarding his treatment and what he may be going through in just a short time. And we can also reiterate the information that we know about the deceased National Guard member, Sarah Beckstrom, who lost her life as a result of this shooting. She was 20 years old from Somersville, West Virginia. She began her military service on June 26, 2023, and she was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company.

42:55Her family and friends talking to CNN extensively about how dedicated she was as a Guard member over the past couple of days. And we additionally got some new information regarding the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29 years old, an Afghan national who was airlifted to the United States in 2021. According to Janine Pirro, the attorney general for the District of Columbia, he is now going to face an additional charge of first-degree murder in this case. He had previously faced three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and one count of possession of a firearm with the intent to commit violence.

43:34Now, Attorney General Pam Bondi had said earlier that he was going to face the death penalty. She said that if a service member had lost their life as a result of this attack, that they would do everything that they could to seek the death penalty. And, of course, unfortunately, that has come to pass. So we're going to see how the legal process plays out for the suspect. In the meantime, Boris, what we can show you is a very moving scene here at the scene of the shooting. This makeshift memorial has really grown exponentially since we've been here just over the past day. Lots of bunches of flowers, notes, wreaths and flags placed here.

44:10And we'll pan up a little bit to the ledge just above the memorial because that was a very interesting scene. We saw a young 21-year-old Marine place that vase with the roses there. And just below the vase there, you can see an American flag patch and two challenge coins, which military members and service members, also law enforcement people, tend to exchange with each other as gestures of goodwill. And we talked to this young Marine who declined to give us his name because he was not authorized to speak to the media. But he told us that he found all the political rhetoric and the finger pointing surrounding this attack, quote, disgusting.

44:45He says it all has to stop. We have to realize here that a young service member has lost their life. So he was just one of many members of the public coming through here, praying, laying flowers, and reflecting on the tragedy that occurred right here outside the Farragut West Metro Station. Boris? Our thoughts are with that fallen service member's family and the one still in the hospital, Brian Todd in D.C., thank you so much. A lot of questions are being raised by now about the process that allowed the shooting suspect not only to come to the United States from Afghanistan, but then be granted asylum by the Trump administration, as well as what led him to drive all the way from Washington state to the nation's capital to carry out this attack.

45:26Let's bring in CNN senior correspondent Josh Campbell, who used to work for the FBI, and CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller. And, John, I understand that you have some new reporting on the investigation into this suspect. Well, so far as they've been going through his computers and social media, what they have not found is something that points them at a clear motive that could develop any day now as they get more access to more electronics and then get communications from different Internet providers. What's interesting, Boris, is that process of the vetting. When I was at the Joint Terrorism Task Force on the NYPD side, when all of this was going on in 2021, we knew there were problems with the vetting.

46:09Incomplete documentation from Afghanistan, documents that weren't complete, dates of birth that were hard to track, information from multiple U.S. agencies that were across multiple different databases, not a centralized one where it was hard with all the different names to figure out who was who and what their exact background was. But in this case, you have an individual who had worked for the U.S. in a CIA-supported special military team in the Afghan military special forces. This was a team operating in Kandahar where Ramanula Lakwani had been one of the soldiers that was used to target members, according to my sources, of the Taliban, of Al-Qaeda in Kandahar, the Haqqani Network, a number of the places there.

47:00So we had an awful lot of information about him. Vetting was not going to be the problem. This is the question that emerges for us, which is right now out of 80 ,000 immigrants, we have exactly two cases that seem to relate directly to terrorist plots. One is this one, the one in front of us. But the other involves a man in Oklahoma City named Tawidi. Now, Nasir Tawidi had also worked for the U.S. in Afghanistan as a security officer at the CIA based in Coast, which is the same hometown as Ramanula Lakwani. So what you're seeing is two men who we had a special relationship with, who served the United States, who risked their lives and their families, both of whom passed the vetting process because we had a lot of information on them as the two that emerged in these plots.

47:53In the Oklahoma City plot, Nasir was supposed to be gathering 500 rounds of ammunition, two AK-47s, according to a federal complaint, to do an attack on Election Day. Wow. It's raising this question in the background less about the vetting and more about the analytic question, what happened to these two men who fought for America in Afghanistan, fought to get to America with their families, and then in a very short number of years turned against the country that they had called their new home? Yeah. And Josh, one of the interesting aspects of this new reporting is that sources are indicating that the suspect's family said he suffered from PTSD.

48:34What are you learning? Well, that would make sense. I mean, a lot of times when the CIA and FBI agents, U.S. military are on the front lines overseas trying to stop threats, it's these foreign nationals embedded with them that are trying to help do the same thing. I mean, these types of assets are critical to have a host nation person that can help serve as a fixer, an interpreter, help serve as an intelligence collection platform. And so that would make sense if that ends up being the case. Of course, that doesn't excuse the heinous behavior that happened. One thing that interests me is that as authorities try to determine whether this was someone who was truly inspired or directed by a foreign terror organization versus someone who was acting upon their own grievances is there are certain peculiarities here.

49:22The first, and I'll note that when John and I were in the FBI, we would routinely pour over reams of propaganda from these foreign terror networks. And if you look at the victim pool here, and this is grim, but this is something that analysts are looking at, we're talking about two people that were shot. Groups like ISIS don't want two people shot. They want 200 people shot. And so that is notable that this person was going to risk his own life to approach this small group of National Guards members on the streets of D.C. And then the second thing that stands out is the type of weaponry that was used.

49:55John just mentioned in a previous case, a person was gathering AK-47s, these assault-style rifles. What type of firearm are we talking about in this case in D.C.? It's a revolver pistol. These are often clunky. They can be slower to reload. And so, again, if this was someone who was really following the direction or inspiration of a foreign terror group, they would have all kinds of other weaponry that they could achieve, you know, or obtain semi-automatic weapons and the like in order to conduct a mass casualty attack. So a lot of questions still at this hour to determine whether this person was inspired or again, whether this was PTSD or some personal grievance.

50:30Josh Campbell, John Miller, thank you both. With us now to discuss is retired U.S. Army Major General William Enyart. He's a former commander of the Illinois National Guard, as well as a former member of Congress. Sir, thank you so much for being with us. What do you make of this new information we're learning that the suspect's family members say he suffered from PTSD, from post-traumatic stress syndrome, because of his work alongside the U.S. in Afghanistan? Well, it's certainly not surprising. When you look at the combat that he likely saw and the events that I'm sure took place during his service period in Afghanistan, And I've not yet heard how long he served, but certainly served with CIA units as well as evidently Afghan special forces units.

51:17He certainly saw some some heavy duty action. So it's quite likely that he did, in fact, suffer from PTSD. The of course, that that's absolutely no excuse for what has happened here. And Josh made some really interesting comments and thoughts that I raised earlier today. And that's the type of weapon that he used. You know, he drove cross country, drove 3000 miles in his own vehicle to get to Washington, D.C. So he certainly could have brought a vast array of armament with him that would have been far more effective at that killing people if that's what he was out to do. And and so I I have to wonder about that.

51:59And likewise, what we have to examine here is what transpired between 2021 when he arrived in this country and today that caused him to go from an ally to being an enemy. Based on what we've watched unfold on Wednesday, are you anticipating there might be changes in how soldiers conduct themselves or their operations here in D.C. or elsewhere in the wake of this attack? Well, certainly. In fact, there's already been reporting that now Washington, D.C. police will be accompanying National Guard soldiers. And, you know, here's the fact of the matter. National Guard soldiers are not civilian law enforcement personnel.

52:45They're not trained to do that. We're trained to be combat soldiers. That's the training we receive. We have two missions. One is to be a combat force reserve that deploys overseas to battle this nation's enemies. And the second is to serve as a trained, ready force for the governor for natural disasters and hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, that sort of thing, or occasionally civil disturbances. But what we are not, we are not a trained civilian law enforcement. And of course, as you know, a lone wolf is just a nightmare of all security personnel, whether they're law enforcement or military or intelligence services.

53:25They're so hard to stop. And Major General, I guess the attack also raises questions about the process of admitting some of these folks into the United States. As we heard there, there had been some issues John Miller was explaining with verifying birthdays and certain documentation. Would you like to see changes to that process? Well, you know, we have engaged in bringing in allies after war has been lost since, to my knowledge, Vietnam. And there is always that chaos. Anytime you have the end of a war and a withdrawal, people are going to lose documents. They're not going to have passports or birth certificates.

54:08You saw some of the chaos that was going on. So a lot of those verifications are very difficult, which is what makes this case so unusual. This this guy was a known commodity. You know, he had worked for us. He he wasn't just vetted coming into the country. He had been vetted virtually every day that he worked for the CIA by his actions of what he did. So we're always certainly when you have a withdrawal of a force and you're bringing your friends out of out of the country that's lost, you're going to have some of those missing documents. But for other countries, it should be much easier to to obtain the documents.

54:47Retired General William Enyart, thank you so much for your insight.

54:53So CNN is learning new details today about the very first U.S. boat strike on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, just as President Trump teases potential land action in Venezuela. Plus, from family drama to financial pressure, the holiday is a stressful time for so many of us. What's the best way to make it through unscathed and try to find some joy in all the chaos? The lead's resident psychologist is here to help.

55:25Today we're learning new details about U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. It comes as President Trump once again is threatening to expand the attacks to include targets on the Venezuelan mainland. Let's bring in CNN National Security Analyst, Beth Sander. Beth, thanks for being with us. So sources tell CNN the U.S. carried out a follow-up strike on a suspected drug boat on September 2nd, targeting survivors that were in the water following the initial strike. What's your response to those new details? I find it really shocking. I mean, if you imagine this, let's put this in a circumstance that we can all relate to.

55:59It's like having a car full of drugs, if that's what the case was, driving somewhere in the United States, police open fire on it or law enforcement. You go up to the car, you think everybody's dead, no, someone's alive, and you pull out a gun and you shoot them. That's the equivalent of this. I think that we get kind of inured to some of this because it's distance, right? It's from a drone or a missile, so it doesn't feel real, but it's the same. And it's the same result. And I don't think that Americans are probably okay with that. I wonder, obviously, about the legality of it, given that there's a level of evidence that is required to prosecute any drug trafficker, And fundamentally, there's a question of whether the death penalty, whether execution should be the punishment for what they're allegedly doing.

56:52It hasn't quite been adjudicated. What do you make of this debate? And do you think it's going to stop anytime soon? Right. Well, you know, I mean, for terrorism, this is exactly what happened in Afghanistan. And, you know, drone strikes. And they were based, these things called signature strikes, where you identify someone based on their activity. So you see someone planting an IED on a road where military vehicles are coming down. Okay, that's a terrorist. We're going to strike that person and kill that person. But here we're talking about narcotics. And this is why the administration has designated these groups as narco-terrorists or terrorists, because they're kind of equating those things.

57:34And I think that that's the sticky part of this. If they don't actually physically threaten the people who are in combat with them, then the justification is weaker. And so I think that that's the issue. What do you think of Trump saying that soon there will be actions taken on land to prevent drug smuggling from Venezuela into the United States? Right. You know, I think that we should care about cartels and we should care about drug smuggling. I mean, cartels are ruining the lives of millions of people who live in the region and all the victims in our country and lots of countries. Right. But I think that there is an issue of, you know, do we have the right to go and strike a cartel in another country?

58:29Maybe we do. But I think that we have to kind of work through those processes. If it's focused on the drug cartels and they, you know, get some congressional approval or whatever they do, you know, maybe that's not something that is a terrible thing. Sure. But I think that the question is, is this really about the drugs? Because this isn't fentanyl, after all. This is cocaine, and most of it's not even coming to the states. Is that what this is about, or is this about regime change or trying to encourage that? Well, the U.S. has designated Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, as a narco-terrorist, effectively.

59:07I mean, what do you think comes next? Is it clear to you that we're headed to regime change or at least the pressure to get there? I think we're engaged in gunboat diplomacy. And this is why, you know, this is why there is reporting now about Maduro and Trump having had a phone call this past week. If that's true, to me, I think that it's correct analysis to say that President Trump is trying to work this on two tracks in order to get Maduro to step aside. And I think that's the preferred thing. But maybe we'll see some escalation to get there. We shall see. Beth Senator, thank you so much. Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving.

59:48Thank you. Same to you. Still to come on The Lead, a massive winter storm threatening to wreck post-Thanksgiving travel. It is bringing lots of snow, frigid temperatures to much of the country. We're going to take you to the CNN Weather Center for the latest forecast when we come back.

1:00:08In our national lead, a dangerous winter storm is set to slam the United States this weekend with heavy rain and several inches of snow. The cross-country storm expected to upend post-holiday travel plans as people head back home from the Thanksgiving holiday. CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchart is tracking the storm for us in the CNN Weather Center. Allison? Boris, we have roughly 40 million people stretching from the northern Rockies all the way over to the Great Lakes that are under these winter weather alerts as that next system really begins to ramp back up. In fact, by tomorrow morning, look at all of this heavy snow that is expected across states like Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.

1:00:47On the southern edge, we have mostly rain here. It's just a little bit warmer, but also the potential for some strong to severe thunderstorms. By Saturday night, now the main focus for all that heavy snow is places like Chicago, Detroit, even into Cleveland. And then by Sunday morning, now we see the bulk of that winter weather begin to push into areas of the northeast as well as the mid-Atlantic. Winds are also going to be a concern. You'll start to see those tick back up overnight tonight and into early Saturday. 30, 40, even 50 mph gusts is not out of the question. that's going to take all of that snow, blow it all around, and that reduces visibility, making it very difficult to drive out there on those roads, not just Saturday, but even spreading into Sunday.

1:01:27Overall, the highest snowfall totals are going to be in this pink area you see here, where we could be looking at 8 to 12 inches of snow. Keep in mind, some of these same areas got snow earlier in the week, so this is on top of what they already had, leading to, unfortunately, even more travel problems. Down to the south, the concern could be the potential for severe thunderstorms. Places like Houston, even up around Shreveport, looking at damaging winds, large hail, and we can't rule out the potential, Boris, for an isolated tornado. Wolf. Alison Chinchar, thank you so much for that update. So Airbus announcing today that thousands of passenger planes need immediate maintenance.

1:02:05How that could affect air travel as we head into this busy holiday weekend next.

1:02:15In our world lead, today Airbus announced thousands of its planes need immediate maintenance, a move that American Airlines admits could lead to delays and cancellations on a busy travel weekend. Let's bring in Miles O 'Brien, a pilot and CNN analyst. Miles, thanks for being with us the day after Thanksgiving. I wonder how serious an issue this is going to be. Well, it's certainly an abundance of caution on the part of Airbus. And when you consider the lack of reaction in the wake of the 737 MAX software problems back in 2018 by Boeing, you can see the industry is attuned to this issue. As for the impact to the industry, I'm told it's a quick fix.

1:02:56It's about two hours to basically take the software back to a previous generation. But you have to do it all at once and everything is grounded. And so that has a huge ripple effect. There's only so many technicians that can get to it in short order. So you will see impact. But on top of all the other impacts we've been talking, perhaps we won't even notice it that much. Miles, how common is it for plane software to need an upgrade? Well, it is something that is an unusual event. We're talking about solar radiation, so-called coronal mass ejections. The sun has an 11-year cycle, and it's near its peak right now.

1:03:39And these charged particles come off the sun millions of miles an hour. It's what gives us the northern lights, for example. But it can cause real problems with satellites and high-flying aircraft that are not shielded by the atmosphere. What happens is these charged particles can change a one to a zero on a computer. And that so-called bit flip is enough to corrupt the data and cause difficulties for the navigation system, which are very computer oriented. I'm at 320. Now, there are three computers involved. And supposedly these bit flips, if one computer has one, the other two outvote them and everything's fine.

1:04:18But in this case, it seemed to degrade the control authority of the computer. Everything was fine on this flight that had to make the emergency landing, this JetBlue flight that had a sudden drop in altitude. But Airbus is, out of an abundance of caution, putting these aircraft on the ground, which is probably what Boeing should have done in 2018. Yeah, wow. Didn't know the sun could do that to a plane. Miles O 'Brien, thanks so much for the insight. Appreciate you. Between potential travel issues, a full house, busy kitchens, and awkward conversations at family gatherings, the holiday season can be an incredibly stressful time.

1:04:59Here to give us some tips on managing the holiday chaos is psychologist Dr. Andrea Bonier. Doctor, thanks so much for being with us. Obviously, it's about a month or so of a lot of time with family, a lot of time with folks that you may have to deal with, uncomfortable conversations and all that. What would you say is probably your best advice for folks dreading this time of year? Yeah, I mean, it's so drawn out too, right? Friends in Europe say, how do you go for that long? It starts so early with Thanksgiving and it keeps going. My number one piece of advice is to remember that relationships are more than just one day.

1:05:33They are more than just one bad conversation. They are more than just one frustrating argument. And so to take a deep breath, if there have been some tensions, for instance, at the Thanksgiving table, and to be able to say, I'm going to reset because this is a priority to me, having this person in my life and being able to move forward. Yeah, it's important to keep that in mind, as you said, that it's more than just one day or one meal. I also wonder how a lot of folks feel the impact of financial stress because you're trying to buy gifts at a time where things just cost more than they used to.

1:06:06Yeah, and there's so much pressure. It's become so much more about largesse and sales and consumerism. And I think it's really easy to forget what's the whole point here. Right. And if you really think about the holidays, I mean, going back to when people talk about it having been a pagan celebration, it was about the fact that things are getting really dark. Right. The sun is going away for a few months and it's a time to be grateful and to be together and to bring some light. So I really encourage a lot of people that I work with to try to keep that big priority, that it is about relationships, that it is about connection.

1:06:40And, you know, as most people will tell you, a lot of the spending ends up being for naught. That is a good point. I can't tell you how many toys I've gotten my nephew and nieces that are just not around anymore. I also generally wonder what it's like for folks that are either working or aren't around loved ones for whatever reason. This seems to be a time of year where a lot of folks feel especially lonely. Yeah, there's so much loneliness anyway. And I think the expectations that this is going to be some amazing gathering where, you know, you see in pop culture, there's lights, these family multi-generation type of gatherings.

1:07:17And it's like, you know, the truth is it's not like that for most people. So I think it's really important to feel the feelings, whatever they come and not set expectations so high. And if it turns out that you just want to take the day for yourself, that's okay. Yeah. There's also the question that at least I have about hangovers and not just like alcoholic hangovers. It's the question of what you do when the holiday season passes. Yes. And you're looking at an entire year on the calendar. Yeah. And sort of the more nice and quiet part of the year is now over and you're having to get back into it.

1:07:52How do you deal with the doldrums of the early? Yeah. I mean, I wish Christmas lasted a little bit longer in that way. Right. People start celebrating in October. It's like, no, no, no, we don't need it now. We have Halloween and Thanksgiving. It'd be nice to have it in January. I think sunlight is actually really important, right? Because there's a lot of evidence that for a lot of us, when things get dark in the winter, it's just really tough for us to manage. And so I think getting daily fresh air, moving your body, being able to set little goals to look forward to is just absolutely key. Very much appreciate the expertise and the advice.

1:08:21Dr. Andrew Bonior, thank you so much. Thanks again. Appreciate it. Still plenty more news to come on The Lead. Republicans and Democrats pouring money into a Tennessee election that is happening next Tuesday. We're digging into why a district that President Trump won by 22 points could now be a nail-biter in just a few days.

1:08:43In the politics lead, President Trump claiming on Truth Social today that he's hereby canceling all executive orders and anything else not directly signed by President Biden. another step in his efforts to delegitimize Biden's presidential actions and draw more scrutiny toward Biden's use of the auto pen. Sabrina Singh and Joseph Moreno are back. Sabrina, you know that the auto pen has been a fixture of President Trump's consciousness for some time. Here's several posts he's made. The people around the desk were in charge. The auto pen was in charge. He also actually I think we have the soundbite.

1:09:17Yeah, we have the soundbite. Let's listen. He wasn't a judge. The people around the desk were in charge. the auto pen was in charge. It's a very complicated thing if you're going to use a machine. You have to do it properly. And he didn't have any idea what was happening. And this is what we had as a president. We don't want that. And while Biden was president, if he was president, I think the auto pen was president, not Biden. But it was really the people that told the person that operated the auto pen what to do. Those are the people that really were president, okay? Glad it was a soundbite.

1:09:48I didn't have to read all that. What do you make of the move? I mean, I think this is Donald Trump trying to focus again and drawing attention away from some of the problems here at home that he's facing, whether it's Epstein files or, you know, this flailing economy. He's going back to the auto pen because he thinks that there's some there there. And there's really not. I mean, even during his first administration, he used the auto pen. Presidents, there's a precedent here with Bush and Obama also using it. I think if he wants to overturn Biden's executive orders, he can do that. But focusing on the legality of using the auto pen, that's been held up in, you know, since 2005, I believe.

1:10:21So I think this is all a distraction and it's a way for him to talk about Joe Biden at the end of the day. Donald Trump is president. This is his economy. Maybe he should focus on something like that. As a former U.S. attorney, Joe, can he legally do this? I mean, Sabrina's right. It is a distraction. I would point to the fact, though, that there are three things that really show the dysfunction of government these days. It's running to federal judges every time you don't like something. It's government shutdowns, which make us the laughingstock of the world, and it's over-reliance on executive orders, which lets the pendulum swing back and forth every time there's a change in office.

1:10:54We need to get back to basics, passing real legislation that actually has some staying power. So whether it's through some auto-pen silliness or just legitimate reversing of executive orders, it shows it's a bad way to run our government. And we were talking about this. I mean, the use of executive orders was so rare, and it really increased over time. And so, you know, I'm not saying that we didn't use it under the Biden administration. We certainly did. But to the extent that it's being used back and forth now, we do need to get back to real legislating. And, you know, Congress should really start inserting itself a bit more here.

1:11:24In order to do that, you need a majority and it helps if you have a sizable one. Tuesday, we're going to see the last electoral test of the year, a special House race in Tennessee's 7th district. Axios is actually reporting that Trump and Speaker Johnson are holding a tele-rally on Monday night to try to boost the Republican candidate. And additionally, MAGA Inc., the principal Trump-aligned super PAC, has spent more than$550 ,000 in the race. That's according to media buying figures. And two other pro-Van Epps groups, Conservatives for American Excellence and Club for Growth Action, have also spent six figures apiece.

1:11:56Of course, Van Epps, the Republican candidate in the race. Joe, this is going to be Trump's second teller rally for this race. In a district he won by 22 points. What does this signal do? And a state he won by even more than 22 points. So, I mean, this should be a layup, right? This should be a really easy race. The fact that it's polling within five points, maybe even two points, that's scary for Republicans. And look, it's consistent with what we saw in 93, 94, in 2005, 2006, somewhat with 2021 and 22, the off-year election followed by the midterm. It's going to be rough even under good circumstances for the Republicans.

1:12:33If inflation is high and Trump remains this polarizing, which of course he will, it'll be bad. It's the question of how bad. You know, I think to Joe's point, Republicans should never have spent money in a race, in a district that Donald Trump won by over 20 points. So the fact that a Democrat put the seat in play, even if she closes the gap, let's say, I mean, there is a poll that shows her within two points. You know, I think it's probably going to be wider. even if she puts this seat in play and she loses, let's say, by 10 points, that is a real clear indicator of where the electorate is. And Democrats have overperformed in special elections throughout the year.

1:13:07And then look no further than what you saw in Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia. Democrats swept. So the fact that they made Republicans spend, I think, is a big deal. Having witnessed a blue wave in 2018, President Trump has tried to mitigate what is likely coming during the midterm election of an incumbent presidency by redistricting, by calling on Texas and other red states to change their borders, including in Indiana. Speaker Johnson is expected to meet with Indiana House Republicans this weekend. Politico is reporting a redrawing of that Indiana map could yield two Republican seats.

1:13:40There has been some internal resistance by Republicans in the state to this. How should Democrats respond? Well, look, I think Democrats, seeing the redistricting fight that happened in Texas, obviously California responded to that. I think regardless, Republicans are trying and this administration is trying to steal seats. They know that they're they know that the midterms are going to be a real test to their power. They know that they're likely to lose. And so they're trying to do everything possible, going to the courts, redrawing maps to maintain their hold. And the reality is, is like, I think it will backfire.

1:14:11I think Democrats will do very well in the midterms. But it's going to be hard and we have to stay disciplined. And I think the message of affordability and talking about the economy, it's resonating with people. because those are the messages that Donald Trump ran on and he hasn't delivered on. Joe, quickly, you think this plan is going to backfire? Of course it is. I mean, and I'm going to take, you know, I'll take, I think steal is a strong word. And I just like to say that conservatives were more rule followers. But yes, of course it backfired. This is why you don't redistrict mid-decade. I wish they hadn't done it.

1:14:41And now it's probably going to lead to even a worse defeat than you would have seen otherwise. Before we go, it is Black Friday. And I wonder if either of you made it out to the store today because it's becoming less and less common for folks to actually head out in person. I did. I mean, I was on my computer for the first hour of the day, but then my family, my in-laws, we went out. We did go to a store. We did take advantage of the sales. It was good, but it is nice to do it also from the comfort of your own home. So you made it a family outing. We did. How about you, Joe? Same thing. I have nine kids.

1:15:11I have such good memories of going to places like Toys R Us and FAO Schwartz, which I think are both gone. But the Macy's, you know, photos with Santa Claus, Barnes & Noble, big super bookstores, there's a social aspect. So I tell my kids, it's not about presents and Santa Claus, but there is a value in getting out there and seeing people and not just sitting at home ordering off Amazon. Oh, for me, it's the counterpoint. I don't like being in large crowds and especially when people are like rushing or they're forming huge lines. I do wonder if you all miss, because I certainly do, and I hope you don't think me callous, the videos of people brawling for just random crap on the Internet.

1:15:45It doesn't happen as often as it used to. I would hope not. I remember at Best Buy, they were fighting over flat screen television. And the lines outside for like hours, even the day before. Yeah, I kind of do miss that. I remember going into a store once with my mom and seeing like the women rush to the handbag section and just like scooping up all these handbags. I mean, it's kind of comical. Somehow, more civility in stores, generally less civility in the political discourse. Yeah, unfortunately, I don't know where the future is going to hold. But right now, it's a tough time, especially being a conservative.

1:16:16Joe and Sabrina, thank you both so much, and happy Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving. So this year marks 50 years since the iconic famous Amos cookies hit the market. Behind the crumbly chocolatey treat, though, is a very complicated man and a story with a lesson for all of us. That's next.

1:16:38Everybody knows famous Amos cookies. The Chocolate Chip Cookies became a household name in the 70s, but few people know the story of Wally Amos, the man behind those sweet treats. In the new podcast titled Tough Cookie, the Wally Famous Amos Story, his daughter Sarah Amos tells us all about her father's life, both in and out of the spotlight. And Sarah joins me now. It's good to have you here. So I love that you start the podcast by asking random people about their memories of eating these cookies. I love the way that food can bring so much back for people. They talk about these happy memories of the bite-sized cookies.

1:17:12Your memories, though, are a little different, which is how we ended up here. So tell us more about that. Yeah, you know, look, so many of my memories of my dad, Wally Amos, and of Famous Amos are wonderful, joyous things. But he was a really complicated man. And as often is the case with people, there were multiple versions of him. And after he passed away last year, I really wanted to kind of put the full story of Wally Amos out there. Because in my mind, even the more difficult parts of his life, of the things our family went through, were incredible learning experiences that I thought maybe if I kind of talked them all through with my family, might resonate with other people in a way that could do some good.

1:18:01I know you've called your dad an influence before. This was really a thing, right? How so? And then also walk us through how he fell so hard. yeah no i mean look my dad was the first person to ever really or one of the first people to ever really do cause marketing to look at his company and recognize that he didn't have the money for promotion and so attach himself to a good cause to kind of also promote his company uh he made himself into a celebrity in order to promote this cookie and so you know he fell hard in large part at first because of his own ego. He really didn't trust the right people.

1:18:43He thought he knew best. But also, and I get into this in the podcast, right? He was a Black man with a GED. So he really didn't have a lot of the connections and privilege that so many other business people starting out would have had. And so that combination of kind of the racial setbacks he had, along with his own ego and his own kind of missteps along the way, landed him in a situation where he lost control of the company and then eventually was sued for essentially trying to start a new company because Famous Amos said they legally owned his name and likeness for everything. How difficult as a journalist is it to then turn and analyze this very personal story, this very personal subject in your father?

1:19:37yeah uh i joke all the time i'm not a person who goes to therapy much and so instead i decided to do my therapy in a very public uh manner which some would say is a pretty insane choice uh it was tough at times you know i think you have to check a lot of your own ego and you have to really trust the collaborators collaborators that you're working with and i had such an incredible team All of them really pulled no punches when it came to working with me on this and challenged me and pushed me to go farther than I was comfortable with sometimes. And luckily, my family was willing to do that as well, which is, you know, no small thing to ask to really all sit there and go through divorces and suicide.

1:20:20The list can go on, man. We were essentially a black soap opera with no money. Sarah, it's so great to talk to you. Thank you. Oh, thank you so much. I hope folks enjoy. It's a great way to spend Thanksgiving listening to someone else's family drama. The podcast, again, is Tough Cookie, the Wally famous Amos story. Sarah, thanks again. Thanks so much to our colleague Erica Hill and Sarah Amos for that interview. Don't forget, coming up Sunday on State of the Union, Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen, Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, and Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar. That's Sunday at 9 a.m.

1:20:53and noon Eastern only on CNN. You can also follow me on X at Boris underscore Sanchez. You can follow the show on X and Instagram at The Lead CNN. And of course, if you ever miss an episode of The Lead, you can watch the show on the CNN app. News continues on CNN. Thanks so much for joining us tonight.

1:21:19News cycle making your head spin? The Have I Got News for You crew is here to help with a comic take on the week's headlines. New episodes Saturdays at 9 on CNN and next day on the CNN app.