Transcript of LIVE: ABC News Live - Wednesday, January 15 | ABC News

Death toll rises.

President Trump's pick to leave the Pentagon gets a big boost to show support for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth hours after a contentious hearing on Capitol Hill. Plus new details about Trump's inauguration and the role Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg will play.

Paying more for prescription drugs. The new report pointing the finger at the so-called middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry. Just how much they're allegedly jacking up the prices.

Overnight a new mission to the moon, blasting off from Kennedy Space Center.

Coyote concerns, 1 found inside a supermarket in the produce section, another found on the runway at a major airport. What's behind the spike in the coyote population?

The debate over how to keep kids off porn sites, the Supreme Court taking up the issue today.

Later, the crackdown on Sex and the City fans being rude.

And are we drinking too much at the airport? The new proposal to limit booze before takeoff.

From ABC News, this is Good Morning America, First Look.

Good Wednesday morning everyone, I'm Andrew Dimberg.

And I'm Rianna Nally. Good morning to all of you. Los Angeles County is once again facing the most severe wind warning, raising the threat for new fires.

Heavy winds could also spread existing fires. The massive Palisades fire was only 17% contained overnight and the death toll from the disaster is still rising. This morning, emergency crews have transformed the Rose Bowl from a stadium to a wildfire command center as they prepare for yet another round of powerful winds possibly fueling more fires in Southern California. High winds are forecast to hit again today from Central California to the Mexican border.

This area where you have extreme fire risk, San Fernando Valley, back to Thousand Oaks, the Western Santa Monica Mountains, we're watching really closely for wind gusts of 45 to even 70 miles per hour.

Tens of thousands of people remain under mandatory evacuation orders. Another 84, 000 people under evacuation warnings have been warned be ready to leave.

When we're giving you warnings that's the time you

should probably think about going.

The 2 largest fires the Palisades and Eaton fires have destroyed more than 12, 000 homes and businesses killing at least 25 people.

It was literally shooting like fireballs it looked like a volcano.

Zahir Calvin lost his sister in the Eaton fire. He says they got separated while evacuating.

Me and my cousin came back and climbed over there and checked and got a shovel and that's where they found her found her remains and just I don't know why she didn't leave. It's just so much, it's just so much. The life has been sucked out of us as a community.

Susan Salser says she watched the Palisades fire approach her home from her kitchen window. The 85 year old fought the fire with her 86 year old husband Winston saving their home.

I used the hose to control the ground fire and stop that end of the house from burning.

Health officials have now issued a dust and ash advisory warning of air pollution as people across the area scramble for shelter. Among them, Erica Lee.

I've reached out to a couple places and a lot of them have already been taken and 1 of them that I applied for up the rent $1, 000 an hour after I applied.

Realtors say prospective tenants are so desperate some are offering to pay double the listed rent for an entire year up front.

It's hard because my son keeps asking me when are we going to stop moving.

Meanwhile, new questions about when and how the Palisades fire started. 6 days earlier, a smaller fire broke out in the same area, possibly from New Year's fireworks. Crews contained those flames, but investigators are now reportedly looking into whether a flare-up ended up sparking the Palisades fire. FEMA has now received more than 40, 000 applications for assistance.

Now to Washington and the fiery confirmation hearing for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. Today another Trump cabinet pick will be in the hot seat. ABC's Nicole D'Antonio has details on that. Nicole, good morning.

That's right, good morning to you. President-elect Trump's pick for Attorney General Pam Bondi faces her Senate confirmation hearing today, 1 day after Pete Hegseth faced a grilling on Capitol Hill. This morning a boost for the man President Elect Trump has chosen to lead the Pentagon and it's nearly 900 billion dollar annual budget.

I will be supporting President Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Senator Joni Ernst, a combat veteran, now saying she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary. The former Fox News host and veteran defended his qualifications for the job during a contingent hearing yesterday.

How can we ask these warriors to train and perform the absolute highest standards when you are asking us to lower the standards to make you the Secretary of Defense?

Hegseth casting himself as the victim of false and anonymous smears while facing questions about whether his management experience is sufficient to oversee the 3000000 people of the Defense Department. His past statements about women in the military also drawing scrutiny.

In ways direct, indirect, overt and subtle, Standards have been changed inside infantry training units, ranger school, infantry battalions to ensure

that commanders meet...

Give me 1 example. Please give me an example. I get you're making these generalized

statements. Commanders meet quotas

to have a certain number of female infantry officers or infantry enlisted and that disparages those women

commanders do not have to

meet

quotas for the infantry. Commanders do not have to have a quota for women in the infantry that does not exist.

Hegseth previously said women should not be allowed to serve in combat but he told senators he supports women in combat roles as long as they meet the same standards as men. The military insists that approach has been in place for years. Democrats also pressed Hegg Seth on reports of excessive drinking. He's promised not to drink alcohol if confirmed and about an accusation he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017, which he denies, saying the encounter was consensual.

But you acknowledge that you cheated on your wife and that you cheated on the woman by whom you had just fathered a child. You have admitted that. I will allow your words to speak for them. You're not retracting that

today.

Republicans seizing on Democrats' criticism.

How many senators do you know have got a divorce before cheating on their wives? Did you ask them to step down?

He is a decorated post 9-11 combat veteran. He will inject a new warrior ethos into the Pentagon, a spirit that can cascade from the top down.

Now Hegseth can't afford to lose more than 3 Republican votes but the support of Joni Ernst raises the likelihood he will be confirmed. So Andrew the Senate could vote next week.

All right we'll have to see next week then. Nicole thank you. New details about President-elect Trump's inauguration Monday. We've learned tech billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg are all expected to have front row seats. Sources say the men will likely be alongside Trump's cabinet picks.

We've also learned former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend. She did not say why.

There is a new push to delay the ban on TikTok. 4 Democratic lawmakers, including New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, are pushing for a 270-day extension before the ban takes effect. It's not clear if Congress will take up the proposal. The app will be banned in the U.S. On Sunday, pending a ruling from the Supreme Court.

If you think prescription drug prices are high these days, you're certainly not alone. Now a new government report is pointing a finger at a group of people marking up prices, and this morning, they're responding. Here's ABC's Lionel Moyes.

This morning, new accusations about what's driving up the cost of prescription drugs for more Americans. A new report from the Federal Trade Commission claims organizations known as Pharmacy Benefit Managers or PBMs profited billions by raising prices of specialty drugs used to treat cancer, HIV, and other conditions. PBMs, the so-called middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry, only exist in the U.S. Negotiating drug prices.

They mainly work on behalf of insurers, so their direct clients are health insurance companies and plans.

The report focused on the PBM's Caremark Rx, owned by CVS Health, Express Scripts, owned by Cigna, and OptumRx, owned by United Healthcare. The FTC claims between 2017 and 2022, those companies generated $7.3 billion in revenue by marking up dozens of drugs, some marked up by more than 1, 000 percent. Patient advocates say more transparency is needed, with insurers themselves often in the dark about how much the prices are marked up. What impact are you seeing this have on consumers?

The individual patient does not directly benefit from those negotiations and that's 1 of the reasons why drugs are often unaffordable even for Americans who have full insurance.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which represents PBMs, calls the FTC report baseless and without substantiating evidence. Looking to the future, critics question whether PBMs should be allowed to make a profit from their negotiations.

A pharmacy benefit manager in the United States gets to get a higher revenue if they are negotiating and paying for a higher cost drug, and they get to make less money if the drugs that they're negotiating are cheaper. So that's a big problem because it indirectly incentivizes prices to remain as high as possible.

PBMs have been under scrutiny in Congress, but 1 recent proposal aimed at improving accountability failed to advance. Rhiannon, Andrew.

All right, Lionel, thank you for that. Let's turn to the weather now. About 3 dozen crashes were blamed on the snow across Indiana. It's cold in the Midwest and it's dry in the West. Let's check your forecast now.

Good morning, Very dangerous fire conditions continue this morning with that offshore wind, very dry vegetation. Be careful out there. In the east and the northeast, we still have some cold air in place, the midwest and northeast especially cold, with highs in the 20s in the interior low to mid 30s for the coast and there will be some snow that scoots through the Great Lakes region and the Ohio Valley not as much east of I-81 but through Thursday night we're gonna see 1 to 3 inches in many areas. A little more near the lakes. For AccuWeather, I'm Jeff Cornish for ABC News.

Coming up, a new mission to the moon overnight.

Also ahead, a new alert about a scam involving packages that show up unexpectedly at your home.

And a coyote inside a supermarket? And another coyote blocking the runway to a major airport. Wildlife experts explain what's going on. ♪♪

Whenever news breaks... We are here in Israel, a nation at war after that brutal surprise attack by Hamas

on the ground in Ukraine, reporting from Lewiston, Maine,

the scene of a horrific mass shooting. ABC News Live is right there.

From the scene of that deadly missile strike in Denisbro, Ukraine,

reporting for the earthquake in Turkey in Rolling Fork, This tornado tore through this little town.

From the most devastating disaster in Hawaii.

From Charleston, South Carolina, on the 2024 campaign trail.

In Iceland. Let's go.

Traveling with the president in Mexico City. Wherever the story.

From the front lines. From southern Israel.

Outside the Gaza Strip.

In Beirut.

From the

FBI. Reporting from

the nurses on the picket line.

Here at 10 Downing Street in London.

Wherever the story is.

Wherever the story is.

Wherever the story is. We're gonna take you there.

You're streaming ABC News Live. ABC News Live.

You're streaming ABC News Live. ABC News Live, streaming free everywhere. America's number 1 streaming news.

Amanda Riley was a mother, wife. Everybody loved her.

I heard the words, you have stage 3 blood cancer.

We gave our hearts, our prayers. We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.

Why would somebody fake cancer?

There's all these pictures of her in the hospital with IVs, tubing. It was only a matter of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down. Oh my God!

Scamanda premieres January 30th on ABC and stream on Hulu.

Freeze Morgan Guillory of major crimes.

Where did you get this?

Check out at the dollar store. Woo!

You hired me because I noticed things that you miss.

I can't stop it. It's just how I do.

Let's solve this case. Oh.

Bingo. Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!

Our killer's name is Dubois.

Did you

just Google who's the killer on your phone, Morgan?

No, I did not do that.

What would you do if you saw a woman treated like this?

I don't trust women drivers.

Are you going to be doing your makeup on the whole time? Just wait till you see what happens tonight on ABC.

Ignition. And liftoff.

There she goes. The Blue Ghost lunar lander is on its way to the moon. The spacecraft took off on a SpaceX rocket from the Kennedy Space Center around 1 a.m. The lander is carrying several NASA experiments to help better understand the moon's environment. It's set to reach the lunar surface in March.

A new scam alert when it comes to packages delivered to your door. Police are warning about so-called brushing scams. It starts when you receive an unexpected package that does not list a sender. When you open the package, it contains a QR code to scan on your phone to find out who sent it. But scanning that code allows the scammers to gain access to your phone and your personal information.

Well, they are getting really clever, aren't they? Now to a shocking scene inside a busy supermarket, a coyote in the produce section. Police in Chicago had to pull a coyote from a grocery store refrigerator after the animal ended up in the produce section hiding beneath the fine cheeses. A witness says minutes earlier she saw the male coyote roaming the parking lot. It's been transferred to a wildlife rehab center.

Coyote 17 at 27. And what's the nature of the emergency?

1 day earlier at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, a United flight hit a coyote during takeoff, forcing pilots to divert the plane back to the airport.

United 17, 27, like I told you earlier, during the rotation we hit a pretty big animal and we're suspecting they're causing a damage to the nose and landing gear.

Experts say January through March is mating season when coyotes are especially active and sightings are on the rise in urban areas across the country from New York City to Charlotte. In the Chicago area sightings were up 27% last year resulting in more than 1, 300 calls to animal control. Experts say factors include more green spaces in our cities and the availability of lots of food, from trash to small pets. Well, experts say coyotes are masters at adapting to their surroundings, but they usually try to avoid humans.

Coming up, what could be a major change at the supermarket when it comes to food labels?

Also ahead, how to keep kids off porn sites. The Supreme Court will take up the issue today. ♪♪

Friday, 2020 is all new.

A beloved father who went missing and evidently told his best friends not to come looking for him.

My family and I are begging you, asking for your assistance.

This is the strangest case I've ever seen. Now, follow the clues to solve a deadly, mysterious true crime.

Let's just say the phrase, over my dead body, takes on a new meaning. And just when you think

you know where the story is headed, things take a turn.

The new 2020 Friday Night on ABC.

Whenever, wherever news breaks, it's so important to always remember that lives are changed. Here in London, in Buffalo, Uvalde, Texas, Edinburgh, Scotland. We're getting

to a small community outside of Mexico City.

Getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.

Stream ABC News Live weeknights wherever you stream your news. Only on ABC News Live. Why would somebody fake cancer?

There's all these pictures of her in the hospital with IVs, tubing. It was only a matter of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down. Oh, my God!

Scamanda premieres January 30th on ABC and stream on Hulu.

I've been doing this for years.

Are you gonna be doing your makeup on the whole time? Would you step in?

You don't need to insult her.

Wait till you see what happens.

I just wanted to protect her.

Women need to support other women.

So the question is, what would you do?

We are good drivers, by the way.

All new Tonight on ABC.

Morning, Mr. Lewis.

Guilty as charged. No.

That's the man accused of stalking basketball star Caitlin Clark. After his outburst in court, Michael Lewis was held on $50, 000 bond. A not guilty plea was entered. Police say he traveled from Texas to Indiana to be near her.

The FDA is looking to add an extra nutritional label to packaged foods. It's proposing a rule that would require a label in the front of most packages in addition to the 1 found on the back. The new labels would detail the amount of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars at a glance. And each nutrient would be listed as low, medium, or high. The new labels could come by 2028.

It's a sensitive topic for families across the country, pornography. But today the issue is front and center at the Supreme Court. This morning a battle over access to internet pornography reaches the Supreme Court. At issue, a new law in Texas that would require visitors to porn sites to undergo some kind of age verification process to prove they're 18 or older. Critics claim that would violate the First Amendment because it would burden adults' access to protected speech.

Whenever the government is passing a law in the name of protecting kids, I think there are serious questions to be asked about whether what it's really doing is saying this speech is bad for everyone.

And it's not just Texas. 18 other states have now passed laws requiring age verification on porn sites. The popular site Pornhub cutting off access in most of those states. Supporters of the law argue without requiring age verification, it's too easy for minors to access explicit material. The Texas law exempts sites on which two-thirds of content is not explicit, prompting some to argue that kids could still access porn on social media or through search engines.

So that means that 2 of the most likely sources through which kids will see sexual material, in fact, probably exactly the same sexual material that exists on even porn sites, aren't regulated at all by the law and it also is something that could push kids and other people to more illicit corners of the Internet.

Critics also raise privacy concerns worried the personal data verified by the porn sites could be leaked, but experts say technology exists to keep that data safe. We can put a man on the moon, then it's absolutely possible with modern technology, the latest encryption and cryptology, to be able to tell somebody that you're over 18 without having any risk whatsoever. The justices hear arguments on this case today. Their ruling is expected by summer.

Coming up, a new proposal to limit alcohol consumption at the airport.

Plus, a crackdown on Sex and the city fans.

Number 1 most-watched newscast across all of television.

I'm in

too! I am in.

I'm in.

I'm in too.

I'll be here. Woo!

Amanda Riley was a mother, wife. Everybody loved her. I heard the

words, you have stage 3 blood cancer.

We gave our hearts, our prayers. We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.

Why would somebody fake cancer?

There's all these pictures of her in the hospital with IVs, tubing. It was only a matter of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down. Oh,

my God!

Trust women drivers. I would like a male driver.

Can you

call your boss?

I'm a professional. I've been doing this for years.

Are you going to be doing your makeup on the whole time? Would you step in?

You don't need to insult her.

Wait till you see what happens. I just wanted to protect her.

Women need to support other women.

So the question is, What would you do?

We are good drivers, by the way.

All new

tonight on ABC. Friday, 2020 is all new.

A beloved father who went missing and evidently told his best friends not to come looking for him.

My family and I are begging you, asking for your assistance.

This is the strangest case I've ever seen. Now follow the clues to solve a deadly mysterious true crime.

Let's just say the phrase over my dead body takes on a new meaning and just when you think you know where the

story is headed things take a turn.

The new 2020 Friday Night on ABC.

Reporting on abortion rights from

the Arizona State Capitol, I'm Elizabeth Schultz. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC News Live.

Time to check the pulse.

We begin with a new effort to limit how much people drink at the airport.

Yes, this is being led by an Irish airline. Ryanair says passengers waiting in European airports should be limited to 2 drinks.

Yeah, the effort follows a passenger's drunken behavior on a flight that had to be diverted, costing the airline thousands of dollars.

Next, a New York brownstone made famous on Sex and the City will soon have a new added feature.

So many fans have still been flocking to Carrie Bradshaw's apartment that the owner of the home is putting up a gate to keep people off her stoop.

She says she doesn't mind fans taking pictures, but some tried to open her door. Some even carved their names into the building. That's

not cool.

Next, something new for Tiger Woods.

Now

this is cool. He's taking his competitive golf game indoors. Woods launched a three-on-three golf league taking place on a simulator for longer shots than a real course to pitch and putt. At 1 point, Woods sent a ball into the water, appearing to embarrass his son Charlie. Woods' team lost in a blowout.

Next, the pet mystery spanning multiple states.

A New Hampshire family says their cat ran away 8 months ago. They got a huge surprise this week when someone found her 700 miles away in Michigan.

The family has no idea how she got to Ann Arbor, but thanks to a microchip, they have been reunited. Top headlines next.

Why do so many people start their day here? From ABC News, This is Start Here.

To be in the know and get a different take on the day's top stories.

A lot of news today, so let's get into it.

Listen now to the Daily News podcast honored with 4 Edward R. Murrow awards and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start Here, ABC News. Make it your daily first listen.

Now, that's a part of the story I bet you didn't see coming.

Wherever you get your podcasts, start here.

Amanda Riley was a mother, wife. Everybody loved her. I heard the

words, you have stage 3 blood cancer.

We gave our hearts, our prayers. We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.

Why would somebody fake cancer?

There's all these pictures of her in the hospital with IVs, tubing. It was only a matter of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down. Oh my god!

Scamanda premieres January 30 on ABC and stream on Hulu. I only have 1 rule. Stay out of the basement.

What do you got in the basement?

Something down there will destroy the world.

We're talking about a real monster. Ahh!

Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!

Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!

Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!

Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!

Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!

Turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight

with David Muir. America's number 1 most watched newscast across all of television. And evidently told his best friends not to come looking for him.

My family and I are begging you, asking for your assistance.

This is the strangest case I've ever seen. Now, follow the clues to solve a deadly, mysterious true crime.

Let's just

say the phrase, over my dead body, takes on a new meaning. And just when you think

you know where the story is headed, things take a turn.

The new 2020 Friday night on ABC. Donald Trump, historic, taking the oath of office for the second time. Inauguration Day, America turns to ABC News. Starting with a special Good Morning America, then live all across the day, David Muir, right there as history is made, Monday on ABC.

♪♪ Checking more top stories now. The Los Angeles wildfires are now blamed for at least 25 deaths. Forecasters say extreme fire behavior is possible today with strong winds, possible until about 3 p.m. Gusts could reach 70 miles per hour. Some survivors of LA's largest fire are now suing the city and its water and power agency, accusing them of being unprepared for the Palisades fire, which was only 17% contained overnight.

Overseas Israel and Hamas are said to be in the final stage of reaching a ceasefire deal. U.S. Officials say both sides have agreed to core elements of a proposal, calling for the release of 33 hostages, including at least 2 Americans.

Capital 1 Bank is accused of cheating its customers out of $2 billion in lost interest. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing the bank, claiming it froze rates on its 360 performance savings accounts. Capital 1 says it strongly disagrees with the claims and will vigorously defend itself in court.

Today's weather clear across the west with those strong winds in California, bitter cold from the plains to the northeast, and rain on the Gulf Coast.

Finally, the man being called the happiest person online.

He spoke to maybe the second happiest person, Will Ganz.

Can we take a little moment to appreciate How beautiful is this mountain looking right behind me? Ha ha!

Peter Mayerhofer might just be the happiest person on the Internet.

I hope you're all super fine and everything is going well in your life.

Peter's racked up more than 4.5 million likes sharing his mountainside adventures from his home in Austria.

He looks

dangerous, so let's go there.

It's funny, I like am half expecting you to join the zoom call from the side of a mountain somewhere.

But here in Austria it's already night, Everything is dark.

But Peter's in the business of bringing light wherever he goes.

When I go outside, I most of the time go off the tracks because there is the things that are the most beautiful. You find waterfalls and you find animals.

The comments on his videos range from, hey, you remind me of the guy from Frozen. Woo-hoo!

Big summer blowout.

To, your videos are going to heal the world. I feel so much joy whilst watching you.

I am now Following this path into the wilderness. Sometimes we forget to open our eyes and see how beautiful the world actually is. And we have to go outside more, be wild, be adventurous, and you for sure also have to focus on the good things. You have to go outside and you have to see the things and concentrate. What is making me happy right now?

Will Ganz, ABC News, New York.

I also think he has the best hair online.

Also he made us a lot happier. Yeah. That's your Good Morning America first look.

Have a fantastic day everyone.

America's number 1 news ABC News now streaming 24 7 on Disney Plus.

Right now on Good Morning America First Look. On alert in the fire zone. The most severe risk for heavy winds in the hours ahead. The precautions underway as the fire disaster death toll rises.

President Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon gets a big boost to show support for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth hours after a contentious hearing on Capitol Hill. Plus new details about Trump's inauguration and the role Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg will play.

Paying more for prescription drugs. The new report pointing the finger at the so-called middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry. Just how much they're allegedly jacking up the prices.

Overnight a new mission to the moon, blasting off from Kennedy Space Center.

Coyote concerns, 1 found inside a supermarket in the produce section, another found on the runway at a major airport. What's behind the spike in the coyote population?

The debate over how to keep kids off porn sites, the Supreme Court taking up the issue today.

Later, the crackdown on Sex and the City fans being rude.

And, are we drinking too much at the airport? The new proposal to limit booze before takeoff.

From ABC News, this is Good Morning America, First Look.

Good Wednesday morning everyone, I'm Andrew Dimberg.

And I'm Rianna Nally. Good morning to all of you. Los Angeles County is once again facing the most severe wind warning, raising the threat for new fires.

Heavy winds could also spread existing fires. The massive Palisades fire was only 17% contained overnight, and the death toll from the disaster is still rising. This morning, emergency crews have transformed the Rose Bowl from a stadium to a wildfire command center as they prepare for yet another round of powerful winds possibly fueling more fires in Southern California. High winds are forecast to hit again today from Central California to the Mexican border.

This area where you have extreme fire risk, San Fernando Valley, back to Thousand Oaks, the Western Santa Monica Mountains, we're watching really closely for wind gusts of 45 to even 70 miles per hour.

Tens of thousands of people remain under mandatory evacuation orders. Another 84, 000 people under evacuation warnings have been warned be ready to leave.

When we're giving you warnings that's the time you

should probably think about going.

The 2 largest fires the Palisades and Eaton fires have destroyed more than 12, 000 homes and businesses killing at least 25 people.

It was literally shooting like fireballs it looked like a volcano.

Zahir Calvin lost his sister in the Eaton fire. He says they got separated while evacuating.

Me and my cousin came back and climbed over there and checked and got a shovel and that's where they found her found her remains and just I don't know why she didn't leave. It's just so much, it's just so much. The life has been sucked out of us as a community.

Susan Salser says she watched the Palisades fire approach her home from her kitchen window. The 85 year old fought the fire with her 86 year old husband Winston saving their home.

I used the hose to control the ground fire and stop that end of the house from burning.

Health officials have now issued a dust and ash advisory warning of air pollution as people across the area scramble for shelter. Among them, Erica Lee.

I've reached out to a couple places and a lot of them have already been taken and 1 of them that I applied for up the rent $1, 000 an hour after I applied.

Realtors say prospective tenants are so desperate some are offering to pay double the listed rent for an entire year up front.

It's hard because my son keeps asking me when are we going to stop moving.

Meanwhile, new questions about when and how the Palisades fire started. 6 days earlier, a smaller fire broke out in the same area, possibly from New Year's fireworks. Crews contained those flames, but investigators are now reportedly looking into whether a flare-up ended up sparking the Palisades fire. FEMA has now received more than 40, 000 applications for assistance.

Now to Washington and the fiery confirmation hearing for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. Today another Trump cabinet pick will be in the hot seat. ABC's Nicole D'Antonio has details on that. Nicole, good morning.

That's right, good morning to you. President-like Trump's pick for Attorney General Pam Bondi faces her Senate confirmation hearing today, 1 day after Pete Hegseth faced a grilling on Capitol Hill. This morning, a boost for the man President- elect Trump has chosen to lead the Pentagon and it's nearly 900 billion dollar annual budget.

I will be supporting President Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Senator Jody Ernst, a combat veteran, now saying she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary. The former Fox News host and veteran defended his qualifications for the job during a contingent hearing yesterday.

How can we ask these warriors to train and perform the absolute highest standards when you are asking us to lower the standards to make you the Secretary of Defense?

Hegg Seth casting himself as the victim of false and anonymous smears while facing questions about whether his management experience is sufficient to oversee the 3000000 people of the Defense Department. His past statements about women in the military also drawing scrutiny.

In ways direct, indirect, overt and subtle, standards have been changed inside infantry training units, ranger school, infantry battalions to ensure

that commanders meet...

Give me 1 example. Please give me an example. I get you're making these generalized statements.

Commanders meet quotas

to have a certain number of female infantry officers or infantry enlisted and that disparages those women

commanders do not have to have a quota for women in the infantry that does not exist.

Hegseth previously said women should not be allowed to serve in combat but he told senators he supports women in combat roles as long as they meet the same standards as men. The military insists that approach has been in place for years. Democrats also pressed Hegseth on reports of excessive drinking. He's promised not to drink alcohol if confirmed and about an accusation he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017, which he denies, saying the encounter was consensual.

But you acknowledge that you cheated on your wife and that you cheated on the woman by whom you had just fathered a child. You have admitted that. I will allow your words to speak for themselves. You're not retracting that today.

Republicans seizing on Democrats' criticism.

How many senators do you know have got a divorce before cheating on their wives? Did you ask them to step down?

He is a decorated post 9-11 combat veteran. He will inject a new warrior ethos into the Pentagon, a spirit that can cascade from the top down.

Now Hegseth can't afford to lose more than 3 Republican votes but the support of Joni Ernst raises the likelihood he will be confirmed. So Andrew, the Senate could vote next week.

All right, we'll have to see next week then. Nicole, thank you. New details about President-elect Trump's inauguration Monday. We've learned tech billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg are all expected to have front row seats. Sources say the men will likely be alongside Trump's cabinet picks.

We've also learned former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend. She did not say why.

There is a new push to delay the ban on TikTok. 4 Democratic lawmakers, including New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, are pushing for a 270-day extension before the ban takes effect. It's not clear if Congress will take up the proposal. The app will be banned in the U.S. On Sunday, pending a ruling from the Supreme Court.

If you think prescription drug prices are high these days, you're certainly not alone. Now a new government report is pointing a finger at a group of people marking up prices. And this morning, they're responding. Here's ABC's Lionel Moyes.

This morning, new accusations about what's driving up the cost of prescription drugs for more Americans. A new report from the Federal Trade Commission claims organizations known as Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, profited billions by raising prices of specialty drugs used to treat cancer, HIV, and other conditions. PBMs, the so-called middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry, only exist in the U.S. Negotiating drug prices.

They mainly work on behalf of insurers, so their direct clients are health insurance companies and plans.

The report focused on the PBM's Caremark Rx, owned by CVS Health, Express Scripts, owned by Cigna, and OptumRx, owned by United Healthcare. The FTC claims between 2017 and 2022, those companies generated $7.3 billion in revenue by marking up dozens of drugs, some marked up by more than 1, 000 percent. Patient advocates say more transparency is needed, with insurers themselves often in the dark about how much the prices are marked up. What impact are you seeing this have on consumers?

The individual patient does not directly benefit from those negotiations and that's 1 of the reasons why drugs are often unaffordable even for Americans who have full insurance.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which represents PBMs, calls the FTC report baseless and without substantiating evidence. Looking to the future, critics question whether PBMs should be allowed to make a profit from their negotiations.

A pharmacy benefit manager in the United States gets to get a higher revenue if they are negotiating and paying for a higher cost drug, and they get to make less money if the drugs that they're negotiating are cheaper. So that's a big problem because it indirectly incentivizes prices to remain as high as possible.

PBMs have been under scrutiny in Congress, but 1 recent proposal aimed at improving accountability failed to advance. Rhiannon, Andrew?

All right, Lionel, thank you for that. Let's turn to the weather now. About 3 dozen crashes were blamed on the snow across Indiana. It's cold in the Midwest and it's dry in the West. Let's check your forecast now.

Good morning. Very dangerous fire conditions continue this morning with that offshore wind, very dry vegetation. Be careful out there. In the east and the northeast, we still have some cold air in place. The midwest and northeast, especially cold, with highs in the 20s in the interior low to mid 30s for the coast and there will be some snow that scoots through the Great Lakes region and the Ohio Valley not as much east of I-81 but through Thursday night we're gonna see 1 to 3 inches in many areas.

A little more near the lakes. For AccuWeather, I'm Jeff Cornish for ABC News.

Coming up, a new mission to the moon overnight.

Also ahead, a new alert about a scam involving packages that show up unexpectedly at your home.

And a coyote inside a supermarket and another coyote blocking the runway to major airport. Wildlife experts explain what's going on.

Hey, good morning America.

Good morning

America. Good morning America. Good morning America.

Are you ready?

Covering the biggest events in the country right now.

There's a lot going on.

You don't just see it, you feel it.

I'm in.

I'm in.

I'm in.

I'm in, too.

I'll be here.

I am here and so happy. I'm in. I'm in, too.

Michael, Claire, Clara, Ginger. Let's

rock them! Let's rock them! Go MedBus! Go MedBus!

This family is suffocating. We are all here to help them. We're going to make this happen.

We

have 96 hours to build a house.

Come on, guys, let's move in there. Let's go. It can't be real.

This was more than just Extreme Home Makeover. This was Extreme Life Makeover.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Thursday on ABC and stream on Hulu.

Whenever, wherever news breaks, it's so important to always remember that lives are changed. Here in London, in Buffalo, Uvalde, Texas, Edinburgh, Scotland, reporting from Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw.

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Friday 2020 is all new.

A beloved father who went missing and evidently told his best friends not to come looking for him.

My family and I are begging you, asking for your assistance.

This is the strangest case I've ever seen. Now, follow the clues to solve a deadly, mysterious true crime.

Let's just say the phrase, over my dead body, takes on a new meaning. And just when you think

you know where the story is headed, things take a turn.

The new 2020, Friday night on ABC.

Reporting from West Palm Beach, Florida, at the site of the Trump election night watch party, I'm Jay O'Brien. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC News Live.

Ignition.

There she goes. The Blue Ghost lunar lander is on its way to the moon. The spacecraft took off on a SpaceX rocket from the Kennedy Space Center around 1 a.m. The lander is carrying several NASA experiments to help better understand the moon's environment. It's set to reach the lunar surface in March.

A new scam alert when it comes to packages delivered to your door. Police are warning about so-called brushing scams. It starts when you receive an unexpected package that does not list a sender. When you open the package, it contains a QR code to scan on your phone to find out who sent it. But scanning that code allows the scammers to gain access to your phone and your personal information.

Wow, they are getting really clever, aren't they? Now to a shocking scene inside a busy supermarket. A coyote in the produce section. Police in Chicago had to pull a coyote from a grocery store refrigerator after the animal ended up in the produce section hiding beneath the fine cheeses. A witness says minutes earlier she saw the male coyote roaming the parking lot.

It's been transferred to a wildlife rehab center.

17 at 27. And what's the nature of the emergency?

1 day earlier at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, a United flight hit a coyote during takeoff, forcing pilots to divert the plane back to the airport.

United 17, 27, like I told you earlier, during the rotation we hit a pretty big animal and we're suspecting they're causing a damage to the nose and landing gear.

Experts say January through March is mating season when coyotes are especially active and sightings are on the rise in urban areas across the country from New York City to Charlotte. In the Chicago area sightings were up 27% last year resulting in more than 1, 300 calls to animal control. Experts say factors include more green spaces in our cities and the availability of lots of food, from trash to small pets. Well, experts say coyotes are masters at adapting to their surroundings, but they usually try to avoid humans.

Coming up, what could be a major change at the supermarket when it comes to food labeling?

Also ahead, how to keep kids off porn sites. The Supreme Court will take up the issue today.

Tonight, as L.A. Communities face new fire threats, the rare red flag warnings in place. Plus, the Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings, key takeaways. World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most-watched newscast.

I only have 1 rule. Stay out of the basement.

What do you got in the basement?

Something down there will destroy the world.

We're talking about a real monster. Ah!

Ah! Ah! Oh! Ah!

Amanda Riley was a mother, wife. Everybody loved her. I heard the

words, you have stage 3 blood cancer.

We gave our hearts, our prayers. We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.

Why would somebody fake cancer?

There's all these pictures of her in the hospital with IVs, tubing. It was only a matter

of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down. Oh, my God! Scamanda premieres January 30th on ABC and stream on Hulu.

What's good to watch? Read? Where can I get a great deal on what I'm just dying to buy? Oh, it's all right here. GMA Life.

All the exclusive and buzziest celebrity good stuff. Deals and steals with amazing savings and the coolest lifestyle tips from Good Morning America.

Get excited!

I love that so much. It's time for GMA Life.

GMA Life, streaming weekends on ABC News Live. Your weekend just got a little better with GMA Live.

Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw.

We're heading to a small community outside of Mexico City.

Getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.

Only on ABC News Live. Ever seen. Now follow the clues to solve a deadly mysterious true crime.

Let's just say the phrase over my dead body takes on a new meaning and just when you think you know where the story

is headed things take a turn.

The new 2020 Friday night on ABC.

Morning Mr. Lewis.

No.

That's the man accused of stalking basketball star Caitlin Clark. After his outburst in court, Michael Lewis was held on $50, 000 bond. A not guilty plea was entered. Police say he traveled from Texas to Indiana to be near her.

The FDA is looking to add an extra nutritional label to packaged foods. It's proposing a rule that would require a label in the front of most packages in addition to the 1 found on the back. The new labels would detail the amount of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars at a glance. And each nutrient would be listed as low, medium, or high. The new labels could come by 2028.

It's a sensitive topic for families across the country, pornography. But today the issue is front and center at the Supreme Court. This morning a battle over access to internet pornography reaches the Supreme Court. At issue, a new law in Texas that would require visitors to porn sites to undergo some kind of age verification process to prove they're 18 or older. Critics claim that would violate the First Amendment because it would burden adults' access to protected speech.

Whenever the government is passing a law in the name of protecting kids, I think there are serious questions to be asked about whether what it's really doing is saying this speech is bad for everyone.

And it's not just Texas. 18 other states have now passed laws requiring age verification on porn sites. The popular site Pornhub cutting off access in most of those states. Supporters of the law argue without requiring age verification, it's too easy for minors to access explicit material. The Texas law exempts sites on which two-thirds of content is not explicit, prompting some to argue that kids could still access porn on social media or through search engines.

So that means that 2 of the most likely sources through which kids will see sexual material, in fact, probably exactly the same sexual material that exists on even porn sites, aren't regulated at all by the law. And it also is something that could push kids and other people to more illicit corners of the internet.

Critics also raise privacy concerns, worried the personal data verified by the porn sites could be leaked, but experts say technology exists to keep that data safe. We can put a man on the moon then it's absolutely possible with modern technology, the latest encryption and cryptology to be able to tell somebody that you're over 18 without having any risk whatsoever. The justices hear arguments on this case today. Their ruling is expected by summer.

Coming up, a new proposal to limit alcohol consumption at the airport.

Plus, a crackdown on Sex and the City fans.

♪♪

Amanda Riley was a mother, wife. Everybody loved her.

I heard the words, you have stage 3 blood cancer.

We gave our hearts, our prayers. We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.

Why would somebody fake cancer?

There's all these pictures of her in the hospital with IVs, tubing. It was only a matter of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down. Oh my God!

News today so let's get into it.

Listen now to the Daily News podcast honored with 4 Edward R. Murrow awards and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start here. ABC News. Make it your daily first listen.

Now that's a part of the story I bet you didn't see coming.

America's number 1 most-watched newscast across all of television.

The coolest lifestyle tips from GMA.

I love that so much.

Streaming weekends on ABC News Live.

So what would you do? I didn't think they were gonna send me a female driver.

I'm not getting in the car with you.

If you saw a professional female driver treated like this.

I don't Trust women drivers. I would like a male driver.

Can you

call your boss?

I'm a professional. I've been doing this for years.

Are you

gonna be doing your makeup on the whole time? Would you step in?

You don't need to insult her.

Wait till you see what happens.

I just wanted to protect her.

Women need to support other women.

So the question is, What would you do?

We are good drivers, by the way.

All new tonight on ABC.

Reporting from the protests at Columbia University, I'm Stephanie Ramos. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC News Live.

Time to check the pulse.

We begin with a new effort to limit how much people drink at the airport.

Yes, this is being led by an Irish airline. Ryanair says passengers waiting in European airports should be limited to 2 drinks.

Yeah, the effort follows a passenger's drunken behavior on a flight that had to be diverted, costing the airline thousands of dollars.

Next, a New York brownstone made famous on Sex and the City will soon have a new added feature.

So many fans have still been flocking to Carrie Bradshaw's apartment that the owner of the home is putting up a gate to keep people off her stoop.

She says she doesn't mind fans taking pictures, but some tried to open her door. Some even carved their names into the building. That's not cool. Next, something new for Tiger Woods.

Now

this is cool. He's taking his competitive golf game indoors. Woods launched a three-on-three golf league taking place on a simulator for longer shots than a real course to pitch and putt. At 1 point, Woods sent a ball into the water, appearing to embarrass his son Charlie. Woods' team lost in a blowout.

Next, the pet mystery spanning multiple states.

New Hampshire family says their cat ran away 8 months ago. They got a huge surprise this week when someone found her 700 miles away in Michigan.

The family has no idea how she got to Ann Arbor. Microchip, they have been reunited. Top headlines next. We'll be right back.

This family is suffocated. We are all here to help them. We're going to make this happen. We have 96 hours to build a house.

Come on guys, it's move-in day. Let's go. It can't be real.

This was more than just Extreme Home Makeover. This was Extreme Life Makeover.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Thursday on ABC and stream on Hulu.

Tonight, as LA communities face new fire threats, the rare red flag warnings in place. Plus, the Trump cabinet confirmation hearings, key takeaways. World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most watched newscast.

Why do so many people start their day here? From ABC News, This is Start Here.

To be in the know and get a different take on the day's top stories.

A lot of news today, so let's get into it.

Listen now to the daily news podcast honored with 4 Edward R. Murrow awards and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start Here, ABC News. Make it your daily first listen.

Now, that's a part of the story I bet you didn't see coming.

Wherever you get your podcasts, start here. I only have 1 rule. Stay out of the basement.

What do you got in the basement?

Something down there will destroy the world.

We're talking about a real monster. Ah! Ah!

Ah! Ah!

Ah! Ah! Ah!

Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!

Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!

Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!

Ah! Ah!

Ah! Ah! Ah! I'm not getting in the car with you. If you saw a professional female driver treated like this...

I don't trust women drivers. I would like a male driver. Can you call your boss? I'm a professional. I've been doing this for years.

Are you gonna be doing your

makeup on the whole time? Would you step in?

You don't need to insult her.

Wait till you see what happens.

I just wanted to protect her.

Women need to support other women.

So the question is, what would you do?

We are good drivers, by the way.

All new tonight on ABC. Donald Trump, historic, taking the oath of office for the second time. Inauguration Day, America turns to ABC News. Starting with a special Good Morning America, then live all across the day, David Muir, right there as history is made, Monday on ABC.

♪♪ Checking more top stories now. The Los Angeles wildfires are now blamed for at least 25 deaths. Forecasters say extreme fire behavior is possible today with strong winds, possible until about 3 p.m. Gusts could reach 70 miles per hour. Some survivors of LA's largest fire are now suing the city and its water and power agency, accusing them of being unprepared for the Palisades fire, which was only 17% contained overnight.

Overseas Israel and Hamas are said to be in the final stage of reaching a ceasefire deal. U.S. Officials say both sides have agreed to core elements of a proposal, calling for the release of 33 hostages, including at least 2 Americans.

Capital 1 Bank is accused of cheating its customers out of $2 billion in lost interest. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing the bank, claiming it froze rates on its 360 performance savings accounts. Capital 1 says it strongly disagrees with the claims and will vigorously defend itself in court.

Today's weather clear across the west with those strong winds in California, bitter cold from the plains to the northeast, and rain on the Gulf Coast.

Finally, the man being called the happiest person online.

He spoke to maybe the second happiest person, Will Ganz.

Can we take a little moment to appreciate How beautiful is this mountain looking right behind me? Ha ha!

Peter Mayerhoffa might just be the happiest person on the Internet.

I hope you're all super fine and everything is going well in your life.

Peter's racked up more than 4.5 million likes sharing his mountainside adventures from his home in Austria.

He looks dangerous, so let's go there.

It's funny, I like am half expecting you to join the Zoom call from the side of a mountain somewhere.

But here in Austria, it's already night. Everything is dark.

But Peter's in the business of bringing light wherever he goes.

When I go outside, I most of the time go off the tracks because there is the things that are the most beautiful. You find waterfalls and you find animals.

The comments on his videos range from, hey you remind me of the guy from Frozen.

Big summer blowout.

To your videos are going to heal the world. I feel so much joy whilst watching you.

I'm now

Following this path into the wilderness. Sometimes we forget to open our eyes and see how beautiful the world actually is. And we have to go outside more, be wild, be adventurous and you for sure also have to focus on the good things. You have to go outside and you have to see the things and concentrate what is making me happy right now.

Will Gans, ABC News, New York.

I also think he has the best hair online.

Also he made us a lot happier. Yeah. That's your good morning America first.

Have a fantastic day everyone.

You're watching America's number 1 streaming news ABC News Live. Breaking news, exclusives, live reporting. Keep streaming with ABC News Live.

A lot of news today, so let's get into it.

Listen now to the Daily News Podcast honored with 4 Edward R. Murrow Awards. And see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start here. ABC News.

Make it your daily first listen.

Now that's a part of the story I bet you didn't see coming.

Wherever you get your podcasts, start here.

Now at 4 a.m. Southern California not in the clear yet as we continue to track another round of dangerous fire weather. A live look outside right now as officials urge the community to take precaution as the Eaton and Palisade fires continue to burn.

Plus, legal action is being taken following the fires. What we know about the newest lawsuit that was filed against LADWP.

Now Southern California's news leader ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

And good morning it's 4 a.m. I'm John Gregory.

And

I'm Rachel Brown. Thank you for joining us. The dangerous winds are expected to return this morning. Meteorologist Leslie Lopez is tracking the latest.

Hey good morning. That's right. You can see right now the wind sock over and along. We're just moving a little bit but we are not looking at some very dangerous winds through the area. So again we are looking and anticipating that we will have some wind yesterday, but most of those winds will not be meeting a very extreme threshold.

So we can call these winds today moderate Santa Ana winds. You can see this camera's moving around, and most of the winds through the valleys in our coastline will be making it up to about 35 to 45 miles per hour. Yesterday we had a really great forecast. Most areas were just breezy and we did not meet very high wind velocities unless you were through some of the canyons and passes. Red flag warnings are also in effect through Thousand Oaks out towards areas of the San Gabriel Valley mountain communities and then down through areas closer towards it looks like even Irvine.

Right now we are still looking at the possibility for that PDS to continue and move into effect and stay there. We also have some very cold weather out towards the deserts and the winds are gonna continue forward for most of the day. You'll notice tomorrow, they back way off and we're gonna get back to some calmer conditions. Onshore winds return to Southern California for tomorrow into your weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. But then by next week, we're talking about another Santa Ana downtown, 73 degrees.

And if you are heading out the door for Orange County, 71. And the Valleys of Lynn Empire, 72 degrees. We'll have more coming up in just a bit. We'll send it back over to you, John and Rachel.

All right, Leslie, thanks. SoCal Edison has cut power to thousands of customers due to the dangerous red flag conditions and there could be more planned power shutoffs to prevent more wildfires.

Eyewitness News reporter Jaysha Patel live in Stevenson Ranch this morning with the latest. Jaysha.

Good morning John and Rachel. We can probably tell around me the lights are still on here in Stevenson Ranch conditions right now. Definitely cool. A little breezy, but not too bad. While we were driving through the new hall pass, we definitely felt some wind gusts that were moving our truck a little bit.

But right now those conditions aren't too bad. If I step out the way and we pan into those flags, you can kind of see what we're talking about here. But of course, wildfires are going to remain a concern with these winds. And as a precaution, because of today's weather, SoCal Edison is warning customers to prepare for. Power shutoffs.

I want you to take a

look at this new video from overnight, which shows the lights completely out in the San Bernardino Mountains. So Cal Edison's latest outage map shows Crestline and Lake Arrowhead among the areas that are in the dark right now. Now the utility company says it could cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers across Southern California today because of the winds and majority of those power safety shutoffs are expected in LA and Ventura counties. So these shutoffs usually happen during red flag weather to prevent sparks or from anything igniting that could possibly cause wildfires. And SoCal Edison officials say that this is usually a last resort for keeping people safe.

Our team has clear guidelines, clear criteria and they act because we want to make sure we're keeping the public safe.

We completely understand the necessity for it and we hope that people, other people also understand and that everyone's doing the best they can in such a dire situation.

Officials say it's important to have a plan in case the power goes out, like a kit with non-perishable food, flashlights and rechargeable battery packs for your phones and other devices. But back out here live, if you want to check out the outages that may possibly be in your area or around the area you can go to sce.com slash outage. Live in Stevenson Ranch, Jaysha Patel, ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

All right, Jaysha, Thank you. The winds are a big cause for concern for crews battling the Palisades and the Eaton fires. This morning there are no visible signs of flames in the Palisades, but the firefight does continue. At last check, the fire was 18 percent contained. That means they have it encircled, 18 percent of it encircled, after it burned more than 23, 000 acres.

Scott Reif, live over the fire in Air 7 over Pacific Palisades with a look this morning Scott.

Yeah Rachel and John good morning now I'm trying to give you a little perspective here because the whole area is dark the fire for the most part I can't say out that's a bad term but it is laid down there's no flame there's no smoke That's sunset where you see all the. Fire engines and flashing lights, and we have a little breeze this morning. But to give you some idea how prepared they are with these winds kick up If they do, there's over 5000 personnel on the fire line. 44 helicopters are dedicated. They could fly right now.

The majority of them if they needed to, but they don't 500. Engine 70 bulldozers and 1300 campers to be 130 camp crews. So to give you an idea, they are prepared in this area. The entire burn area is just black. It's dark.

We really can't see anything at this hour. But certainly I want to make everyone realize they are prepared. There's the 405 freeway. That would be a way to the east of the fire itself. You can see it is moving.

And there's not much for us to show you until we have daylight. The wind's relatively calm. We're not seeing much in the way of winds right now and without a catastrophic wind kick up or change in the direction, they're going to be okay in here. They just have the resources to take care of just about anything that happens. Rachel, John.

Hey, Scott, thank you. As survivors of the devastating Palisades and Eden fires begin to rebuild their lives, the blame game has begun.

Yeah, multiple lawsuits have now been filed against utility companies here in Southern California. Reporter Nick Garcia from our sister station in Fresno now joining us live in Pacific Palisades with those details. Nick.

Well John Rachel, good morning. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison are the ones named in that lawsuit. Now we've seen it all with heartbreaking images of houses reduced to rubble like that 1 out here on sunset. The people who are filing these claims say that this shouldn't have happened, and they want someone to take accountability. Now, this latest lawsuit has been filed against the LADWP by a group of survivors of the Palisades fire who claim the utilities' inadequate water delivery hampered firefighters in battling the deadly fire, which has destroyed thousands of structures and killed at least 9 people.

Now a key part of the lawsuit is that Santa Ynez Reservoir, a 117 million gallon water storage complex that had been empty for nearly a year. Here you see that reservoir as the Palisades fire roared around it. The LADWP put out a statement before this filing saying in part the utility quote was required to take the Santiagnes reservoir out of service to meet safe drinking water regulations. Just days ago Governor Newsom called for an investigation into LADWP and the loss of water pressure at local fire hydrants and lack of water supplies amid the firefight. The LADWP lawsuit comes after several lawsuits were filed against SoCal Edison by people who lost their homes in the Eaton fire.

At least 5 lawsuits have been hot filed by homeowners and renters. They allege SoCal Edison failed to de-energize all of its electrical equipment despite red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service and believe the fire was sparked by downed power lines. The wind-driven fire destroyed an estimated 7, 000 structures and has killed at least 16 people. Now back out here live, all of these lawsuits are seeking, including this latest 1 against the LEDWP, are seeking compensatory damages for the plaintiffs as well as punitive damages. For now, live in Pacific Palisades, I'm Nick Garcia, ABC7 Eyewitness News.

Okay, Nick, thank you for that live update.

Alright, and Hey, good morning. This is what it looks like today for heading outside some windy weather sure coming back We're about 35 40 mile per hour winds expected through this morning. So again, this is a little uptick This is a little flare up in terms of wind speeds now We're gonna get back to about 33 mile per hour winds out towards Moore Park We don't expect to see this last all day though. So the good news is if we are going to get these winds, they're going to last through most of the morning. Right around, it looks like 7.30, we have 40 mile per hour winds through the Moore Park area.

That's sticking around through the later morning hours before they back off as we're heading into it looks like the afternoon. So again 35-40 mile per hour winds not out of the question through this morning through some of the areas where we're concerned with and where that particularly dangerous situation PDS is located. Right now it's back to very low humidity levels unfortunately. 17% relative humidity down into Oxnard today, 18 into Van Nuys. If you're heading out into Los Angeles about 32 and it's 30 that's it for areas of Pasadena.

So where does this stack up in terms of very strong to moderate Santa Ana? We're in between. We're around a moderate to strong Santa Ana. We aren't meeting those 60 mile per hour wind thresholds, so we're certainly not at the top of the strong wind threshold. So we're really in between this moderate range into a very low to strong Santa Ana wind event.

So again, this is different than the last event. We're gonna talk more about where we're headed coming up in the next few days in just a little bit, but there is another Santa Ana to discuss for next week. So we'll talk about that at length too. Over to you, John and Rachel.

Okay, Leslie, thank you. We want to take another live look outside at Malibu and with another round of winds now is the time to download our free ABC 7 Los Angeles app. You can track the winds specific to your neighborhood. You can also stream our newscasts if you lose power.

Hey, good morning America. Good morning, America. Good

morning, America. Good morning, America.

Are you ready? They are ready.

Covering the biggest events in the country right now.

There's a lot going on here this morning.

You don't just see it, you feel it.

I'm in.

I'm in.

I'm in.

I'm in, too.

I am here and so happy. I'm in.

I'm in, too.

Michael, Clara, Ginger. Let's raise up!

Stay

up all night. We're gonna make this happen. We have 96 hours to build a house. Come on guys, it's move-in day. Let's go.

It can't be real.

This was more than just Extreme Home Makeover. This was Extreme Life Makeover.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Thursday on ABC and stream on Hulu.

Whenever, wherever news breaks, it's so important to always remember that lives are changed. Here in London, in Buffalo, Uvalde, Texas, Edinburgh, Scotland. Reporting from Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw.

We're heading to a small community outside of Mexico City.

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For your assistance.

This is the strangest case I've ever seen. Now follow the clues to solve a deadly mysterious true crime.

Let's just say the phrase over my dead body takes on a new meaning and just when you think

you know where the story is headed things take a turn.

The new 2020 Friday Night on ABC. What does it take to be the most watched newscast in America?

An operation to capture ISIS fighters.

This is Sir Combat Operations Center.

We're approaching the gate now. Militants came in from 4 or 5 different directions. Operational nuclear reactor. So you have a couple loaded and ready to go. The house is destroyed, but the flag, there's not a tear in it.

Not a tear in it.

How important is this label right here, Made in the USA?

Look at your smile, you're proud of this.

I love it. Great work.

Hi. Where are you? Where are you? Appreciate you. Thank

you, David.

Good to

meet you.

Ismael. David. David.

Yes, yes. I'm David Muir. I know you are. You do? I watch you every night.

ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most-watched newscast.

Just when you think you know where

the story is headed, things take a turn.

2020, Friday night on ABC. Shifting Gears

is the much-anticipated can't-miss series with humor and heart.

You can go

back to law school. That's always been your dream.

That was your dream for me.

You like to argue.

You do love to argue.

You always

want to get paid for it.

Shifting Gears, new Wednesday on ABC.

Today, displaced students from Palisades Charter Elementary and Marquez Charter Elementary are going back to class, but it's going to look a lot different. The students will attend class on another LAUSD campus. A live look from Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet, which is 1 of the campus's welcoming displaced students. LAUSD has stepped up to help find temporary space for students impacted by the Palisades fire after their campuses were badly burned. We'll have more on their return to class in our next half hour.

And many impacted by the wildfires may be wondering if donations you receive from a GoFundMe page might impact how much relief money you get from FEMA?

Experts say the answer is likely yes. FEMA may

be able to offer funds to replace a vehicle but if your GoFundMe page clearly states that you're raising funds to replace a vehicle then that will impact eligibility and here's why. FEMA by law cannot duplicate benefits So we can't pay for things that have already been paid for by other sources.

Because of this, FEMA says you should carefully consider how you establish a GoFundMe page and you should be very clear about what your intentions are for any donations you might receive.

That's good information to know in these days. Ongoing relief efforts continue for fire victims, including 1 movement that was started by a local eighth grader.

How it's helping teenage girls get back on their feet following the Eden Fire.

Amanda Riley was a mother, wife. Everybody loved her. I heard the

words, you have stage 3 blood cancer.

We gave our hearts, our prayers. We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.

Why would somebody fake cancer?

There's all these pictures of her in the hospital with IVs, tubing. It was only a matter of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down. Oh my god!

Scamanda premieres January 30 on ABC and stream on Hulu.

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Tonight, as L.A. Communities face new fire threats, the rare red flag warnings in place. Plus, The Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings, key takeaways. World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most-watched newscast.

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Welcome back. A SoCal teenager's effort to help wildfire victims is getting a lot of community and celebrity support.

14-year-old Avery Colvert's home was safe from the Eden fire but her school in Altadena and many of her friends homes were lost. So she decided to start the Altadena Girls organization with the intention of giving other girls access to new clothing, beauty items and more. Now it's getting the attention of multiple celebrities including Paris Hilton and actress Mindy Kaling.

I got a personal message from Charli XCX. She gave us, her and her team gave us big bags of makeup from Sephora yesterday and Ariana Grande and R.E.M. Beauty are bringing us a bunch of stuff from her brand.

Local Angelenos are showing up in droves to donate supplies to. For information on how you can help, head to our website ABC7.com.

Turning now to the weather because we still have to worry about these winds. We're continuing to track red flag conditions across Southern California. Let's check in with meteorologist Leslie Lopez.

The good news is, let me just tell you, there's a little piece of good news here. We had a red flag warning, we still do, all the way through 6 o'clock. We also had a high wind warning that was going to go through noon today. That has expired early. And instead, we have wind advisory level winds.

So we're really calling this a moderate Santa Ana. So now we're reducing the wind velocities across Southern California, and yesterday we had some strong winds in some areas, but really most of that really didn't arrive. And I do want to give you this little also piece of information, dust and ash advisory. We do have pretty good air quality, you're looking at that in green. Moderate air quality through areas where the fire was burning.

And still, we have some hot spots here and there, but for the most part, it looks like it's very much contained in some areas. It looks like it's a pretty good handle and we hope to see full containment and that would be wonderful here soon. Now winds are still a factor. Wind can blow ash around and if it's a large mass of ash that's blown around it's really hard for the AQMD's meters to detect. They really do a good job of detecting even smaller, finer particles, but not as we're looking at some ash particles.

So again, that's still really hazardous to your health. So while this particular map says the air quality is good, You really do have to keep in mind that it could actually not be the case and especially if you are downwind south or southwest of where the fires were burning, that's where the ash is likely going to be taken and so again this is a hazard to everybody's, everybody, I mean not just sensitive groups, it's all groups here today. Now red flag warning is also going to be stretching all the way through 6 p.m. Today, so we still hang on to that for a couple of reasons. We know we still have some hot spots burning through some of these fires.

We also know that it's very dry, we've received very little rain, and we still have wind advisory conditions so this really puts us still at a high danger for wildfire spread. Now wind advisories are going to be into our inland Empire still out towards areas of the San Gabriel Mountain communities and Ventura County spots as well as Orange County. Again now we're out of the high wind warning category, which is wonderful to see, but we still have 32 mile per hour winds in Fillmore, about 30 in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks. This was the case yesterday, so that really didn't change a whole lot throughout yesterday, and over into Anaheim about 11. So again, this is not a very strong wind event in terms of some of the Santa Ana's that we've seen so far this year.

In fact, we're downgrading it some here this morning. We also have 15 mile per hour winds at 6 a.m. We have single-digit wind speeds happening for your afternoon in the Pacific Palisades. Also I hope a piece of good news to you. And then we're gonna get right back to Moore Park and that's really 1 of the spots that's still hanging on to some strong gusty winds along with Santa Clarita.

So while a lot of places won't be dealing with howling winds, there certainly are still some spots that will be. So again, we're not out of the woods, out of the fire danger, because we still have 40 mile per hour winds through Moorpark, Oxnard, Santa Clarita, Porter Ranch are still in there. So there is still that PDS issued for that particular area. Down through Santa Ana you could see 30 mile per hour wind guess there. And then we get back to a jet stream that wants to stay very high in latitude.

We're looking at a jet stream that is going to be producing another Santa Ana for us as we're heading into it looks like your Sunday into Monday. So ridge of high pressure forms and it looks as though we could see even stronger 1 later into next week. So maybe Thursday, Friday, some of those wind speeds are really gonna start to increase. 70 degrees out there in San Bernardino today, 70 to 71 Pasadena and Covina along with Encino. And if you're heading out to Thousand Oaks, 71.

All right, let's look at the temperatures. I have a bit of good news for tomorrow and off into the weekend. We have an onshore sea breeze returning to Southern California. Great news as far as moisture content is concerned. Gets us out of this red flag warning.

But unfortunately, by Monday and Tuesday of next week we're back to a new Santa Ana wind event likely to see about 40 to 45 mile per hour winds. We'll be right back, stay with us.

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We've been receiving a lot of complaints from viewers for over the last several days. Many accused rental companies, hotels and other businesses of price gouging.

The Skidmore family lost their Altadena home in the Eaton fire and they say they've reported to Airbnb that the price for their rental is going up by more than 43 percent next week. They're now working to find another place to live.

Under California law, during an emergency, businesses are only allowed to increase prices by up to 10%. Price gouging is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $10, 000 fine. You can report scams or price gouging by going to the website on your screen at oag.ca.gov. While air quality conditions have improved, officials say the winds picking up again could be a threat to your health.

While students of burned-down Palisades schools will be returning to a different LA Unified campus, I'm Erin Cruz with the latest images of the damage and how students and teachers have been affected by the wildfires.

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Let's just say the phrase, over my dead body, takes on a new meaning. And just when you think you know where the story is

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The new 2020 Friday night on ABC. So what would you do... I didn't think they were going to send me a female driver.

I'm not getting in the car with you.

If you saw a professional female driver treated like this...

I don't trust women drivers. I would like a male driver. Can you call your boss?

I'm a professional. I've been doing this for years.

Are you going to be doing your makeup on the whole time? Would you step in?

You don't need to insult her.

Wait till you see what happens.

I just wanted to protect her.

Women need to support other women.

So the question is, what would you do?

We are good drivers, by the way.

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Now, Southern California's news leader, ABC7 Eyewitness News.

Now at 4.30, some displaced students are heading back to classes this morning after fires destroyed their schools. We're live with more on the campuses ready to welcome them this morning.

And we are not out of the woods yet. This is the view from the Malibu camera looking down on the coastline. The wind's still blowing out there. That is the message from the National Weather Service as we prepare for another day of very strong winds. A live look outside again from Malibu.

Leslie Lopez is tracking how long this is all going to last.

Good Wednesday morning. It's 431. I'm Rachel Brown.

And I'm John Gregory. Let's get started with meteorologist Leslie Lopez. And boy, it's just been a week straight of nothing but wind.

I know. It's been really, really just problematic. Of course, we're looking at more challenges for firefighters today. As far as just staying on high alert, we are looking at some winds picking up and so really the high concern is going to be can 1 of these little spot fires or embers that may be our underground, could they get flared up and the possibilities there here today. So again this keeps everybody on high alert still.

We're gonna see temperatures today make it up to about 44 degrees out there in the Riverside and red flag warning stretching from Ventura all the way out towards our San Gabriel Mountain communities. Orange County and our Inland Empire still under this red flag warning through about 6 o'clock today. Now here's the situation. We still have a particularly dangerous situation heading from areas of the coast all the way out towards Simi Valley and then moving up to the I-5 corridor. This particular dangerous situation a little different than yesterday.

We don't have the high wind warnings any longer so that's a bit of good news. But we still have this very cold temperatures and that's enhancing some of the winds out towards the desert areas. Now later on this afternoon we're gonna see wind velocities drop right around 06:00 and look at tomorrow. This is tomorrow morning 505 and most areas are now calming down and staying calm through the weekend. However, as we're gonna cruise on into your Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, potentially Thursday and Friday, so all next week, we are setting up for another ridge of high pressure and 1 steeper than the other and so the possibility for more Santa Ana's to come in, already there and then some of that might end up being a strong Santa Ana that we'll have to issue some more watches, warnings, advisories and maybe even those particularly dangerous situation events too.

We'll send it back over to you John and Rachel.

All right Leslie thanks. The winds have crews trying to contain the Eaton and Palisades fires. They're on high alert.

Scott Reif live over the Eaton fire which has burned more than 14, 000 acres in the San Gabriel Valley. It's still just 35% contained. Scott, how is it looking this morning?

Well, it really couldn't look any better, Rachel and John, as far as the fire is concerned. There's no smoke, there's no flame, you can see some fire crews in here. The sky map, to give you a little perspective, we're basically over the Rose Bowl looking to

the north and to the east.

It gives you some of the streets down in there. Every home in there just about completely devastated, especially the Fair Oaks there. Absolutely horrific. We can't see any of that at this point because it's dark outside. I want to come off the sky map.

If this, Eaton Fire is a little different animal than the Palisades Fire in as much as what has flared up yesterday afternoon was up in the Angeles National Forest. Now Mount Wilson was saved right at the top of your screen you see some flashing lights that's Mount Wilson the infrastructure and everything was saved there fantastic job by the firefighters they have 3, 400 personnel on scene

If it would flare up the flare ups, though, are usually up in that higher terrain and none of the areas down below. Are really threatened, even with a wind event.

I think they're going to be okay here because they have so much structure protection in place. So right now it's really hard to get a gage on exactly what is going on down on the ground, but you can tell some of the flashing lights, there are firefighters everywhere. 35% containment, that's kind of a misleading number that's going to have a long time before the Eaton fire gets more containment because it's hard to contain everything up in the Angeles because of the steep terrain there. But as far as the fire is concerned, it looks just like the Palisades fire. There's no smoke, there's no flame, it's laid down nicely, and hopefully firefighters get more of that containment that we talk about.

Rachel, John?

All right, Scott, thank you. Let's get the latest on the deadly Palisades fire. It is still a long way from full containment after burning close to 24, 000 acres. 9 people have died. The destruction of homes and businesses is also a major focus.

Aerial assessment teams say about 5, 000 structures are either damaged or destroyed. That includes Palisades Charter Elementary School and Marquez Charter Elementary.

And today those students will return to class. Eyewitness News reporter Irene Cruz live in Brentwood at 1 of the host schools this morning. Irene.

Yeah, John Rachel, good morning. We are here at Brentwood Science Magnet Elementary where they're getting ready to welcome students from Palisades Charter Elementary. It's 1 of those 2 schools that burned down, but they're expecting a full regular scheduled day today and teachers here at this Brentwood campus have been preparing around the clock to pack in their classrooms. So Superintendent Alberto Carvalho shared these images of some of the 2 destroyed campuses. These are photos of both Palisades and Marquez elementaries burned down.

The structures collapsed and in 1 of the images you see some charred lunch bags. This week the employee unions estimated at least 150 district staff, including teachers, have lost their homes. A thousand district campuses reopened Monday aside from these 2. LAUSD says 7 schools remain closed and students will temporarily relocate to other campuses. If conditions stay the same, they'll resume PE and other outdoor activities for students.

Now back out here live, the superintendent will make 2 stops this morning to welcome those students to these host schools that starts at 730. That's happening here at Brentwood Science Magnet Elementary as well as Nora Street Elementary. Reporting live in Brentwood, Irene Cruz, ABC7 Eyewitness News.

All right, thank you, Irene.

And FEMA is on the ground to help wildfire victims and has already received tens of thousands of requests for aid.

However, there are still questions from people who need federal assistance right now. Let's go to Eyewitness News reporter Mark Kudroblos who's live in Altadena. Mark.

Yeah, John, Rachel, good morning. FEMA has made clear in past press conferences that they are sparing no expenses. That includes in the initial firefight, bringing in the Marines aircraft and water tenders, but also as you mentioned assisting those who have been impacted by the fires. You can imagine, no doubt there are so many people stressed with what to do and how to recover. FEMA is advising that the very first step is to contact your insurance and to submit a claim, that should be settled first.

For FEMA assistance, the website is DisasterAssistance.gov. Now this may sound confusing and frustrating, but if you receive a letter back that says not approved for assistance, it does not mean that you have been denied. Read the letter carefully. Assistance may still be available after your insurance claim is settled. Also available an immediate grant for nearly $800 to help with expenses like food, water, baby formula, gas, basically things that you had to buy immediately after evacuating.

We were told that 40, 000 people have applied for that, nearly some 8, 000 already received that money. FEMA also noting this is important that they cannot pay for costs that your insurance already covers. It also cannot pay for specific items that have already been covered by other donation sites.

If your GoFundMe page clearly states that you're raising funds to replace a vehicle, then that will impact eligibility. And here's why. FEMA, by law, cannot duplicate benefits. So we can't pay for things that have already been paid for by other sources.

Now we know that this is just a lot to digest for everybody. We have all of this clarified on our website, abc7.com. You'll find the story regarding FEMA. As for evacuees here for the Eaton Fire, we know that the Pasadena Convention Center is going to house evacuees indefinitely. As of right now, They have some 400 people who are being sheltered there.

That is down from some 2, 000 immediately after the fire. We're live in Altadena, Mark Cotterobles, ABC7 Eyewitness News. John, Rachel, back to you.

Okay, Mark, that's some good information. Thank you. If you're a fire victim and you're having trouble finding help, the City of LA has opened 2 disaster recovery centers. The address is on your screen. One's located in Westwood, the other in Pasadena.

The centers will be open daily from 9 to 8 p.m.

Hey, good morning. Alright, temperatures today, we're gonna see them really start to at least get a little bit cooler here in Southern California. We are getting right back to some windy weather, so let me just show you the wind velocities. It's about 33 mile per hour winds right now through Moore Park. We push this forward and we're looking at 40 mile per hour wind gusts.

Now that's gonna be Moore Park later this morning, 10 o'clock, and I think that's when we're gonna see some peak winds. Anytime after sunrise through those later morning hours is when the peak winds with Santa Ana's typically arrive and then we're gonna see them back off pretty darn good by the time we're heading into your afternoon. We have some daytime heating out to the deserts. That desert heating really does help at least bring down some of those wind speeds. So for Moore Park, we're gonna see 17 mile-per-hour winds and then it looks as though from 6 p.m.

Forward we can expire the wind advisories that we're seeing right now through Southern California. And there goes also that red flag warning. By Tomorrow we have more of an onshore sea breeze. We bring back the wind barbs coming onshore and that means that there's more moisture coming off of our ocean and that really does help reduce the very low humidity levels that have been creating opportunities for again us to drying out that enhances opportunity as well for rapid fire spread. So these 20s to teens that you're looking at right now will start to improve significantly tomorrow, Friday, Saturday.

Sunday we start to turn things back offshore and then by Monday we're looking at another Santa Ana wind event. Today with wind advisory level winds we're in that moderate range for a Santa Ana so I think we're gonna stay out of that strong range today. We're gonna see the wind stay around 30, 40 at times and that's about it for us and I think for most areas That's what we'll call it today. Max winds about 40. There might be some upper elevation winds high in our mountain ranges that get up to about 45- 50, but I just don't see too much of that happening where we're seeing a populated area.

We'll send it back over your way, John and Rachel.

As much as we would love no wind at all, that's a

little bit comforting. Compared to Tuesday, it's like a blessing,

but you know it's still dangerous.

All

right, thank you. Let's take another look live outside at Malibu and you can see again that camera shaking just a bit and with another round of dangerous winds now is the time to download our free ABC 7 Los Angeles app. There you can track the winds specific to your neighborhood and you can also stream our newscasts if you lose power.

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Welcome back. We're getting a look at just how close the Eaton fire came to important communication towers on Mount Wilson. This photo posted on X shows how the fire came within just feet from vital equipment just 4 days ago. Thanks to prior brush clearance by Angeles National Forest personnel and the work of firefighters, the equipment was not damaged. Firefighters continue to monitor and protect the area.

The major fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena have spread smoke and ash across Southern California, really impacting air quality.

And with winds picking up again today, the Air Quality Management District says ash and smoke can travel hundreds, even thousands of miles. The winds are moving much of that ash out to sea right now, which is some good news, but there's still a risk to a lot of people.

There is a risk of some ash transport, so these ash particles are large. Our monitoring devices don't necessarily measure them, However, you can see them with the naked eye. And as winds pick up over the next day or so, windblown ash may become a larger issue.

Even if you don't live in a burn area, experts say you should be on the lookout for smoke and windblown ash. And if you see or smell it that's the time to grab a mask and to try and stay indoors.

We've been checking in with Scott Reif all morning and the winds or the fires do appear to be in a better place than they were of course a few days ago but we're not out of the woods yet. Let's check in with meteorologist Leslie Lopez.

Yeah, I

mean right when we have these red flag warnings you just know that the fire danger is up. Although there are pieces of good news and some of these weather ingredients are at least getting a little bit better, softening some. So at least we're gonna get to see a pattern shift here and by tomorrow we should see the onshore sea breeze return and that will be a really nice welcome sight for a majority of us here in Southern California. We're still around 48 degrees over into LAX here this morning and yes we have some dust and ash and advisory conditions still around Southern California So if you are looking out towards Long Beach up to Pasadena, moderate air quality. We have some good air quality through San Bernardino, Riverside and San Clemente.

Now this is again, we're just talking about the ash. It's a little bit more troublesome when it comes to these meters picking it up. They don't pick up the larger particles so again while it looks good the air quality in your area might not be good especially with the winds going and the ash being shifted around. We're also seeing a red flag warning stretching from Santa Barbara all the way down into areas of Orange County into areas of our Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley mountain communities. The valleys are out of it rather, but the mountains are in it.

And so again, you're still looking at some winds as a possibility, but notice the high wind warning that was supposed to go through noon today for areas of Ventura and also northern sections of Los Angeles County. It has expired. It expired early. The good news is we're seeing some lower wind velocities through the area. So instead of high wind warning speeds, we're looking out towards wind advisory level winds.

So that puts us at a moderate Santa Ana. And at the moment, we're looking at about 30 mile per hour winds through areas of Malibu, Thousand Oaks, up to Simi Valley and Fillmore. Santa Clarita, you're around 20. We still have some winds up against some of our mountain ridgetops. And then we have some wind out towards Orange County, but pretty light over there, too.

So just breezy at times, and that's it. Now, I do want to give you the hourly the timeline of how this is gonna go for the Palisades. The strongest winds around 6 a.m. Right around sunrise 14 mile-per-hour winds typical for Santa Ana's but again that's not a huge increase in wind speeds. Remember we were into the 40s By the time we were looking at some of the wind timelines last Tuesday and we are gonna see those wind speeds really stay down and that'll be the case through this afternoon into tomorrow.

So nice to see single-digit wind speeds stick around for quite a while now, at least more than a day. We haven't seen that in several days so we're gonna see single digit wind speeds all the way through about Sunday. Now we have 40 mile per hour winds still though this morning as a possibility through Moore Park that's why that red flag warning still remains and also because our humidity levels are so low down to the teens here today. And then we move forward and you can just see how the winds really back off. 6 p.m.

Today all the red flag warnings and wind advisories both expire and we're back to this nice onshore sea breeze. Unfortunately that onshore sea breeze, while it lasts through the weekend, it doesn't last through next week. By Monday we're gonna see the wind start to pick up and then we're gonna get back to a ridge of high pressure building in. So you're gonna start to see that form and that forming of that ridge of high pressure by Sunday into your Monday will elevate our fire danger once again and we bring back more Santa Ana winds. That's the first Santa Ana wind event for next week.

It looks like there's a stronger 1 returning Thursday and Friday unfortunately. So we'll have to update you each and every day next week on how these next Santa Anas are gonna go. Do I have any rain in sight? I don't. I don't have any rain in the 7 day nor do I have the rain in the 10 day but the good news is again tomorrow that little piece of good news onshore conditions return and temperatures fall 73 today but down to 59 degrees on your Saturday so cooling off quite well and then by Monday and Tuesday we're gonna see that next Santa Ana keeping that wind speed around 35 to 40 that would be moderate for Los Angeles and Orange County but then we're about moderate to strong by the time riding into the valleys and Lynn Empire for your Monday and Tuesday so we'll let you know how that's shaping up.

That could change. Hopefully it's downgraded, not elevated. The beach is 65 down to 56 on your Saturday. And if you're heading out towards our mountain communities, 45 degrees, 19 in the overnight period. It is really cold and very, very chilly out towards our high desert.

63 overnight lows into the 20s. John and Rachel, we'll send it back over your way.

Okay, Leslie, thank you. Now we want to take a look at traffic. We have an ABC 7 traffic alert in South LA. The 105 westbound at the 110 connector. 2 lanes are blocked because of a solo car crash.

A sig alert was issued at 430 for 1 hour as crews try to get this cleared. There is a delay in this area so keep this in mind if this is a part of your commute.

Well as wildfire recovery efforts continue, LA County residents will be getting more time to file their taxes. Federal and state income taxes are normally due on April 15th, but the IRS and Governor Gavin Newsom's office say they're extending the deadline to October 15th for individuals and businesses. The state comptroller's office says they're committed to ensuring Californians have the help they need during this very dangerous time.

Local businesses in Santa Monica are working together to collect donations for evacuees and first responders. The reality center has turned into a distribution hub, collecting baby supplies, non-perishable food, and handing out hot meals for those impacted by the fires. Volunteers are also collecting items for families and for firefighters on the front lines.

This community is everything, and the first step to healing is community. And it's very fractured and broken right now, but it's amazing to be a part of this. Everybody coming together, everybody lending a hand, volunteering.

The Reality center is looking for volunteers to help with distributing goods. It's also seeking donations of sleeping bags, mattress pads, and pillows to make it more comfortable for first responders working long days.

Well, fire victims and first responders were treated to free In-N-Out at a Pasadena In-N-Out thanks to a local law firm.

Yeah, Mendez and Sanchez injury law firm hosted the event yesterday. People got to enjoy the iconic burgers at no charge. An attorney from the law firm says it's banding together to help neighbors And this is 1 of the many ways the firm has chosen to support and serve.

A double-double sometimes puts a smile on people's faces and there's a lot of people that need something to smile about today. And this was just 1 of the ways that we're going to give back to our community.

When you think about In-N-Out, it's very familiar, it's very comforting, it brings normalcy back to many of us who are, you know, unsure of the unknown and so we're just so happy.

Staff from the nearby Smile Brands offices were also there handing out free toothbrushes and other personal items.

Well, we know many who were affected by the fires are now looking for answers and resources and we want to try and help.

The QR code on your screen allows you to reach out to us directly to ask your questions about getting help. There it is on the bottom left side. Just scan the code or visit abc7.com slash ask7, fill out the form and hit submit. Someone on our team will try to get that information for you and respond.

And as we head to break, here's video from yesterday as dozens lined up outside the main Pasadena post office. The Eaton fire not only destroyed homes, but it also took 1 local post office out.

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Well, it seems like no matter how far away from the fires you are, you've likely seen or smelled the smoke over the past week, and there's obviously some good reason for that. Look at the satellite view of the fires and the smoke plumes they've produced over several days and you can see just how far those clouds have traveled and of course it's affecting so many people.

Many of the firefighters helping suppress the Southern California wildfires are incarcerated in the state prison system.

More than a thousand inmate firefighters are low security fire camps are helping fight this blaze. They get paid a small sum for their service, $10.24 a day plus an extra dollar an hour during emergencies. That's less than California minimum wage which is $16.50 an hour.

Participation is voluntary. Most inmates can earn up to 2 days off their sentences for every day on the fire crew. It can also set them up for job opportunities after their release.

And I've been on so many fires and I can tell you they are usually the hardest working people out there. They really work hard. It's a great program.

Okay. Well so many people lost their homes to the Eaton and Palisades fires.

Eyewitness News was invited to go along with 1 of those people, Joseph Church, as he returned to see what was left of his home along the Malibu coastline. As Joseph and our cameras pulled up, we found his home on Sunset Mesa in ruins, devastated by the Palisade fire. Joseph says he put his heart and soul into that home, his dream home, and did all he could to save it, even installing a fire hose. But he only had time to evacuate with a few items, leaving behind treasures like his classic 1965 Porsche. He says the flames were just too much.

I saw the fire coming up the cliff from PCH. I felt like I was getting pinched in and that there was really no time to get out and nothing's worth dying for.

Joseph tells us even though the Malibu coastline has changed forever, nothing will stop him from rebuilding and starting over. Well the investigation continues into what started the 2 major wildfires burning in LA County.

Right now the focus continues to be on our weather conditions. Thousands are without power with this morning and when it comes to fire danger we're not out of the woods yet.

It looks like as far as wind speeds are concerned as we're heading into another red flag warning situation for today. Now this is going to expire, the good news, at 6 o'clock. This is not going to continue through tomorrow and we are reducing some of the wind velocities instead of high wind warning speeds down to wind advisory level. So at least we're seeing some changes in the weather pattern that'll get better for us here, especially as we're cruising into the next several hours We're gonna talk about that coming up in a

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People are still being asked to stay on alert. Good morning everybody. It's 5 a.m. I'm John Gregory.

And I'm Rachel Brown. Thank you for staying with us. A lot of people may not see the winds but we aren't out of the woods just yet. Let's get straight to meteorologist Leslie Lopez.

You're

exactly right. We still have some red flag warnings to the area and a particularly dangerous situation still remains for some areas closer towards where the Palisades fire was burning a little bit farther to the north of that. 42 degrees right now over into areas of Long Beach here today and this is a camera that's bouncing around over into areas of Riverside so you can see that camera is really moving 45 degrees right now into Riverside and red flag warning stretching up to the mountains down into areas of our Inland Empire, Orange County, and then we move your way out towards areas of Ventura. And unfortunately, we are looking at some very windy weather. Interestingly, we have some very cold weather out there too.

Our deserts in particular, Antelope Valley, Lancaster, out towards areas of Palmdale. We have a cold blast moving through your region so freeze warnings are in place and we're looking at some of these temperatures down to the teens to 20s out there so you can see some frost and freeze on those grass blades. Remember to protect your pets and your pipes and your plants from that very cold air. We're looking at 40 mile per hour wind gusts later on this morning over into Moore Park, so we do see the winds enhance and pick up speed a little bit here today as we're heading through your morning hour. So right around sunrise through about 11 o'clock, most of those winds are gonna pick up through that 40 mile per hour mark but that puts us at wind advisory level not high wind warning level which is nice to see that the National Weather Service has downgraded and gotten rid of the high wind warnings through the area and then by tomorrow we're looking good.

06:00 today wind advisories and also that red flag warning expire. And then it's several days of onshore conditions. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, part of Sunday. And then we have to talk about a new Santa Ana developing by the time we're heading into your Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Right now it's going to be those 70s as we're heading into your afternoon for downtown Orange County, the valleys in the Inland Empire, and then the coastline today about 69 degrees, our mountains 45, and then our high deserts just about 62.

John Rachel, we'll send it back over your way.

Les, thank you. SoCal Edison has cut power to tens of thousands of customers due to the dangerous red flag conditions, and there could be more planned power shutoffs to prevent more wildfires.

Eyewitness News reporter Jayshia Patel is live in Steveson Ranch with the latest. Jayshia, how are those winds this morning?

Well, Rachel and John, personally, these winds aren't as bad as I expected, but it is still a little bit breezy. If I step out the way there are actually few flags behind me.

You can the area. But like you mentioned, wildfires still a concern today because of these winds and as a precaution as well because of today's weather, SoCal Edison is warning customers

to prepare for potential power shutoffs. And a new video into our newsroom from overnight, It shows that lights are completely out in some parts. In the San Bernardino Mountains, you can see shopping centers and gas stations that are dark currently. SoCal Edison's latest outage map shows Crestline and Lake Arrowhead among the areas that are completely in the dark right now. Now the utility company says it could cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers across Southern California today because of the winds.

A majority of those power safety shutoffs are expected in LA and Ventura counties. These shutoffs usually happen during red flag weather to prevent sparks or anything from igniting that could possibly cause wildfires but of course SoCal Edison officials are saying that this is usually a last resort for keeping people safe.

Our team has clear guidelines, clear criteria and a act because we want to make sure we're keeping the public safe.

We completely understand the necessity for it and we hope that people other people also understand and that everyone's doing the best they can in such a dire situation.

Now officials say it's important to have a plan in case the power goes out at your home like a kit with non-perishable food, flashlights, and rechargeable battery packs for your phones and other devices. Back out your live if you're curious about outages in your area you can go to sce.com slash outage. Live in Stevenson Ranch, Jasia Patel, ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

All right Jasia, thank you.

And we are continuing to monitor both the Palisades fire and the Eden fire. The Palisades fire is now 18% contained. The Eden fire 35% contained. 25 people have been killed in the fires, but search crews are still assessing those fire zones. 12, 000 structures were either damaged or destroyed and while there may be no visible signs of flames right now in most spots, the firefight is still far from over.

Firefighters remain on alert with this next round of dangerous winds.

Yeah and the winds are a big cause for concern for crews battling the Palisades fire.

Scott Reif live in Air 7 with the latest. Scott where are you?

Yeah Rachel and John we're over the Palisades fire and the winds at the moment are relatively calm. We're at 8, 000 feet. It's calm up here for the most part. That usually is the same on the ground. Now there's a 405 freeway, 1 to give you a little perspective.

There's Getty Center. And as we open up and pan to the right, you're gonna see a lot of flashing lights on the right side of your screen over along Sunset and Temescal, Sanley, all of those homes were lost in this fire. You see the pier there. And basically the fire's laid down nicely. We haven't seen any flare ups on the Palisades fire.

Since Sunday and that was knocked down extremely quickly. So Monday and Tuesday, we basically had no flame and no smoke in this fire, and there's really little to no chance from what I can tell that this is going to reignite and take out any homes and to give you a reason why. There's over 5, 000 personnel on the line here at the Palisades fire. 44 helicopters ready to get airborne and hop on any hot spots. 500 engines, 70 bulldozers and 130 camp crews.

So they are prepared here. It's all about the wind, but right now things look very, very good. Rachel, John.

And Scott, you mentioned the helicopters. That's 1 of the big keys. If they can fly, it makes a huge difference if a fire does start.

No question about that at all, John. 1 of the reasons this fire really was so damaging and so deadly is because on that Tuesday night and Wednesday the helicopters could not fly.

Yeah, all right.

And as investigators search for the origins of the Palisades and Eden fires, people who lost everything often search for somebody to blame.

Reporter Nick Garcia from our sister station in Fresno live in Pacific Palisades with more on several lawsuits filed now by survivors of these fires. Nick.

Well John, Rachel, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, as well as Southern California, Edison are at the center of these lawsuits, and we've seen it for a week straight now, just tons of

devastation and destruction like the house you

see behind me, reduced to rebel so many houses just like that of the people filing these lawsuits say that they want someone to be held accountable for this. This latest lawsuit has been filed against the LADWP by a group of survivors of the Palisades fire who claimed the utilities inadequate inadequate water delivery hampered firefighters in battling the deadly fire, which has destroyed thousands of structures and killed at least 9 people. Now a key part of the lawsuit is the Santianez reservoir. That's a 117 million gallon water storage complex that had been empty for nearly a year. Here you see that reservoir as the Palisades fire roared around it.

LADWP put out a statement before this filing saying in part the utility was required to take the Santianez reservoir out of service to meet safe drinking water regulations. Just days ago, Governor Newsom called for an investigation into LADWP and the loss of water pressure at local fire hydrants and lack of water supplies amid the firefight. The LADWP lawsuit comes after several lawsuits were filed against SoCal Edison by people who lost their homes in the Eaton fire. At least 5 lawsuits have been filed by homeowners and renters. They allege SoCal Edison failed to de-energize all of its electrical equipment, despite red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service, and believe the fire was sparked by a downed power line.

Those wind-driven flames destroyed an estimated 7, 000 structures and has killed at least 16 people. All of these lawsuits including this latest 1 against the LADWP involving the Palisades fire are seeking compensatory damages as well as punitive damages for those plaintiffs. Live in Pacific Palisades I'm Nick Garcia ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

Alright Nick thank you We want to check in with meteorologist Leslie Lobos now.

Yeah, and

you know some of the winds across Southern California right now aren't looking too bad, but of course we're still in a fire dangerous situation for a few reasons. We know that there are some little hot spots possible still in some of these areas. In addition to that, we have very, very dry conditions. Our humidity levels are very low and we know that we have not had any rain over the last 9 months. So you throw in a few velocities that get up to 30, 35 and then beyond that 40 miles per hour later on this morning and we keep that red flag warning in place.

Even in the Santa Ana we have 25 mile per hour winds. Now if these were 25 mile per hour onshore winds it might be a different story because we have more moisture coming in. Unfortunately they're also offshore winds really drying out our atmosphere so it is really just taking out any moisture and then really just creating an opportunity for fire growth to spread very rapidly if we do see a fire. So if you are looking at the wind speeds right now and noticing that there just aren't very many that are getting up there. Still, we're not completely out of the woods.

Still, this is a dangerous situation and so I still think a lot of us need to stay on high alert. I do see the pattern change though. You see those wind barbs that are offshore right now and the humidity levels are down to the teens. Tomorrow they're gonna improve significantly and then we're gonna get back to onshore conditions which would be a very nice shift. And then we can't discount that yes we're still in a moderate Santa Ana and that's still strong enough to create some concerns here.

We were in a strong Santa Ana yesterday and the evening before and certainly extreme last week So we are seeing a nice downgrade from where we were and then by tomorrow we should be out of this for a bit. Unfortunately I have to talk about a new Santa Ana for next week. I'll show you that coming up in a full forecast. Over to you John and Rachel.

Okay Les, thank you. Another live look from Air 7 over Pacific Palisades with another round of Santa Ana winds. Now is the time to download our free ABC 7 Los Angeles app. You can track the winds specific to your neighborhood. You can also stream our newscasts if you lose power.

We'll be right back.

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Welcome back. New questions about federal aid for California fire victims. House Speaker Mike Johnson is talking about putting conditions on the disaster relief funding.

It does come down to leadership And 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.

Johnson says poor governance is to blame for the disaster's severity, and that's why he's considering imposing conditions. The speaker has not provided a timeline for when Congress might move on a wildfire aid package, but he's suggesting safeguards could be tied to any funding package. Johnson says it's too soon to determine the cost or scope of a recovery plan.

Disaster relief and resources to homeowners are among some of the issues LA City Council is taking immediate action on. The City Council approved 21 special motions yesterday, most of which were introduced by Councilwoman Tracy Park, who represents the Pacific Palisades. To assist affected homeowners, the motions will help establish housing programs, reunite lost pets with their families, and reduce water bills for properties impacted by the fires. More protections against price gouging and evictions were also enacted. State and federal debris removal teams are on standby to move into areas devastated by the fires.

Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order means these teams will move in and clean up household hazardous waste as soon as it is safe to do so. If you are waiting for cleanup on your property, you are being asked to avoid contact with ash and debris because it may be toxic. The governor's office calls this the most complex phase of debris removal.

And Governor Newsom has also signed an executive order to protect fire victims from predatory real estate investors. The order bans unsolicited unfair offers for land and hardest-hit zip codes in LA County. It will also allow the state to hold predatory speculators accountable through stronger enforcement and prosecution. The order was modeled after a similar 1 that was issued by the governor of Hawaii in the wake of the Lahaina fire. And dozens of People waited in a long line at the main Pasadena post office to pick up their mail.

The Eaton fire not only destroyed homes, it also took out the post office. In Malibu, the Point Dume post office has resumed operations. But the Postal Service warns a full restoration of service to fire impacted areas is still a long way off.

An amazing discovery for a Pasadena firefighter who lost his home in the Eaton fire.

Wow, Chen Yun found his wedding ring yesterday while combing through the rubble of the Altadena home. Yun was out on the front line of the fire when his house burned down. His wife and kids didn't make it out okay. The family hopes to rebuild their home and they think everyone on this street will do the same.

With so much heartbreak and devastation it's so nice to see the little victories.

Yeah a little thing like that can bring a smile to somebody's face.

The winds remain a big concern for firefighters less.

Yeah I mean here's some good news the high wind warning has expired. It was supposed to go to noon today, but the wind velocities are just not meeting high wind warning expectations. So the good news is we're going to see wind advisory level winds instead, which means we still have a threat out there. I don't want to downgrade the threat, but it is certainly not as gusty as it was even just yesterday. So we're back to 44 degrees right now over to LAX and we're just talking and discussing this dust and ash advisory.

We don't often issue any of these types of advisories because we don't usually have this much ash just floating around but we do today and so if you are outdoors again consider 1 of those N95 masks or any type of medical-grade mask because we are still looking at the opportunity for that to be blown around and suspended in the air and then eventually getting down into some areas where even the fire isn't burning down through Long Beach. You could be downwind of that too. Now red flag warning conditions are out towards Ventura. They're moving into the San Gabriel Valley communities or mountain communities. The valleys are out of this red flag warning and then it's out towards our Inland Empire in Orange County as well.

Why are we hanging on to this red flag warning even though some of the high wind warnings have expired. We still have a wind advisory so we can still meet 40 mile per hour winds and at times isolated 50 mile per hour wind gusts at higher elevations. So that keeps us in this red flag warning territory until 06:00 when this wind advisory expires. That's also when the red flag warning will expire. And 03:00 is when we're gonna expire with the PDS, which is a particularly dangerous situation, a high alert the National Weather Service issues.

If there's a particular spot around Southern California, that should be on higher alert. Right now it's still areas of Ventura and northern sections of Los Angeles County because we have some of the strongest offshore winds, driest conditions rolling through the area and those low humidity levels are really the justification for the PDS today. We're looking at 32 mile per hour winds out there in a Fillmore, 19 in the Santa Clarita, and then we're also out towards 12 mile per hour wind gusts out towards San Bernardino. Then we head out the door, and I want to show you this. This is gonna be the timing for the Palisades area.

A nice timeline showing pretty low wind velocities. I hope that eases your mind some. We know we have some embers, some hot spots here and there. Primarily the fire looks to be very quiet, but again this is an opportunity for a flare-up when we have 40 mile per hour wind gusts. But again, specifically in that Palisades area, it looks like those winds are gonna be very low.

29 mile per hour winds possible through Santa Clarita today, so again that's that wind advisory threshold, not high wind warning threshold. And then we continue forward right about noon, the winds start to quiet down, and then at 6 o'clock, I mean they really go away. We have an area of high pressure that'll be building back in here. Not Thursday, not Friday or Saturday. We have onshore conditions, so more moisture, but then the wind velocities begin to pick up again.

You'll notice that ridge, and it's those winds that are gonna be moving through Nevada down into Arizona that'll shift into our direction producing offshore conditions for us. But we're heading into Sunday night into Monday and so a new Santa Ana begins to develop Monday into Tuesday and another 1 that looks stronger Thursday into Friday of next week. Unfortunately I do not have any rain in sight in the seven-day forecast. Today, it's 72 degrees out in the riverside. It's going to be about 70 into Pasadena, 65 in Redondo Beach, warming up some here today from yesterday.

But by tomorrow, it's 70, and we continue that cooling trend with onshore conditions. A great site. I know we've been waiting for a little bit more added humidity to the mix and that'll be the case Friday, Saturday into your Sunday. Before that next round is Santa Ana Winds Returns. 35-40 mile per hour winds possible and if we get that then we were talking about another moderate Santa Ana to strong depending upon the location.

But if you're heading for the Valley, Sutherland Empire to date 70 down to 59 degrees Saturday and Sunday. Those low 60s by Monday and Tuesday and the coastline today 65. The last of the red flag warnings overnight lows into the 40s and the mountains boys it chilly down to the teens very cold and cold in the high deserts with a freeze warning out towards some of our high desert spots we'll be right back

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This was the craziest story.

Randall Emmett, Hollywood movie producer.

Lola Kent, reality star. Vanderpump Rules.

Vanderpump Rules, it's about these young, hot 20-somethings.

This is the juiciest time in reality show history.

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The N-word being used is where I draw the line.

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To have your daughter living her life that way Made me feel very sad.

I hate Randall Emmett.

I have to put up a big fight.

I do hope he gets what he deserves. The Randall Scandal.

Love, loathing, and Vanderpump. Only on Hulu. We'll be right back. It all goes down right here.

That's why it's called the what? The View. I love it. I'm all in. I second that.

This is going to be must-see TV. And so much could happen.

Who is this guy?

He was kind of creepy. Pure evil.

We were shocked.

This is every woman's nightmare.

This is not just any killer.

There was 11 skulls.

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All of these victims' souls belong to him. They're mine. I'm more sane than most Americans.

This guy is an evil genius. He's the best serial killer that ever existed. He compared himself to Ted Bundy.

Wild Crime 11 skulls, only on Hulu.

All I want is to find our way home.

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You're a Jedi, right? Of course. What just

happened? Watch this.

Skeleton Crew, new episodes Tuesdays only on Disney+.

Donald Trump, Inauguration Day, and America turns to David Muir and ABC News. Live all across the day, right there as history is made. Monday on ABC.

The Magic Castle is hosting a community fundraiser to help people impacted by the fires.

The Academy of Magical Arts has been fundraising and collecting donations over the last few days. Yesterday, they gathered at the Magic Castle parking lot in Hollywood to distribute essential items and also provide food. There were even magicians on hand to help conjure a little bit of joy for so many people in need. The Magic Castle has been part of the community for more than 60 years and is 1 of the many LA staples helping out those impacted.

EGM show planner Insomniac is going to announce a series of benefit shows in LA to support people affected by the wildfires. The music company hasn't posted dates or performers yet. On its website, Insomniac has links to donation drop-off sites and volunteer opportunities.

Hey, good morning America.

Hey, good morning America. Good morning America.

Good morning America.

Are you ready? They are ready!

Covering the biggest events in the country right now.

There's a

lot going on.

It's always a good time.

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I'm not going to try to strut like Michael or anything.

I have known George a long, long time.

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That tells you something when Snoop Dogg's here. Woo! Michael Kors, where

are you?

Every day is crazy!

America's number 1 news, ABC News, now streaming 24-7 on Disney+. What does it take to be the most watched newscast in America?

An operation to capture ISIS fighters.

This is our combat operations center.

We're approaching the gate now. Militants came in from 4 or 5 different directions. Operational nuclear reactor. So you have a couple loaded and ready to go. The house is destroyed, but the flag, there's not a tear in it.

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you, David.

Good to

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Ismael. David. Jason.

Yes! Yes! I'm David Muir. I know you.

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watch you every night.

ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most-watched newscast.

On a new meaning. Just when you think you

know where the story is headed, things take a turn.

2020, Friday night on ABC.

Go DevBytes! Go DevBytes! Go DevBytes!

This family is suffocating. We are all here to help them. We're gonna make this happen.

We have

96 hours to build a house.

Come on guys, it's move-in day. Let's go. It can't be real.

This was more than just Extreme Home Makeover. This was Extreme Life Makeover.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Thursday on ABC. And stream on Hulu.

Reporting from Asheville, North Carolina, I'm Morgan Norwood. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC News Live.

♪♪

Donald Trump, Inauguration Day. David Muir reporting live, Monday on ABC.

♪♪

Hi, I'm Diane Macedo. Today on ABC News Live First, The next 12 hours are critical for Southern California. Particularly dangerous situation, red flag warnings are in effect as high winds threaten to spread the flames. Now the new clues about how the Palisades fire may have started. More contentious confirmation hearings on the Hill.

Senators grilled Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth over past comments on women in combat and allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse and more.

You would agree with me, right, that if that was the case, that would be disqualifying for somebody to be Secretary of Defense. Senator, those are all anonymous false claims and the totality of them... They're not anonymous. The letters

on the

record here...

They're not anonymous. On the record, people

who work with me...

We've seen records with

names attached

to them. That's for freedom.

Now what 1 key senator is saying about Hagseth and the nominees in the hot seat today. The first 25 people are now dead in the historic wildfires in Southern California. The most severe wind warning is in effect right now, threatening to start new fires and spread existing ones. We're also learning new information about what may have sparked the Palisades fire that's been burning for more than a week. Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman has the latest from Pacific Palisades.

The second straight day millions facing an extreme fire risk in Southern California. The next 12 hours critical.

Everybody here urges you to remain alert as danger has not yet passed.

Fire crews scrambling to mop up any remaining hot spots fearing that powerful Santa Ana winds and dry conditions could rekindle the monstrous Eaton and Palisades fires. Palisades fire now 18% contained as new clues emerge about how it may have started. ABC News has learned that the ATF, the federal agency charged with investigating arson and explosions, is zeroing in on the Palisades Highland area. Some residents pointing to this fire first reported on the hillside just after midnight on New Year's Day.

LAFD had sent helicopters and had sent trucks to put that fire out. They were there for hours circling overhead. We assumed then the fire was out. For the next several nights there were fireworks again going off at night in various areas in the hills.

By 3 38 a.m the fire is stopped and an hour later by 4.46 fully contained. Fire officials say that ash pits or tree roots can smolder for days unseen.

Wait, we were right behind it.

Then at 10.30 a.m. Tuesday, January 7th, the Palisades fire was reported. These side-by-side satellite images seem to show that fire starting at nearly the same spot as the fire the week before. We witnessed the furious firefighting efforts at that spot as the Palisades fire began to spread.

Just in the past couple of seconds Since we've been here, this fire has crested this little hill we're on. The entire basin here is engulfed in flames.

FEMA on the ground in LA already receiving 40, 000 aid applications. 84-year-old Susan Sulcer says she watched the Palisades fire approach her home from her kitchen window before fighting the fire with her 86 year old husband Winston saving their home.

I wasn't sure where Winston was couldn't contact him but it turned out he was at the south end of the house doing the same thing.

The Palisades and Eaton fires have claimed the lives of 25 people and the survivors are still reeling.

It was literally shooting like fireballs. It looked like a volcano.

Zaira Calvin remembers the Eaton fire surging towards the place he's called home for 47 years.

I got the radio. Getting my mother. We're going. I go to the left and my sister's car is still there.

He says he thought his sister, Evelyn McClendon, had managed to leave already. The next day they located her.

You morning. Your sisters death. There's no real understanding. There's no understanding. There's no way to even take it in.

The family hit hard, but not giving up on their community.

Everyone is fighting. Everyone is literally just asking, leaning on each other to say, what's next? What's the best thing to do?

Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman in Pacific Palisades, thank you. Meanwhile, millions of people are under freeze warnings. Wind chills are forecast to feel like below 0 in the Midwest and Northeast. ABC's Alex Perez is along an icy Lake Michigan in Chicago. Hi Alex.

Hey Diane, yeah this is the kind of cold that gets a very dangerous very quickly. The feel-like temperature right now in Chicago is about 6 below 0 and I want to give you an idea of just how cold that is. We're here near Lake Michigan and I want you to take a look beside me here. You can see the water is completely frozen over in some areas and if you look in the distance there you can see the ice continuing to build. Now much of the eastern half of the country is dealing with these bitterly cold temperatures and it is creating trouble in some areas.

This was the scene in South Bend, Indiana yesterday after slick roads there led to a multi-car pile-up. Thankfully only non life-threatening injuries were reported. Diane?

Alex Perez in Chicago, thank you. And chief meteorologist Ginger Z is tracking the weather conditions on both coasts. Ginger, what's the latest?

We've got less than 12 hours now of this particularly dangerous situation, Red Flag Warning. It is mostly north and northwest of Los Angeles itself in the San Fernando Valley, the western San Gabriels into the western Santa Monica Mountains. But there have been spot fires that have popped up there. All you need is for a spot fire to start and then you get those embers flying because you can have a gust 45 to 70 miles per hour. So down trees and power lines are still possible especially in some of those canyons when those winds come through.

It's not a constant wind but it is a concern in all the areas that you see highlighted there, Calabasas too. Just wanted to show you timing because the winds are still gusting even in the valleys. Fillmore's at 40 by this afternoon, Santa Clarita 34, but look how quickly things really start to improve by tomorrow. We cut those in half at least and by Friday we're talking calm to single digits. So that's going to be so helpful in fighting fires, but it's also going to be imperative that we increase the moisture because we've seen humidities as low as 8 to 15 percent.

Look what happens by Thursday night, 60 percent relative humidity as the winds come off the ocean and let that moisture settle into the air. You might even see a sprinkle. Now, let's turn to the east because there was a little burst of snow and then some lake effect behind it. South Bend, this is I-90. There was a pileup.

Thankfully, no serious injuries there. But we're about to talk about some serious cold. And this morning it started. You had single digits in a lot of places, sub-zero wind chills from Ohio back to Chicago. Cleveland was feeling like 3, and along the spine of Appalachia there, Alganes, parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains in alerts for how cold it is.

Now next week we're talking coldest in 2 years for a lot of the Great Lakes Northeast and then all the way down to the Gulf Coast a hard freeze possible. They're warning about people, pets and pipes because we could even see temperatures along the Gulf Coast be well below freezing. Diane?

All right, Ginger Zee, thank you. A source tells ABC News a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be announced at any time. An Israeli government official says the 2 sides have agreed on a framework of a deal. The first phase of the agreement is set to include the release of 33 hostages taken by Hamas. In exchange Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and fighting in the Gaza Strip would stop for at least 6 weeks.

Israel says it believes most of the hostages being held in Gaza are still alive, though Hamas hasn't confirmed that. 2 are believed to be Americans. Some details of the deal are still being worked out. Before it's official, Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu will have to get the agreement approved by his security cabinet and his wider government and allow time for legal objections. This of course is a developing story.

We will bring you updates throughout the day. And lawmakers are set to grill more of President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees, including his picks for Attorney General and Secretary of State. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida will be in the hot seat today. Senators grilled Trump's choice for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday, many questioning his qualifications and character. But now Republicans appear united in supporting him.

ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott has the latest.

Republicans seem mostly united around Donald Trump's embattled pick to lead the Pentagon Pete Hegseth after a contentious and at times combative confirmation hearing.

In political power over the last 4 years, the priorities other than statehood...

The former Fox News host defending himself against allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement, arguing that he had been a victim of a smear campaign and that he has changed.

I'm not a perfect person, but redemption is real. And God forged me in ways that I know I'm prepared for.

But right off the bat, Democrats arguing the Army veteran with no military leadership experience is not qualified.

How can we ask these warriors to train and perform the absolute highest standards when you are asking us to lower the standards to make you the Secretary of Defense simply because you are buddies with our

President-elect? Democrats questioning his ability to lead the Pentagon

with its

$850 billion budget and more than 3 million employees. Especially amid reports he financially mismanaged 2 veterans' political groups he led, which Hegseth denies. But Hegseth winning over 1 key Senate Republican, Joni Ernst of Iowa, the first female combat veteran in the Senate.

As Secretary of Defense, will you support women continuing to have the opportunity to serve in combat roles?

Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, combat roles, given the standards remain high and we'll have a review to ensure the standards have not been eroded.

Ernst now says she will support him. Democrats pouncing. Last year, Hegsef said flat out women should not be allowed to serve in combat roles.

I just want to know what changed in the 32 days that the song you sang is not the song you come in here today to sing.

Senator, the concerns I have and the concerns that many have had, especially in ground combat units, is that in pursuit of certain percentages or quotas, standards have been changed.

A senior defense department official telling ABC News the standards for military service have not been lowered and there are no quotas for women or minorities. Their policy, strictly merit-based. Hegsteth also questioned about an accusation he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017, which he denies, claiming the encounter was consensual.

Senator, I was falsely charged. Fully investigated and completely cleared. So you think you are completely cleared because you committed no crime. That's your definition of cleared. You had just fathered a child 2 months before by a woman that was not your wife.

Republicans rallying behind him.

He will inject a new warrior ethos into the Pentagon, a spirit that can cascade from the top down.

Yeah, Diane, so Hegseth ultimately comes out of this hearing stronger with the support from that key Republican Senator, Joni Ernst. That now means he has the support, it looks like, of all the Republicans on the Armed Services Committee. So big picture here, we could see a full vote in the Senate on his confirmation as early as next week, right after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. It is a marathon day of confirmations hearings here on Capitol Hill. There are 6 scheduled today so up next you have Senator Marco Rubio who's Trump's pick for Secretary of State.

Also Pam Bondi Trump's pick for Attorney General facing some tough questions right here in this room about how she plans to carry out Trump's vision for the Department of Justice, including his pledge to pardon the rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6th, Diane.

All right, ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, thank you. Coming up, the search for 2 robbers who dressed up as Amazon workers. What police say you can do to avoid this type of encounter. Plus it's a big day on Capitol Hill. President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees are in the hot seat.

We are live in Washington DC with the latest.

Why do so many people start their day here? From ABC News, this is Start Here.

To be in the know and get a different take on the day's top stories.

A lot of news today, so let's get into it.

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Wherever you get your podcasts, start here.

America's number 1 most-watched daytime talk show is ABC's The View.

You all heard it here first.

I love it, I'm there for it.

Hot topics, political views, that's what we're about. Voices that matter. It all goes down right here.

That's why it's called the what?

The View.

I love it.

I'm all in.

I second that. It's a beautiful day. This is going to be must-see TV. And so much could happen.

He was kind of creepy. Pure evil.

We were shocked.

This is every woman's nightmare.

This is not just any killer.

There was 11 skulls.

Drawn using a finger in blood.

All of these victims' souls belonged to him. They're mine. I'm more sane than most Americans.

This guy is an evil genius. He's the best serial killer that ever existed. He compared himself to Ted Bundy.

A wild crime, 11 skulls, only on Hulu.

All I want is to find our way home.

I'll get you home.

But a crew

of murderous bounty hunters is coming after us. We have to move fast.

We have no idea who he is.

You can trust me.

You're a Jedi, right? Of

course. What

just happened? Watch this.

Skeleton Crew, new episodes Tuesdays only on Disney+.

Here in Warsaw. We're

heading to a small community

outside of Mexico City. Getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.

Stream ABC News Live weeknights wherever you stream your news. Only on ABC News Live.

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♪♪

Welcome back to ABC News Live First. Aldi is recalling a frozen food product in 31 states. The company says Casa Mamita chicken and cheese taquitos sold at Aldi stores across the country are being recalled because they may contain pieces of metal. 1 customer reportedly found a piece of metal in the food, another reported a dental injury. And a new federal lawsuit is accusing Capital 1 of deliberately underpaying interest to millions of customers.

The lawsuit says the bank created 2 nearly identical account types that misled customers signing up for savings accounts. ABC News Chief Business Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis has the details. Rebecca?

You probably know their ad campaign that ends with the question, what's in your wallet? Well, the government says millions of Capital 1 customers should have a lot more in their wallets. The Consumer Federal Protection Bureau alleges Capital 1 cheated its customers out of more than 2000000000 dollars in interest by creating 2 nearly identically named savings accounts. 360 savings and 360 performance savings. The difference that performance savings account offered interest rates 14 times higher than the other 1.

The government accuses Capital 1 of misleading customers about the higher interest performance account and even banning employees from telling existing customers about it.

Rebecca Jarvis, thank you. And police in Georgia are investigating a home invasion by 2 men apparently dressed as Amazon workers. The victim says the pair demanded money then assaulted him. ABC's Trevor Ault has that story.

Police on the hunt for these 2 men, allegedly dressed as Amazon workers, package in hand, breaking into this home, leaving the man inside beaten and bloody. This surveillance footage captured next door. According to the police report, the suspects asked the 66-year-old victim where the money was before striking him in the head with what may have been a sledgehammer. Soon after, the men seen running away as the victim cries out.

And this isn't

the first incident like this. We're DTE. Last year, 2 men posing as utility workers with vests and fake ID badges allegedly breaking into this home in Michigan.

We're checking for gas leaks.

They're accused of killing 72 year old Hussein Murray and tying up his wife with duct tape.

You don't have to answer the door if you don't feel safe. If it is a package that requires a signature, you can make arrangements to pick up that package at a distribution facility later on and sign at that point. Just taking some of those common sense things that if you don't feel safe or if something doesn't feel right, don't answer the door.

And Diane, the victim in this Georgia case says he has been released from the hospital, but he was treated for several injuries and received 14 staples in his head. We do know Amazon delivery drivers rarely knock on doors or ask for signatures unless it's been prearranged. So it's totally fine to be suspicious. Diane?

All right, Trevor Ault, thank you. Coming up, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are opening up about losing their home in the California wildfires. What's next for the couple and how they're hoping to help others impacted.

Good morning America. Good morning America.

Good morning America. Good morning. Are you ready? They are ready.

Covering the biggest events in the country right now.

There's a lot

going on. It's always a good time. That's what the show's about.

That's good. Really good. Very good. Coming in hot.

Coming in hot. It's far from elementary. Good morning America.

I'm not gonna try to strut like Michael or anything.

I haven't

known George a long long time.

Have you ever taught

him to dance?

George is a great dancer.

Look at that face.

You don't just see it, you feel it.

I'm in.

I'm in.

I'm in.

I'm in too.

I'm in here.

I am here and so happy. I'm in. I need you.

I'm in.

That tells you something when Snoop Dogg's here.

Michael, George, where have we been?

America's number 1 news ABC News now streaming 24-7 on Disney Plus Friday.

A loved father who went missing and evidently told his best friends not to come looking for him.

Let's just say the phrase, over my dead body, takes on a new meaning. Just when you think you know where the story is

headed, things take a turn.

2020 Friday night on ABC.

We have 96 hours to build a house.

Come on, guys. It's move-in day. Let's go. It can't be real.

This was more than just extreme home makeover. This was extreme life makeover.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Thursday on ABC and stream on Hulu.

America's number 1 most-watched daytime talk show is ABC's The View.

You all heard it here first.

I love it. I'm there

for it.

Hot topics, political views. That's what we're about. Voices that matter. It all goes down right here.

That's why it's called the what?

The View.

I love it! I'm all in! Second that. This is gonna be must-see TV and so much could happen.

We are here in Israel, a nation at war.

In Rolling Fork, this tornado tore through this town.

From Lewiston, Maine...

The scene of a horrific mass shooting.

From the scene of that deadly missile strike... ABC News Live Everywhere.

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Here at 10 Downing Street...

Wherever the story is...

We're gonna take you there.

You're streaming ABC News Live.

ABC News Live.

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ABC News Live, streaming free everywhere.

Welcome back to ABC News Live First. Princess Kate says she is in remission from cancer. Now the Princess of Wales says she's focused on her recovery after a surprise visit to the hospital where she was treated. ABC's Lama Hassan is outside Buckingham Palace with the latest.

Princess Kate adjusting to a new journey, life in remission. Nearly a year after her diagnosis, the Princess of Wales telling the world on social media, it is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.

Remission means we are not able to see any cancer in the body at the current moment. Cure really means that we have a high confidence that there's no cancer at all.

After being largely absent from public life last year, the 43-year-old kicked off the new year with a poignant return to the hospital where she'd been treated. Her first solo engagement since the diagnosis. Kate meeting with fellow cancer patients, sharing her experience. Telling 1 what a shock chemotherapy was and another how much she craved sunshine and water while undergoing treatment. The princess also thanking the Royal Marsden hospital staff writing, my heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.

For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.

Kate shocked the world when she announced last March that she was receiving treatment for cancer.

Presumably she has decades of life ahead of her now that that hopefully the cancer is behind her and that means focusing on what are the things that could potentially affect her life years and decades from now.

And while Kate is in remission, we know that the King is continuing his treatment. This year, we don't expect the princess to return to a full schedule immediately. She herself said it's hard getting back to normal. But this is still really good news. Diane?

It sure is. ABC's Lama Hassan, thank you. And Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are opening up after losing their home in the Pacific Palisades fire. The reality stars have been sharing their story on TikTok and now millions of followers are trying to help them rebuild. ABC's Jacqueline Lee sat down with them as they recounted how they escaped.

Spencer was like, grab anything you want to keep. And I was like, how do you choose? My brain actually stopped working because I was so overwhelmed with so many things you can't replace. So I grabbed my kids' teddy bears.

Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag opening up after the devastating loss of their home in the Pacific Palisades fire. What was it that made this 1 so different when you realized, oh my gosh, we might not survive this 1?

The worst was like, we... Whew, so hard. Our kid's room that like, is like so magical. We do story time every night. It's like such our routine.

So much love is in there. Our son's bed started just like burning in the shape of a heart, like the fire just started as a heart. I was like, this is like, like out of body insane.

It's gonna be me and you here, right?

Deal.

The couple rose to fame on the reality TV series The Hills, now together for more than 15 years.

Obviously I'm in shock and my brain's not functioning.

The duo chronicling the aftermath to their combined 3.1 million TikTok followers.

We got what's left of a hummingbird feeder. That's positive.

Even vlogging shopping trips to Marshall's after they lost everything, trying to gain a sense of normalcy.

It's really making me

miss my staff.

It's a place that you love, that you live, that's a refuge from the world. And to have that be gone is a really difficult concept to continue to daily deal with.

Everything earned throughout their nearly 20 years in the spotlight was spent on their home and everything inside it lost.

I feel like a ghost I don't have a single photo now before I for before an iPhone existed I don't have any of the dumb little things that are on your shelves and your parents that they're all gone. Not a single nothing.

And neither their house nor their possessions were insured. They say like many people in California, they were dropped from their policy.

So we were house poor as they call it. Like we have a house and everything else is a hustle, is a grind. So yeah, we're definitely counting every dollar that we make. It's like we're working really hard to, we take 1 trip a year.

Spencer, turning Heidi's 2010 album, Superficial, into a hit thanks to social media hoping it will help rebuild their lives. Their fans including artists like Flava Flav rallying around the couple.

Number 1 in Philippines, that's 12 number ones.

The album catapulting to number 1 on the iTunes charts.

The fan support has been such a light in such a darkness for us, and it's life-changing.

Jacqueline Lee, thank you for that. And Heidi and Spencer are making money from this renewed interest in their music. They say they hope to make enough to help others too. And you can see more of Jacqueline's interview with Spencer and Heidi tonight on Nightline. Coming up, we are live on Capitol Hill as President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees get ready for their confirmation hearings.

We're live in Washington, D.C. With the latest.

I'm not getting in the car with you.

If you saw a professional female driver treated like this.

I don't trust women drivers. I would like a male driver. Can you call your boss?

I'm a professional. I've been doing this for years.

Are you

going to be doing your makeup on the whole time? Would you step in?

You don't need to insult her.

Wait till you see what happens.

I just wanted to protect her.

Women need to support other women.

So the question is, what would you do?

We are good drivers, by the way.

All new tonight on ABC.

You know something serious about to happen?

Ooh!

I have an idea.

You guys have eyes on your targets.

Shouldn't we strategize? Come

on, we're gonna improvise. Freestyle.

No.

♪♪

Tonight, as L.A. Communities face new fire threats, the rare red flag warnings in place. Plus, the Trump cabinet confirmation hearings, key takeaways. World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most watched newscast.

Freeze Morgan Guillory major crimes.

Where did you get this?

The dollar store.

♪♪

Bingo. Our killer's name is Dubois.

Did you

just Google, who's the killer?

No, I did not do that.

♪♪

What does it take to be the most watched newscast in America?

♪♪

We are part of an operation. This is Sir Comet Operation Center. We're approaching the gate.

Militants came in from... Hi.

Appreciate you.

Thank you. Ismael? David.

David!

ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most watched newscast.

Reporting from the deadly and disastrous wildfires here in Alpedina, California, I'm Ginger Zee. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC News Live.

Hi, I'm Diane Macedo. Today on Capitol Hill News Live First, it's a big day on Capitol Hill. Several of President-elect Trump's nominees face confirmation hearings in the Senate. First up, lawmakers are set to grill his picks for Attorney General and Secretary of State, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Yesterday, Senators grilled Trump's choice for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, many questioning his qualifications and character.

But now Republicans appear united in supporting him. ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott joins me with the latest on all that. So Rachel, looks like things are getting prepared there. What can we expect to hear from this questioning of Pam Bondi?

Yeah, this hearing is gonna kick off and get underway in just about 30 minutes or so. So preparations are very much underway here similar to Hague Seth. Long lines of people that are waiting to enter this hearing. Look for Pam Bondi, Trump's pick for Attorney General, you can expect her to face a lot of questions when it comes to how she wants to carry out President-elect Donald Trump's vision for the Department of Justice and also how she plans to carry out his promise, his pledge to pardon the rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6th and even some of his pledges out on the campaign trail to go after his political enemies. Much of the focus for that will be for Pam Bondi today, especially from Democrats.

I think Democrats and Republicans understand her credentials. They do believe that she's qualified for this position, so I don't think you'll hear as many questions around that as you heard from someone like Pete Hegseth yesterday when he faced his confirmation hearing but definitely they'll be drilling in on what she plans to do to carry out President-elect Donald Trump's vision and goal for the Department of Justice.

And Florida Senator Marco Rubio is appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has served on that very committee since 2011, so do you expect that will help him get through this confirmation process?

Oh, absolutely. Look, for a lot of these nominees for President-elect Donald Trump, they've been participating in these mock hearings, right, which have been complete with microphones and name tags. They've been sort of walking through the process, what to expect. Well, Senator Marco Rubio does not need any of that. He is someone who is known for grilling nominees, grilling people that have been in the hot seat at some of these key hearings and so he has a lot of experience.

Now he's on the other end. He's sitting there in that witness chair. He'll be taking questions from senators on both sides of the aisle. Look, he is highly respected here on Capitol Hill but I think you can't expect that Senator Marco Rubio will face some questions about his own comments about President-elect Donald Trump, how he plans to carry out foreign policy as well. I did receive a copy of some of his prepared statements in his opening remarks.

He does plan to introduce himself to the nation once again as the son of Cuban immigrants, tell a little bit of a personal story as well. But again, Marco Rubio, highly respected here on Capitol Hill. Democrats and Republicans believe that he does have the qualifications and he is expected to easily sail through the confirmation process.

Probably not going to be as heated as yesterday's hearing with Pete Hegseth. I want to ask you about that too because Senator Joni Ernst was probably the biggest question mark going into those confirmation hearings. Now she says she will support Hegseth. How big is

that? Yeah. Yeah, and It's huge, Diane, because Hegseth ultimately came out of this four-hour heated and contentious Senate confirmation hearing in a much stronger position. Senator Joni Ernst was seen as a key holdout. She is a combat veteran.

She's a survivor of sexual assault. So here you have Pete Hagstaff facing many of those allegations. They met 1 on 1 multiple times. And then during that hearing, it appeared that she threw him a lifeline as she appeared to initiate some sort of support for him during the confirmation hearing. It seemed like it was trending in this direction and then we got that word a few hours after that hearing wrapped up that she will in fact be supporting Pete Hegsef.

So now it appears that he does have the support of all Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee. So big picture what does that mean? Well it means that his nomination is gonna clear the committee and we could see a full vote in the Senate as early as next week Diane.

All

right ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, thank you. And we're learning new details about President-elect Trump's inauguration plans. Tech billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg are expected to have front-row seats. Sources say they'll likely be right alongside Trump's cabinet picks. Senior White House correspondent Selena Wang has more on that.

So Selena, what else are you hearing about Trump's inauguration plans and what do you think these VIPs say about how he plans to run the White House?

Yeah Diane those 3 billionaires you mentioned they're going to have front-row seats at Donald Trump's inauguration. They're going to be seated right alongside Donald Trump's cabinet picks and other elected officials. And that, Diana, is really a stark symbol of the close relationship between the tech giants and this incoming administration. Elon Musk, he's been a near constant presence here in West Palm Beach at Mar-a-Lago with Donald Trump. And both Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos have also made trips down here to meet with the president-elect.

Now, both Meta and Amazon have each donated a million dollars to the Trump-Vance inaugural committee, as well as other tech giants have, too, including Google, Microsoft, and

Apple. But what's really notable here is

that this is the first time that Meta has ever donated to a presidential inaugural committee. In fact, Trump's inaugural committee has raised a record breaking amount surpassing the $150 million that they had set as a goal.

Meanwhile, President Biden is set to give a farewell address to the nation tonight. What can we expect there?

Yeah, this farewell address is set for 8 p.m. Tonight during prime time. This is President Biden's final address to the nation from the Oval Office, giving his final goodbyes. This is going to cap his five-decade career in politics. And President Biden, the last few weeks we've seen him trying to set his legacy as somebody who was a transformational president who stabilized domestic politics at home and made historic investments in America while also bolstering America's leadership abroad.

President Biden also released a letter this morning where he talked about the transformation that we've seen in this country since he took office. He wrote about how he took office in the shadow of the pandemic after the January 6 attack, and he said that now America now has the strongest economy in the world. He also touted the millions of jobs that have been created under his presidency. Look, Diane. The reality is that regardless of the tone that President Biden is trying to set as he leaves office, the reality is that this just is not the legacy that President Biden had intended to leave behind.

President Biden had vowed to be a bridge candidate, a bridge leader to a new generation of Democratic leadership, but instead just days from now he's going to be handing over power to someone who he has repeatedly warned to the American people is a threat to democracy and unfit to be president.

Selena Wang, thank you. And President Biden's farewell address to the nation is set for tonight at 8 Eastern. You can watch right here on ABC News Live. 25 people are now dead in the historic wildfires in Southern California. The most severe wind warning is in effect right now, threatening to start new fires and spread existing ones.

We're also learning new information about what may have sparked the Palisades fire. That's been burning for more than a week. Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman has the latest from Pacific Palisades.

The second straight day millions facing an extreme fire risk in Southern California. The next 12 hours critical.

Everybody here urges you to remain alert as danger has not yet passed.

Fire crews scrambling to mop up any remaining hot spots, fearing that powerful Santa Ana winds and dry conditions could rekindle the monstrous Eaton and Palisades fires. Palisades fire now 18% contained as new clues emerge about how it may have started. ABC News has learned that the ATF, the federal agency charged with investigating arson and explosions, is zeroing in on the Palisades Highland area. Some residents pointing to this fire first reported on the hillside just after midnight on New Year's Day.

LAFD had sent helicopters and had sent trucks to put that fire out. They were there for hours circling overhead. We assumed then the fire was out. For the next several nights, there were fireworks again going off at night in various areas in the hills.

By 3.38 a.m., the fire is stopped and an hour later by 446 fully contained. Fire officials say that ash pits or tree roots can smolder for days unseen.

Wait, we were right behind it.

Then at 1030 a.m. Tuesday January 7th the Palisades fire was reported. These side-by-side satellite images seem to show that fire starting at nearly the same spot as the fire the week before. We witnessed the furious firefighting efforts at that spot as the Palisades fire began to spread.

Just in the past couple of seconds since we've been here, this fire has crested this little hill where the entire basin here is engulfed in flames.

FEMA, on the ground in LA, already receiving 40, 000 aid applications. 84-year-old Susan Sulcer says she watched the Palisades fire approach her home from her kitchen window before fighting the fire with her 86 year old husband Winston, saving their home.

I wasn't sure where Winston was, couldn't contact him, but It turned out he was at the south end of the house doing the same thing.

The Palisades and Eaton fires have claimed the lives of 25 people and the survivors are still reeling.

It was literally shooting like fireballs. It looked like a volcano.

Zaira Calvin remembers the Eaton fire surging towards the place he's called home for 47 years.

I got the red flag.

You're

getting your mother. I'm getting my mother. We're

going. I go to the left and

My sister's car is still there.

He says he thought his sister, Evelyn McClendon, had managed to leave already. The next day, they located her.

When you're mourning your sister's death, there's no real understanding. There's no understanding. There's no way to even take it in.

The family hit hard, but not giving up on their community.

Everyone is fighting. Everyone is literally just asking, leaning on each other to say, what's next? What's the best thing to do?

Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman in Pacific Palisades, thank you. And a source tells ABC News a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be announced at any time. An Israeli government official says the 2 sides have agreed on the framework of a deal. The first phase of the agreement is said to include the release of 33 hostages taken by Hamas. In exchange, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and fighting in the Gaza Strip would stop for at least 6 weeks.

Israel says it believes most of the hostages being held in Gaza are still alive though Hamas hasn't confirmed that 3 are believed to be Americans. Before that deal is official Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has to get the agreement approved by his security cabinet and his wider government and allow time for legal objections. ABC News foreign correspondent Tom Soufi-Burich is in Tel Aviv with more on that. So, Tom, what are you hearing about the timing of this potential deal and what are the major points of contention at this point?

Yeah, Diane, we're hearing from 2 sources here in Israel now that say that Hamas has given its green light to this potential deal. The source is saying we are very close and they hope there will be a deal today or tomorrow but it's not quite a done deal and US officials are stressing that there is some haggling still going on. We're also seeing a draft negotiating outline. It's not the final deal, there are gaps in it, but it gives us a real insight into the complexity of this initial phase of the deal. 6 weeks ceasefire, we knew about that months ago, 33 hostages potentially released.

But this draft negotiating framework speaks to the fact that the 33 hostages, not all of them would be alive. Israeli officials believe and hope that most of them are alive. It would mean only women, including female Israeli soldiers, children, elderly males and sick males, but not male Israeli soldiers. And it would be a phased release of the hostages. So we're talking about potentially, and this is just according to a draft negotiating framework, maybe 3 hostages on the first day, maybe another 4 a week later, and then 3 every week beyond that.

And it would be linked to huge amounts of humanitarian aid flooding into Gaza and of course an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails being released. You know the number of Palestinian prisoners in this draft deal that would be released is contingent on how many Israeli hostages, what category of Israeli hostages would be released in the deal. So it's not a done deal right now but it's looking close. There is cautious optimism right now.

So if they do finalize an initial deal, Tom, is it likely the Israeli government will support it or could it face opposition there too?

Well, there's 2 things here, Diane. There's the Israeli government and then there's Prime Minister Netanyahu's cabinet. We believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu's cabinet will sign off on the deal, the majority of them. There is going to be at least 1 dissenting voice, a hardline of the Security Minister here who's already speaking out against it, but it will go through. We can't say really whether or not in the longer term Prime Minister Netanyahu's government will stay together but that will depend also on what happens after the 6 weeks maybe because you know this is another crucial thing about what is being negotiated right now, is that it is a six-week ceasefire with 33 hostages released in that initial phase of the deal.

Now the framework we've seen talks about a potential second and third phase where the remaining hostages could be released and the ceasefire be prolonged and there will be conditions around that. But what the framework that we've seen implies is that none of the real nitty-gritty, the detail of phase 2 or 3 has been negotiated at all and only really those talks would begin once the initial phase of the ceasefire would start. So look, yes it's looking very likely we're getting closer and closer towards that potential first phase of the deal. Real uncertainty about what it would mean for phases 2 and 3 and the longer-term future in Gaza and whether or not this would turn into a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Diane.

All right ABC News chief foreign correspondent Tom Sufi Burrage in Tel Aviv thank you. And police in South Korea are questioning the nation's impeached president. Yoon Suk-yol was detained overnight weeks after investigators first tried to arrest him over his short-lived declaration of martial law. ABC's Joohee Cho has the latest from Seoul.

Diane, President Yoon is being questioned by the Corruption Investigation Office. I am right behind the office right now. He is currently detained. The CIO could apply for a formal arrest warrant after 48 hours. The attempt to detain Yoon was carefully orchestrated.

40 CIO officers and 2, 000 police forces raided the president's residence early morning, forced their way in from front and back using ladders to climb over lines of busses and vehicles that were blocking the entrance. Yoon agreed to submit himself to prevent a bloody clash between his security service and the police forces. There were reports of violence and injuries as angry supporters of Yoon tried to stop the aid. There are supporters around me as well shouting for Yoon's release. Now Yoon calls the CIO's investigation on insurrection and the warrant illegal.

There has been heated debate over this after the CIO self-claimed that they have the authority to investigate, while Yoon and the ruling party claims that by law, the CIO does not. U.S. Strongly believes that the National Election Commission is corrupted, and therefore previous elections have been rigged. U.N. And its supporters also believe that the country is under attack by pro-North Korean supporters trying to topple the democratic system.

The irony of all this is that youth ruling party approval ratings have jumped from just over 10% to over 40% in multiple recent surveys, which is now neck and neck with the opposition party. Diane?

Joohee Cho in Seoul, South Korea, thank you. Coming up, the last inflation report before President-elect Trump takes office is out. What it could mean for the future of the economy. Plus it's a big day on Capitol Hill. President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees are in the hot seat.

We are live in Washington, D.C. With the latest on those confirmation hearings.

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The December

CPI report shows inflation rose 0.4% in December and is up 2.9% from last year. The numbers are in line with what economists expected and they come after last week's stronger than expected jobs report. ABC News Business Reporter Alexis Christopheris joins me with more on that. So Alexis what do these new inflation numbers tell us about the state of the economy?

It tells us that that road to 2% inflation is going to be a long 1. This is the third month in a row where we've seen inflation tick up now at 2.9% year over year and every single category saw prices rise month over month. Most notably we had a lot of months where gasoline was behaving gas up about 4.4 percent month over month we also saw higher prices for airline or airfares new and used trucks and food shelter as well rent continues to be a big issue for Americans.

So many of those basics that people need all the time. So what are you watching out for in the coming months after we change administrations, President Trump takes office? What are you looking for in the numbers?

Of course,

we have a Federal Reserve meeting coming up, too, and this report makes it very unlikely we'll get an interest rate another interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve anytime soon and then of course the new administration coming in with Trump's promise of tariffs and immigration policy changes could impact unemployment and inflation and the Fed's going to be watching all of that.

Meanwhile, a group of lawmakers are calling for an extension to that January 19 TikTok ban deadline. What's the latest on that? What are you watching?

So we're

already seeing these influencers who get hundreds of millions of dollars collectively from TikTok as revenue every year. And remember, billions of dollars in advertising also at stake here so they're looking to migrate over to other platforms. Red Note which is another Chinese based app becoming very popular the most downloaded free app this week so far also Lemon 8 which is the sister app of TikTok, also owned by ByteDance. A lot of folks are now migrating over to those platforms. The question is, because they are China-based, are they going to have the same hurdles that TikTok is coming up against?

We also know that Kevin O'Leary of Shark Tank fame has a consortium of investors. They've already put in a $20 billion proposal to buy TikTok without the algorithm. They say that's what they believe it's worth. TikTok, for its part, says we're not up for sale. There have been reports that they're in talks with Elon Musk to take over the U.S.

Business. They call that pure fiction. So there's still lots of uncertainty as we, you know, near the 11th hour here.

All

right. Alexis Christophers, thank you. Coming up, Pam Bondi is in the hot seat on Capitol Hill. How President-Elect Trump's nominee for Attorney General is getting ready for her confirmation hearing. We are live in Washington, D.C.

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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, Senators are preparing to question Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi. The former Florida Attorney General is known for being 1 of President-elect Trump's most loyal defenders. She's a vocal, political and legal ally who's represented Trump during his first impeachment. Bondi also boosted Trump's efforts to spread false claims about the 2020 election loss and stood by him during his New York criminal trial.

Bondi became the nominee after Trump's first pick, former Congressman Matt Gaetz, withdrew amid growing questions about sexual misconduct and other allegations against him, which he denies. We have live team coverage now. Let's start things off with senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, who's live there on Capitol Hill. Rachel, as things start to get underway there, or at least the preparations do, can we talk about Bondi's priorities? Because she's talked about going after so-called pill mills or clinics that hand out large amounts of prescription painkillers if she gets the job.

So what do we know about what she plans to do if she does get this confirmation?

Yeah Diane and we are just outside of the hearing room where all this will be taking place in just a few moments. We were waiting for Pam Bondi to arrive. Make no mistake about it, yes she is going to be the 1 that's in the hot seat today, but all of this is about President-elect Donald Trump and his agenda and his view and vision for the Department of Justice. Pam Bondi has vowed to clean house at the DOJ. We know President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to go after his political enemies.

He's vowed to pardon those who attacked the Capitol on January 6th. You can expect her to get a lot of questions on if she believes there's any red lines. She agrees with that. How she plans to exactly carry that out. And you mentioned it.

She is extremely loyal to the president-elect she did represent him in his first impeachment trial she stood by him as he was making those false claims about the 2020 election and you can also expect some Democrats to press her on whether or not she still stands by some of those claims.

And I want to go to ABC's Jareb Ryan also on Capitol Hill because J I know you've been speaking with some senators there outside the hearing room what are they telling you as they head in?

Well Democrats expressing those concerns that you just heard Rachel outline there, Diane, particularly expect tough questions for Pam Bondi on independence of the Department of Justice from President-elect Trump. At least 2 Democratic senators, including the top Democrat on this panel, Dick Durbin, just spoke with me and other reporters and said that they asked that question of Pam Bondi behind closed doors. How can you ensure that the Department of Justice will be independent as is designed from President-elect Trump? And they said Pam Bondi answered that question behind closed doors, but they wouldn't really go into detail on that answer or frankly if they were satisfied with that answer. They seem to want to ask her that question in this public forum in the heat of this hearing.

Another concern we've heard from Democrats is Pam Bondi's time as Donald Trump's personal attorney representing him in his first impeachment trial. And then, of course, Pam Bondi's role as a sort of Trump campaign surrogate in 2020, pushing false result of pushing false claims of election results in the 2020 election. I asked Dick Durbin about that. He said, is that rhetoric potentially that was said, as he says, quote-unquote, in the heat of a campaign, or is it something more? Expect Pam Bondi to get questions on that as well, Diane.

And Jay, yesterday in Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearings, most of the criticisms and tough questions focused on lack of experience or issues with character. What do you think the focus will be today with Pam Bondi?

Well

the issue of experience isn't something that we've heard Democrats throw at Pam Bondi's feet. They say they have, that she has the requisite experience to be the Attorney General. Her time as the top law enforcement official in the state of Florida, time that I've talked to officials in Florida, including Democrats who will tell you openly that they're no fans of Donald Trump, but say that they respect Pam Bondi's role as the top prosecutor in that state. And we've got Senator John Cornyn walking into the room, but he didn't stop to take questions, Diane. And so it's not an issue of experience as much for Pam Bondi as we've heard from Democrats.

But again, that issue of A, her background when she was representing Donald Trump in a personal capacity, and B, her commitments, if she can make them in this hearing, to Democrats to keep the Department of Justice separate from the political influence of the White House. All of that to say, while Democrats say that they have concerns and they're certainly can ask pointed questions behind closed doors, there's no real hint of Republican opposition at this hour to Pam Bondi and Republicans will be able to confirm Pam Bondi because of their sizable majority in the Senate without Democratic votes as we have Lindsey Graham walking down the hallway here Diane unclear if he's gonna stop to take questions but point being is no serious Republican opposition at this hour unlike the opposition that we saw to Matt Gaetz who had to drop out because he wasn't getting the support he needed from Republican senators and therefore that's why Pam Bondi's in this role. Here comes Lindsey Graham.

What do

you think of Democrats who say that Pam Bondi won't show independence from Donald Trump and are concerned about her efforts while he was trying to overturn the 2020 election?

I don't take that seriously. I think she's 1 of the most qualified people he could have picked. I think almost any Republican presidential person would have picked Pam. Yeah.

Do you think she would prosecute anyone who's on?

What depends on what they did.

Do you believe that she'll be confirmed easily?

Yes. Did she make commitments in there to keep the DOJ independent? And there goes Senator Lindsey Graham again saying that Pam Bondi is qualified, something that we've heard Democrats say that they don't dispute, not necessarily taking the questions on whether or not She can make commitments in there that the Department of Justice will be independent. But again, no serious Republican opposition at this hour. And if none emerges, that means Pam Bondi is on track to be confirmed, Diane.

Jay, I love how you can just carry on our entire conversation, pause to ask Lindsey Graham a question, and then just pick right back up again.

Thank you.

Putting Jay on the spot a little bit. Let's go to senior White House correspondent Selena Wang because Selena, new Associated Press poll finds only about 2 in 10 US adults are extremely or very confident that the Department of Justice will act in a fair and nonpartisan manner during his second term. We heard Jay asking Lindsey Graham about that just now. No response there from the senator. But how significant is that with the timing of this hearing now?

And how much do you expect this hearing to focus on that as Pam Bondi now enters the room?

Yeah, Diane, I mean, this really gets back to the core issue that she's going to face during this hearing. Democratic senators are especially going to be grilling her on the question of whether or not she is going to protect the Department of Justice from political influence. They're going to really want to know is she going to follow through with Donald Trump's campaign vow to transform the Department of Justice? Is she going to make good on her previous comments to clean house at the DOJ? Is she going to go after Donald Trump's political enemies?

These are all key questions that she is going to be grilled on in the hot seat, including the question of pardoning those January 6 rioters, which Donald Trump has vowed to do on day 1. Donald Trump hasn't been clear about how he's going to approach that. Key Republican leadership members have said they think Donald Trump should treat these rioters differently depending on whether or not

they committed acts. I asked the president-elect this question just last week at Mar-a-Lago. I asked him if he would also pardon those January 6 rioters who

attacked police officers. And Donald Trump wouldn't rule that out. Pambandi will be asked whether or

not she agrees with the president-elect's thinking on those issues. Now, as you just heard Senator Lindsey Graham there say, he believes that Pam Bondi is 1 of the most qualified people to serve as Attorney General. Now this is a job that Donald Trump deeply cares about. He values loyalty as a top qualification for this role And of course Matt Gaetz was his first choice. He later withdrew from consideration.

But broadly speaking, senators on both sides of the aisle, they agree that she is qualified for this role. So during this confirmation hearing, a lot of the questions are going to be more focused on her loyalty to the president-elect.

And Pam Bondi is now seated there waiting for these confirmation hearings to get started. Rachel, what do you think we'll hear from her? Rachel, I'm not sure if you can hear me, but what do you expect to hear from Pam Bondi herself?

Yeah, I think we had a little bit of a technical glitch there, so thanks for bearing with me. Look, I think what we're going to hear from Pam Bondi is she's going to come forward and she's really going to make the case that she's best fit to serve in this position. I think she will touch on her qualifications and her background. Yes, she does not have any federal prosecutorial experience, but she certainly does have that more so at a state and county level. So expect her to really hone in on her qualifications there.

Look, I will tell you that I've talked to Trump transition officials. They have been preparing their nominees for some of these very tough questions. We saw Pete Hegseth take a lot of tough questions yesterday about many of the allegations that he is facing, which he denies. Yes, Pam Bonny does not have a slew of allegations similar to Pete Hegseth, but they want their nominees to remain calm, cool, and collected when they are being challenged, especially by Democrats in these confirmation hearings. And so she is going to be prepared to take questions on all of these subjects that we are talking about.

Independence in the Department of Justice, the questions about pardoning rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6th, those questions about loyalty to President-elect Donald Trump and even about the 2020 election. I am sure that she has been coached and walked through that. I'm told that a lot of these nominees have been participating in these practice mock hearings that have included everything from microphones to name tags with Republican members sitting there and grilling them on questions they believe that Democrats are going to ask. I think for Pam Bonny, this is also a moment for her to really introduce herself to the nation as well. People may not be as familiar with her as maybe they are with Pete Hegseth given a lot of the headlines that came out about him or Senator Marco Rubio, right, who also has his confirmation hearing today, someone that I think the American people has seen not only question people in the hot seat in many of these confirmation hearings, but I've seen him roam around the halls here on Capitol Hill, push key policies that he supports, really become a leader, a prominent leader in the Republican Party.

So I think a lot of this as well in her opening statement I think you can expect her to sort of give an introduction and outline of who she is to the American people as well but also what the president-elect's vision is. Trump transition officials feel that this is America that elected President-elect Donald Trump to do what exactly what he campaigned on. And so while there will be some tough questions about that, I expect that Pam Bondi is going to stand by what the president-elect has said and promised to do.

And they are starting with some of the procedural aspects of the confirmation hearings starting to get underway there. The chair, Senator Chuck Grassley, who you see there on the screen, is welcoming a new senators to the room. And so while they do that, Selena, let's talk a little bit about Pam Bondi and President-elect Trump's relationship because we know Bondi traveled to New York last May to support Trump in court while he stood trial in that Hush Money criminal case. So what can you tell us about how the president-elect is now supporting her and how he's been rallying behind her and just in general about their relationship over the years?

Yeah, Dan, I mean, Pam Bondi has deep ties not only to the president-elect, but more broadly to Trump world. She actually defended Donald Trump in his first impeachment trial. She's also campaigned on behalf of Donald Trump. And also she was a key force in Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. She pushed lies about the vote, so she is certainly going to be grilled by Democratic senators on that issue in addition to a controversial decision that she had made when she was Florida's Attorney General.

She had passed on a case against Trump University shortly after she received a donation from the Trump Foundation. Now I just received, we're just getting a copy of her opening statement and Pam Bondi as Rachel had forecasted, she does run through her credentials, her background as a Florida's Attorney General, really introducing her background to the American people and why she's qualified for this role. But I also, Diane, just want to read to you a part of the end of her opening statement where she says, lastly, and most importantly, if confirmed, I'll work to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components. Under my watch, the partisan weaponization of the Department of Justice will end. America must have 1 tier of justice for all." Now that really follows the kind of language that Donald Trump has been using, criticizing the weaponization of the Donald Trump, accusing them of being weaponized against him.

And so that does lead an opening to those questions about whether or not she is going to go after Donald Trump's political enemies, whether or not she is in fact going to transform the Department of Justice and clean house.

And that hearing is getting underway now. Let's listen in as the Attorney General nominee, Pam Bondi, faces her confirmation hearing.

Questions? And we ultimately voted him out of committee on a bipartisan basis. Although Attorney General Garland wasn't Who we on this side of the aisle would have chosen to lead the the Department of Justice We recognize that President Biden Won that election and that he was entitled to choose his attorney general. We were ultimately disappointed with some of the things that General Garland and his department did, but at the time of his nomination, we gave him the benefit of the doubt. As the recent terrorist attacks in New Orleans and around the world have shown, Our national security must be a high priority.

The American people deserve a secure homeland and borders, safe streets, orderly markets, civil rights, and a protected environment. So, delivering on these promises required the swift confirmation of an attorney general. This committee should give Ms. Bondi the same benefit of the doubt that this committee gave to Attorney General Garland. President Trump has selected a nominee whose qualifications speak for themselves.

Ms. Bondi made history in 2010 as the first woman to be elected Florida Attorney General. She held that role for 8 years and was comfortably re-elected by the people of Florida to a second term. 8 years of service as Attorney General of the third largest state in the nation is excellent preparation for the role of U.S. Attorney General.

As Florida Attorney General, Ms. Bondi was a member of the Florida Cabinet, chief legal officer of the state, and led a large agency that tangibly impacted people's lives. And by all accounts, Ms. Bondi handled her responsibilities well. As the Florida Attorney General, Ms.

Bondi achieved numerous successes. She engaged in key initiatives to fight human trafficking, counter the opioid epidemic, and protect consumers and protect the citizens of Florida from violence. She didn't shy away from hard work or complicated problems. She engaged in aggressive campaign to eliminate pill mills. Took a leading role in securing a 3 and a quarter billion dollar settlement following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and eliminated the backlog of rape test kits that had accumulated in that state's laboratories.

Ms. Bondy's experience isn't limited to her service as Florida Attorney general. She also served as a prosecutor in Hillsborough County for 18 years and prosecuted terrible crimes. She sought tough penalties and justice for victims of violent criminals, domestic abusers, and sexual predators. She prosecuted drug traffickers and thus protected her community.

She was also active outside of her professional role, serving in the Junior League of Tampa on the board of Special Olympics Florida and is well known for her animal rescue efforts. Her experience and performance as attorney general, prosecutor, and community leader speaks volumes about her character and her dedication to the rule of law. She's received multiple letters in support of her nomination, including from the Fraternal Order of Police, the Republican State Attorneys General, more than 100 former senior DOJ officials, and a bipartisan group of former state attorneys general. In short Miss Bondi is highly qualified and of course as we all know a change is desperately needed. When confirmed, Ms.

Bondi will take the helm of a turb- at a very turbulent time for this country and for that department. The Justice Department's infected, is infected with political decision-making, while its leaders refuse to acknowledge that reality. Crossfire Hurricane was a textbook example of government weaponization. The FBI's investigation was built on the fake Steele dossier, which was funded by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign who worked with foreign operatives. My investigative work exposed that the FBI actually knew the dossier was false information and was likely a part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

Even with the knowledge of such dossier defects and political infections, the Justice Department sought FISA warrant renewals and took other actions. After directing my oversight staff to investigate Justice Department's mishandlings of the matter, the Justice Department retaliated in issuing a subpoena for my own staff's phone records. That's right, challenging my constitutional rights of doing my oversight duties. What's next? Then a few Democratic colleagues pressured the FBI Foreign Influence Task Force to supposedly brief me and Senator Johnson related to our Biden family investigation.

On August 20th, Senator Johnson and I had that infamous briefing from the FBI. Later this FBI's briefing contents were leaked to the media even though the FBI promised confidentiality. That leak falsely labeled our oversight work as, you guessed it, Russian disinformation. To this day, over 4 years later, the intelligence community and the FBI refused to provide us the intelligence basis for that briefing. The title of this Wall Street Journal's article sums it up, quote, the FBI's dubious briefing did the Bureau set 2 U.S.

GOP senators up at the behest of Democrats, question mark, end of quote. So, I know as other people on this committee and in and out of Congress know what government weaponization is. And then we get to Special Counsel Jack Smith and his lawfare operation. It involved an unprecedented FBI raid on Trump's house, including agents that even searched the former first lady's clothing drawers. Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden certainly did not receive the same treatment by government regarding their records.

Indeed, as my oversight Exposed, the FBI amazingly agreed to destroy laptop records and records associated with Clinton's staff. This Orwellian conduct should have no quarter. On top of it all, the FBI Special Agent Thiebaud, the anti-Trump agent that violated the Hatch Act for political activities on the job, started 1 of Jack Smith's cases. But Jack Smith wasn't the only department official who tried to influence this past election. The Washington Post reported just last August about a previously undisclosed Mueller investigation into Trump that was closed for lack of evidence, and it being quote-unquote, fishing expedition.

That news reporting was based on sealed court records, government records, and potentially classified information roughly 90 days before the last presidential election. The Justice Department leaked that information to the press to impact the election against President Trump. And they did it while stiff-arming congressional requests for information that would prove embarrassing to the Biden-Harris administration. So let us not forget some of the more and other flagrant abuses of power that we've seen from the DOJ and the FBI over the last 4 years. And I don't have the time to spend on these that I spent on 2 or 3 others, but just to list them.

The Department of Justice used the might of the federal government to prosecute individuals peacefully praying outside of an abortion clinic. The FBI suggested that traditional Catholics could be domestic terrorism threats, claiming that these individuals adhere to, quote, anti-Semitic, anti-immigration, anti-GBT, and white supremacy ideology, end of quote. The FBI opened dozens of investigations into parents who voiced their concerns at school board meetings regarding curriculum choices and COVID-19 mandates. The FBI applied undue pressure to social media platforms to censor so-called misinformation downgrading or removing flagged social media posts and removing users. These are only a few particularly egregious examples of rot infesting the Department of Justice.

The impact of this political infection in our once-storied law enforcement institutions is catastrophic. By every metric, the Biden-Harris Justice Department conduct has failed to live up to our country's ideals. So Ms. Bondi, should you be confirmed, the actions you take to change the department's course must be for accountability, so that the conduct I just described never happens again. The only way to accomplish this is through transparency for the Congress and the American people.

Now to my friend, Ranking Member Durbin.

Thank you, Senator Grassley. I appreciate your commitment to the Judiciary Committee's longstanding bipartisan practices for vetting presidential nominees. That was in doubt several weeks ago, but I spoke to Senator Grassley and he assured me that he's still personally committed as I am to maintaining these practices which we've established over the years. Our process is rigorous and it shows how seriously members on both sides of the aisle take our constitutional responsibility of advice and consent. Ms.

Biondi, thanks for coming to my office last week to discuss your nomination. The importance of the Attorney General to our justice system cannot be overstated. As our nation's chief law enforcement officer, the Attorney General oversees the Department of Justice, which is responsible for protecting the civil rights of Americans, economic freedom and opportunity, public safety, and of course, national security. In short, the Attorney General has real impact on America's everyday life. It is critical that any nominee for this position be committed first and foremost to the Constitution and the American people, not any president or political agenda.

But President Trump claims he has, quote, an absolute right to do what he wants with the Justice Department. And that's how he conducted his first term. He interfered with the criminal cases of his friends and allies and successfully pressured DOJ to investigate his rivals. He even tried to use the Justice Department to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The president-elect made it clear that he values 1 thing above all else, and he said it over and over again, loyalty.

Speaking about Attorney General Sessions, Donald Trump said, quote, The only reason I gave him the job is because I felt loyalty. He was an original supporter But when then Attorney General Sessions did the right thing and recused himself from the Mueller investigation Trump said he should never have nominated him and he fired him Trump then nominated bill barred to succeed sessions bar successfully auditioned for the job in an unsolicited memo to DOJ that sharply criticized the Mueller investigation. Once confirmed, Barr misrepresented and blocked the release of the report, intervened in multiple criminal cases of Trump's political allies, and spread falsehoods about election fraud. But, in December of 2020, when Bill Barr finally announced there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the election, Trump dismissed him, fired his second attorney general. This time around, President-elect Trump has vowed not just to use the Justice Department to advance his political interests, but also to seek, quote, retribution against, quote, the enemy within.

He is repeatedly threatened to arrest, prosecute, jail, and otherwise punish those he considers his enemies. This includes reporters, prosecutors, judges, poll workers, military officials, and even his own former political appointees. Even before taking office, Trump has forced out his own FBI director that he appointed, Chris Wray. And he's trying to replace Wray with Kash Patel, whose main qualification to be FBI Director seems to be his loyalty to Donald Trump. Patel has even compiled an enemies list of quote government gangsters to target that he includes former Trump appointees like Director Wray, Attorney General Barr, and Defense Secretary Esper.

Trump's approach is in stark contrast with the bipartisan view born out of the post-Nixon era that the Justice Department should serve the interests of the American people, not any 1 president. For those who need a reminder, Richard Nixon ordered department officials to fire Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor investigating Watergate. 2 of those officials, Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus, resigned rather than carry out Richard Nixon's orders. When this committee considered the appointment of Loretta Lynch to be President Obama's Attorney General, a Republican member of the committee emphasized, and I quote, what we need from our next Attorney General more than anything else is independence. That same member who now still serves on the committee said and I quote, the job is not to be the President's wingman.

The job is to represent all Americans. The Attorney General must be willing to stand up to the President and say no when the office demands it. When Attorney General nominee Merrick Garland came before this committee, another 1 of my Republican colleagues still serving told Garland that I quote, my sole criterion for voting for your confirmation is your pledge to make sure that politics does not affect your job as attorney general. So the view that the Justice Department must be insulated from political influence should and should not be weaponized against political rivals has historically been bipartisan, certainly on this committee. At this crucial moment in history, that view, not Mr.

Trump's view, must prevail. Ms. Pondy, you have many years of experience in law enforcement, including nearly a decade of service as Attorney General in 1 of the largest states of the nation. But I need to know that you would tell the President no if you're asked to do something that is wrong, illegal, or unconstitutional. Ms.

Bondi, you are 1 of 4 Trump personal lawyers that he has already selected for top positions in the Department of Justice. You joined Mr. Trump in working to overturn the 2020 election. You repeatedly described investigations and prosecutions of Mr. Trump as witch hunts, and you have echoed his calls for investigating and prosecuting his political opponents.

This flies in the face of evidence, like Mr. Trump's call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. We've all heard that audio recording. These are the kinds of anti-democratic efforts that in the past you have defended. And it's critical that we understand whether you remain supportive of Mr.

Trump's actions. I also have questions whether you will focus on the needs of the American people rather than wealthy special interests. I'm concerned that you failed to identify your extensive lobbying for foreign governments and big corporations as potential conflicts of interest. There will be questions in this hearing on that issue. That's why I've asked the Justice Department and the National Archives for information on your lobbying of the Trump White House and your foreign lobbying disclosures.

I'm particularly concerned about your work on behalf of the government of Qatar, which reportedly paid you $115, 000 a month to launder their image on human trafficking, an issue of bipartisan concern on this committee. We need an attorney general who will enforce our antitrust laws to prevent price fixing and monopolies that lead to higher prices for American consumers, not favor corporate giants that you've lobbied for in the past like Amazon and Uber. I also have questions about some of your actions as Florida Attorney General. I'm concerned that your office failed to investigate more than 2 dozen complaints about the for-profit Trump University after Mr. Trump donated to your re-election campaign and held a fundraiser for you at Mar-a-Lago.

In addition, you have a long track record on the issue of civil rights, reproductive rights, voting rights, and LGBTQ rights that needs to be discussed. In contrast, Ms. Bondi, Merrick Garland didn't campaign for President Biden, never served as his personal attorney, never lobbied on behalf of foreign governments and corporate giants. After years of relentless criticism on Attorney General Garland, from many of my Republican colleagues, I hope they are prepared to hold you to the same standard. Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

It's now time for Senators to introduce the nominee. The first 1 will be senator Scott at the table as you see and Senator Schmidt is a member of this committee at his place on the dais Senator Scott, please proceed

Mr. Chairman ranking member committee members is Absolute honor to be for you today to introduce my good friend Pam Bondi for her nomination hearing. I would also like to recognize some important people appearing in support of her today, her husband John, as well as her mother, father-in-law, sister, brother, sister-in-law and nephews, friends, and family members of John. Many more would surely be here if space allowed. I can tell you wholeheartedly that President Trump couldn't have a better leader than Pam Bondi for Attorney General.

She is undoubtedly qualified, brilliant, and committed to defending and protecting the laws of this nation and has a track record to prove it. It is no secret that the DOJ is facing a public trust crisis after Democrats spent years weaponizing the justice system and the entire federal government. They've become an agency that attacks the American people instead of defending and protecting them. That will change under Pam Bondi. Under her leadership, the DOJ will actually fairly enforce the laws, protect the rights of the American people, and keep our nation safe and crack down on violent crimes and dangerous drugs.

And the American people will trust her to do so. I know that well because I worked alongside Pam Bondi for 8 years when I was governor of Florida, and she was Florida's elected Attorney General, working to improve the lives of Floridians to make Florida the best state in the nation to live, work and raise a family. Pam was an incredible partner, working to keep Florida safe and uphold the laws of our state ensuring crime is aggressively pursued by law enforcement and prosecutors. President Trump has made clear that 1 of his top priorities is to reverse the rising rates of crime and specifically violent crime that have plagued our communities over the past 4 years. Pam Bondi is uniquely equipped to advance his priority as U.S.

Attorney General because she has a proven track record of success in achieving dramatic reductions in crime and violent crime during her time as Florida's Attorney General. From 2010, the year before she took office, to 2018, the last year she was in office, together, Florida experienced a remarkable 26% drop in overall crime, including a 19.6% drop in violent crime and a 27.4% drop in property crime. These aren't just numbers, these are tens of thousands of lives saved and communities improved and made safer and families and businesses protected. As Florida's Attorney General, Pam Bondi also spearheaded other life-saving initiatives like tackling the opioid epidemic and fighting human trafficking. Her achievements are too many for me to list in this short introduction.

As U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi will restore law and order to the nation. She'll put Americans' interests first and make the nation a better and safer place. I urge every single member of this committee to support my friend Pam Bondi. I look forward to voting for her confirmation soon on the Senate floor and help her get to work for the American people.

Thank

you, Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, ranking member Durbin and members of the committee It is an honor for me and a privilege to introduce Pam Bondi President Trump's nominee to be the 87th Attorney General of the United States. I have known and worked closely with Pam for years, and I'm glad to call her a friend. When Pam was nominated by President Trump, my reaction was, this is a home run. As many of us are, I was only to be outdone by Senator Graham, who described the nomination as a grand slam, touchdown, hole-in-one, ace, hat-trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal pick.

And he's right. As the letter, joined by more than 100 former Justice Department officials put it, quote, it's all too rare for senior Justice Department officials, much less attorneys general, to have such a wealth of experience in the day-to-day work of keeping our communities safe, end quote. Pan exemplifies and personifies the Department of Justice's mission to uphold the rule of law, to keep our communities safe, and to protect our rights and liberties as Americans. Pan has distinguished herself in a career in public service that has taken her from her small-town upbringing in Temple Terrace, Florida, to a hearing before this esteemed committee. After attending the University of Florida and Stetson University College of Law, she started her career as a local prosecutor in Hillsborough County, Florida.

As a local prosecutor for nearly 2 decades, Pam kept her community safe, prosecuting violent criminals, drug dealers, those who had threatened the local community, and those who stood in opposition to the rule of law. Pam's fellow Floridians then elected her to serve as Florida's Attorney General where she was the first woman in state history elected to that office. As a former state Attorney General myself, I can vouch for the deep experience that Pam Bondi has developed from serving in that role. As the chief law enforcement official in her state, she worked with local prosecutors to fight crime, worked to protect our constitutional rights, or the constitutional rights of Floridians, and stood up for the little guy by taking on abuses of power. As Florida's Attorney General, she worked tirelessly to combat the opioid crisis, fighting pill mills, and helping to combat the widespread misuse and trafficking of deadly drugs, including fentanyl, which have devastated families and communities all across our country.

She stood up for Floridians in the wake of a 2008 financial crisis leading to the National Mortgage Settlement Act resulting in 56 billion dollars in compensation to victims. And after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Pam was there and stood up for Floridians by getting 2000000000 dollars from the companies responsible. On a more personal note, Pam has always taken it upon herself to help others. She's incredibly generous and someone I could always count on. She's truthful, she's tough, and she's a born leader.

She has charted her own course with the rare combination of backbone and heart. The next Attorney General of the United States must restore trust by reversing the weaponization we've seen the last 4 years and refocusing that department to its core mission, administering justice. The next Attorney General must promote the rule of law, take on violent crime, keep our communities safe, and safeguard the God-given rights that each American has protected in our Constitution. I can think of no 1, no 1 more up to that task than Pam Bondi, a career prosecutor and widely respected Attorney General with the prudence, fortitude, and temperance for this incredibly important job. Mr.

Chairman, it is truly an honor for me to introduce Pam Bondi to this committee and to our country here today and speak on her behalf. It is my hope that her nomination will be swiftly confirmed.

Thank you, Senator Schmitt. Now, Ms. Bondi, would you please come forward? And before you're seated, I'd like to administer oath. Would you please raise your right hand and answer this question?

Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give to this committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God. Please be seated and go move ahead with your opening statement.

Thank you Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Durbin, and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I've had the opportunity to meet with almost all of you, and I greatly appreciate that. I'm grateful to President Trump and to this committee for your consideration to be the 87th Attorney General of the United States. I would not be here without my family. And if you can bear with me for just a moment, a lot of them have made a very long trip, and I wrote them all down so I don't forget anyone.

My beautiful mother wouldn't be here, a retired kindergarten teacher would not be here without my mom.

As of a week ago

it was 12 years since we lost my dad to leukemia, feels like 12 days. My amazing husband, John, and his 2 incredible girls, Collins and Finley. Collins is a senior at University of Florida, and I think all of you on this committee will be very happy to know Finley is in cyber security. There's a third who is traveling abroad. I wish she could be here.

My amazing father-in-law David, my sister Beth, my brother-in-law is home with my niece. My nephews, if you could just raise your hand, Evan, Jake, and soon-to-be niece Savannah. My brother Brad, a brilliant lawyer. My sister-in-law Tandy, and my nephews Justin, who just got a 4.0 at UVA. Rex, great college tennis player.

Brad, great tennis player. Is Rhea here? And my niece, my beautiful niece Rhea, and the little guy is in school because he's 10. My friends, Leslie, Kathy, Dina, Tiffany, Kim, Paula, and so many of my former coworkers and Ranking member Durbin, if you want to get dirt on me, these women have known me since I was a child. Seriously, most of them.

So thank you for indulging me in that. They've all made a very long trip to be here. And thank you for holding my hearing as well and not postponing it. I appreciate that. Thank you all.

From the moment I interned at the state attorney's office in Tampa, Florida, all I wanted to do was be a prosecutor. The Supreme Court certified me and I had 4 jury trials while still in law school. Lost most of them but had 4 jury trials and never wanted to do anything else. I continued my career there trying everything from DUIs, domestic violence cases, capital murder cases, the whole gamut. I became a lead trial attorney in courtroom every day trying career criminals, was deputy chief of a division, and then ultimately was felony bureau chief and eventually left to become Florida's 37th attorney general for the state of Florida.

Nothing has impacted my career more than my experience as a state prosecutor. Because I got to know and still keep in touch with many victims and their families from when I was a prosecutor. Upon becoming Attorney General in 2011, I proudly served for 2 terms. I was term limited. I would probably still be there right now had I not been kicked out of office by term limits.

I loved being Attorney General. I did my best to keep Florida safe, to continue to stand up for victims of crime, and to fight the opioid crisis and the drug crisis that was not only facing Florida but this entire country. Out of the top 100, this is 1 of the things I'm the most proud of, oxycodone dispensers in the entire country, I believe it was 98 of them, 90 or 98 of them, lived in Florida. We fought for tough legislation. Kids were dropping dead every day.

We fought for tough legislation, and after that legislation, none of those opioid dealers, doctors, practiced in Florida. We fought to eliminate human trafficking by raising awareness and prevention and talking to parents and talking to children. We also provided critical resources including safe houses that my state was lacking. On the civil side, we worked to protect consumers. We tackled everything, including off-label prescription marketing, which affects, as you know, many, many people who can't afford prescriptions as well.

We partnered with states' attorneys general from both parties and federal agencies across administrations. We went after price gougers during hurricanes. If confirmed as the next Attorney General of the United States, my overriding objective will be to return the Department of Justice to its core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously prosecuting criminals and that includes getting back to basics. Gangs, drugs, terrorists, cartels, our border and our foreign adversaries. That is what the American people expect and that is what they deserve from the Department of Justice.

If confirmed, I will do everything in my power and it will be my great responsibility to make America safe again. Making America safe again also requires reducing recidivism. We have to fix the Bureau of Prisons And I am looking on both sides of the aisle. The Bureau has suffered from years of mismanagement, lack of funding, and low morale. I was proud to support President Trump's First Step Act.

I think more can be implemented and more can be done on that front. President Trump's leadership on criminal justice reform has demonstrated what is possible when a president is unafraid to do things that have been deemed to be too difficult. We have to reach across the aisle and get solutions for all of these problems. Like the President, I believe we are on the cusp of a new golden age where the Department of Justice can and will do better if I am confirmed. Lastly, and most importantly, if confirmed, I will fight every day to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components.

The partisanship, the weaponization will be gone. America will have 1 tier of justice for all. In all this work, I'll collaborate closely with this committee. I will work with all of you, as I have committed to do when I met with almost all of you. And I will partner not only with the federal agencies, but with the state and local officials throughout our great country.

I look forward to answering your questions today and working together for this country and our Constitution. Thank you, Senators.

I Will ask first questions and senator Durbin, and then I'll call on the Democrat people the way that senator Durbin would say so on their arrival or Here by seniority in the same way that on the house side And I make sure that I don't abuse the 7 minutes. I want you to have your attention on this binder that I put up here. It gets to a key factor of each senator's role in oversight. It contains 144 oversight letters that I sent to the Biden Harris Justice Department and its component agencies with many of those letters in there to the FBI Adding letters to the inspector general that would be about a hundred and 65 letters So I've sent more letters since you've been in my office before Christmas Should you be confirmed? 144 letters will be your responsibility the responses I have received so far for In 2 categories first they weren't answered at all Second I received a response, but it didn't fully respond Said another way the Justice Department merely sent me words on a piece of paper.

So should you be confirmed you'll have an obligation to respond even to the minority and consider a letter from them even if my signature is not on it as they want information. Will you commit to responding to my oversight requests as well as the requests of other members of the committee.

Chairman, either I or my top staff will personally review the letters and do everything we can to respond to you.

Your tenure as Florida Attorney General was impressive. You fought against pill mills, human trafficking, you eliminated a backlog of rape test kits in state labs, you fought against organized retail theft, and You were known to stand for law and order With such achievements. It's easy to see why the people for to reelected you in 2014 and why? President-elect Trump nominated you to serve as the nation's chief law enforcement officer. So this gives you a chance to tell us on this committee and the people of this country what you're proud of as your record as Attorney General of Florida.

Thank you, Chairman Grassley. I was truly honored to serve the people of the state of Florida for 8 years, but it was a team effort. I had great people around me many of whom are in this room today and we did a lot we did a lot to to fight crime and I've been reminiscing a lot since I was asked to take this nomination. Opioids, as I talked about, were a top priority right when I took office. When I was running for office, I went through the entire state of Florida.

Parents were walking up to me, handing me pictures of their children who were deceased from opioid abuse. After I was elected, I took those pictures and I framed them in my office as a goal of stopping that fight, which I talked about in my opening statement. And if U.S. Attorney General, I'll bring those pictures back out and they will be there to inspire me on the further drug abuse we're facing throughout this country. We also learned that something else was happening.

Pregnant women were having babies as a result of being opioid dependent. We call it neonatal abstinence syndrome. We fought to educate mothers. We fought that issue as well. Fentanyl was wreaking havoc in our country, but it was just getting started.

I actually fought my own party a bit on scheduling fentanyl because at that time people thought it was something you merely got in the hospital on a patch after surgery. Apples and oranges and boy do we all know that now, the difference. Fentanyl is raging throughout our country and I will do everything I can to fight that with the agencies that fall under the Department of Justice. Human trafficking became a top priority for me as Attorney General. I had the opportunity on a bipartisan trip to go to Mexico, and the 1 thing I found out there, they were doing better than we were.

They had safe houses. I saw things I never dreamed I would see. And all of these things in my past have formed the person I am right now sitting here before you. I came back to Florida. We started a human trafficking council and We partnered with others and we expanded and added safe houses in the state of Florida I don't know how many are in this country right now But I would like to partner with both sides if confirmed to continue those efforts.

I'd like to interrupt you.

Yes, sir.

And go to another question. And I'll have another round so you can finish on that point. I'd like to ask you about something that's central to fighting government waste and fraud, the False Claims Act. I want you to know that Attorney General Garland calls me once a year. He called me yesterday to tell me the success of the false claims act since 1986 when I got it passed and President Reagan signed it.

It's brought in 78 billion dollars as of yesterday his report, 2 and nine-tenths billion dollars for the year of 2024. Most of that's because of patriotic whistleblowers who found the fraud and brought the cases forward at their own risk. The Supreme Court has long upheld the law's constitutionality, but I want you to know Your view is the False Claims Act constitutional before you answer that 1 time in the 1990s 1 of the Attorney General's said it wasn't Constitutional and when that same person by the name of Barr was back 5 years ago to be attorney general, he said it was constitutional. So If confirmed, will you commit? Well, answer that first question.

Do you think it's constitutional? Would you defend the constitutionality of it?

I would defend the constitutionality, of course, of the Faults Claims Act, Senator.

Last question. If confirmed, would you commit to continuing DOJ's defense of the constitutionality of it? And will you assure the entire staff and funding levels to properly support and prosecute false claim cases?

Senator, the False Claims Act is so important and especially by what you said with whistleblowers as well and the protection and the money it brings back to our country. Yes, sir.

Thank you for your answers. Senator Durbin.

Thank you, Senator Grassley. Ms. Bondi, If you're successful in your nomination, this Democrat would like to give you 3 words of advice. Answer Grassley's letters. You'll never hear the end of it if you don't.

At issue, I believe in this nomination hearing, is not your competence nor your experience. At issue is your ability to say no. More than any other cabinet official, the Attorney General has to be prepared to put the Constitution first and even tell the President of the United States you're wrong. The political danger and personal costs of such a decision are well documented. You have only to ask former Attorney General Jeff Session and Bill Barr, whom Donald Trump sacked for lack of loyalty.

And so I have 3 basic questions I'd like to ask you. Most Americans believe that central to the peaceful transition of power in a democracy is the acceptance of the results of an election. To my knowledge, Donald Trump has never acknowledged the legal results of the 2020 election. Are you prepared to say today under oath without reservation that Donald Trump lost the presidential contest to Joe Biden in 2020?

Ranking member Durbin, President Biden is the President of the United States. He was duly sworn in and he is the President of the United States. There was a peaceful transition of power. President Trump left office and was overwhelmingly elected in 2024. Do you

have any doubts that Joe Biden had the majority of votes, electoral votes necessary to be elected president in 2020?

You know, Senator, all I can tell you as a prosecutor is from my firsthand experience. And I accept the results. I accept, of course, that Joe Biden is president of the United States. But what I can tell you is what I saw first-hand when I went to Pennsylvania as an advocate for the campaign. I was an advocate for the campaign, and I was on the ground in Pennsylvania, and I saw many things there.

But do I accept the results? Of course I do. Do I agree with what happened? And I saw so much. No 1 from either side of the aisle should want there to be any issues with election integrity in our country.

We should all want our elections to be free and fair and the rules and the laws to be followed.

I think that question deserved a yes or no. I think the length of your answer is an indication that you weren't prepared to answer yes. Have you heard the recording of President Trump on January 2, 2021, when he urged the Secretary of State of Georgia to quote, find 11, 780 votes and declare him the winner of that state?

No, I've heard about it through clips, but no, no, Senator, I've not heard it.

What was your reaction to President Trump making that call?

I have, I would have to listen to the tape, Senator.

Well, the quote that I give you is exact. He said to the Georgia Secretary of State, find 11, 780 votes.

Do you

have the entire context of that call? I feel like it was much longer than that and may have been taken out

of context. It is.

It was

an hour long.

Right. And you can certainly listen to it. I hope you will. Every American should. As a former prosecutor, are you not concerned that the President of the United States called a state election official and asked him to find enough votes to change the results of the election?

Senator, I have not listened to the hour-long conversation, but it's my understanding that is not what he asked him to do.

You need to listen to it. Let me ask you a third question. Do you believe that the January 6th rioters who've been convicted of violent assaults on police officers should be pardoned?

Senator, if confirmed as Attorney General of the United States, the pardons, of course, fall under the President. But if asked to look at those cases, I will look at each case and advise on a case-by-case basis, just as I did my entire career as a prosecutor.

You also advise the president on pardons. That's part of your responsibility as Attorney General. And so I'm asking you, do you believe that those who have been convicted of the January 6th riot, violent assaults on our police officers, should be pardoned? That's a simple question.

So, Senator, I have not seen any of those files, of course. If confirmed and if asked to advise the president, I will look at each and every file. But let me be very clear in speaking to you. I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country.

Let me ask you about your work as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners. You did not list your current position as a partner at the lobbying firm, nor the work you've done for your Ballard Partner clients, such as lobbying for the country of Qatar for $115, 000 a month and for corporate giants Amazon and Uber when you were asked about conflicts of interest. Why do you believe your work as a lobbyist does not constitute potential conflicts of interest? SEN.

KELLEY-MURPHY, R-WI, D-MN, CH, C-MN, C-MN, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I,

W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W-I, W Well, Senator, first, that was the amount my firm received. I believe multiple people represented the country

of Qatar within my firm. My role, and I am very proud of the work that I did, it was a short time and I wish it had been longer for Qatar, was anti-human trafficking efforts leading into the World Cup, which is something I'd like to talk about later too. I was registered as FARA along with many members of my firm. That was the sole portion of my representation for Cutter. Now if there are any conflicts with anyone I represented in private practice, I would consult with the career ethics officials within the department and make the appropriate decision.

I would also like to point out to you I don't believe that I would be the first Attorney General who has represented and advocated for businesses in their past.

Of course not. The question is whether you will recuse yourself from any case involving your Ballard clients. 1 of those clients was the GEO Group, was it not?

GEO, yes.

A private prison company you lobbied for manages correctional institutions and detention facilities. The GEO group has faced criticism for safety violations, inadequate health care, and poor management. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is GEO's largest source of revenue. Under the Trump administration, GEO stands to earn hundreds of millions of dollars by detaining immigrants if there is this mass deportation.

Would you sense any conflict of interest if you're asked to judge the performance of this government contractor?

Senator, I will consult with the career ethics officials within the Department of Justice and make the appropriate decision.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator Graham.

Thank you. Congratulations.

Thank you.

You forgot to say that John's family was from South Carolina?

The upstate, I'm sorry.

Give you a pass on that. From Anderson, by the way. So listen, President Trump asked a bunch of us, who would you pick for attorney general? How many of you got asked that on our side? Probably didn't ask Dick, but he asked me.

I said, Pam Bondi. That's like an easy decision. I couldn't think of anybody more qualified that he knew that he trusted and it's okay to have you were his lawyer right

yes sir I represented him when they tried to impeach him.

We've been watching Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing. Bondi's being questioned by senators right now about her record, whether she accepts the results of the 2020 election, whether she will admit that President Trump lost to President Biden, and she's also answering questions about lobbying for Qatar and whether she will have the ability to say no to President Trump if she does get the job. Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio, meanwhile, is giving his opening statement now in his own confirmation hearing. Let's listen in.

Scott, for your introduction, and let Me just say it's a bit surreal to be on this side of the room, but you all look very distinguished

Yeah, yeah

In the In the 249 year history of our republic, there's only been 71 other Americans who have served in the role and the position that President Trump has now nominated me to occupy. And I want to thank him for his confidence. And it's an incredible honor. It is also, as many of you have already pointed out, an extraordinary responsibility. 3 of my children, Amanda, Anthony, and Dominic, could not be here with us today or join us here in person.

But I am happy that my wife, Jeanette, is here and that my daughter, Daniela, is here with me as well, because I think, as each of you know well, it really is impossible to do our job in the Senate, not to mention the job I've been nominated for, without the love and the support of our families. I'm also very pleased that my sisters, Barbara and Veronica, and my nephew Orlando, are joining me here today. And to me, it's a reminder that the path that brings me to this moment was paved by those who are not here with us today. By 2 parents who arrived here on May 27, 1956, from Cuba, and they had nothing but the dreams of a better life. And because of them, I had the privilege to be born a citizen of the greatest nation in the history of mankind And to be raised in a safe and stable home by parents Who made their children's future the very purpose of their lives?

I? Also want to acknowledge all the blessings that God has bestowed upon me in my life. My faith is critical and it's something I will lean and rely on heavily in the months that are ahead. In a tumultuous world where in my faith we are called to promote the cause of peace and the common good. And that task has gotten harder than it's ever been.

And I will rely heavily on my faith and pray for God's blessings that he'll provide me the strength, the wisdom, and the courage to do what is right in these tenuous moments.

At the

end of the Second World War, the United States was, in the words of then Secretary of State, tasked with creating an order, a world order, a free half, as he quotes, out of chaos, without blowing the whole of the world into pieces in the process. And in the decades that followed, that global order served us quite well. Americans' incomes rose and communities flourished.

Alliances emerged in the Indo-Pacific and in Europe that led to the emergence of stability, democracy, and prosperity, but it also prevented a cataclysmic world war. And ultimately, a wall in Berlin came down, and with it an evil empire.

Out of the triumphalism of the end of the long Cold War emerged a bipartisan consensus. And this consensus was that we had reached the end of history, that all of the nations of the world would now become members of the democratic Western-led community, that a foreign policy that served the national interest could now be replaced by 1 that served the liberal world order, and that all mankind was now destined to abandon national sovereignty and national identity and would instead become 1 human family and citizens of the world. This wasn't just a fantasy. We now know it was a dangerous delusion. Here in America and in many of the advanced economies across the world, an almost religious commitment to free and unfettered trade at the expense of our national economy shrunk the middle class, left the working class in crisis, collapsed our industrial capacity, and has pushed critical supply chains into the hands of adversaries and rivals.

An irrational zeal for maximum freedom of movement of people has resulted in a historic mass migration crisis here in America, but also around the world. It's 1 that threatens the stability of societies and of governments. Across the West, governments now censor and even prosecute domestic political opponents. Meanwhile, radical jihadists openly march in the streets and sadly drive vehicles into our people. While America far too often continued to prioritize the global order above our core national interests, other nations continue to act the way countries always have.

Pause.

Backdoor. I get bilingual protesters, I think that's pretty Cool.

As you know, that's

a first year for us,

at least in recent times.

All right.

All right. Back is a human right. Education is a human right. Sections of his country are defined

by human rights.

National interest, other nations continue to act the way nations have always acted and always will in what they perceive to be their best interest. And instead of folding into the post-Cold War global order, they have manipulated it to serve their interests at the expense of ours. We welcomed the Chinese Communist Party into the global order and they took advantage of all of its benefits and they ignored all of its obligations and responsibilities. Instead, they have repressed and lied and cheated and hacked and stolen their way into global superpower status. And they have done so at our expense and at the expense of the people of their own country.

In our very own hemisphere, narco-terrorists and dictators and despots take advantage of open borders to drive mass migration, to traffic in women and children, and to flood our communities with deadly fentanyl and violent criminals. In Moscow, in Tehran,

in

Pyongyang, dictators, rogue states now sow chaos and instability and align with and they fund radical terror groups. Then they hide behind their veto power at the United Nations Security Council or the threats of nuclear war. The post-war global order is not just obsolete. It is now a weapon being used against us. And all this has led to a moment in which we must now confront the single greatest risk of geopolitical instability and of generational global crisis in the lifetime of anyone alive and in this room today.

8 decades later, we are once again called to create a free world out of the chaos. And this will not be easy. And it will be impossible without a strong and a confident America that engages in the world, putting our core national interests once again above all else. Just 4 years ago, I believe we began to see the outlines and the beginnings of what that would look like. During President Trump's first term, American strength was a deterrent to our adversaries, and it gave us leverage in diplomacy.

There were no new wars. ISIS was eviscerated. Soleimani was dead. The historic Abraham Accords were born, and Americans were safer as a result. Now President Trump returns to office with an unmistakable mandate from the voters.

They want a strong America. A strong America engaged in the world, but guided by a clear objective to promote peace abroad and security and prosperity here at home. That is the promise that President Trump was elected to keep. And if I am confirmed, keeping that promise will be the core mission of the United States Department of State. Now, tragically, horrifying atrocities and unimaginable human suffering can be found on virtually every continent.

And I am certain that today I will be asked about the array of programs and the activities the Department of State carries out to address them. We are a nation that was founded on the revolutionary truth that all men are created equal, and that our rights come not from man or from government, but from God. And so we will never be indifferent to the suffering of our fellow man. But ultimately, under President Trump, the top priority of the United States Department of State will be the United states. The direction he has given for the conduct of our foreign policy is clear.

Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, every policy we pursue must be justified by the answer to 1 of 3 questions. Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Or does it make America more prosperous? Under President Trump, the dollars of hard-working American taxpayers will always be spent wisely and our power will always be yielded prudently and towards what is best for America and Americans before anything and everything else.

Prudence in the conduct of foreign policy is not an abandonment of our values. It is the common sense understanding that while we remain the wealthiest and most powerful nation on the earth, our wealth has never been unlimited, and our power has never been infinite. And placing our core national interests above all else is not isolationism. It is the common sense realization that a foreign policy centered in our national interests is not some outdated relic. Since the emergence of the modern nation-state over 2 centuries ago, countries acting based on what they perceive to be their core national interests, that has been the norm, not the exception.

And for our country, placing the interests of America and Americans above all else has never been more relevant or more necessary than it is right now. For in the end, how can America promote the cause of peace on earth if it is not first safe at home? What good is America to our allies if it is not strong? And how can America help end the suffering of God's children across the world if it is not first prosperous here at home? I thank you and I hope I can earn your support, whether it's because you believe I would do a good job or because you want to get rid of me.

Either way, the result's the same. Thank you, Senator Rubio. I've always been impressed with your view, particularly on a 50, 000-foot level, of the kind of problems that we face in our lane and national security lane, foreign relations and intelligence. So appreciate those remarks. We're now going to start around I'm going to allow 10 minute questions since this is a cabinet level position.

We've been

watching Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio give opening statements in his Senate confirmation hearing. Protesters erupted interrupted the senator several times but he continued on a critical of recent American foreign policy saying it favors an international world order over American interests. He says if confirmed as Secretary of State, he will make America's national interests the center of our foreign policy. We will have much more on these confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill right after the break stay with us

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We gave our hearts, our prayers. We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.

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Scamanda premieres January 30th on ABC and stream on Hulu. Female driver treated like this.

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Welcome back to ABC News Live First. It is a big day on Capitol Hill with confirmation hearings now underway for some of President-elect Trump's top cabinet picks. We just heard from Florida Senator Marco Rubio as he makes his case to be the next Secretary of State and right now senators are questioning Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi. Let's listen in.

1 example is, of course, if you come here to the United States from anywhere in the country and you show up at the border under the Biden and Harris administration policies, you'll simply be released into the interior of the country, either to await a trial date, which may never occur due to the enormous backlog, or you will simply be paroled. And I know parole has a special connotation in the criminal law, but in this context, as you know, It's designed to be administered on a case-by-case basis. Yet President Biden and Vice President Harris had granted parole, that is release people into the United States, on a categorical basis or anybody who shows up or because they don't have the detention facilities to keep them. So do you believe Lakin Riley would be alive today if President Biden and vice president Harris had enforced the law and secured the border?

Senator, he should not have been in our country and then Lake and Riley would have been alive and I don't think it's just Lake and Riley. There are so many victims throughout our country. Not only that, we're all familiar with the violent gangs who are coming into our country, walking into our country freely through the open border. The cartels, the gangs, Venezuelans let people out of their prisons. It's been reported.

I don't have the security clearance yet to see what's happening. But I know, we all know, there are criminals throughout our country, and it is my commitment to you on both sides of the aisle that I will do everything in my power with the agencies that fall under me if I am confirmed to make America safe again. We have to do that, Senator.

SEN. JOHN BARRASSOS, R-WI, D-MD, D-C, R-S.C., D-MD, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A,

D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, D-C-A, We have not been able to provide the best and most justified information on the intelligence committee or just generally in our duties as a senator.

You're not going to feel any better about the blinking lights, the

danger that director

Ray has talked about.

In my closing moments here, I want to revisit an issue that is of particular importance. 60 percent of the president's daily brief, which is the intelligence brief that the director of national intelligence and the CIA director delivered to the president, comes from Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. I've called this the most important law that most people have never heard of. I know you have, and you're familiar with it, but I want to ask you a few more

–

a few questions about that. It's been called the crown jewel of U.S. Intelligence. And of course, it cannot be used, legally used, to spy on American citizens. And if it is, it ought to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

I know you would agree with that But there have been some as you know and as you pointed out to senator Graham We have a temporary extension of the existing authorization for the use of the intelligence community to target foreign threats to our national security that expires in 2026 and I'd like you just to confirm here on the record that you will enforce that law and you can support the law as it is written.

Senator I haven't read the entire 702 in front of you but I will commit to reading that and doing everything I can to keep America safe again.

Of course you will. So Director Ratliff who's gonna be I'm gonna go to his hearing on for CIA director of course he was confirmed as director of National Intelligence he some have argued that in order to query or look at lawfully collected FISA 702 product that you need to get a warrant requirement in order to show probable cause that a crime, including espionage, perhaps has been committed. But Director Ratcliffe has written that a warrant requirement may not achieve its intended objectives and could hinder national security efforts. Do you share Director Ratcliffe's concerns?

I would read his memo and I will speak to you after I read his memo, Senator.

Well we need to have a, I hope you and I can continue this conversation after this because I think there's a lot of misinformation with regard to how Section 702 works. I happen to be 1 of the members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. We read that product on a regular basis, and it is not used to spy on American people. I think what's fundamentally missing is a lack of trust in the intelligence community, including the FBI, which I'm hoping you and Mr. Patel can restore.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Senator Klobuchar.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We had a good meeting this week. Thank you for that.

And I appreciated your priorities on human trafficking that you mentioned today, that work as well as fentanyl and some of your other prosecution experience. We had some similar backgrounds in doing that. And I want to talk about, first of all, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota, 1 of the premier offices in the country. This office has been instrumental in combating violent crime, dismantling street greens, taking fentanyl off our streets, enforcing civil rights laws after George Floyd's murder, ensuring victims of fraud get justice.

Do you agree that it should be a priority to support U.S. Attorneys, frontline prosecutors, and case agents who work hard every single day on our streets.

Senator, I think that is 1 of the most important things in our country right now and there are so many good men and women within the Justice Department throughout our country as well as all the law enforcement agencies. Yes, they work very hard and they will be supported.

I'm concerned about some of the proposals that could put cuts in the COPS program, burn JAG programs, I know you're familiar with those. Senator Murkowski and I lead the COPS reauthorization bill. Just will you commit to continue to support those programs?

Senator, I will read everything about those programs because that is a top priority of mine and I would love to meet with you on that and Senator Murkowski to support law enforcement and those programs.

Thank you. Independence from political interference is vital to the legitimacy and success of the Department of Justice. I was honestly troubled by some of the answers to Senator Durbin's questions. We will continue that discussion, I'm sure, on the committee about the election, but I want to focus on the investigation, charging decisions. As a prosecutor, I'm sure you had this experience.

I would get calls from people, hey, that's just a kid, give him a break. And I remember 1 answer I gave was, he's 40 years old, he's not a kid. But That kind of interference is attempted all the time. And 1 of my concerns here, whether it's a call from a friend, a corporate lobbyist, a White House, it has been very clear that the attorney generals of both parties have established clear policies to ensure the White House doesn't tamper with criminal investigations and prosecutions. At Attorney General Mike McKenzie's hearing, he made clear that any attempt by the White House, and these are the words, to interfere with a case is not to be contenanced.

Any call to a line assistant or to a United States attorney from a political person relating to a case is to be cut and curtailed. Do you agree with the statement?

Senator yes I believe that the Justice Department must be independent and must act independently. The number 1 job is to enforce the law fairly and even-handedly and that's what will be done if I am confirmed as the Attorney General.

So you will provide an insurance to every member of this committee that the Justice Department will only follow the facts and the law and the White House will play no role in cases investigated or brought?

Senator, it will be my job, if confirmed, as Attorney General to make those decisions. Politics will not play a part. I've demonstrated that my entire career as a prosecutor, as Attorney General, and I will continue to do that if you confirm me as the 87th Attorney General of the United States of America.

And an earlier question, some of my colleagues talked about China and the risk, yet you have a nominee from this incoming administration, Kash Patel, the pick to head the FBI, of serious concerns about him, has referred to the FBI's Intel Division, which is responsible for protecting us from foreign adversaries like China, as quote, the biggest problem the FBI has had and he said that he wants to quote break that component out of the FBI. Do you agree?

I have not seen those comments from Mr. Patel. I would review them but we have to do everything we can to protect our country. Again, Mr. Patel would fall under me and the Department of Justice, and I will ensure that all laws are followed, and so will he.

Okay.

There are many decisions made by the FBI director, having seen a number of them do their work, that can be made. While I agree you would be the boss of Kash Patel, I'm not sure that you would be able to intervene with every decision or position that he had or know what he's doing. So let's continue. Do you agree It is the duty of the Justice Department to defend the laws Congress passes. And will you commit to do even when the president may disagree with an act campaigned against its passage or called for its repeal?

President Reagan's AG William French Smith said the department policy was the department has the duty to defend an act of Congress whenever a reasonable argument can be made in its support. So I am specifically referring to the 2022 law that I long led that we passed to empower Medicare to negotiate drug prices, major savings for seniors. Will you commit to defend the law against the lawsuits from Big Pharma?

Senator, I was involved in Big Pharma cases when I was Attorney General of the state of Florida and I will commit to protect the laws of the United States of America.

Okay, thank you. That would also, same question, with the Supreme Court is going to be hearing a challenge to the Affordable Care Act's coverage of preventative services and despite the fact that you twice joined suits to have the entire Affordable Care Act invalidated will you commit to defending this law?

Yeah I believe this is very different it's a very isolated it's different It's not the entire Affordable Care Act, but I will, it's pending litigation of course within the department.

Since the 1990s, the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act has protected patients, providers and facilities that provide reproductive health services. Will you commit to continuing to enforce the FACE Act to address violence and threats against those providing reproductive health care services?

Senator, the FACE Act not only protects abortion clinics but it also protects pregnancy centers and people going for counseling. The law should be applied even-handedly. Yes, Senator.

So you'll uphold the enforcement of that law?

I'll uphold the enforcement of the law, Senator.

Okay, and I will ask my antitrust questions in the next round. We had a good discussion about that and I do appreciate the nominee that has been put in place for the Antitrust Division and there's incredibly important work that has to be done in that division. So thank you.

Gayle Slater is remarkable. Thank you.

Thank you.

I thank all of my colleagues for abiding by the 7 minute rule. Before I call on Senator Lee, I want everybody to plan on our first break would be about 11.50 and that would be 30 minutes for lunch. Senator Lee.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. Thank you Ms. Bondi for being here today. I too share the assessment that Gayle Slater is great, had a great meeting with her yesterday and just thrilled that you're here and that you're willing to serve.

I'd like to talk to you as a long time lawyer and 1 who has handled a variety of criminal matters about the Fourth Amendment. What can you tell us about the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement and why it's so important?

Well, the warrant requirement is so important, which I've dealt with that since I was in my 20s as a state prosecutor. A warrant is so important because it protects citizens' rights, and that's why it's so important.

It does that specifically because under the Fourth Amendment you're required to go to a judge and you're required to show a judge evidence, evidence providing probable cause, and based on that probable cause you can describe with particularity the things or persons to be searched or seized. And on that basis the judge may issue or not issue the warrant, but without it you can't get it. Now this is time consuming, no doubt, right?

Oh, I've done many of them, yes. It's very time consuming, Senator.

And there's probably not a law enforcement officer anywhere in the world who wouldn't acknowledge that they could save time if they didn't have to go about it. And yet we require it. Why is that so important that we do it?

Well, it's so important for the reasons you just laid out. When I said I've done many of them, I've approved them and not approved them as a state prosecutor because law enforcement there are checks and balances and law enforcement must bring these warrants to prosecutors to see if there is sufficient evidence then after that's done they have to take them to a judge to have a judge sign them So there have to be sufficient checks and balances throughout our system.

So even after you as attorney general, as the chief law enforcement officer and prosecutorial authority in the state of Florida approved it within your office, you still had to go to the judge. And If it was late at night, early in the morning, didn't matter when, you had to find a judge.

All hours of the night. That was more when I was a state prosecutor. As attorney general, the office of the statewide prosecutor, Nick Cox, would have done that many, many times at all hours throughout the night and woken up many, many judges throughout the state of Florida.

Is there an exception to the warrant requirement that exists any time it would be inconvenient for prosecutors or any time national security might be involved?

I'm not certain about national security, but absolutely no for a state prosecutor. Right.

Yeah, there's no... No, no exception.

There's no

catch-all exception that just says this is important or it would be inconvenient for the prosecutor, and with good reason. We've learned through sad experience over many hundreds of years, not only in our own country, but also in that of our mother country, what happens when you don't have this in the loop. So you've been asked today a little bit about Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, also known as FISA. There are Those who have repeatedly assured members of this committee, including myself, that don't worry, content of phone calls or electronic communications involving American citizens, sometimes resulting in the quote-unquote incidental collection of American citizens' private conversations. Don't worry, their Fourth Amendment rights are just fine.

And yet, when they incidentally collect the communications of American citizens, either because they're perhaps unwittingly talking to somebody who might be an agent of a foreign power and and themselves under 702 surveillance, they get onto this big database and at times there are those in the government including the Federal Bureau of Investigation who have gotten into that database and done so, of course, without a warrant because there currently is no warrant requirement. This has the effect of what we call a de facto backdoor warrantless search. Would you agree with me that that is potentially concerning any time an American citizen's private conversations are intercepted, stored, whether as an incidental collection or otherwise they ought not be searched without some kind of probable cause showing I assume you'd agree with

yes

yeah it's important Sometimes people will defend that by saying national security is involved, as if that's the beginning and the end of the inquiry. That has never been the case. And I hope and pray it never will be the case, because that's not what the Fourth Amendment says, not what it does, not what it ever can be. So it's my sincere hope that the next time FISA 702 comes up for reauthorization, Congress finally do what it has been avoiding for a long time, which is to ensure that this doesn't happen. We've heard again and again from people who, if you're confirmed to this position, will soon be your predecessors, prior occupants of the position to which you've been nominated and to which Mr.

Patel has been nominated. Don't worry, we have good people. Don't worry, we have good systems in place. Don't worry, it's as good as a warrant requirement, the internal approval procedure that we have within our system. And yet we found out time and time again that this has happened, by some accounts, hundreds of thousands of times.

These things have been accessed where searches for an American citizen's private communications that have been intercepted and stored through incidental collection have been searched without those safeguards being met, including instances where people just wanted to check on, to cite 1 example, whether his father was cheating on his mother, or in other instances, doing background checks on someone looking to lease an apartment that he owned and was looking to rent out. This is unacceptable, and we've got to fix it. Speaking of unacceptable, we have seen over the last few years the weaponization of government, specifically within the Department of Justice, against law-abiding Americans. Law-abiding Americans whose offense was something along the lines of, you know, them exercising their constitutional rights, ranging from Catholics attempting to practice their faith, to parents showing up to school board meetings, to people showing up to engage in peaceful protesting outside of abortion clinics. As attorney general, how will you prevent the weaponization of the Department of Justice against Americans?

SEN.

KAMALA HARRIS, D-CA, HOST, TRNN CHATTERBOX NEWSHOUR,

C-SPAN SEN. KAMALA HARRIS, D-CA, HOST, TRNN CHATTERBOX NEWSHOUR, C-SPAN SEN. KAMALA HARRIS, D-CA, HOST, TRNN CHATTERBOX NEWSHOUR, C-SPAN And, Senator, you just gave the classic example of what's been happening regarding the weaponization. Going after parents at a school board meeting has got to stop. For practicing your religion, sending informants in to Catholic churches must stop.

What about branding parents as domestic terrorists or trying to incarcerate one's political opponent as a sitting president of the United States?

Will stop. Must stop. Your senator.

That is exactly the sort of answer I was hoping and expecting to receive from you, and I look forward to doing everything I can to help get you confirmed. I've been pleased with your answers thus far. I've enjoyed knowing you, considering you a friend for many years, and look forward to the great things you will do as Attorney General of the United States. You have my emphatic support and my vote.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Coons.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome, Attorney General Bondi, and to your family and supporters. Thank you for your service. And I look forward to our conversation today.

I have a simple three-factor test when considering the executive branch nominees before us? Do you have the qualifications and experience to do the job, policy views to do the job in the best interest of the American people, and the character and integrity to conduct your job and yours in particular with the independence that the role requires? You demonstrably have the relevant experience. I understand we will not see eye-to-eye on some or even many policies, but we had a constructive conversation last week about our shared interest in fighting the opioid epidemic, countering human trafficking, criminal justice reform, and supporting law enforcement. But I need to know that you share a core value, ensuring the Department of Justice remains free from partisan or political influence, in particular, by the White House.

So I look forward to our discussion about that today. As Attorney General, if confirmed, who would be your client?

My oath would be to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. The people of America would be my client. And it is also my job to advise the president. My client is the, are the people of America.

A simple question of constitutional interpretation. Is president elect Trump eligible to run for another term as president in 2028?

No, Senator, not unless they change the Constitution. Thank you.

1 of the concerns I've raised with you is safeguarding the Department of Justice's independence in the face of some promises on the campaign trail by then-candidate Trump that he would use the department to target his political adversaries Or that he might interfere with prosecution What would you do if your career DOJ prosecutors came to you with a case to prosecute, grounded in the facts and law, but the White House directs you to drop the case.

Senator, if I thought that would happen, I would not be sitting here today. That will not happen. Will not happen. Every case will be prosecuted based on the facts and the law that is applied in good faith. Period.

Politics have got to be taken out of the system.

This department

has been weaponized for years and years and years. And it has

to stop. Thank you. Let me, if I might, Madam Attorney General, refer you back to Senator Durbin's opening comments about previous attorneys general, our former colleague Jeff Sessions, Bill Barr. I don't think it's credible to say that it may never happen that the president-elect would direct an unethical or illegal act. I think both of those attorneys general found themselves crosswise with the then president by doing things he didn't welcome or approve of.

Just answer the question for me, if you would. I know you may not expect it. I know you wouldn't have accepted this nomination if you thought it possible. But let's imagine that once again President-elect Trump issues a direct of order to you or to the FBI director that is outside the boundaries of ethics or law. What will you do?

Senator I will never speak on a hypothetical, especially 1 saying that the president would do something illegal. What I can tell you is my duty, if confirmed as the attorney general, will be to the Constitution and the United States of America. And the most important oath, part of that oath that I will take, are the last 4 words, so help me God.

Given the importance of that oath, I hope you can understand the importance of repeated questions from some of us about the importance of having independence in the Department of Justice. It has a long tradition of independent special prosecutors, especially to handle high-profile or often political cases. If you got credible evidence of a criminal violation by a White House official, including even the president, would you bring in a special prosecutor?

Senator that's a hypothetical. I can tell you what I do know is special prosecutors have been abused in the past on both sides We have seen that for many many years. They have cost the taxpayers countless dollars, countless. And I will look at each situation on a case-by-case basis and consult the appropriate career ethics officials within the department to make that decision.

Attorney General, do you do you think special counsels need to be confirmed by the Senate?

I will follow the law and I will consult with the appropriate ethics officials regarding the law right now, they do not need

to be

Senate confirmed of course.

But you did sign an 11th Circuit brief arguing that they should be.

I will follow the law senator that's why I said that.

Understood but I was just getting to the clarity about the difference between a position you've advocated and what the current law is Thank you for that Look bluntly to me Refusing to answer a hypothetical when there is clear and concrete previous history raises some concerns for me I think Chris Wray has done an outstanding job as FBI director at avoiding political pressure. And although he was chosen by President Trump, he's being driven out so that he can be replaced, my perception, I've not yet met with Mr. Patel, by a loyalist who has publicly said he will do what the president asks him. Given that Attorney General Barr was asked to go find evidence of election interference and improprieties, went and looked for the evidence and said, I can't find any, and was then dismissed. I'm just gonna ask you 1 last time.

Can you clarify for me that in following ethics in the law, you'd be willing to resign if ordered to do something improper?

Senator, I wouldn't work at a law firm. I wouldn't be a prosecutor. I wouldn't be Attorney General if anyone asked me to do something improper and I felt I had to carry that out. Of course I would not do that. That's 1 of the main things you learn when you're a young prosecutor is to do the right thing.

And I believe that has continued with me throughout my very long career.

As we discussed, protecting American invention and innovation, American intellectual property is a real concern of mine and of several others on this committee. I look forward to talking with you about that pressing concern. But the most important question I had for you today is whether you will be willing and able to stand up to politicization and interference in the Department of Justice. And I look forward to further clarification from you about the specifics of that. Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, Senator.

Senator Cruz would be next, but he's not here, so I call on Senator Kennedy.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Bondi, welcome. Congratulations.

Can we agree that legitimacy is important to America's criminal justice system?

Yes, Senator.

Can we agree that legitimacy is important to the Department of Justice, which in part, which in part administers our criminal justice system? Yes, Senator. And if, If Americans come to believe that our criminal justice system or our Department of Justice is acting illegitimately, That makes Americans less likely to accept the results of that system, does it not?

Yes, Senator.

And that makes Americans less likely to follow the substantive laws that we pass that are administered by the Department of Justice. Isn't that true?

Yes, Senator.

And if that happens, we have chaos, don't we? Chaos. And the social contract is breached, isn't it?

Yes.

Do you remember a person by the name of Michael Avenatti?

Yes.

Several years ago, he was a media star here in Washington. An attorney, correct? Yes. He was a media star and many members of our media loved him because he persistently bashed Donald Trump. And he was on TV every day.

He was on CNN more than Wolf Blitzer. Do you know where Mr. Avenatti is today?

I believe he's sitting in prison, Senator.

He's in jail because He was a crook. And the Department of Justice helped put him there, didn't it?

Yes, Senator.

Do you remember A gentleman by the name of Sam Bankman Freed.

Yes, Senator.

Boy genius. So smart and so powerful that he thought he could command the tides. So smart and so powerful and so rich that he would go to meetings with serious people, like Bill Clinton, like Tony Blair, looking like a slob, looking like a fourth runner-up to a John Belushi look-alike contest. And he thought it was cute. Where's Mr.

Bankman-Fried today?

I believe he is in prison, and I believe that's from the Netflix series I saw as well.

Because he's a crook. And who helped put him there?

The Department of Justice, Senator.

Can we agree that there's some really, really good men and women at the Department of Justice?

Many, many great men and women in the Justice Department, as well, Senator, as all the law enforcement agencies that fall within the Department of Justice. They're out there risking their lives, especially the law enforcement officers, every single day.

Tim, we agree though that there have been and may be today some bad people at the Department of Justice?

Yes, Senator.

We don't know for sure because for the last 4 years, the curtains there have been tightly drawn. But I think some, a minority of people there, have delegitimized America's criminal justice system.

The

most destabilizing act that I saw in the past 4 years, maybe in the history of the department, is when Attorney General Garland decided on the basis of dubious facts and dubious facts and untested legal theories to criminally prosecute a former president of the United States. And not only that, this is the special part. He decided to do it after the former President of the United States had announced that he was going to run against Attorney General Garland's boss, didn't he?

Senator, are you referring to going after a political opponent? I think so.

Now, this is 1 person's opinion. That kind of stupid takes a plan. And I say that because, number 1, this is America. That had never happened before in America. That's the sort of thing that happens in a country whose power ball jackpot is 287 chickens on a goat.

It doesn't happen here. And I call it stupid because it broke the seal. It broke the seal. It normalized it. There are a lot of ambitious prosecutors in America, Democrat and Republican.

And I'll bet you right now there's some prosecutor in a particular state thinking about, well, maybe I ought to file criminal charges against President Biden's inner circle for conspiring to conceal his mental decline. And that's the road we're headed down. And you've got to fix it, counselor. You've got to fix it. And here's, in my judgment, what I would ask you to do.

Find out who the bad guys are and the bad women and get rid of them. Find out who the good people are and lift them up, but do it on the basis of facts and evidence and fairness. Because the temptation of some people is going to be they're going to tell you look 2 wrongs don't make a right but they know they do make it even don't resist resist that temptation Help us restore legitimacy to the Department of Justice.

Thank you, Senator.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome Ms. Bondi and to your family. Thank you for visiting with me in my office.

And I have to say, I'm sympathetic always to a former attorney general, particularly having been 1 myself. But I am.

We are watching Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing We will have much more on this hearing right after a quick break stay with us

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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, senators are questioning Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi right now on Capitol Hill. Let's listen in to that confirmation hearing.

...The best of my ability...

Let me ask you, an individual who says that he is going to quote come after and quote people he alleges quote help Joe Biden rig the presidential elections that he has a list of people who are part of this deep state who should be prosecuted that he's going to close down the FBI building on his first day in office. Is that a person who appropriately should be the FBI director? Aren't those comments inappropriate? Shouldn't you disavow them and ask him to recant them?

Senator, I am not familiar with all those comments. I have not discussed those comments with Mr. Patel. What I do know is Mr. Patel...

Well, I'm asking you for

your view. Excuse

me. What I do know is Mr. Patel was a career prosecutor, he was a career public defender defending people and he also has great experience within the intelligence community. What I can sit here and tell you is Mr. Patel, if he works with running the FBI, if he is confirmed and if I am confirmed He will follow the law If I am the Attorney General of the United States of America, and I don't believe he would do anything otherwise

Well, let me just submit that the response that I would have hoped to hear from you is that those comments are inappropriate and that you will ask him to disavow or recant them when he comes before this committee, because they are indeed chilling to fair enforcement and the rule of law. Let me ask you on another topic. When we met, I welcomed your support for the goals of the Kids Online Safety Act. And Senator Blackburn and I have spent a lot of time, devoted a lot of effort to the passage of the Kids Online Safety Act, which happened by an overwhelming vote of 91 to 3. 72 co-sponsors, including Vice President-elect Vance.

I appreciated our discussion and your support for protecting kids online when we met last week. I'm hopeful that this area is 1 where we can work together. Can we count on your support in working together to protect kids online?

Senator, absolutely, and thank you for that legislation and Senator Blackburn. I believe in this world right now, we have to find the things we have in common, and that is certainly 1 of them, Senator. Protecting our children from online predators, You've done so much on that front, and I thank you. I attempted to do that as well when I was attorney general, but I am committed to working with you on anything we can do to protect our children throughout this country. When I was attorney general, we started something called from instant message to instant nightmare and educating parents about online predators.

And that also, Senator, is 1 of the core functions of the FBI, the cyber unit. They sit there, these agents sit there all day long and investigate child predators. We tell parents constantly, you

think you're talking to another child and

you're not.

I'm going

to interrupt you. I welcome your positive response. I have 1 more question that I'm going to try to fit into this round

TikTok

Will be banned unless it is sold because it has become a tool for the Chinese to collect information and do surveillance and endanger our national security, can you commit that you will enforce that law promptly and effectively? And I ask this question because President Trump's pick for your solicitor general in the Department of Justice went to the United States Supreme Court arguing that the ban should be delayed. Will you commit to enforce that law on your first day when you are if you are confirmed

senator as I discussed with You during our meeting that is pending Litigation within the Department of Justice

well, it's pending litigation, but will you enforce that law

I can't discuss pending litigation But I will talk to all the career prosecutors who are handling the case. Absolutely, Senator. Talk, discuss with them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. French.

Senator Dulles. Ms. Bondy, thank you

for being here. I think I told you when we met, thank you for the time we met. I was born in Florida, have a lot of friends and family, and follow Florida politics pretty closely and you've had a very impressive career there, though I do also have to admit I'm a gator hater, so for the Florida alum, I'm University of Tennessee. But anyway, I actually, in some of these hearings, I created a bingo card to see what some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle were going to hit. I want to go back to a few of them really quickly.

1 was about you being a lobbyist paid for it on the payroll of Cutter. Would you mind going back and repeating what you said in case people did not hear the involvement of your law firm and precisely what you were doing for the government of Cutter?

Yes, Senator. I was very proud of that work. It was anti-human trafficking in advance of the World Cup and human trafficking has been something that's been very important to me my entire career, especially when I was Attorney General.

And

you also made it clear that you had a number of practitioners within the firm working on it, so this narrative that you were getting $115, 000 a month from Cutter is correct or not?

Not correct.

Okay, thank you. I want to talk a little bit about, well first off, I want to go back, you should be happy that so many comments have been directed towards Cash Patel, whose confirmation I am supporting. In fact, I'm meeting with him today, because that means they're out of stuff for you. So if it comes up again, you will once again know that you've got a great reputation and a great resume and they are just trying to find things to put your integrity into question. You have answered the question repeatedly that you will be loyal to the Constitution and you will live up to the oath to the Constitution and to protecting the American people.

And I think Mr. Patel, when he comes here, he'll be able to get rid of the myth in the same way that you did as a lobbyist for Cutter. He'll be able to get rid of that list of the enemies, be able to deal with the enemies list and the marketing department for your opposition is going to have to come up with new material because that stuff is getting old. Section 702. You heard Senator Lee talk about some concerns that he has with 702.

I believe it's 1 of the most important things that you can do early into your confirmation. You will be confirmed and hopefully with some Democrat support that there have been dramatic reforms to 702. I've sat through an extensive presentation to try and make sure that the abuses never occur again and that you have a throat to choke if somebody abuses the protocol that's in place. I believe that we need to codify a lot of that. As a matter of fact, when I went through it, I felt like there were so many blinding flashes of the obvious.

How could this not have already been a part of the approval matrix? So can you, after you're confirmed, commit that you or a designate will come back and provide for this committee an update on all of the the protocols that have changed and recommended legislation for codifying so that when we do go to reauthorization we'll have what we need to make sure that that program stays in place.

Senator, I or a designee will review all of 702 before it terms, of course, in 2026 and come back and report to you on both sides of the aisle.

Thank you. You have a great perspective with your time in the state and working with the Department of Justice. Give me an idea of things that we need to do better in terms of, And I'm talking primarily in the law enforcement role. I think many people don't understand the joint task forces, the law enforcement efforts that are going every single day in every 1 of our states. What an incredible job They do.

So can you give me some sense of things that you would look at to say maybe we could do it better from your perspective of having been a prosecutor for a little in Florida?

Yes, thank you. Thank you, Senator. Yeah, having been a career prosecutor, I think I have a unique perspective because I was a state prosecutor, of course prior to becoming Attorney General. So I worked on a daily basis with local law enforcement and state and fed not daily with federal but I work consistently with state local and federal. Then when I was Attorney General, I worked with all 3 as well.

I feel like we have to have better coordination among all our agencies, especially given all the terrorism issues that we've discussed earlier in this hearing. We have to wrap in and communicate better with our local and state law enforcement officers throughout this country. There are so many great men and women in law enforcement. And we have to, I don't know exactly how yet, but we have to figure out a better way to work together with the federal authorities.

Thank you. And I'm going to do a second round as well. But I think I also checked the bingo card for election denier. There were some people, you know, that seemed to suggest that you were denying the election. I think that you said that President Biden is our president.

President Biden is the president of the United States of America and President Trump will be the 47th president.

But I think you made a point that, or at least I inferred from a comment that you made, a very important point. Folks, there are election improprieties in every election. The matter of, the question is a matter of scale and whether or not you can prove it. We've seen it in North Carolina and seen it in other places. It's 1 of the reasons why I support voter ID, because we want to make elections easy to vote and hard to cheat.

But the fact of the matter is people are cheating. So if anybody on this dais suggests that there aren't irregularities in every election, that they need to spend more time at home and really studying the facts. I don't think, though, that you've said that Biden is an illegitimate president. In fact, I think you said just the opposite. He is the president of the United States, and President Trump will be the next president, right?

Yes.

OK. Last thing before the second round. January 6, a lot of people are going to say, you're going to have a rubber stamp for letting people have pardons or recommending a pardon for people who did violence to law enforcement. I'm not going to ask you a hypothetical because I want you to be consistent in not answering them. But I have to believe as a member, I was the last member out of the Senate on January the 6th.

I walked past a lot of law enforcement officers, excuse me, who were injured. I find it hard to believe that the President of the United States or you would look at facts that were used to convict the violent people on January the 6th and say it was just an intemperate moment. I don't even expect you to respond to that but I think it's an absurd and unfair hypothetical here and you probably haven't heard the last of it. Thank you Mr. Chair.

Before I call on senator ronald, after her and cruz's testimony, then we'll take a lunch break, and that break will be for 30 minutes, and I can't control when my senators come back but I expect you to be back at after 30 minutes and I'll be here

yes

and then I may leave the meeting to open the Senate so whoever's on our side is Acting chairman during that period of time senator, Ronald.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman As part of my responsibility to ensure the fitness of all nominees. I asked the following 2 initial questions First since you became a legal adult have you ever made? Unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature? No senator.

Have you ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement relating to this kind of conduct?

No senator. Ms.

Bondi I am focused on 2 things in my evaluation of President-elect Trump's nominees. The first is whether the nominee is qualified and experienced enough to do the job. The second is fitness to serve, which includes putting loyalty to the Constitution over loyalty to the President. Unfortunately, in my view, many of President Trump's nominees are lacking in at least 1 of these 2 requirements. Ms.

Bondi, your experience as a prosecutor is the kind of thing we would expect to see in a nominee for Attorney General, but I do have questions and concerns about potential conflicts of interest, about whether you will keep DOJ's law enforcement responsibilities independent of the president's political whims and about whether you will let facts and evidence guide your decision. So let's start with the importance of facts, which you say is so important. Ms. Wanda, we want an attorney general who bases decisions on facts. So I want to ask you a factual question.

Who won the 2020 presidential election?

Joe Biden is the President of the United States.

Ms. Bondi, you know that there is a difference between acknowledging it and, you know, I can say that Donald Trump won the 2024 election. I may not like it, but I can say it. You cannot say who won the 2020 presidential election okay it's disturbing that you can't give voice to that fact Moving on to DOJ's independence from politics, Ms. Bondi, if you are confirmed as Attorney General, you will take an oath to the Constitution and not to any individual, including the President.

To start, I'd like to know whether you agree with some of the statements President-elect Trump made during the election, during the campaign. First, are the felons convicted of breaking into the Capitol on January 6th hostages or patriots, quoting Trump, as President-elect Trump has said repeatedly. Do you agree with his characterization of the felons that I referred to?

I am not familiar with that statement, Senator.

I just Familiarized you with that statement. Do you agree with that statement?

I'm not familiar with it senator.

No answer. He has also said Illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our nation. He said that in December 2023 Do you agree with that statement?

Senator, I am not familiar with that statement, but what I can tell you is I went to the border a few months ago. I went to Yuma, Arizona and what I saw at that border was horrific, Senator. It was horrific. Ms. Bonny, I went to a rape crisis center.

That is

not my question. I went to a rape crisis center.

That is not my question.

I went to a rape crisis center. I'm not familiar with the statement but I went to a rape crisis center. I met with Border Patrol agents. I'm sure you've been to the border

as well.

So I

want to get to my next question so I Believe that you responded to a question from Senator Whitehouse and let me get your response again You said that the White House if I'm putting words in your mouth, correct me, oh, you said that the White House will play no role in investigative or charging decisions in the DOJ. Is that correct?

Senator, what I said is that it is the Department of Justice's decision to determine what cases will be prosecuted.

What role will the White House have in investigative or prosecutorial decisions of the DOJ?

It is the Department of Justice's decision, Senator.

So that sounds to me that you're saying that the White House will not have any kind of role. Meanwhile, though, you have an incoming president who said, I have the absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department. And in fact, President-elect Trump considers the DOJ to be his law firm.

I ask

you this, if President-elect Trump asks, suggests, or hints that you as Attorney General should investigate 1 of his perceived political enemies, would you do so?

Senator Hirono, I wish you had met with me. Had you met with me, we could have discussed many things and gotten to know you.

I am listening

to you now. Could you respond to the question?

Yeah, you were the only 1 who refused to meet with me, Senator. But what we would have discussed is that it is the job of the Attorney General

to follow the law. I'm very

happy to listen to your responses under oath, Ms. Bondi. So, I think it's really important to us that the Attorney General be independent of the White House. And you have a president-elect who considers the AG's office his law firm. I would like to know whether if the president suggests, hints, asks, that you, as attorney general, should investigate 1 of his perceived enemies?

Senator, I certainly have not heard the president say that, But what I will tell you is two-thirds of Americans have lost faith in the Department of Justice. And it's statements like that, I believe, that make people continue to lose faith. If I am confirmed as attorney general, it will be my job to not only keep

Americans safe,

but restore integrity to that department. And that's what I plan on doing every single day as Attorney General.

On August 25, 2025, on Fox News, you said, When Republicans take back the White House, the Department of Justice, the prosecutors will be prosecuted, the bad ones, the investigators will be investigated. Ms. Bondi, Is Jack Smith 1 of those bad prosecutors that you will prosecute as AG?

Senator, you hesitated a bit when I said the bad ones. Every decision will be made in

the eyes

of the beholder. I'm just asking whether you would consider Jack Smith

to

be 1 of the people. How about Liz Cheney? Senator, how about Merrick Garland?

I am not going to answer hypotheticals. No 1 has been prejudged, nor will anyone be prejudged.

I am asking whether

these are

the kind of people, these are in fact the people that you would prosecute

Time is up Would you like to

my time is like to mr. Chairman? She is clearly not going to answer that question so let me get on to

Would you like to I do

have I'd love to respond for the second round.

You'll have a second round. Would you like to speak before I call on Senator Cruz?

No sir. Thank

you. Senator Cruz. Thank you Mr. Chairman. General Bondi welcome.

Thank you

for Thank you for your long career in public service and thank you for your willingness to take on this incredibly important office.

You know, I have to say, I

don't know that there is a more important position in this new administration than the position to which you have been nominated, Attorney General of the United States. I thought the exchange just a moment ago with Senator Hirono was illustrative. She asked you how you would respond if the president asked you to target his political enemies. It's rather striking because it's not a hypothetical. It has happened over the last 4 years.

And I think perhaps the most tragic legacy of the Biden-Harris administration has been the politicization and the weaponization of the United States Department of Justice. And we don't need to ask hypothetically, because Joe Biden publicly mused and allowed the New York Times to report it, calling on Merrick Garland, why will he not prosecute Trump more quickly? And Merrick Garland, sadly, he sat in that chair and promised to be apolitical, and he broke that promise almost the instant he walked into the Department of Justice. If you look on the West pediment of the Supreme Court of the United States, just above the entrance, there's a simple yet profound four-word phrase, equal justice under law. We have seen over the last 4 years a Department of Justice that systematically targeted the political opponents of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and that systematically protected his friends and allies.

And it is tragic to see the loss of confidence in the American people, in the Department of Justice, and in the FBI. I would note, I don't think there's an institution in America who has lost more respect from the American people than the FBI has in the last 4 years. That is a grotesque violation of the obligation of the Department of Justice and the FBI. So I want to start with just a very simple question. If you are confirmed as attorney general, Will you pledge to fairly and faithfully uphold the law regardless of party?

So help me God.

Amen. Look, and I want to be clear for folks at home. I don't want a Republican Department of Justice. I don't want a Democrat Department of Justice. I want a Department of Justice that follows the damn law.

And I

think the American people do, too. That shouldn't be too much to expect. Now, I'm grateful to President Trump for nominating you. I think on any objective level, you're clearly qualified for this position. You have been a prosecutor for decades.

You have been the elected Attorney General of the state of Florida, the third largest state in America, for 8 years. Let me ask you, In terms of your practice, how many criminal cases over the course of your career have you personally handled?

Handled thousands.

How many of those were before a jury?

Hundreds. I don't want to overstate the hundreds. I was in a courtroom for many years. I tried 4 when I was an intern, jury trials. I think you had to try at least 20 in misdemeanor before you went to felony then you were in court every day and I was also lead trial attorney for many years trying many cases so

and and how many of those cases would have been before a judge

oh a hundred and hundreds as well but hundreds before a jury I would assume.

And as Attorney General of Florida, how many lawyers did you supervise roughly?

Approximately 400, Senator.

Now, I also want to clarify something. During the course of this hearing, several Democrat senators have referred to you as President Trump's, quote, personal lawyer. Now, I don't believe that is an accurate characterization. As I understand it, you represented President Trump as a White House special advisor during his first impeachment trial, is that correct?

Within Office of White House Counsel, yes, Senator.

And is working within the White House Counsel's office different than representing Donald J. Trump individually as his personal lawyer?

Absolutely.

How is it different?

You're working for the government. You're working for the office of White House Counsel. You're not representing him in his personal capacity.

And so you have not represented him in his business affairs, in his personal life, or in any of the criminal trials he has faced?

No, Senator.

And, you know, when it comes to weaponization, it's worth noting that in more than 2 centuries of our nation's history, No president had previously been indicted, no president had previously been prosecuted until the Biden-Harris White House came along. And in the last 4 years we've seen Donald Trump indicted and prosecuted not once, not twice, not 3 times, but 4 separate times.

And 2 assassination attempts, Senator.

I have to say, Javert from Les Mis would be chagrined at the efforts of Democrats to do anything possible to take him down. And I believe the real target in this was not President Trump, but it was the American people, that these prosecutions were brought because partisan prosecutors were terrified that the American people would do exactly what they did in November of 2024 and vote to reelect Donald J. Trump?

By 77.3 percent. Million Americans. 77.3 million Americans.

To uphold the rule of law without favor and without regard to the partisan position of any criminal defendant

Yes, senator.

That's what we should all expect from an attorney general. Thank you

We'll now recess for 30 minute lunch break That means we'll be back at 1225. And when we resume, Senator Booker will be recognized to ask his questions.

We have been watching Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing. The former Florida Attorney General is facing intense questioning from the Senate Judiciary Committee. So far Bondi has vowed to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice, which she described as being plagued by partisanship and weaponization. Critics are pressing her on issues ranging from her loyalty to President-elect Trump, to her work as a lobbyist for Qatar and major corporations, and perhaps more importantly, whether she has the ability to say no to the President-elect. For more, let's bring in ABC's Jay O'Brien on Capitol Hill and ABC News senior White House correspondent Selena Wang in West Palm Beach for more.

Jay, there seems to be little concern about whether Pam Bondi is competent enough to be attorney general, but more so in her ability or willingness to stand up to President Trump if needed.

And that's exactly right, Diane. I mean, I talked to the top Democrat on that panel, Dick Durbin and other Democrats, as they walked into that hearing, we were live on the air with you when we did it. And every single 1 of them said that they believe Pam Bondi has the requisite qualifications to be the next Attorney General given her time in Florida, given her role there not just as the state's top law enforcement official but also as a local prosecutor in Florida. What they question is whether or not Pam Bondi will act independently as Attorney General of the White House and without political influence from President-elect Trump. And you saw in the vast majority of questioning, we saw from Democrats, Democrats try to get back to that theme over and over and over again.

1 who just did it right before they took that break was Mazie Hirono, Democrat of Hawaii, who pressed Pam Bondi on comments Bondi had made on Fox News saying that when Donald Trump were to return to the White House that they would prosecute so-called quote-unquote bad prosecutors at the Department of Justice, that they would investigate the investigators. And Hirono tried to dill down on those comments and say does that include Jack Smith the now former special counsel does that include Attorney General Merrick Garland does that include Liz Cheney the top Republican member on the January 6 committee because Donald Trump is mused repeatedly about investigating his political opponents. And Pam Bondi sidesteps the question and said that she's not going to answer hypotheticals. To your point, she continues to go repeatedly saying that she wants to return Americans' faith to the Department of Justice, that she wants to act and answer these questions on a quote-unquote case-by-case basis. She gave the same answer as it relates to a case-by-case basis when she was asked how she would support President Trump's promise to pardon January 6th defendants including potentially those defendants that injured police officers, 140 police officers were injured in the Capitol attack on January 6th.

Point being, Democrats have tried to demonstrate those themes that they referenced even when they went into that hearing, but it hasn't been enough to draw any kind of daylight between Bondi and Republicans. There's no known Republican opposition to Pam Bondi at this hour and if there's no Republican opposition she's gonna sail the confirmation Diane.

And Selena this question about whether she'll be able to tell the president no if she's asked to do something illegal or unconstitutional. As Jay points out, it keeps coming up in different ways. How big of an issue is this for her in this confirmation process if it's not enough to sway a Republican to not confirm her?

Look, Democratic senators, they want to get her on the record on this. This is the key concern they have when it comes to Pam Bondi, who has been a staunch loyalist of the president-elect for years. The question of whether or not she can maintain independence, the Department of Justice, whether or not she can stand up to the president-elect. And she was asked whether or not she would ever drop a criminal case if the White House asked her to. In response, she said that will not happen.

If she thought it might happen, she wouldn't be sitting there today. Then she was pressed further on that point, asked whether or not she'd be willing to resign if she were asked to do something improper. In response, Pam Bondi said, quote, of course. Another issue that Democratic senators repeatedly returned to was this role of Kash Patel, the relationship that she would have with Patel. Kash Patel is Donald Trump's controversial choice to lead the FBI.

He has made controversial comments that he would shut down the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., that he would target Donald Trump's political enemies, not only in the government but also in the media. Pam Bondi making clear during that hearing that Kash Patel would report to her and her department. She did also, however, defend Kash Patel, defending his record, But she also said that there will never be an enemies list. So somewhat reassuring, but also not clearly answering the question in every regard about Kash Patel.

Jay, both sides also seem

to agree that politicizing or weaponizing the Justice Department is a big problem, but they disagree on who's doing that, right? The Republicans are accusing the Biden administration of doing that. Democrats are accusing Trump of trying to do that. Pam Bondi was even asked about her call for investigating the investigators, and she responded by giving examples of so-called bad prosecutors. What did you make of that moment?

Yeah, and it also kind of underscores another larger point that we're seeing emerge in this Panbani testimony, which is how does this go over with line prosecutors and other career officials at the Department of Justice. We know, for instance, when Matt Gaetz's name was in the hopper to be the next attorney general, and reporting from our Alex Mallin that covers the Department of Justice, that there were serious concerns about mass resignations at DOJ and that Gaetz using his perch atop that department to enact political retribution against career officials at the Department of Justice. Gates never got the Republican support he was going to need amongst Republican senators to become the next Attorney General. That's why Pam Bondi is sitting in that seat today. And so the question hanging over Pam Bondi is does she enact some kind of retribution within the Department of Justice a la the kind of retribution that we've heard Donald Trump and his allies muse about on the campaign trail and there's this 1 exchange with Senator John Kennedy Republican of Louisiana That's a little bit illuminative of exactly what Pam Bondi's thinking is here.

Pam Bondi, or Kennedy asked Pam Bondi, and I'll read from the transcript here directly, are there good men and women at the Department of Justice? Pam Bondi responds, many, many great women in the Department of Justice. And then she goes on to say that there are other great people within the departments that fall in the Department of Justice. That includes the FBI, for example. Kennedy then goes on to say, but are there, quote, bad people at the Department of Justice?

And Bondi says, yes, Senator. So the line Bondi's trying to draw is that she will take action against what she calls bad prosecutors but she's not necessarily fully defining who that is inside DOJ's ranks right now.

All right, Jay O'Brien, Selena Wang, Thank you both. And we will bring you back to Pam Bondi's hearing in just a little while, but first we have some new details on the potential ceasefire in the Middle East. Our Tom Sufi Burridge is in Tel Aviv with the latest right after the break. Stay with us.

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Welcome back to ABC News Live. I'm Diane Macedo. We have multiple confirmation hearings taking place today on Capitol Hill for some of President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees. But first, we want to get to some breaking news in the Middle East. We are hearing reports about a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

Those negotiations have been underway and said to be making progress and now we're hearing they may actually have a deal in place. Let's go over to Tom Soufi-Burridge, our foreign correspondent who's there in Tel Aviv. Tom, what's the latest?

Yeah, Diane, I think there's conflicting reports in the last 30 minutes. We're getting 1 report, though, from the AP news agency, which is saying that Qatar, from Qatari officials, and Hamas officials, saying that a ceasefire has been reached to pause Israel's war in Gaza and release dozens of hostages. So I think, I mean, that's the clearest indication, I think, within the last 10 or 15 minutes that there is a deal. In the last half an hour or so, though, we've been getting word from Israeli officials throwing doubts on that and basically saying that there is potentially still a sticking point relating to whether or not Israeli troops would have to in this agreement the six-week ceasefire withdraw fully from what's called the Philadelphia corridor that's a strip of land which runs along Gaza's southern border with Egypt and it's been a point of contention in the negotiations between Hamas and Israel for months now and a block if I'm honest really when we when we look back to the fall when when there wasn't a deal but look the omens are good tonight I think there is still a sort of cautious optimism We're in hostage square right in the heart of Tel Aviv.

There are some people gathering here, there are other journalists gathering here, there's a clock over here if you want to have a look and that says you know 460 days so that's how long remember Diane that those hostages have been held in Gaza and the war has continued inside the Gaza Strip. But, you know, we are getting a lot of details suggesting that this six-week ceasefire and the release of 33 hostages is looking highly likely, but we do not have right now confirmation of a done deal.

So talk me through Tom the pressures on Israel and Hamas right now that are at least leading to the movement in these talks and getting them this close?

Yeah look I mean I think what the 2 sides have pretty much agreed on and we've seen a draft negotiating framework today and this suggests that that look what they've agreed on is 33 hostages, it'll be all the female hostages including Israeli female soldiers, it would be the elderly men and the sick men but not the male Israeli soldiers and it would be phased over a few weeks, over the 6 weeks. Humanitarian aid would flood into the Gaza Strip and in return hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails would be set free. That is what seems to have been very easy We're not very easy But like that seems to have been agreed on the sticking point comes down to this question of what happens to Israeli troops Inside the Gaza Strip and according to the framework we've seen Israel has agreed on the idea that its troops should go withdraw from populated areas of the Gaza Strip and move to a buffer zone which they've created throughout the course of the war around the Gaza Strip. And it looks like out of 1 of the key areas, the Netzerim corridor, which is in central Gaza, running a west to east across the access where Israel has throughout the war basically controlled the flow of people.

And that relates to the key issue of whether or not Palestinians within Gaza would be able to flow freely back to their homes in northern Gaza if they wanted to under a deal. But the sticking point seems to be, and this is what we just don't have clarity and we have confusion to be honest right now, whether or not Israel and Hamas have agreed on the idea of what happens in the Philadelphia corridor again that strip of land running across the border between Gaza and Egypt. Israel in the past the Israeli government has said it will not withdraw fully from that corridor it wants to control that area and Israeli officials have told us repeatedly that that is to prevent arms being smuggled from Egypt, potentially back into Gaza, if there is a ceasefire in place. And what we don't have clarity on is whether or not Hamas has accepted Israeli soldiers remaining in that corridor or whether there is a different position the 2 sides have come together on. Diane?

Tom what

do you make of the timing here?

I've lost

my IFB now I'm afraid I've lost all of us communication with you now.

Tom can

you Tom can you hear me? It looks like we have lost Tom Sufi-Berg. We will try to get him back. But again, some conflicting reports now of whether there is a ceasefire deal agreement now between Israel and Hamas. It seems regardless, they are close.

We will of course continue to keep you updated on this developing story as we get more. Right now, we're gonna take a quick break. We come back more on that potential ceasefire deal and confirmation hearings taking place right now on Capitol Hill. We'll be right back.

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Welcome back to ABC News Live First. I'm Diane Macedo. We want to get to some important developments in the Middle East. Conflicting reports are coming out about whether Hamas has accepted a draft ceasefire deal that would release dozens of hostages as well as a six-week ceasefire in Gaza. I want to bring in ABC News foreign correspondent Tom Soufi-Burrige from Tel Aviv.

Tom, what do we know about the state of this deal right now? Because it seems like some are saying it's happened and others are saying not so fast.

Yeah, I think probably the most important report to quote to you right now, Diane, is that the AP news agency, which is very trustworthy, is saying Qatari and Hamas officials say a ceasefire agreement has been reached to pause Israel's war in Gaza and release dozens of hostages. That said, we're hearing in the last half an hour from an Israeli official saying that there is a sticking point, a point of disagreement on whether or not Israeli troops would be expected under this deal to fully withdraw from the Philadelphia corridor. That is the strip of land between Egypt and southern Gaza, running east to west, right along where Israeli troops are based, and where the Israeli government in recent months has said they would not be willing to fully withdraw troops from, because they want to prevent arms being smuggled back into Gaza under a potential ceasefire. So, you know, we are hearing multiple reports suggesting that, yes, Hamas has accepted the deal, but there are other reports saying that they haven't. So there is confusion right now.

I mean, look, a deal is close, and we have known in the last few hours and the last couple of days that from U.S. Officials and Israeli officials that, you know, this was into the endgame, that, you know, the main points have been agreed on, that a six-week ceasefire had been agreed on, the release of 33 hostages, that would be all of the female hostages held in Gaza right now, including the Israeli female soldiers, and that's an important point, it would include the elderly male hostages and the sick male hostages but not younger Israeli male soldiers. And you know it would mean a six-week ceasefire and it would mean flooding the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and it would be a phased withdrawal of hostages. So we're thinking and we've seen a draft framework of the negotiating agreement which says that potentially 3 hostages would be released on day 1 for example, 4 days later, 4 on day 3, sorry, and then 3 every week thereafter. So it wouldn't be a question of 33 released in 1 moment.

And obviously that's what happened back in November and December of 2023 just after the war began when there was that initial ceasefire agreement and dozens of hostages were released back then.

Tom, once they do reach an agreement or let's say they have already, it still has to go through some approvals on the Israeli side with the cabinet and the government. What happens there?

So we heard about half an hour ago from certain sources that the deal in principle was agreed upon But then it was being passed via Israel's negotiating team in Qatar back to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's team and they were looking over it and then we heard from an Israeli official that there was this potential problem with Hamas's demands on Israeli forces in this strip of land separating southern Gaza and Egypt. So you know, yes in terms of the Israeli government, we believe that if Israel's, if the framework deal is accepted by Hamas, then the Israeli cabinet will pass it. There will be at least 1 dissenting voice, a hardline voice, the Security Minister here, Itamar Ben-Gavir, who has already in the last few days spoken out against the deal. But we expect it to be passed by the Israeli cabinet and, you know, yes the Israeli government is a coalition and it's mother Ben Gavis party is part of that coalition whether or not the coalition will hold together in the long term I think that's hard to say whether it will in the near term it's likely I think right now Diane I think it should be the focus should be on what's been happening in Doha and Qatar.

And that is what everyone is trying to get clarity on, is whether or not Hamas and Israel have agreed on what happens to Israeli troops once this six-week ceasefire kicks in. And at the moment we don't have clarity on that. And I think that has been the sticking point for months and that is what we're trying to work out right now.

Tom, an Israeli source with direct knowledge of the negotiations also said they hit a snag over what they called new demands regarding the Philadelphia axis. Why is that such an important factor here?

It's really important from the Israeli government's perspective because they say that if they don't maintain a presence on the Philadelphia corridor, then they won't be able to prevent arms potentially being smuggled in from Egypt into Gaza, arms which would end up in the hands of Hamas. Now, Other people say, well, you know, Israel has controlled that corridor for a long period of time and there are dissenting voices in Israel about this. I mean, a few months ago when I was here, IDF figures were coming out and suggesting that actually Israel could be on the edge of that strip of land and quickly move into it on a case-by-case basis and that ultimately they could prevent any Hamas activity in that area but they wouldn't just need to be there as a permanent presence. So that you know there were voices in Israel that were saying look there are creative solutions this we don't need have to have a sort of hard and fast position on it.

As

far as I'm aware, and from the conversations I've had with Israeli officials, the Israeli government's position has not changed, that they still believe that they need a permanent presence in the Philadelphia corridor under an agreement. And from the draft negotiating framework that we've seen there isn't really much mention of the Philadelphia Corridor to be honest so it doesn't it doesn't clarify it but it doesn't actually say it talks about Israeli troops withdrawing from populated areas and even from this other contentious area of land, the Netzarim corridor, again a strip of land running west to east right across Gaza but it's right up in central Gaza and in the draft agreement There was clearly a reference that Israeli troops would withdraw from that area. And that area is also key because under this agreement there would be the free flow of Palestinians north to south, which isn't the case during the war. That is strictly controlled by the Israeli military but under the agreement the idea is that Palestinians would be able to go back to their homes in the north, what's left of their homes, if they want to. The question mark there would be how would Israel guarantee that no weapons would be carried by anyone potentially affiliated to Hamas making that journey.

There are unconfirmed reports tonight that the Qataris, potentially the Egyptians, could be part of that solution in terms of policing that corridor up in central Gaza. But again, the main sticking point right now and the piece of confusion I think in the puzzle right now is the Philadelphia corridor between Egypt and southern Gaza and whether or not Israeli troops are fully withdrawing from that and if they're not has Hamas accepted that as a part of the deal which months ago it was not willing to do. Diane.

And Tom the incoming Trump administration takes office in just 5 days. How might that impact the timing of these negotiations? How do you think it's impacting it now and how might it impact if they don't reach a final deal before then?

I think the involvement of Team Trump has definitely had an impact, right? Team Biden is still very, very heavily involved as well. And both teams are telling us that they are working hand in hand to push this deal over the line. Look, President, Well, President-elect Trump's inauguration in a few days' time is definitely a sort of unofficial deadline, because President-elect Trump has said on 2 occasions that all hell would break loose in Gaza if there wasn't a deal. Now, we don't know exactly what he means by that.

I spoke to a former Israeli general close to the Israeli government in the last few days who suggested to me that it could mean Israel going to try and annex some of the occupied West Bank, for example. Now, that's just a theory, and that former Israeli general seemed to be speculating on that, because other people have pointed out, well, you know, there is already hell in Gaza, you know, tens of thousands of people killed, you know, vast areas of the Gaza Strip absolutely obliterated, dire living conditions, disease, lack of water, scarcity of food. So, you know, some people have said, well, how can Gaza get worse? How can there be hell in Gaza? There already is.

But, you know, some other people have suggested that that suggestion from President-elect Trump could mean that there could be other things to... Other levers, other mechanisms of leverage for the US and Israel to put on Hamas. But I think the other thing to point out is that Hamas has also been greatly weakened now. So yes, Donald Trump's team getting involved with the process seems to have made a difference. But Hamas is in a fundamentally different position now than it was a few months ago.

It has been weakened. It lost its leader, Yahya Sinwar, back in October when he was killed. And yes, his brother, we believe, Mohamed Sinwar, is now vaguely in control of the group on the ground. But you know, there is a sense that Hamas is in a much weaker position now than 2 or 3 months ago when there were rounds of other negotiations, which ultimately didn't reach a deal. And then back then it was clearly purely on the US side, the Biden administration that was trying to push things through.

Again, I just want to update viewers who are just joining us for getting conflicting reports of a potential ceasefire deal, whether 1 has been struck or if they're still hitting a few snags, but are in really in final stages of reaching the ceasefire deal that would also include a phased release of hostages being held by Hamas. Let's go over to Kira Phillips for our special report.

And good morning everyone I'm Kira Phillips. We are coming on the air with major developments in the Middle East. ABC News has now confirmed after more than a year of fighting, a ceasefire deal in Gaza is now in place between Israel and Hamas. The agreement coming after breakthroughs in talks in Qatar. The agreement, including the release of the dozens of hostages being held right now by Hamas, the Biden administration says there are 7 American hostages still in Gaza.

At least 3 of them are believed to be alive. Officials say that Hamas has agreed to release 2 of them in the initial weeks of the ceasefire. In exchange, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israel will also pause fighting so desperately needed aid can finally get into Gaza. With just days left in office, this ceasefire deal was 1 of President Biden's top priorities.

As you know, it has been in the works for months. The White House now working closely with President-elect Donald Trump's Mideast negotiator to broker this deal. Trump has been blunt, warning if these hostages are not back by the time he returns to office, that without hesitation, all hell would break out in the Middle East. Let's get straight to our foreign correspondent Ian Pannel with more. Ian, tell us what you know.

Yeah, Cara, that's right. We've been hearing from various different sources really over the last couple of days, and this momentum appears to have gathered. So we're now expecting a press conference to be held by the Qatari Prime Minister. Remember the negotiations have been taking place in Qatar. Qatar has essentially hosted conversations, separate conversations have been taken together with the Israeli hostage negotiators and Hamas, but it's also involved the work of Egypt and the Trump, incoming Trump administration, as well as the Biden team.

This is something the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has been working on for a long time. The details. This is a temporary ceasefire for now. Phase 1 would include the gradual release of hostages. We don't know the condition of those hostages.

It's entirely possible that some of them will be dead and it will be bodies that will be returned to their loved ones. In all, we're expecting in this first 42-day period, so 6 weeks, we're expecting a developing evolving process whereby Hamas releases 3 prisoners in in the first tranche in exchange for Palestinian prisoners which is controversial for some Israelis here who are adamantly against this deal. It's something that Netanyahu's managed to get through his security cabinet despite objections from some of the more hard far-right members of the security cabinet. In terms of the process, so you have the six-week process, there'll be a movement of troops pulling back from certain areas and as those stages develop so that will eventually, assuming there are no breaches of the ceasefire, lead to a full withdrawal. There have been a lot of different elements that have proved controversial in this but the headline is brokered by the Biden administration, the incoming Trump team, Egypt, Qatar and of course involving Israel and Hamas, is that there will be a ceasefire, which is clearly going to be great news for the population of Gaza.

Remember, more than 46, 000 people have been killed throughout this more than 15 months war. Obviously, hundreds of Israelis also killed on that October 7th attack, but also a number of Israeli soldiers also killed in the military operation that's been undergone in Gaza. It'll also include the the flooding of Gaza with humanitarian aid. That's a key part of this negotiation and then eventually that will lead to reconstruction. But it'll be great news for Israel, clearly amazing news for the Palestinians who've been stuck in Gaza in this living hell for so long now.

We're still waiting for official announcements though to be clear. We need to hear that from the Qatari Prime Minister. We're expecting an announcement also to come from the Israelis. As you mentioned President Trump has already posted on social media about this but we will also probably hear something from the White House that once these other announcements have been made but after such a long painful period for so many people in this region it's going to be broadly welcomed as I mentioned there is a section of Israeli society that's against this. They don't want to see Palestinian prisoners released.

They say they're terrorists, that even if it means not returning the hostages, not returning the bodies of those who've been killed, that the war should continue. I think 1 thing that we should really bear in mind is there are 3 phases prescribed in this text that we have been given access to. Again, we need to see it in the flesh when it's actually published but the sticking points the real sticking points is what comes next who runs Gaza now Hamas as as the elected body clearly feel that they should be the ones to run Gaza that's a total non-starter for the Israelis So in some senses some of the really stickier points of this agreement have been kicked into the long grass but they're gonna have to be dealt with while phase 1 is underway negotiations have to start for phase 2 with the deal and then eventually for phase 3 so it's a complicated process I would say it's very fragile you know a lot of people are hoping that the guns will fall silent, but we have to wait and see how it pans out and whether these negotiations can continue. Kira?

Ian, you mentioned the White House. Let's get straight to our chief White House correspondent, Mary Bruce. Mary, I'm seeing now that the president-elect has put it out on True Social. We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly.

Thank you. We're getting that from Donald Trump, also Steve Whitkoff, his special envoy to the Middle East, we can now confirm has been involved in these negotiations. What are you hearing from the White House?

Well look, this certainly is a deal that President Biden has worked for for many, many months. This administration has been painstakingly trying to get this over the finish line. And it certainly was a top priority for President Biden to get this done before he leaves office, now in just days. But we are also told that President Biden felt it was very important that there be very little daylight between his administration and the incoming Trump administration. Of course they wanted to present a united message to negotiators.

They also are well aware that any deal that was likely to be achieved would of course carry over into the next administration. As the National Security Advisor explained it to us, they wanted to make sure that nothing was missed between the cup and the lip, and that is why they made sure to bring in Steve Whitkoff, the incoming administration's Middle East envoy, into these conversations. And President Biden himself has been deeply involved in all of this. He's been working the phones back here. He has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Qatari leader.

He's spoken with President Sisi of Egypt in the last few days, making sure that he is obviously informed of all of this as well. But of course, the timing is certainly notable. It's hard to ignore the fact that this appears to be finally getting over the finish line with just days left in this administration. And as Donald Trump certainly has been upping the pressure, promising that all hell will break loose if the remaining American hostages are not released by the time he gets into office. But the fact that they have worked closely on this politically will certainly allow both the current administration and the incoming administration to take some credit for this.

We have not heard directly from President Biden yet. I suspect that certainly will change Kira.

Mary. Thank you. Let's get to our chief global affairs correspondent, Martha Raddatz. Martha, you have been to the region several times shortly after the attacks as well. You were there on the one-year anniversary.

Remind us all just how horrific this attack was and what these hostages have likely been through.

Well, Kara, I think it is astonishing still to go into those kibbutzes and see the damage and destruction that was caused in them and the lives that were taken and the hostages that were taken. I was there just days after the attack. Remember, 1, 200 people were killed, 250 hostages were taken, a little more than 100 of those returned, several of them dead, in November. But for those families, when I visited again this last October, the first anniversary, there was 1 hostage family I spoke to, the brother of twin 26-year-old men who were taken hostage on that day on October 7th who said when they learned the brothers were alive it was the best day of his life. But since watching how some of those hostages have been treated and what they have been going through there was great fear about what shape they would be in if, in fact, they are alive a year or so later, 15 months later.

And I do think those hostage families are feeling that today. Yes, there are several that are supposed to be alive, several dual citizens, 3 American Israeli citizens. But there is always concern what shape they will be in, especially after these many, many months away from their families. You have to remember, on these kibbutzes, It's just a mile away to see Gaza, to see where their loved ones were being held, standing there with that brother and watching him look across there. He came to that kibbutz all the time just to think of his brother.

So you have to think about what those hostage families are going through. But as Ian points out so well, you also have to realize what Palestinians not closely affiliated with Hamas have been going through in Gaza. The destruction there is enormous, 2.6 million people, 90 percent, it is estimated, have been displaced. And, again, Hamas says 46, 000 46, 000 have been killed Kara

Martha, thank you. Let's get right to our foreign correspondent. Tom Sufi Burrage on the streets of Tel Aviv Tom you have time and time again talked to the family members of these hostages. Have you been able to talk to any of them? But more importantly, what is happening right there on the streets now as this news comes through?

Yeah, Kerry, so we're right outside the headquarters of the Israeli Defense Forces, the building out there. And you can see this demonstration there, trying to close the traffic on this main route. But as you say, we've been here week after week after week, massive demonstrations in this area every weekend really for months and months and months. And I'm not really confident that all of these people have actually heard the news because we're bringing to it right now that there is a deal, we think, and that a deal has been signed off on by both sides, even though we haven't seen that formal agreement in writing. But, you know, there's clearly, I think, there will be celebration.

These people will be very happy that there's a deal. But there's a big but. The caveat, Kira, is that, you know, amongst the families of the hostages in Gaza, there is a fear that there will be this initial six-week ceasefire, yes, but it won't potentially turn into a permanent ceasefire, and some, the male soldiers, for example, and some of the men, the hostages still held in Gaza, won't be released in this deal if there isn't a phase 2 and a phase 3 I mean look you can see there's hundreds of people You know, there's a lot of anger towards the Israeli government amongst this section of Israeli society and they've remained determined throughout So if this deal is again confirmed by the Israeli government and Hamas Then you know, it'll be a massive massive massive moment for the families. And yes, I have been speaking to 2 of the families of American hostages. There are we believe only 3 American hostages potentially still alive inside Gaza right now and US officials are saying they believe 2 of them will be released if there is this six-week ceasefire and the deal and that would be Keith Siegel and I've been speaking to his brother Lee multiple times over the last few months but we've been exchanging text messages tonight and to be honest with you right now they're on tensorhooks.

They don't know you know what quite to believe and the reports in the last half an hour to be honest with you have been very confusing about saying there is a deal, there isn't a deal, Hamas might not have made new demands according to 1 Israeli official related to control of this southern strip of land in Gaza, the border with Egypt effectively, and whether or not Israeli troops would fully withdraw from that area called the Philadelphia Corridor. And I've also spoken to Jonathan Decker-Hen, the father of Sagi Decker-Hen. He's in his 30s, he's got young kids just like me and you know I know Jonathan again is once again just watching everything, praying, you know hoping that this is the case, that there is a deal and that Sagi will be included. I think, you know, what we do know from this draft negotiating framework we've seen is that elderly males like Keith Siegel, an American citizen, will almost certainly be part of that and he will be coming home if this is the case. But Sagi is 35, he is a civilian so he was not in the IDF on October the 7th when he was taken from the family kibbutz near Gaza.

But you know it's not 100% you know that he would be in a deal. He could be, and we hope he will be. And U.S. Officials, from what they've been telling us, suggesting they hope that is the case, too. So, you know, I think this news is just coming through.

You can see that people are still out on the streets, and they're protesting. They're protesting for a deal. And we hope and we think that deal is now in place. Kira?

More on that deal, Ian I want to take it back to you, I understand now we have a statement from Hamas.

Yeah that's right I mean it's it's a little vague but it expresses positive tones towards what's been going on. They say the movement dealt with all responsibility and positivity based on its responsibility towards our patient and steadfast people in Gaza by stopping what they call the Zionist aggression against them. They say that they've given their full and official response to the Qatari negotiators and all sides really have been at pains to try and ensure that there haven't been leaks to the media, obviously we have had some, but that the official announcement should really come from the Qataris. I mean, it looks like that was hard to control. Just to let you know that the Israeli cabinet, security cabinet, is going to meet tomorrow to ratify this, then has to go to the full cabinet.

There's then a period of 48 hours to allow for any legal objections, entirely possible cases will be brought before the Israeli Supreme Court. So there are still these steps to be taken before we see the start of phase 1, possibly by the weekend, but we just have to wait and see. Kira?

Ian, thank you. Want to take you to live pictures now, just outside of a hospital there in Gaza. You know, the last time there was a ceasefire, That was back in November of 2023. It lasted a very short time. It ended up falling apart.

So what is going to make this deal so different this time around with so much destruction, such a huge death toll, so many lives lost? Let's go to former State Department official, retired Colonel Steve Ganyard for this and just talking about the future of Gaza now, what it could mean for the people, the humanitarian crisis, the aid that hasn't been allowed to get into the area and also just the future of the Middle East now, as we're about to have a new administration leading our country, Steve.

Yeah, Carrie, this is the first of several first initial steps that had to have been taken, get the hostages out, come to some sort of a ceasefire. But the bigger questions here, as you note, are what becomes of Gaza? How will Israel prevent another October 7th? Will they surround Gaza and it'll be very limited in the kinds of aid that they'll let come in, who will run the rehabilitation, the reconstruction will be the Qataris, the Egyptians, clearly the U.S. Will have a role there, how much Arab money and it'll be billions and billions, if not hundreds of billions of dollars to reconstruct Gaza.

But the Israelis are not going to allow another October 7th. And so it's critical to figure out in the next set of negotiations, what does Gaza look like? Because that also means, what does the new Middle East look like? Obviously, Hezbollah has been crushed, if not fully defeated. Iran is out of Syria.

Iran is effectively powerless within Lebanon. And so the whole Middle East, that map is shifting here. And the final piece that needs to get put into place is what happens with the Palestinians, what happens with Gaza, And how does Israel deal with that, ensuring that October 7th never happens again?

From this deal that we are seeing so far, these various phases, Steve, will Gaza see immediate relief within this deal when you're talking about a number of phases?

It's going to take time, Kara, and if you, we all have seen the almost unimaginable destruction in Gaza. That's a lot of concrete. That's a lot of rebuilding. That's months. Getting in the kinds of capabilities to do that kind of rebuilding is going to take years.

Gaza will probably not be where least Gazans and the Palestinians want it to be for a decade or more. But in a sense, Gaza is in the hands of the Palestinians now. If Hamas is still there, it'll be, the Israelis probably are not going to be too favorable to Hamas coming back and controlling Gaza again. So how Hamas plays in the political development of Gaza, how the Israelis control that, what role the other Arab states, particularly the Qataris and the Egyptians have, are all questions to be determined but they're critical for what becomes of the Middle East in the years to come.

And how exactly Hamas will take a role here? Will it stick to its word? Ian Pannel, you're getting more from that side of things. What do you know?

Yeah, that's right Kara we're not getting much more detail from Hamas themselves There are various stages as we already know, in this temporary ceasefire and this first tranche. What they're talking about is, firstly, the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Now that will finally take place if we get into phase 3. That won't happen immediately, although there will be a relocation. A second opening of the crossings this of course has been a critical issue you were just talking to Steve of course about the humanitarian situation certainly if you look at the details that we've been given so far humanitarian relief is very high on the agenda almost simultaneously with this relocation of Israeli forces but getting much-needed aid in.

We've seen people have been forced to live rough, living in tents, the outbreak of disease, newborn babies dying, the hospitals have been decimated, so it really is absolutely critical to get that relief in there. Third, yes, to get relief and shelter for people. Of course, so many homes have been destroyed, so the need to start rebuilding to allow people to at least get indoors. It's not freezing, but it gets cold in this part of the world and if you're living outside, especially with young families, they're very vulnerable. The next stage is the release of prisoners.

Now they're talking about the release of a thousand Palestinian prisoners, including women and children under the age of 19 in exchange for 33 of the hostages. What it says on the hostages, it says alive and dead, provided that negotiations will be completed in later stages. They also talk about the return of the displaced, freedom of movement and then further negotiation process. So it's kind of what we thought it would be. Let's wait until we hear from Prime Minister Netanyahu for their take on it.

I think it's reasonable to expect there's going to be political spin from both sides because they have to sell it domestically. Neither side wants to admit that it's had to make concessions, but of course that is the reality. But I think it's really important to remember, as we've been discussing here, that there are some really thorny issues that have been kicked into the long grass. They're going to have to be dealt with in the coming weeks. And finding an agreement when Israel has vowed to crush Hamas, that Hamas can no longer be part of the solution, of course they've had to negotiate with them, albeit not directly.

How on earth are you going to square that circle? Hira.

Ian, thank you. Let's get back to the streets of Tel Aviv where we find our Tom Soufi Burrage. You've had a chance to talk with some people now as the news is spreading of this deal. Tom,

tell us what they're saying.

Yeah, yeah, news is reaching these people now that definitely looks like there is a deal and the US government is telling us that. Look, I mean you can see people are burning candles tonight, flames. I mean have a look down here, Lukasz, if you just move in, have a look. That writing there effectively says in Hebrew, they all have value. And I think that chimes with a message which we've been hearing from the forum supporting the families of the hostages, that yes, of course, we're delighted if there's a deal.

And 33 hostages, most of them are believed to be still alive, but some of them sadly amongst those 33 are potentially not. They're very happy that there will be a deal, but they are worried that this initial six-week ceasefire and 33 hostages out in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and other conditions might not actually lead to a second and a third phase of the deal. We're right outside the headquarters of the IDF. We've been in this location, Kira, on ABC News live many, many, many times. And come with me and just have a walk down the street, because this isn't a huge demonstration, but people have been building here, and obviously it's a weekday.

And you can see people are now blocking the traffic if you just come through here. Excuse me. Sorry. You'll see the busses are all stopped So actually I've seen this scene before when a deal didn't look imminent, but they're still blocking the traffic They still want to make that point heard and in terms of reaction from people in the crowd here I've just had a chance to speak to 1 guy said to me I'll believe it when Prime Minister Netanyahu says it he'll believe that there is a deal when it actually words to that effect come out of the mouth of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and another lady just now said to me yes I'm delighted but I'm fearful and again she's getting at that point which they were making with the candle demonstration back over here that you know they're worried about the fate of the other hostages. So just to recap in terms of the hostages under the draft negotiating framework that we've seen we're talking about 33 hostages most of them believed to be alive we're talking about all the child hostages all of the female hostages crucially including the female soldiers in amongst the hostages.

You can hear the drums coming up because more people are moving down this way. So we're just going to move a little bit this way. But it would not, Kira, crucially include all of the Israeli male soldiers who were taken on October 7th during that terror attack. So look, I think there's a mixture of emotions here. People are happy.

We're going to move away from the drums here. You can see it's always lively. These demonstrations are all lively. We'll keep on the side because the traffic is now moving again, thankfully for these people. But you can clearly sense that, yes, people are happy.

This is a massive moment for Israel, a massive moment for the hostages, the families. But there is concern. And if you look again, I mean, it's quite a powerful image if you come around here of these candles people Holding a vigil. So yes, the news is coming through to them that dozens of hostages potentially up to 33 Most of them alive will be brought out of Gaza potentially in the next 6 weeks. But they are worried about the remaining hostages and overall there's thought to be just short of a hundred hostages still in Gaza.

Israeli officials have suggested to us that potentially about a third of them are believed to be dead. So it could mean that many more hostages won't be released in this initial six-week phase of the deal. Kira?

Tom, thank you. Ian, you know, Israel has long said their goal, or its goal, was to completely eliminate Hamas. So considering the deal that we are looking right now before us, is that off the table?

I think if you talk to certain members of Prime Minister Netanyahu's security cabinet, they will say no, absolutely not. And they will want to retain the right to go after Hamas and they also say very clearly that Hamas can't be part of what comes next in Israel but it always struck me as a kind of unrealistic target to eliminate Hamas. Hamas is voted in by the people, a lot of people support the organization and eradicating it totally even despite all the destruction, all the death, all the displacement has proved almost impossible. I mean 1 Israeli military unit today was releasing video footage of clashes still taking place. So there are still Hamas elements there.

And as we've seen in other countries and other conflicts, at some point even if they're categorized as terrorist organizations, conversations need to be had. So I think that's still a huge problem that is not going to go away. Everyone's just pushed it to 1 side for now in the interest of getting the guns to fall silent, of getting the hostages out, for Hamas getting Palestinian prisoners home, but crucially relieving the thousands, hundreds of thousands of innocent Palestinians inside Gaza to alleviate their suffering, allow them to go home, allow schools to sit, hospitals to reopen. The reconstruction cost is going to be enormous. Qatar possibly will help with that, as it has in the past.

But there's so much work to be done and and I think we just need to wait and see when this is implemented if all goes well on the Israeli side we could see that first stage start by the weekend. Gira.

All right Ian thank you. Martha just looking back at past administrations all the way back to Jimmy Carter and his administration and Middle East peace deals, we're talking about an outgoing and an incoming president possibly working together here to put this together. How remarkable is that in your eyes?

It is remarkable. And, of course, we were reminded of Jimmy Carter's hostage deal at his funeral recently last week. And 1 of the things that Jimmy Carter did was talk about the hostages in Iran. Iran was holding 53, 52 hostages for 444 days. It became a hallmark of his presidency.

But Iran did not release those hostages until Ronald Reagan was sworn in. That was always a pain in the heart for Jimmy Carter, although he was thrilled that the hostages were eventually released. Now you have these 2, President Trump's team and President — President-elect Trump's team and President Biden's team working together to try to get this deal over the finish line. Certainly, the pressure that Donald Trump had put on already, even before coming into office, probably had an effect, saying, all hell will break loose if this doesn't happen before I take office, and that, of course, is on Monday. I'm also reminded of the effort that the Biden administration put into this deal, constant shuttle diplomacy.

As soon as the attack by Hamas on Israel happened, President Biden went over, he met with Netanyahu. And 1 of the things he said is, learn the lessons that we learned from 9-11. Don't go too far, essentially, because you will have people who will join that Hamas movement. Just yesterday, the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said, indeed, we assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost, and the Israelis estimate that there were 18, 000 fighters lost. He said that is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war.

Those were the words that President Biden, Tony Blinken was trying to convince Hamas of, the Israelis of, during this period. Kira?

Martha, thank you. Clearly, this war has haunted the last year in office for President Joe Biden. He now just has 5 days left before he leaves office. Let's get to the White House once again with our Mary Bruce. When do you think we'll hear from our president, Mary?

Well, Kira, I am told that we will likely hear from the president shortly on all of this. Now, no official comment from the White House just yet, but this was a top priority, if not the top priority, for the president in the remaining days of his administration to finally get this deal done, something that he has tirelessly worked for for many, many months. Of course, it was back in last May when he first put forward this framework that was really the launching point for the agreement that we believe we are now going to see unfolding here. And the president, yes, he did feel very strongly that he work with the incoming administration on this, that there be no daylight between them bringing in Donald Trump's envoy so that they could work on this together. We have, of course, seen Donald Trump already taking credit for this, calling the deal epic, saying that it's an example of what he can achieve, saying, look what we've achieved even before he's been able to take office.

There will be plenty of time to unpack the Trump effect on all of this, but there's no question that this current administration laid the groundwork, worked tirelessly on this, and of course, President Biden, for him it is personal. He has spent a lot of time with the families of the hostages, most recently in November just after the election, promising them that he was going to do everything he could to bring them home.

Trump calling it epic, President Biden no doubt probably calling it quite a relief and we will carry his remarks live, Mary, as soon as he begins talking. Our coverage continues on ABC News Live. I hope you will join me. Also, ABCNews.com. David Mir will have complete wrap-up on world news tonight.

I'm Kira Phillips. Glad you joined us.

This has been a special report from ABC News.

And welcome back to ABC News Live First. I'm Diane Macedo. We have more now on that breaking news of a deal reached between Israel and Hamas. Phase 1 of that deal involves the release of dozens of hostages in exchange for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. 2 of those hostages being held by Hamas that would be released as part of this deal are Americans.

That's the expectation at least. Another American would be released in future phases of this deal. And the Israeli government is expected to approve the deal in the coming days. I want to bring in State Department reporter Shannon Kingston for more on that. Shannon, what more can you tell us about the details of this ceasefire and how American hostages factor in here?

Well this is something that came together really in the last 96 hours and U.S. Officials in this building they're still walking on eggshells waiting for this to really be finalized. But they do expect to see 2 Americans walk free eventually from Gaza. Now, of course, they have been held for more than a year. And that's Keith Segal and Segei Dekolcen, excuse me, Segei Dekolcen, 2 Americans that were kidnapped in October 7.

But they know they're leaving behind others. At least 1 of them is expected to be alive. That's Ian Alexander. He's not eligible for immediate release because he's a member of the IDF, so that's going to have to be negotiated down the line. And, of course, there are the remains of 4 other Americans who are believed to have either died in captivity or in the attacks of October 7th.

But it's really hard to overstate the uncertainty here, because even though this is, of course, welcome news, there's a lot that's going to have to happen of course the implementation of this deal it's not going to be easy.

No I'm sure it's not and I want to bring in senior White House correspondent Selena Wang to who's near Mar-a-Lago. Selena, President Elect Trump is taking credit for this deal on social media. What do we know about how the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration took a role in these negotiations?

Yeah, Diane, President-elect Donald Trump already swooping in, taking credit for this deal, saying that it's an example of what his administration can accomplish before he's even taken office. But this is despite the Biden administration laying the groundwork here for months and months trying to reach this deal. The president sending his top envoys to the region for months now trying to reach this deal. And I spoke to Donald Trump's Middle East envoy just days ago at Mar-a-Lago and he told me that he's been working very closely with the Biden team on trying to reach this deal. He said that this isn't about who gets credit for getting the hostages out, that they are solely focused on the outcome here.

But it is notable that Donald Trump is swooping in with the statement before we've heard yet publicly from President Biden himself. But the timing of course is notable here, given that we're just days away from Donald Trump's inauguration, that it is at this point that the deal that the Biden administration said they've been so close to reaching so many times, it is notable that it is now that we are finally reaching this deal. But I did speak to a senior Biden official just the other day who said that what makes this moment different from all the other times that we've been on the cusp or the brink of a deal is because they believe that Hamas is now weakened significantly, both diplomatically as well as militarily, and that is what is driving all of this towards that deal. But make no mistake. This is going to be a critical part of President Biden's legacy.

This is something he vowed to do before he leaves office. He is accomplishing it. Although. At the 11th hour, and it's also deeply personal to President Biden, who has spent a lot of time with the families of these American hostages, who has promised those families that he would do everything in his power to get those hostages home.

And we are looking live at Khan Yunus in Gaza. You can see people celebrating there in the street. Let's go to Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce because Mary, as Selena just pointed out, President Biden is expected to speak shortly here. It's interesting timing, as Selena said, a deal that the Biden administration has been working on for months and yet also 5 days before the Trump administration takes over and only after the Trump administration also got involved in these negotiations. What do you expect to hear from the president on this?

Look first and foremost I think the president is going to be celebrating the fact that this has finally gotten over the finish line. He has spent a lot of time with the families of the hostages. He has been negotiating this deal for months. He has been personally involved even in the last few days reaching out to the leaders of Israel, obviously speaking with Netanyahu, but also the Emir of Qatar, also the president of Egypt, really trying to get this done. And the president, you know, this was not just a top priority.

It probably was the top priority for him in these final days of his administration. He wanted to get this done. But you cannot ignore the timing. It is impossible to talk about this without noting that we are just days away from this transfer of power here in the U.S. And, of course, the threats from Donald Trump, promising that all hell would break loose if the hostages weren't released before he took office.

But it was Joe Biden's decision and direction to bring in the Trump team to these negotiations. It was his decision to make sure that Steve Whitcoff, Donald Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, was there at the table in these negotiations. He wanted to make sure that they were sending a united message and also, you know, look, there are political ramifications to that. It certainly allows both of them, both President Biden and Donald Trump, to try and take some credit for this. And you are already seeing that from the incoming president.

Donald Trump has taken to social media, saying this is an epic cease-fire agreement, that it could only have happened as a result of his historic victory. And he's holding it up as an example of what he is capable of accomplishing. I think there will be a lot of unpacking of what the true impact was of this change of administration on these negotiations, but there is no question that this is a deal that the current administration certainly laid the groundwork for. They have been working for many months to get this done. And I think first and foremost, you will hear from the president just a big relief that finally, finally, that these Americans will be coming home.

And we are looking live now at the streets of Tel Aviv, again, amid this breaking news of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. ABC News foreign correspondent Tom Soufi-Burridge is there in Tel Aviv. Tom, how are people there responding?

I think there's a mix of emotions at this demonstration. We're right outside the headquarters of the IDF. I've been here on multiple occasions in recent months. Demonstration after demonstration after demonstration. We have a little look in.

You can see it's a bit of a candlelit vigil. And you might find that surprising, I think, because you'd imagine that people are purely celebrating him. But to be honest with you, from talking to people in the last few minutes, they're pleased there's a deal. They're pleased there'll be this initial six-week ceasefire, 33 hostages, most of them alive at release. But what they're worried about, let's move around here while the noise continues, what they're worried about, Diane, is that the other hostages will not be released, that there will be phase 1 of the deal, but there won't be phase 2 and phase 3.

And that's the chance here. The chance we've been hearing in Hebrew just now is, now, like bring a deal now, but also another chance saying, bring all of them home. Like people are celebrating, But they're also concerned, especially these people, supporting the families, that this deal might not mean that all of the hostages get home, that after this initial six-week ceasefire, there won't be a continuation and a second and third phase of the deal, because Negotiations for that second phase will only begin once the initial ceasefire kicks in Diane

I know those families will be watching and so will we Selena Wang Tom Sufi Burrage Mary Bruce Shannon Kingston Thank you, and we will have much more on that ceasefire deal and what comes next right after the break with Kira Filler. Stay with us.

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All new

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Wild Crime 11 skulls only on Hulu.

After more than 15 months of fighting a breakthrough in the war in Gaza. Good afternoon everyone. I'm Kira Phillips. Israel and Hamas agreeing on the core elements of a ceasefire deal. A source telling us that Israel will convene its security cabinet tomorrow to actually approve the deal.

We have team coverage, Ian Pannel, our foreign correspondent, also our other foreign correspondent, Tom Sufie Burrage, he's in Tel Aviv. Our Martha Raddatz, chief global affairs correspondent, along with our White House correspondent Karen Travers with us. Shannon Kingston covers the State Department here in D.C. Also our senior White House correspondent Selena Wang is coming to us out of Mar-a-Lago. Ian, let's get right to you and talk about the terms of this deal, the various phases and what this means for the hostages still being held captive by Hamas.

Yeah, Diane, I mean, there's no doubt about it. This is a major breakthrough, a significant moment. It's like the mood has lifted here and clearly there are celebrations in Gaza where the suffering has been so deep and so great for so long. So what's going to happen? We still have to wait for the Israeli security Cabinet to meet tomorrow to ratify this.

But it appears that the shape of a deal has been agreed. Hamas has released a statement emphasizing some parts of the deal. The Prime Minister's office here is also hinting at certain elements where there were disagreements. But in essence what it's going to see over the first tranche this is 42 days 6 weeks is that we're gonna see 33 hostages not all will be alive but certainly the bodies of those who've died but most are expected to be alive will be released in a phased program So it won't be 33 all at 1 time. On day 1 of this deal being implemented, we should see 3 hostages released in exchange for a large number of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas is talking about over 1, 000 Palestinian prisoners in all. So as these phases go forward we're going to see the slow pullback of some Israeli forces allowing Palestinians to return to their homes, the borders opening up to allow much-needed humanitarian aid and medical care into Gaza. The conditions are appalling for people. We're seeing young babies dying because their families are having to live in shelters, dying from the cold out there. The hospital system has been decimated.

90% of the population has essentially been driven from its home and at least 46, 000 Palestinians, more than 46, 000, have paid the ultimate price, most of them, again, civilians. Now those are figures that are quoted by the Hamas-run health ministry, they're disputed by the government here. But interestingly the British medical publication The Lancet released figures recently where it said that the actual true toll for civilian deaths was significantly higher than that. So that will take place over the first 6 weeks. Then you get on to phase 2, which will hopefully see more hostages and the bodies of hostages who have died throughout the war that's been conducted there.

Some of them of course were injured in the original terrible October 7th attack here in Israel when they were taken across to Gaza have died have succumbed to their injuries and other people who who had pre-existing conditions. Phase 3 is where I think we'll have real problems and this would be the third trunch of 6 weeks because that's when you've got to get down to detail of what comes next. What does the future government in Gaza look like? Remember, Hamas, as well as having this military wing prescribed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union and many others, it is also the legitimate elected government for many people. Now Hamas of course will see themselves as part of the future.

The Israeli government has drawn a very clear red line saying Hamas cannot be part of the solution. So who runs Gaza? Who does the administration? Who does the roads? Who does the reconstruction?

So those are going to be thorny details that will be discussed. So again, during phase 1 the negotiations over the details of phase 2 should begin. I think around 16 days in those negotiations should start and the same for phase 3 negotiations. So there's still a lot of thorny issues to try and thrash out and try and reach agreement. But I think for now this is great news for so many people on both sides of the border.

Families here want to see their loved ones come home, not just hostage families, but obviously the families of IDF soldiers who've been fighting inside Gaza, and they want to live in a period of peace. Now, the whole landscape has totally changed, if you think about it, across the Middle East since the terrible October 7th attacks in 2023. To Israel's north you have Hezbollah decimated by the campaign that was orchestrated firstly by Mossad and then by the Israeli Defense Forces. Hezbollah is a shadow of its former self. Iran has lost influence there.

Bashar al-Assad has fled the country, no longer runs Syria. And again, that means a loss of Iranian influence. So this axis of resistance, as it was described, by the Iranians, has essentially been broken. And for Israel, that means that many of its enemies have been decimated, they've been weakened and a lot of those threats that existed have now been reduced. But of course Israel has to ensure that October the 7th doesn't happen again and that is some of the detail that still needs to be hammered out.

How does security run inside Gaza? What does the border area look like? Is there a buffer zone? Those are the details we're still waiting for.

Yes, and what happens to those words we have heard from Prime Minister Netanyahu time and time again that he wasn't going to stop this war until Hamas was completely eliminated. We will continue that discussion for sure, Ian, but Martha, I want to get to you. You have been to the region several times. You were there when it marked 1 year. Just remind us and put into perspective what these hostages have been going through and their families.

You've gotten to know so many of them over this period of time?

Well I think standing there and having to see Gaza just a mile away from these kibbutzes which were destroyed and so many people killed, 1200 Israelis killed in that attack and to know that those hostages are just a mile away in some cases. I have stood there with a brother of twin 26-year-old hostages, the Burmans, Ghali and Ziv, who were taken from their kibbutz after trying to protect a neighbor, who was also taken hostage as well. And he at the time

—

and this is just in October — said that he was so happy shortly after the attack to hear his brothers were indeed alive. He has not really had proof of life since. But he worried terribly about what they had possibly been through. But, look, I have seen Gaza as well from the sea. Remember, the Americans built that bridge, the jaylots, it called.

It was a temporary bridge. And going up towards Gaza in a boat and seeing the destruction there just right offshore was incredible. 2.6 million people, 90 percent of the Palestinians there, have been displaced. But indeed, going back there, and a reminder of that war, and the reminder of the destruction there, and the reminder of the terrible, horrific attack on Israel as well. This day is welcomed by so many.

Whether those hostage families know whether their hostage will be released or what has happened to them, this is indeed significant progress. There may be many details still to work out in the coming months, but for now, this temporary cease-fire, they have agreed to, and they have agreed to release that first bunch of hostages, obviously something we have kept our eye on. But the U.S. And others have tried to get this over the line for months and months and months. We had U.S.

Officials, the shuttle diplomacy, working so hard, putting their heart and soul into this, to try to get those hostages released and to try to get a ceasefire to help the people of Gaza. And that appears to have happened today. Indeed, there may be many details in the future. This could fall apart. But for now, there is great hope, Cara.

Great hope indeed. Martha, thank you so much. A statement now by the families of American hostages in Gaza on Hamas's agreement to release the hostages coming forward says, we are deeply grateful that there is finally an agreement between Israel and Hamas to bring our loved ones Omar Aidan, Sagi, Itay, Keith, God and Judy home. We have been waiting for 467 days while our family members suffer from life-threatening injuries, abuse, torture and sexual violence. We thank President Biden, President-elect Trump, and their team for their constructive efforts and to make this possible.

Let's take it now to Tom Soufibird. Tom, you were there on the streets of Israel talking with the people. You have now moved, I understand, to just outside IDF headquarters. We're also getting word Israel attacks on the Gaza Strip are continuing right now through the night as the hostage ceasefire negotiations are just being wrapped up in Doha. Tell us what you're hearing, what you're seeing.

Yes, we're just outside the IDF headquarters. You can just see it up this way actually. Have a look up there. That's the IDF headquarters. We've been at so, so many demonstrations on this road.

And this is, you know, quite a familiar scene in recent months, Kira, where people just... At times, they've been blocking the traffic. And actually, this is a main throughfare right in downtown Tel Aviv. You can see pictures. This is a picture of Keith Segal.

So 65 years old. I've met his wife Aviva. She was a hostage. She was released. I know his brother very well.

He's an American citizen. He is, I think, out of the 3 American hostages in Gaza who are thought to still be alive, the most likely to be released in this initial six-week ceasefire because he's an elderly male. The other guy who hopefully will be also released, another American, is Sagi Dehavhen. He's in his 30s, he's got young children and we hope also he's going to be part of this deal. I know his dad, Jonathan.

I think they're all on Tensorhook still. I'm not sure, having spoken to them on text, really that this is set in immediately, because they'll only really be relieved when they see their loved ones and they know 100% that they are coming out. But look, I think there's a mix of emotions in this area. We've seen a kind of candlelit vigil. It's noisy down here.

They always have drums at the demonstrations. But these people are happy there's a deal, but they are worried. 1 person saying she has fear also because she's not confident that this first initial phase of the deal, six-week ceasefire, 33 hostages out, most of them alive, will lead to a second and a third phase of the deal and a permanent ceasefire, the end of the war definitively, and also the release of other hostages because many of the male hostages according to the draft framework we've seen will not be included in this initial six-week ceasefire in phase 1 of the deal so look a small demonstration there is anger And as 1 man said to me just now, Kira, he'll believe there's a deal when he hears the words out of the mouth of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Kira?

Point well made, Tom, because Netanyahu has made it very clear that his plan was to completely eliminate Hamas. So considering this deal and these phases and we haven't heard directly from Netanyahu yet Does that mean that his, is he sticking by that?

It's a very interesting question. I mean, let's just move away from the drums a bit. I think, Keira, I mean, I've spoken to advisers close to Prime Minister Netanyahu on multiple occasions over the last few months. And yes, militarily degrading Hamas, continuing to do so, has been 1 of their objectives. And an objective they have stuck by time and time again when a ceasefire deal was looking possible in the future.

Is Hamas going to be completely eradicated after this six-week ceasefire? No. There will be people affiliated with Hamas. Hamas is a terror organization in the eyes of Israel, the US, many other Western nations. But it was very deeply integrated into the fabric of Gazan society.

It was not just a military organization. So it has been greatly weakened in recent months, weeks. We know its leader, Yair Gassin, was killed in October, but his brother, we believe, has effectively replaced him. So I think another key thing to bear in mind, and we've been getting word in the last few minutes about this, Kira, is 1 of Israel's key red lines was that they would keep Israeli troops in that strip of land which basically runs along the border between Egypt and southern Gaza, the Philadelphia Corridor, and Israel, the Israeli government said look we need to keep troops a permanent presence there to make sure that weaponry is not smuggled back into Gaza. It looks like the Israeli government have got their way on that.

Hamas has not ultimately budged on that. The Israeli government in the last few minutes was saying Hamas tried to basically up their demands on that issue at the last minute and ultimately they claim Hamas Back down, but you know, I think what's definitely clear is the Israeli government and Hamas have both made important concessions And ultimately that's why we've got a deal today.

And the question is what is a future government in Gaza look like? Tom thank you so much let's get straight to the White House Karen Travers our White House correspondent. So Karen we do know that Steve Whitcoff the special envoy to the Middle East that President-elect Trump has appointed, was involved in the negotiations here. We are seeing all over, of course, True Social, the president-elect, talking about this deal and how the transition team has been involved. What do we know about the president, President Biden and the administration and how the both ingoing and outgoing presidents have worked through this deal together?

Kira, the White House says they have been working very closely with the incoming Trump administration on this deal to try to get it across the finish line. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters the other day that the goal here was to have a united message to all parties involved, and that's why they were working so closely with the Trump team. As you mentioned Steve Whitkoff, the President-elect's advisor and you know envoy to the Middle East has been involved in these conversations that are happening in the region working with the Biden team to get this done. Now we haven't gotten an official statement yet from the Biden White House, but we do anticipate hearing from the president very soon once they have official word of the details of all of this, he will come out and talk. Kira, it's hard to overstate how big of a priority this has been for President Biden and his team since October 7th.

He has been working and his team around the clock to try to get the release of these hostages to secure a ceasefire and as he will likely say today to increase the humanitarian assistance that can get into Gaza because he often talks about the suffering of the Palestinian people there. The president has been on the phone over the last couple of days talking to key leaders in the region including the Israeli prime minister and the leaders of Qatar and Egypt to try and get this deal across. Kira, it was striking to hear from the president and his national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday expressing significant optimism that a deal was close. Both the president and Jake Sullivan used the phrase on the brink to talk about these negotiations and the potential of reaching a ceasefire and hostage release deal. Kyra, you know of course that they have been close before only to see a deal fall apart.

Officials have always been very cautious to not get too ahead of things and be too optimistic, but Monday even Jake Sullivan, who's notably a bit of a pessimist did say that this was the closest they had ever been and he felt that this was there for the taking that a deal was so close and he said a couple reasons for that were that the gaps between the 2 sides were closing they were getting removed and also because as he said the Israelis had seen significant substantial military objectives achieved in Gaza and that's why they were able to get to this point right now. Kira.

Karen, thank you and hopefully we will hear from President Biden soon. If indeed he does take remarks or make remarks, we will take that live from the White House. Ian, looking forward to just the future government of Gaza, what is Hamas saying now? I know they put out a statement within the last 45 minutes a lot of questions surrounding their state of mind its state of mind at this point and the future of what a government would look like in Gaza moving forward

yeah I

mean interesting their statement doesn't go on to what I've already described as a very kind of hot potato in negotiations between the 2 sides. The statement that they've released obviously emphasizes the points that they want to make to their own supporters and I think when we see Prime Minister Netanyahu he will also try and stress elements and stress that it was Hamas who made concessions not the Israeli side. The truth is that both sides have had to make some kind of concessions in this but yet the thorny issue, the elephant in the room if you like, is who runs Gaza after this. As you said yourself, Prime Minister Netanyahu has said repeatedly, as have other members of his government, that it's totally unacceptable for Hamas to continue to exist. Well, I think the reality on the ground is they do still exist and they will probably continue to exist.

The key question is do they also continue to be the elected government? That's what they are at the moment as well as this military group, this terrorist organization according to so many countries. So that's a problem that they're just going to have to resolve and that's why I think as we go through this process, although there is well-grounded optimism, not least because everybody needs an alleviation to the suffering, the end of this state of war psychologically for Israelis and Palestinians alike, that will be a huge relief and very important but you know while I'm talking to you the Israelis bombing of Gaza is still ongoing although we're seeing pictures from Gaza City of people coming out and celebrating there are still many many people who are hiding in fear of their lives and until this deal is fully implemented and agreed upon the Israeli Security Cabinet is going to meet first thing tomorrow morning then it has to go to the full cabinet to be ratified, then there is a 48-hour window which allows for legal objections, and that will be handled by the Israeli Supreme Court. Only after that will day 1 of phase 1 actually begin, and hopefully the bombing will stop.

But it is a temporary ceasefire at the moment. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end but we're just going to have to wait and see how that pans out. I also think you know there's been a lot of pressure being brought to bear not just by the Trump team but also by the Biden team. We know that President Trump threatened that all hell would break loose. Now that comment obviously was seen as being directed towards the Hamas side but it also applies to to the Israeli side as well.

We've seen people who have objected to the idea of a ceasefire being slightly marginalized in terms of the political makeup of the government. In other words, their strength to hold the government hostage and 1 of those ministers tweeted about this today that he together with his alliance that effectively scuttled any attempt to broker peace that's been going on for months and months now. You know if you look at the detail of what we're now seeing This is looking very similar to what we believed was being discussed months and months ago. So what has made the difference? Well, part of it is the change in the political makeup of the government and the parties that support Netanyahu's coalition government, but also part of it is the pressure that was being brought to bear by the Trump administration, the incoming Trump administration, as well as the Biden team.

It's interesting how closely they've worked together on this, sending 1 single message to the Israeli government and to Hamas to wrap this up, get it done, get it finished and get back to peace and trying to rebuild in Gaza. Firstly humanitarian relief, secondly rebuilding as the Israeli military pulls out. So the political landscape has changed, I think, excuse me, the threats from President-elect Trump have certainly made a difference, as has the persistence of the Biden administration. I think a lot of sides will rightly claim credit for this. The brokering of the negotiations by Qatar, the involvement of Egypt, President Sisi and his team have also been heavily involved.

Of course a lot of the aid will have to go in through Egypt and we're now starting to see signs that Egypt is preparing to allow aid into Gaza and other preparations are being taken by different parties to basically roll on with this deal from when it's implemented. So looking at the timetable at the moment, we're on Wednesday, it seems possible that by this weekend we could be seeing the first tranche of hostages again. Remember, it's only going to be 3 at a time in exchange for a much larger number of Palestinian prisoners. That's controversial also for many people here. Although most Israelis will be relieved by this, there'll be many who feel that this is a sellout, that they should have continued to totally crush Hamas, even if that meant that the terrible situation that the hostage is in would deteriorate even further.

We know that 33 hostages are part of this original agreement but it's not clear how many of them are still alive. There will be bodies, there will be bad news for some of the families and the pain and the suffering that they've had to endure since October the 7th, 2023 will not be coming to an end anytime soon. But of course people are being optimistic but again I think for the families of the hostages they feel there's been many false dawns, many moments where they hoped that their loved ones would be released. There are names out there but it's not official at the moment. We should see those names being published once this deal is finally agreed.

Ian Pannel, thank you so much. And as you heard Ian mention the Trump factor there, We have not heard from President Joe Biden or the White House yet. We are hoping to get remarks soon. We will bring that to you live. We are also waiting to hear from Qatar and the negotiators there in Doha that helped this deal come together.

They're part of the negotiations. I will say though that Trump has been out putting messages on his true social. The most recent in his post, he's calling this agreement epic. He is taking credit for the agreement. He says this epic ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our historic victory in November as it signaled to the entire world that my administration would seek peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans and our allies.

I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and their loved ones. Again, we are waiting for word out of the White House and we'll bring that to you live as soon as that happens. Let's bring in former senior director of counterterrorism at the National Security Council, Javed Ali. Javed, Hamas clearly has agreed to this deal. We have now read the statement several times, but can you really trust a terrorist group?

Well, Karen, nice to be with you. And based on a lot of the points that have been raised already over the past 30 minutes in your segment, yes, Hamas is going to continue to exist as a terrorist group. And pre-October 7th, its assessed strength was about 30, 000 fighters under arms, give or take. Now, based on the IDF campaign over the last 15 months, they obviously have inflicted a tremendous amount of damage on Hamas, but no 1 really knows how much of that 30, 000 person strength remains. There's still probably at least several thousand, if not more.

And now we have a new leader, a new leader, Mohamed Sanwar, Yahya Sanwar's brother. Is he more aggressive, less aggressive than his brother? We don't know the answer to that. Obviously, he also entered into this deal, too. So a lot of questions about Hamas as an organization, how will it continue to operate going forward?

Will it try to just be more of a political organization or will it continue to try to launch terrorist attacks against Israel? These are all questions that nobody knows the answers to.

So moving forward then, I know there's a lot of questions that remain unanswered, but just the future of a government in Gaza, as you mentioned, that Hamas party, this is the leaders that have been ruling Gaza now. Netanyahu has said that the war would not stop until He eliminated Hamas. What do you see happening here as a deal moves forward?

Well, it looks like the deal right now has Hamas still being part of the future of the Gaza Strip, unless there's another aspect of this that isn't clear to any of us from the outside looking in. And the alternatives also aren't clear either. Is now the Palestinian Authority that only controls the West Bank, Will they have a future role in the Gaza Strip in addition to Hamas? Or will they completely supplant Hamas? And what does that mean?

Well, I have a hard time believing Hamas is just going to lay down their arms and not try to reemerge, even some kind of political entity in the Gaza Strip. What is the prospect for any other international body to come in and help with governance in the Gaza Strip, whether it's the Arab League or some coalition of Arab countries, the UN, these are all things that also aren't 100% clear right now. And so for the time being, it looks like Hamas will still have a major hand in the post ceasefire landscape that's going to emerge.

Chavit Ali, sure appreciate your insight. Thank you all for joining us. We will continue coverage here of the breaking news, a deal finally made between Israel and Hamas. We'll continue to bring you live interviews. We are still waiting for remarks out of Doha where those negotiations took place, including live remarks from the President of the United States.

We'll be right back.

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After more than 15 months of fighting a breakthrough in the war in Gaza, good afternoon everyone I'm Kira Phillips, Israel and Hamas agreeing on the core elements of a ceasefire deal. A source telling us Israel will convene its security cabinet tomorrow to actually approve the deal. We have team coverage, Ian Pannel and also our foreign correspondent Tom Sufie Burridge joining us both from Tel Aviv, our Martha Raddatz, Chief Global Affairs Correspondent, White House Correspondent Karen Travers as well, and Selena Wang, whoever also covers the White House for us, from Mar-a-Lago. Ian, let's start with you and sort of recap this deal which came through just within the past hour and the various phases and what this means for the hostages.

Yeah I think by and large we can say a deal has been done a deal is there but there are still small details that need to be worked out on the Israeli side. As you said, the security cabinet is going to meet tomorrow, so the process that has to be gone through is it goes to the security cabinet, then the wider cabinet, then there's a period of 2 days where legal objections can be raised through the courts and that that may well happen because not everyone is happy with this agreement. What it actually looks like on the ground is 3 phases, each phase 6 weeks long. Phase 1 starts with a relocation of Israeli troops, allowing people in Gaza to return to their homes, and this phased process of hostages, alive or dead, being released, being sent back to Israel. So the first phase, day 1, should start with 3 hostages being released.

We don't know the names, there are some names out there but that's not part of an official list, in exchange for a much larger number of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas is talking about over a thousand Palestinian prisoners being released and we believe that 33 hostages should be released within this first phase of the agreement. There are then 2 more phases. The details of phase 2 will have to be negotiated while phase 1 is being implemented and similarly the details of phase 3, which is going to have some of the thorniest issues to resolve, should start to take place while phase 2 is being implemented. So we're talking about a period of months before we see the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, if indeed that happens.

And as I've been saying, the thorniest issue of all, of course, is deciding who runs Gaza after. What happens on day 1? The Israeli government has been very clear that it will not accept Hamas as the government in Gaza. Remember, as well as a military wing, it has a political wing and that political wing was elected by a majority of Palestinians in Gaza. So who runs Gaza is going to be the thorniest issue.

But I think most importantly it will bring immediate relief to the suffering of the Palestinians inside Gaza, which is almost beyond description. Over 46, 000 people have been killed. We've seen millions of people driven from their homes. The destruction has been fairly complete across the country. Many people have lost their homes.

The hospital, the medical service has been totally decimated. The humanitarian crisis, the medical crisis is extreme. So there's a lot of work to be done. Again, crucially I think at the start of phase 1 is the opening of the border crossing, especially the 1 with Egypt, that will allow humanitarian relief to come in. 1 might expect that the Qataris will play a leading role, certainly in reconstruction, it's something that they've done before, but everyone is going to have to be very careful.

Israel cannot afford to have a repetition of what happened on October the 7th 2023. In some senses it punctured this this belief that Israel was a safe place for Jews and the total landscape across the Middle East has been transformed as the shockwaves of what happened October 7th, those terrible attacks here, the abductions, the murder, the sexual assaults, terrible terrible events that shocked this country to the core. And so Israel has to recover its footing as well. But we're also going to see a lot of hostage families. We've seen them out on the streets.

They're all, of course, hoping and praying that their loved ones will be returned. They're hoping and praying that they're alive. Many just don't know whether they're going to see a relative, a loved 1, or they're going to be handed back a body. But it will mean some closure, and hopefully by the end of these 3 phases, you will then see the return of all the bodies and those who were captured alive. And then there are communities across this country that also need to be rebuilt.

The kibbutzim that were down by the border, that were kind of idyllic, bucolic, rural communities, peaceful communities, they have to rebuild. Most people haven't been able to go back to their homes, not just here but also in the north of the country. But we've seen many of the dominoes of Israel's enemies who are lined up, backed by Iran, fall. Hezbollah is a shadow of itself. We saw its leadership decimated.

The organization is far weaker than it was and because of what happened in Syria with the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, it means that this so-called Shia Crescent, this axis of resistance has been broken and that's really important. And I think also psychologically Israel has shown that it won't tolerate these kind of threats on its borders, that it has to have guarantees of security. Otherwise it undermines the whole precept of the state of Israel. So these are the things that are going on, a lot of moving parts, but I think the immediate reaction we've seen people celebrating in Gaza, and we've seen people out on the streets here also celebrating, is 1 of relief. People want the soldiers home, people want to go back to their homes, people want normal life to resume again.

Everyone's been living in this strange state of suspense over the last few months and it's been difficult for people on all sides but especially inside Gaza that's where most of the relief is going to have to go immediately. But look while we're talking the bombing is still continuing. This hasn't started yet. We're expecting it in the next few days.

Ian, thank you. Tom, let's get back to you. You've been spending a lot of time with family members of the hostages. I understand you do have a member with you right now. The floor is yours.

Yeah, thanks, Kira. Look, I mean, the demonstration down here just outside the IDF headquarters is over, but we're gonna talk about Afir Calderon. You can see his smiling face there. He's 54 years old. He's a hostage held in Gaza for more than a year, a father of 4 taken from the near Oz kibbutz on October 7th and we're going to talk to his cousin Ifat Kaldiran.

Ifat, thanks for talking to us. Let's get your reaction. What is your overriding feeling now that you know that there is this deal for an initial six-week ceasefire and the release of 33 hostages in place?

It's a really complicated feeling because I'm happy for the 33 that are supposed to come back. I don't know if Ofer is still alive or not.

I do

believe he is, but I don't know.

It must be so hard.

Yeah, it is. And as you said, there are 4 children that are waiting for him at home. So it's not done till he's done. Like, If we're not going to get back all of the hostages alive and the dead ones, we haven't done anything.

Is it

that you won't believe that he's going to be freed until you literally see him in the flesh and you've got 100% confirmation? Yes. So are you still sort of full with anxiety and on tenterhooks tonight even though we've got this major news that there is this deal?

Yes, I do. I'm like, yeah, it's like I'm really trying to like to look at the big picture, but not to get more... I'm not relaxed until I'm going to see him. Each of the hostages, I'm fighting here for more than a year with beautiful people and families of the hostages. We fight to stop this war.

For so long time ago we started this and to bring back home the hostages to the deal.

Sure, and

I think what's really important to point out is that you and the other protesters who were out on the streets blocking the traffic with a candlelit vigil just moments ago, I mean you're, you want your loved ones to come home, you want Afir out and free, but you also want an end to the war. You've been calling on that for months, haven't you?

Yes, yes, I think it should have. We've got so many soldiers that died during this war.

Israeli soldiers killed in the war?

Yes, and also the military pressure that also we got hostages that could have come alive. They're gonna, you know, they came, we got bodies and so It's another thing.

The hostages killed in captivity and the human suffering of Palestinians in Gaza? Exactly.

Yeah, yeah. The innocent Gaza people, they are citizens but haven't done anything. And they also, it's, it's catastrophic.

It is absolutely devastating to see what's happened to so many civilians in Gaza. Going back to tonight's deal, this major, major announcement, how confident are you that Afey, if he is alive, will be included in the deal, because he's age 54. So that would suggest, as an elderly male, he would be 1 of those included as the 33. Are you confident that that will be the case at all?

No. I'm not going to. I'm not.

As you said,

Until I'm going to see him, I'm not confident in anything. I don't believe anything. Even if I'm going to see him on the list, until I'm going to see him... It's the same as with his children that came back after 52 days.

Yeah, because his children, 2 of his children, were taken captive also by Hamas, and they were freed in the initial deal in November and December of 2023. And they suffered a lot while they were in Gaza. What is it like what was the last year being like for you and them knowing that a fear has just been in there and we've had so many false dawns haven't we we've been here at these protests I've seen them time and time again What's it been like the last few months knowing that someone so close to you is being held in very, very difficult conditions?

Personally, I felt like I'm fighting against my government, my prime minister, that's supposed to brought them, to bring them back so long time ago. And each time there was a deal on the table, he chooses his coalition, I'm calling it a bloody coalition, because I blame them on the, each hostage that came back home and will come back home dead. They are responsible to this.

You believe they have blood on their hands?

Yes, the blood is on their hands. Of the hostages killed in captivity? Yes, exactly. Yeah, all the pressure, the military pressure, as I said, it's... I blame the government, the Prime Minister.

He could have brought them back so long time ago to save so many lives. Instead of that, we just got bodies. And the lucky of the hostages now is Trump because I can't see them coming back if not Trump.

Do you feel that President-elect Trump has been an important force added in to the pressure both on Hamas but also potentially on the Israeli government?

Yes, I do believe that Trump is responsible for this deal. He said, whenever I'm going to go for the 20th of January, when I'm going to start my...

When he's inaugurated, when he becomes president, yeah.

Yes, So I want to see all the hostages hung. So we're not going to see all the hostages.

He threatened that all hell could break loose, whatever that would mean.

Yes, exactly. So I believe that Netanyahu is more afraid from Trump, Because till now he was afraid from his coalition,

like, I

can't say parties.

His coalition partners, you believe he was worried about his government collapsing because of hardliners not being happy about a potential deal in the past?

Yes, yes, he was afraid from them. He was afraid that, yes, he was afraid more to his coalition than his hostages.

And have you had any contact from the Israeli government tonight, your family at all?

No.

About what's been agreed?

No. Do

you think you'll be contacted by them? Would you like to be contacted by them? And how do you see the next few hours and days playing out?

It's going to be

a hell of a stress for all of us.

Of course, of course.

I can't see the whole picture until I'm going to see everybody's heart.

It must be an absolutely, well it must be so so hard and you know you must struggle to get to sleep at night thinking about the fear and the other hostages and wondering and hoping that he is going to be freed as part of the deal?

Hopefully he's going to be free of this deal and hopefully he's going to be alive.

We really hope

he is. We're

going to be here every day.

You're going

to keep protesting even though there's this deal?

Until we get them all back. We're going to be here every day at 6.30 in the evening and on Saturdays we're here at 8 o'clock. It's so important

to my family.

Well,

you're an impressive woman. I fear we think you're a very impressive cousin and we really hope he comes back to you, and we hope as many of the hostages and their families are reunited in the coming days and weeks and maybe even months ahead. So, Ifat, thank you very much for talking to us tonight, thank you very much for giving us that initial reaction. So that really is, I think, for us, the first reaction we've had from a relative of a hostage in Gaza if that speaking very very bravely you know out of the streets time and time and time again pressuring the Israeli government to try and make them go for concessions Kira and ultimately I think it is the case that both sides have ultimately made concessions and that is really You know the fundamental reason why there is a deal tonight, Kira.

I sure hope we see Ofer come home and just listening to his cousin there and all the compassion for the innocent Palestinian people too and the lives lost there. Heartwarming, beautiful interview. Tom, thank you so much. Straight to Doha now. Qatar's Prime Minister delivering remarks on the ceasefire deal.

They helped negotiate between Israel and Hamas. Let's listen in.

Treatment. Phase 1 also includes an increased flow of relief and humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip, as well as the rehabilitation of hospitals, health centers, bakeries, and allowing the entry of fuel and civil defense equipment, as well as basic necessities for displaced people who lost their houses as a result of the war. In phase 1, Hamas will be releasing 33 Israeli captives, including civilian women and female recruits, as well as children, elderly people, as well as civilian ill people and wounded in return for a number of prisoners who are being held in Israeli prisons. Regarding phases 2 and 3, the details will be finalized during the implementation of phase 1. The State of Qatar reaffirms the necessity of both sides committing to the implementation of all 3 stages of the agreement in order to prevent civilian bloodshed and in order to shield our region from the consequences of this conflict and ensure that we have lasting peace in the region.

Qatar will continue its joint efforts with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America to ensure that all sides are following through with their commitments and engagements and ensure that all 3 stages will be implemented. We look forward to seeing regional and international efforts coming together in order to assist with relief and humanitarian aid and supporting the United Nations in its attempt to enter aid into the Gaza Strip. Qatar will spare no effort to offer help to the families in the Gaza Strip and doing everything that's necessary to alleviate the suffering of the residents of the Strip. Since October 8th, we in the state of Qatar saved no effort. With the constant, under the constant and watchful eye of His Highness Sheik Nami bin Hamad Al Thani, We worked day and night in order to reach this moment.

And since our mediation efforts succeeded last November to guarantee the release of 109 hostages and return for a number of Palestinian prisoners, we have been working continuously in order to prevent bloodshed and put an end to the war machine and restore hope for our region in a prosperous future that will allow our people to dream of a better future. For 411 days, meetings and contacts continued with our partners and both sides of the conflict until we reached this long-awaited moment today. However, today begins a responsibility for both sides who will be supported by the international community and the mediators in order to achieve complete success. And this is what we will be focusing on in the coming days and weeks. I would also like to express our thanks to all our partners in the region and internationally for their support to our efforts all the way until we reach this deal.

And in conclusion, I would also like to remind our brothers in the Gaza Strip that Qatar will continue to offer support to our brothers in Palestine and that this happens under the close watch and the watchful eye of his highness Sheik I mean been hamad al-thani day and night hour by hour and minute by minute. We would like to Tell them we give thanks to Allah for bringing us to this moment today, and hopefully this will be the last page in the days of the war. We would also like to call upon all sides to fully commit to all the articles of this agreement and to continue implementing these procedures and measures in accordance with the agreement. The state of Qatar will continue working jointly with its partners in order to make sure that this deal is implemented in full and that calm returns to the Gaza Strip in a sustainable manner and we will never give up the people of Gaza. Thank you.

First question Sky News.

Yalda Hakim from Sky News. Congratulations, this is a huge moment. You, as you say, have been working on this deal for many months. And the question is, why now? Why this moment?

And was it pressure from the incoming Trump administration that got it over the line? Thank you.

Well, thank you very much, Ilda, for this question. Actually, we've been raising the question of the right moment for the entire period since the collapse of the first phase. But we have seen a momentum that started to build in the last month and we kept pushing for that, working together very closely with our partners. And I can say that what we have seen and I can in the past few days seeing a collaboration transcending both administration was a clear demonstration for the commitment of the U.S. To reach to that deal.

And I really would like to thank both the envoys who are here with us in the last couple of days, and they played a vital role in reaching to this moment. And of course, for us and Egypt, this is something that we are a stakeholder in that conflict, that we have to do it and we have to help and support. But we have seen the steps that's been taken recently from the US has yielded to this moment.

CNN. Thank you

very much indeed. And to Steve Witkoff, who is

–

Becky Anderson from CNN, congratulations to you. And to Steve Witkoff, who is also here in the room. How much confidence do you have that the deal will progress beyond phase 1, sir?

Well, we have faith, Becky, that brought us to this moment and I think that's the most important part, that we are committed. We will continue to do everything we can, everything possible, together with our partners to ensure that this deal is implemented as it's agreed. And this deal will bring us peace, hopefully, at the end of it. I believe that it all depends on the parties of the agreement and acting in good faith in that agreement in order to ensure that no collapse happening to that deal.

Can I

just follow up, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that neither side breaks the ceasefire?

There is a follow-up mechanism that Egypt, Qatar and the US are going to handle. It will be placed in Cairo and this follow-up actually will be a joint team from the 3 countries that will monitor the implementation of the agreement and everything is being agreed upon and will be in place hopefully on the day of the execution.

Thank you Prime Minister. Congratulations, Andrew Mills from Reuters. Can you talk a little bit more about this follow-up mechanism? If elements of the agreement put in place tonight are violated, what will happen? Who is it that is going to report and that a violation has happened?

And how will that violation be communicated to the parties, the world, the guarantors of this agreement? Thank you.

Well, this is what I have just mentioned to Becky there is there will be a follow-up mechanism that all the parties will be placed in Egypt and they will follow up the implementation of the agreement there will be a reporting mechanism for any violation and those violations will be addressed at a very early stage. Look, we expect from the parties to adhere to the agreement, we expect the parties to stay committed to what they have committed themselves to in that agreement, but we know that these kind of agreements are very complex and will have some issues down the line and we are ready and we will stay committed to address those issues ahead of time.

And Prime Minister, just as a follow-up, the last truce that was in place in November 2023 did fall apart on the eighth day. What has changed in this agreement that will ensure that this has less likely to fall apart than that agreement was?

Well, the agreement on November was to build the momentum in order to lead for a longer term agreement, which we have today. But unfortunately, The agreement in November was very transactional, so it was like a day by day, but this agreement has a clear mechanism for the first 42 days and there is a clear mechanism to negotiate phase 2 and 3, and all the details of the agreements will be published in the next couple of days once the details are finalized.

Your Excellency, Adnan Burina from Al Jazeera. Question number 1, do you think that this agreement will lead to a permanent ceasefire? In other words, do you believe the guarantees are strong enough to ensure that Israel will commit to all articles of the agreement? Question 2, between today and Sunday, What will the situation be like in the Gaza Strip? And question 3, if you allow me, what contributed to the success of the mediation this time around and what did Qatar offer this time?

And what will Qatar's role be like in the implementation of the agreement? Truth be told, you had me lost because I was focused on question number 1. Can you please go over the questions again? Question number 1, do you believe that this time the ceasefire, the deal will lead to a permanent ceasefire? All right, wait here And then you'll ask the other questions later.

Regarding the implementation of this agreement, first off, like I said, the implementation depends upon the parties as well as the goodwill of

the parties. President Joe Biden now about to speak from the White House on this deal. Let's take it straight to our network programming.

Might be released in this first wave. Again, there's quite a bit of reporting still to come on these numbers, but again, it's believed at least 2 Americans will be released early on in this exchange. Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israel will also pause fighting so desperately needed aid can get into Gaza. This ceasefire deal was 1 of President Biden's top remaining priorities before he leaves office.

It's been in the works for months. President-elect Trump also taking credit and was given credit by the Qataris just moments ago. His envoy who is there, the President-elect's envoy joining the Biden team. The White House has been working closely with President-elect Trump as well, the Mideast negotiator to help broker the deal in these final days of the Biden administration and now just days before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated. I want to go to Mary Bruce she's live outside the White House as we await to hear from President Biden and Mary this was 1 of the last things President Biden hoped to accomplish.

David the president has been working tirelessly for months for this very moment, hoping that he would be able to come here and announce that a deal has finally been reached before he leaves office. Now, in a statement just moments ago, the president celebrating this deal, saying he is thrilled for those who have been held hostage that they will now be reunited for their families. And he said that this deal comes after dogged and painstaking American diplomacy, saying my diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done. He said that it is a result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under, but also the changed regional equation, citing that ceasefire in Lebanon and the weakening of Iran. David.

Mary, thank you. You can see President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary of State Lincoln. Let's listen to the president.

It's a very good afternoon. Because at long last, I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas. More than 15 months of conflict that began with Hezbollah's brutal massacre on October the 7th More than 15 months of terror for the hostages their families the Israeli people more than 15 months of suffering by the innocent people of Gaza. Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the Houthis will return home to their families. The elements of this deal are what I laid out in detail this past May, which was embraced by countries around the world and endorsed overwhelmingly by the UN Security Council.

The deal is structured in 3 phases. Phase 1 will last 6 weeks. It includes a full and complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly and the wounded. And I'm proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release in phase 1 as well. And the Vice President and I cannot wait to welcome them home.

In exchange Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. And during phase 1 the Palestinians can also return to their neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza. And the surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza will begin, and the innocent people can have greater access to these vital supplies. You know, during the next 6 weeks, Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get phase 2, which is a permanent end of the war. Let me say it again, a permanent end of the war.

There are a number of details to negotiate to move from phase 1 to phase 2, but the plan says if negotiations take longer than 6 weeks, the ceasefire will continue as long as the negotiations continue. I've spoken to the Emir of Kuwait and the President of Egypt, and we have pledged to make sure the negotiation will keep moving forward for as long as it takes. Then, When phase 2 begins, there will be an exchange for release of the remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and all remaining Israeli forces will be withdrawn from Gaza. And a temporary ceasefire will become permanent. And finally, phase 3, any final remains of hostages who have been killed will be returned to their families.

And a major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin. This this is the ceasefire agreement I introduced last spring. Today, Hamas and Israel have agreed to that ceasefire agreement and the whole ending the war. You know, those of you who have followed the negotiations can attest the road to this deal has not been easy. I've worked in foreign policy for decades.

This is 1 of the toughest negotiations I've ever experienced and we reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas backed by the United States. Hamas's longtime leader, Sinwar, was killed. Hamas's strongest supporter, Iran, launched attacks on Israel. Those attacks failed after my administration organized a coalition of nations to stop them. And after I ordered the U.S.

Ships and planes to come to Israel's defense, we also shaped Israel's strong and calibrated response, destroying Iran's air defenses but avoiding an escalatory cycle of an all-out war. The United States also organized a coalition of 20 countries to stand up to attacks by the Houthis, including their missile attacks in Israel. Then, Hezbollah, another of Hamas's strongest backers, was significantly weakened on the battlefield, and its leadership was destroyed. With our support, Israel negotiated a ceasefire with them, and after that, Lebanon finally elected a new president who's not – who's not beholding to Hezbollah. And he began a new chapter for the Lebanese people.

All told, these developments in the region, which the United States helped to shape, changed the equation. And so now the terror network that once protected and sustained Hamas is far weaker. Iran is weaker. Iran is weaker than it's been in decades. Hezbollah is badly degraded.

And after more than 15 months of war, Hamas's senior leaders are dead. Thousands of Hamas fighters are dead. And the military formations have been destroyed. With nowhere to turn, Hamas finally agreed to releasing hostages. You know, there was no other way for this war to end than with a hostage deal.

And I'm deeply satisfied this day has come, finally come, for the sake of the people of Israel and the families waiting in agony, and for the sake of the innocent people in Gaza, who suffered unimaginable devastation because of the war. The Palestinian people have gone through hell. Too many innocent people have died. Too many communities have been destroyed. In this deal, the people of Gaza can finally recover and rebuild.

They can look to a future without Hamas in power. You know, the Bible says, blessed are the peacemakers. Many peacemakers helped make this deal happen, including an extraordinary team of American diplomats who have worked nonstop for months to get this done. Secretary Blinken led the effort. Secretary Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Bill Byrne, John Finer, Brett McGurk, Amos Hochstein, and the Vice President worked relentlessly as we worked to deliver this deal.

I'd also note this deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, but its terms will be implemented, for the most part, by the next administration. In these past few days, we've been speaking as 1 team. This has been a time of real turmoil in the Middle East. But as I prepare to leave office, our friends are strong, our enemies are weak, and there's genuine opportunities for a new future. In Lebanon, there's an opportunity for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah.

In Syria, a future free from the tyranny of Assad. And for the Palestinian people, a credible, credible pathway to a state of their own, and for the region, a future of normalization, integration of Israel and all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia. At the G20 in Delhi in September of 23, I rallied key countries behind a vision of an economic corridor from India across the Middle East to Europe. That vision can now become a reality. There are risks as well, including ISIS and Iran, even in a badly weakened state.

But, but, we're handing off to the next team a real opportunity for a better future for the Middle East. I hope they will take it. Let me close with this. My friend for years in the United States Senate, former Senator George Mitchell, who did so much to forge peace in Northern Ireland, once said about diplomacy, he said, it is a 700 days of failure and 1 day of success. 700 days of failure and 1 day of success.

Well, we've had many difficult days since Hamas began its terrible war. We've encountered roadblocks and setbacks. We've not given up. And now, after more than 400 days of struggle, the day of success has arrived. God bless all the hostages and their families.

May God protect the troops of all those who work for peace.

Mr. President, how do you see the future of

Gaza now? As you were saying,

the implementation of this deal will be in the hands of the next administration and basically they will shape the future of Gaza. So how do you see this future? And also, how much credit do you give to the Trump team for this deal? Trump is already taking credit for it.

Well you know,

this is

the exact framework of the deal I proposed back in May. Exact. And we got the world to endorse it. Secondly, it's America's support for Israel that helped them badly weaken Hamas and its backers and create the conditions for this deal. And thirdly, I knew this deal would have to be implemented by the next team, So I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure we're all speaking with the same voice, because that's what American presidents do.

How many Americans will be released when the hostages are being released?

All the exact detail of how many people are being held, how many bodies will be returned unless will all be forthcoming. All of it. All of it. Thank you.

Mr. President, are you at all confident

that this deal will hold? Will hold.

I'm confident. Thank you.

Who is

going to give Mr.

Bush credit for this, Mr. President? You or Trump?

Is that a joke? No. Oh. Thank you.

There you have it, President Biden at the White House with an extraordinary announcement today, just minutes after the Qataris announced that the ceasefire was in place after negotiations with Qatar, Egypt and the United States that lasted more than several months. And of course, this conflict more than a year that families around the world in Israel and right here in the United States have been waiting to try to get their loved ones back. President Biden announcing moments ago that this was the framework he said in his words that he announced before the world last spring with global support, he said, for that, including support from the Israelis at the time, according to President Biden. He said that is the exact framework of what's been agreed to, though it has now been agreed to in these final days of the Biden presidency, just days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. The President-elect taking credit as well just a short time ago, saying that his Mideast envoy also part of this, the Biden administration acknowledging that, President Biden saying that is what presidents do.

An outgoing president and an incoming president, they must speak with 1 voice particularly when it comes to a global issue like this 1. I do want to read to you a statement. This comes from the families of American hostages in Gaza. A statement joint out from those families saying we are deeply grateful that there is finally an agreement between Israel and Hamas to bring our loved ones home. We have been waiting for 467 days while our family members suffer from life-threatening injuries, abuse, torture and sexual violence.

We thank President Biden, President-elect Trump and their teams for their constructive efforts to make this possible. You heard the reporter there ask how many Americans will be released. President Biden saying those numbers will be reported out in due time. It's believed this first phase of the deal, according to President moments ago, will be 42 days, 6 weeks long. The Israeli forces will withdraw, allow for more aid to get in, though it's our belief from early reporting here that the Israeli forces will stay on the border.

They will also perform reconnaissance, it's believed. Some 33 hostages expected to be released starting with women, children, and the elderly, according to President Biden there moments ago. And from our reporting, It's believed it's possible up to 2 Americans could be among the early wave of hostages Released we also know a number of Palestinian prisoners will also be released as well. I want to bring in Mary Bruce She's live outside the White House Mary We talked to you just beforehand and again President Biden making it clear that he was the architect of this last spring though he knows the reality here it took many months to get this through and it comes just days before he leaves the White House.

David it certainly is hard to ignore the timing of all of this finally this deal being reached just as President Biden has days left in office, less than a week now. And yet he repeatedly noted that the deal that is now being reached is based off of the framework that he introduced last May, that it was his administration who has worked so hard and diligently over these last many months to get this done. This was President Biden's top priority before leaving office. And yet you are now seeing, of course, the incoming president, Donald Trump, taking some credit. He is saying that this is an epic deal, saying this would not have been done if he were not about to take office.

President Biden there was asked, you know, who deserves credit, him or Trump? And he scoffed at that saying, is that a joke? But you also heard President Biden there note that he felt it was important to bring the incoming administration into these talks so that there was no daylight between them, saying they were 1 team, and saying that there's a real opportunity going forward and that he hopes the incoming administration will take it. And there is a lot still to be negotiated. This hopefully paves the way for an end to this war.

That is not going to be easy and something that the incoming administration now has to tackle going forward, David.

Certainly won't be easy. Steve Whitcoff, of course, the envoy that had been sent there on behalf of President-elect Donald Trump to join the Biden team. He's been given credit by the Qataris as well here, as this announcement was revealed. I want to bring in Tom Soufi-Burridge. He's in Tel Aviv in what's been dubbed hostage square.

Tom, I know many of the families have been gathered there with the early news here. It's late there. It's now dispersed, but give me a sense of what the families, what the demonstrators there said, how they reacted when they heard the news.

Yeah, David, I think people might be surprised to hear that there's a subdued atmosphere on the streets of Tel Aviv tonight. We just came from a demonstration a short distance away from here and, you know, mixed feelings. People are happy there's a deal, an initial six-week ceasefire, 33 hostages, most of them alive, we believe, to be released. But they're worried that that six-week initial ceasefire won't turn into phases 2 and 3 of this deal and the release of all of the hostages. I mean this is an art installation David in the heart of hostage square.

It's a tunnel which they've constructed to you know represent the fact that those hostages have mainly been held we believe underground in tunnels right across the Gaza Strip. You can see the faces of Israeli hostages just plastered all over this. And, you know, this is symptomatic of the movement, David. We've been here so many times, speaking to the families, speaking to, you know, thousands of Israelis who've backed them throughout. And We just got the first reaction, David, from a relative, the cousin of a hostage, Afir Kalduron, 54 years old, a father of 4, taken from the Niroz kibbutz on October 7th.

And his cousin, She was telling me, look, she's very happy there's a deal, but she is still wracked with anxiety. She doesn't know if her cousin of fear is still alive. And even if he is alive, she's not that confident he will be included in this initial phase of the deal, but if he's alive, he's an elderly male, he's 54, so he would, you'd hope, be included. But that is just, I think, a sense of the uncertainty here going forward for the hostage families. I've been in touch with 2 of the families of the Americans that we hope will be released.

Keith Siegel in his 60s. I've spoken to his brother. I've spoken to his wife Aviva, who has been a hostage herself in Gaza in the early phases of the war. And they'll be on tensorhooks. I've also spoken to, on text, Jonathan Dechalchen, Sagi Dechalchen in his 30s, you know, a father of young children who is in Gaza.

And again, US officials are hoping those 2 individuals will, and we really pray for them and their families right now that they will be involved in this deal and they can get out in that initial phase. But that is why people on the streets of Israel tonight, you can hear some children walking through this art installation in the heart of Hoth Square, are still wracked with anxiety, fearful about what the future will mean and whether this initial deal, the initial six-week ceasefire will mean a longer end to the war and all of the hostages going home to their loved ones. David.

Really just extraordinary reporting from you Tom and our entire team. We said we would stay on this from the very beginning and remain focused on the families of these hostages. When you showed us the faces there on the tunnel there behind you, the installation, it just really drives it home that these families have been going through this for more than 400 days now. And as you rightly point out, even though as you start to hear that there could be hostages released as part of this ceasefire, this deal, so many of the families still don't even know if that means their loved 1 is coming home alive. And that is chilling to be reminded of.

And it's important that we stay focused on the families here, because they are the ones who have been affected so greatly by all of this. Tom, thank you. Thank you. In Tel Aviv, I want to bring in our chief foreign correspondent, Ian Pannel, also in Tel Aviv. And, Ian, I remember, you know, this was about a year ago, I was on the air with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

And you know, among the tough questions we had for him at the time was what happens when the war is over? What happens to Gaza? Who sort of patrols it? Is in charge of security there? And he told me on our air, you know, that it certainly is not going to be those who want to continue the way of Hamas.

But he went on to say, I think Israel will have for an indefinite period, will have the overall security responsibility, because we've seen what happens when we don't have it. These are the kinds of much sort of larger picture questions that are gonna have to be answered in the days and the weeks to come. When you hear from President Biden they're saying it'll be the incoming administration who has to sort of shepherd this deal forward and this will not be an easy task, not only holding this ceasefire, but what happens in the phases that follow.

Yeah, I mean, the devil is definitely in the detail here, especially phase 3. It's 1 thing that President Biden didn't really get into, who governs Gaza? That's the key question. Reminder that Hamas isn't just a military organization, terrorist organization for many people, but it also is a political party. It was the elected government in Gaza and they will still feel that they have a right to run Gaza.

Now that's clearly going to be unacceptable as Prime Minister Netanyahu told you, as we've heard repeatedly from Israeli officials, that's a red line that they're not ready to cross. Now there's been talk about bringing in other parties to potentially govern, but it's not a very enticing offer for many people. It's a problem that has to be dealt with, but it's a problem that no 1 really wants to own. I think for now, certainly good news, and it's interesting watching different parties emphasize the roles that they've played. And undoubtedly the American role in this has been instrumental.

But hearing President Biden again say that this was essentially the deal that was on the table back in May raises some important questions about what changed, what is different now. Now clearly the Trump, incoming Trump administration has used fairly strong language that has struck not just Hamas but also the Israeli government when he talks about unleashing hell for example. We know that he told Prime Minister Netanyahu when he met him again some time back to wrap it up, to have this war done by the time that he takes office. We know that his special envoy has been very active on the ground, as you said yourself he was thanked by the Qatari Prime Minister there. So Trump, as we've seen in Ukraine, is regarded as a strong leader who will knock heads together and make a difference.

But undoubtedly most of the legwork has been done by the Biden administration. But the other crucial thing that I think people need to know is that the political makeup of Netanyahu's ruling coalition also changed. It essentially ended this block that the right-wing parties who were opposed to a ceasefire, opposed to any kind of agreement with Hamas, it removed their ability to be able to block an agreement. A new party came into this coalition, it wasn't very many MKs, members of Parliament, members of the Knesset, but it was enough to change that to make a deal possible. So we're going to have to see what the devil, what the details are for phase 3, but as you rightly say, that's going to be the toughest part of this.

Our chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannel, who's been in the region for so much of this war, covering it day in and day out for us, Ian, thank you. I want to bring in Martha Raddatz, our Chief Global Affairs Correspondent. Martha, you know we're all students of history here. We were just on the air last week with the passing and the service for former President Jimmy Carter. And it's not lost on you and me that this agreement comes really in the final days of the Biden administration.

In fact, it takes effect Sunday, January 19th, the eve of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Really no question here, even from the Biden administration, that both administrations deserve credit. The Qataris pointing out President-elect Donald Trump's envoy in the Middle East as having helped the Biden team together as a force there, going into this new administration. But even though they're very different scenarios, There has been extraordinary human suffering in this war. Some of the political parallels, you can't ignore that this is happening in the final days, the final hours of the Biden administration.

Exactly, David. And we were talking about this just last week during Jimmy Carter's funeral. Those Iranian hostages, those American hostages held by Iran for 444 days, Jimmy Carter put his heart and soul into that, and that probably in some ways cost him reelection. But the deal was not made until Ronald Reagan, just hours after Ronald Reagan became president, a punch in the gut to Jimmy Carter by Iran. Of course, he was thrilled that those hostages were released after all the work he had done.

But, yes, just days away from the Trump administration taking over. And Donald Trump did say there would be hell to pay, as Ian noted, hell to pay, if those hostages were not released before he took office. And they, too, have made huge efforts in the last few days with the Biden administration to get this over the line. But President Biden rightly pointed out that this was the agreement that he put forward last May, but 8 months later, 8 months later, and those hostages remained there, and the destruction of Gaza continued during that time. But 1 with several questions as the Biden administration ends its term.

Martha Raddatz at our Washington Bureau. Again, the breaking news at this hour, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Phase 1, 42 days, 6 weeks long, during which we expect 33 hostages to be released, starting with women, children, and elderly. And from early reporting, it's our belief that at least up to 2 Americans could be among those hostages released. Our coverage continues on ABC News Live, abcnews.com.