Anderson Cooper 360

President Biden said he will move U.S. troops to NATO countries in Eastern Europe in the “near term," as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley warned a Russia invasion of Ukraine would be “horrific” for the country and would result in “significant” causalities. Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling is the former commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe. He tells Anderson Cooper why he doesn’t think President Biden's statement is “significant at all.”

Plus, the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol has issued a subpoena for former Deputy White House Press Secretary Judd Deere. CNN’s Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger joins AC360 to discuss what the committee is hoping to learn from him. 

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A senior Ukrainian official tells CNN a phone call between President Biden and Ukrainian Zelensky “did not go well” as tensions continue to rise over a possible Russian invasion. A national security source disputed that claim and said the call was “long and serious” but “productive.” CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins tells Anderson Cooper one thing is clear: nobody inside the White House knows what Putin is going to do.

Plus, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer officially announced his plans to retire after nearly 30 years on the bench. Biden said he expects to pick a nominee by the end of February who will be “worthy of Justice Breyer’s legacy of excellence and decency.”  Judge Vince Chhabria is a former law clerk for Justice Breyer. He joins AC360 to discuss the “giant” shoes his successor will have to fill.

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Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is expected to announce his retirement after serving nearly 30 years on the bench. The White House confirms President Biden stands by his commitment to nominate a Black woman to replace Breyer, a promise he first made on the debate stage in February 2020 when he was running for President. The next day, Democratic Rep. James Clyburn endorsed him, which ultimately helped Biden win his party’s nomination. The South Carolina congressman tells Anderson Cooper how important it was to have Biden’s word before backing the future President.

Plus, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the United States has given Moscow its written response in hopes of deterring a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and recently traveled to Kyiv where he and a bipartisan delegation met with Ukraine’s president. He joins AC360 to discuss the U.S.’s response to Russia’s demands.

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President Biden told CNN he would consider personally sanctioning Russian President Putin if Russia invaded Ukraine, warning there would be “enormous consequences.” Steve Hall is the former CIA chief of Russia operations. He joins AC360 to discuss how difficult it is to predict Putin’s next move.

Plus, a judge approved Michael Avenatti’s request to represent himself in the criminal trial against him. Prosecutors allege he defrauded Stormy Daniels by instructing her literary agent to send two of the four installments of the book advance that he helped negotiate to an account controlled by him. CNN Correspondent Kara Scannell tells Anderson Cooper whether or not Avenatti is expected to testify in his own defense and if he’ll cross-examine his former client. 

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The U.S. put as many as 8,500 troops on heightened alert for possible deployment to Eastern Europe as Russian troops remain at the Ukrainian border and tensions continue to rise. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the goal of sending military reinforcements would be to provide deterrence and to reassure allies. Gen. Wesley Clark joins AC360 to discuss what message the U.S. is sending to Vladimir Putin and Russia.

Plus, an Atlanta-area district attorney will be allowed to seat a special grand jury to investigate former President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. The grand jury will allow Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to issue subpoenas to compel witnesses to testify and gather evidence—a step toward possible criminal charges. CNN’s Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin says “this is a big problem for the former President” because it all starts with that “highly incriminating tape” where Trump appears to be trying to coerce the Georgia Secretary of State to commit an election fraud.

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The House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol received more than 700 pages from the National Archives that former President Trump tried to block the panel from getting. Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy is a member of the committee. She joins AC360 to discuss what they’re hoping to learn from the documents and says “we have more work to do.” 

Plus, the FBI revealed today that before taking his own life, Brian Laundrie wrote in a notebook he was responsible for the death of his fiancé Gabby Petito. The notebook was discovered near Laundrie’s remains back in October 2021. CNN National Correspondent Randi Kaye tells Anderson Cooper how the families are reacting to the FBI’s findings.

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A district attorney in Georgia who is investigating former President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election has requested a special grand jury to gather evidence and compel witnesses to testify. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis wrote that her office has “received information indicating a reasonable probability that the State of Georgia's administration of elections in 2020, including the State's election of President of the United States, was subject to possible criminal disruptions.” Former federal prosecutor Jeffrey Toobin joins AC360 to discuss what this could mean for the former President. 

Plus, the committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol has asked former President Trump’s daughter and then-senior White House adviser Ivanka Trump for her “voluntary cooperation.” CNN’s Chief Domestic Correspondent Jim Acosta covered the Trump White House. He tells Anderson Cooper what he thinks the committee could learn by talking to the former President’s daughter.

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President Biden held a news conference to mark his first year in office and touted his administration’s vaccination efforts but admitted it’s been “a year of challenges.” The President acknowledged that the current voting rights legislation likely won’t pass but said “we’ve not run out of options yet and we’ll see how this moves.” Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar tells Anderson Cooper the bill is “needed right now with all of the suppression laws that are being passed across the country that will greatly hurt voters and make it hard for them to vote.” 

Plus, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol to get Trump White House records that could shed light on the attempt to overturn the election. CNN’s Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin joins AC360 to discuss the court’s decision and says “it’s an extraordinary rebuke of the former President.”

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Sources tell CNN the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol have subpoenaed and obtained phone records associated with Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancé Kimberly Guilfoyle. Both Eric Trump and Guilfoyle spoke at the rally that preceded the riot. Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe joins AC360 to discuss what the committee could learn from the phone records. 

Plus, Ukraine has warned that Russia has “almost completed” its build-up of forces near the border, escalating fears that Moscow could launch an invasion at any time. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy just got back from Kyiv where he and a bipartisan delegation met with Ukraine’s president. He tells Anderson Cooper it’s “incredibly important” that we make Russia understand that while there aren’t U.S brigades on the ground fighting Russian soldiers, “there is continued U.S. assistance.”

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Four people, including the rabbi of a Colleyville, Texas synagogue, were taken hostage by a man who was later killed by the FBI after all the hostages were released. The FBI said it’s investigating the incident as “a terrorism-related matter, in which the Jewish community was targeted.” The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are warning that faith-based communities “will likely continue” to be targets of violence. Michael Finfer is the President of Congregation Beth Israel. He joins AC360 to discuss how he was able to help the FBI with information during the hostage standoff. 

Plus, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, his family put pressure on Congress to pass voting rights legislation and said lawmakers who truly honor the late civil rights leader must stand on the right side of history. Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries tells Anderson Cooper the voting rights bill isn’t dead and “we have to continue to press forward in the spirit and our of reverence and respect for the life and legacy of Dr. King.”

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