Anderson Cooper 360

Former President Trump has asked the Supreme Court to reject special counsel Jack Smith's request to have the high court decide whether he has any immunity from federal prosecution for alleged crimes he committed while he was in the White House. The question of Trump's immunity has to be decided before the trial, which is scheduled for March 4th. Smith asked the justices to review a lower court ruling that the former president is not immune from the election subversion criminal case, a rare step of reviewing the issue before a federal appeals court weighs in. CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig tells AC360 if he thinks the Trump team would be trying to slow down the process if he wasn't running for reelection. Plus, CNN Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen joins AC360 from Iceland for an update on the volcano erupting on the Reykjanes peninsula. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Colorado Supreme Court removed former President Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot saying he isn’t an eligible presidential candidate because of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.” The Trump campaign reacted to the decision and said it would “swiftly file an appeal.” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold tells AC360 if she agrees with the court's ruling. Plus, CNN Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen joins AC360 from Grindavik, Iceland with the latest on the volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss, who won a nearly $150 million defamation case against Rudy Giuliani have sued him again, asking a federal judge to permanently ban him from lying about them. Giuliani told reporters on the first day of the trial that “everything I said about them is true” despite his attorneys presenting little defense in court and the former New York City mayor deciding not to testify. Former federal prosecutor Jessica Roth tells AC360 what the judge could do to prevent Giuliani from continuing to lie about Freeman and Moss. Plus, U.S. Secretary of Defense Llyod Austin spoke with officials in Israel about pathways “toward a future for Gaza after Hamas.” The group’s military wing released a video showing three Israeli male hostages still being held in Gaza. CNN Correspondent Jeremy Diamond joins AC360 to give an update on some of the released hostages and what they went through while being held captive by Hamas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A jury has ordered Rudy Giuliani to pay two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss, nearly $150 million for the harm caused by his defamatory statements about them following the 2020 election. The former New York mayor and one-time lawyer for former President Trump said he plans to appeal. Meryl Conant Governski is an attorney for Freeman and Moss. She tells Anderson Cooper if her clients are confident they’ll receive any money from Giuliani. Plus, an autopsy revealed that “Friends” star Matthew Perry died from “acute effects of ketamine” and subsequent drowning. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins AC360 to discuss the autopsy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A field hospital has been set up by the United Arab Emirates government in Rafah, in southern Gaza, to help treat the sick and injured. CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward was able to see their work. CNN is first western media outlet to gain independent access to southern Gaza without an IDF escort. She joins AC360 to share what she saw in the hospital, including a 20-month-old boy who has scratches all over his face, and doesn't even know that his parents and siblings were killed in a strike. Plus, the Iowa caucuses are just a little more than a month away and CNN Chief National Correspondent John King traveled there to speak to Republican voters he's been following for the last five months about former President Trump's lead in the polls. He tells Anderson Cooper why some are hesitant to vote for Trump and what candidate may get their votes.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House Republicans voted to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden and his family’s alleged foreign business dealings, which so far, has struggled to uncover any wrongdoing. Biden has called the inquiry a “baseless political stunt.” Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff tells Anderson Cooper why this isn't a "legitimate" impeachment investigation. Plus, the judge overseeing the former President Trump's 2020 election interference case temporarily paused all procedural proceedings while appeals over a major issue play out. CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig joins AC360 to discuss the judge's decision and how this could affect the trial timeline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Biden said the U.S. will support Ukraine “as long as we can.” Zelensky was on Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers and advocating for more aid. CNN Chief International Security Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh joins AC360 from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine where he's been talking to troops about their "concern, anger and frustration" about the potential of not getting more U.S. funding to help fight the Russians. Plus, a U.S. official tells CNN that Israel has started flooding Gaza tunnels with seawater on a "limited basis." CNN Chief National Security Correspondent Alex Marquardt is in Tel Aviv, Israel. He tells Anderson Cooper that this could be a "significant new tactic" by the Israeli military. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Special counsel Jack Smith requests Supreme Court to decide if Trump has immunity from prosecution. Israeli war cabinet member discusses remaining hostages in Gaza. Extreme difficulties in accessing supplies and operating in Gaza. Concerning disappearance of Alexei Navalny. Reflecting on consequences of a father's actions and hope for change

The United States vetoed a United Nations resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza over the growing concern about the civilian death toll. The fighting in the Gaza has intensified with Israel’s military claiming it carried out strikes on about 450 targets over the past day. CNN Chief National Security Correspondent Alex Marquart gives Anderson Cooper an update on the hostage situation and the ongoing fighting. Plus, Harvard’s president apologized for her testimony at an antisemitism hearing on Capitol Hill this week where she and other university presidents failed to explicitly say calls for genocide of Jewish people constituted bullying and harassment on campus. Rep. Josh Gottheimer went to Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania and is one of the dozens of Jewish members in the U.S. House. He joins AC360 to discuss the apology and his initial reaction when he heard the presidents’ remarks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hunter Biden faces nine criminal charges in a federal tax case. Former President Trump criticizes the judge and New York Attorney General in his civil fraud trial. The podcast also covers topics such as university presidents' response to anti-Semitic speech, threats against election officials, and updates on the Israel-Hamas war and various shooting cases.