>> hello. i'm wolf blitzer. it's 1:00 p.m. here in washington. wherever you are watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us. right now we're keeping our eyes on two event that is are happening here in washington d.c. we're watching the white house where president obama will welcome the world champion chicago cubs. the team moved up by their planned visit so they could be there before the president leaves office later this week. we're also watching the lobby at trump tower where the president-elect is expected to meet at this hour with martin luther king iii.

we could hear from both the president-elect and the civil rights leader's son. he was originally expected to be in washington today, but instead he is staying in new york city. just four days in -- in just four days in washington we will see donald trump taking the oath of office to become the 45th president of the united states. there will be a bit of a void in if the inauguration. a void of congressional democrats. more than two dozen now say they'll skip the inaugural, and it would be no surprise to see that number grow before friday. donald trump, meanwhile, tweeted this. for many years our country has been divided, angry, and untrusting. many say it will never change. the hatred is too deep. it will change. on this martin luther king day here in the united states,

georgia congressman john lewis called on americans to stand up and speak up against injustice. lewis wrapped up a speech just can a little while ago. he didn't directly mention his feud with president-elect trump, but he told the audience they have a moral obligation to keep up the fight for equal rights. >> to future leaders of the world, you must never ever hate. the way of love is a better way. the way of peace is a better way. i say to you as role models. never give up. never give in. stand up, speak up. when you see something that is not right, not fair, not just. you have a moral obligation to do something, to say something, and not be quiet.

>> let's bring in our panel. we have david -- cnn political analyst washington post reporter abby phillip. our chief political correspondent dana bash, and our political director david. david, what's at stake for the president-elect in his meeting that's happening right now at trump tower in new york city with martin luther king iii? >> i think it is clear that donald trump feels that he has to repair a breach with african-americans through the course of the campaign. not getting the level of support he predicted he would get, and i think that he -- i don't think it escapes him that there is work to be done there for him. obviously he is never going to have the kind of level of support that barack obama has from the african-american community. mistakes are high in the sense that if he doesn't begin that work soon, he could be crippling to him to sort of get out of the gate clear of distraction and move forward with his agenda, and so i do think that the

stakes are high beyond that reason. if he is going to have a clear path to getting a smooth start to the first 100 days. >> how unusual is it for so many of these democratic lawmakers to boycott the inauguration behind us on friday? >> this kind of organized boycott is unusual. for members of congress, of both parties, depending on who is being inaugurated, to not attend the inauguration is not unusual, but this is not just not attending. this is a protest. this is a silent protest, you know, protest in absentia. that clearly is whether he intended it or not, i'm fascinated to try to get to the answer of that question, but that has ended up to be john lewis's -- john lewis said the impact of it to be a civil rights leader for this moment, and i don't know, maybe it was, you know, semi-intentional given the fact that we heard from him

today talking about the fact that you need to rise up. he knows his power. he knows he is an iconic person and that when he makes his statement as clearly as he did, our friend chuck todd at nbc asked him over and over again, are you sure you understand what you are doing? yes, i'm sure. he wanted people to -- he wanted to get people together and motivate people in a way that perhaps the african-american community hasn't been able to do thus far. >> abby, the timing of all of this happening, in effect, right now today on dr. martin luther king jr. on this national day here in your united states that this feud between donald trump and john lewis is taking place. it's extremely awkward. only a few days before the inauguration, but also on this special day. >> yeah. there's a feeling of disappointment on both sides of the aisle that everybody is coming in to this weekend.

it's normally about service and reflecti reflection, about sacrifice. everybody is coming into this in the middle of what has become this moral battle between donald trump and john lewis. he had an opportunity to step out and say i'm going to go to the mlk memorial like mike pence did today. i'm going to the african-american history museum today. i'm going to step out, and i'm going to do something that is outside of this political conflict. i think that tells you about where he is right now. he does not feel like he needs to make those kinds of gestures. >> the fact that he will be with mlk iii -- >> we'll see what he says. there was an invitation to have trump go to washington to go to the mlk memorial, and they chose

to go a different path. their approach is you come to me, i'm not coming to you. he is there now at trurp tower. we'll see if they both make a statement to the news media following jo john brennan was on fox news yesterday. i want you to listen to what he had to say. this is more than being about him. it's about the united states and the national security. and he has to make sure that now that he is going to have the opportunity to do something for national security as opposed to talking and tweeting. is he going to have tremendous responsibility to make sure that

u.s. national security interests are protected and are advanced. >> he suggested he is not sure that the president-elect fully appreciates, understands the threat, for example, from russia. >> when you are at war with intelligence agencies, that is going to be very, very scary just based on national security threats. look, donald trump said all during the campaign, he was asked over and over when he would sort of participate with unorthodoxed antics, can you be prosecuted presidential? of course i can. one characteristic is restraint, and that is something we have not seen of anything about donald trump that he is able to restrain himself. every day it's morning tweets going at whether it be john brennan, john lewis, meryl streep, or arnold schwarzenegger, and that is going to change the way i think he is covered, the way he can

rattle the news every day. the question i have he zint doesn't trust the intelligence reports coming out based around the election. is he going to entrust the intelligence that he is getting every day based on north korea, based on iran? that is i think a bigger question going forward that he is going to have to address. >> john brennan blasts president-elect trump on russia threat and does not fully understand. crimea, ukraine, the buildup of russian nukes. not good. was this the leaker of fake news? basically suggesting brennan may have been responsible for leaking that unsubstantiated dossier. >> that's classic trump right there suggesting that without a shred of evidence or any information whatsoever that -- it's like he just throws it out there for us to chew over then

and focus on something -- to make sure the focus is elsewhere than where it should be perhaps and where he would not like it to be. to just throw out that that john brennan is a leaker, without any evidence, to me gets the very heart of what -- this must be a real take stock moment. this is washington. leaks are a part of the life here. trump has demonstrated that that level of distrust is -- >> what he has is people in there. if he is going to do this, totally different game. >> everybody stand by. there's a lot more going on. we're waiting and we're watching. take a look at this. some live pictures from president obama. he is getting ready to welcome to the white house world champion chicago cubs. we'll bring that to you live as

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meeting right now with the son of a civil rights leader martin luther king jr. at the same time the president-elect is feuding with another hero of the civil rights movement, congressman john lewis. let's discuss that and more with our cnn political commentators van jones and paris denard. paris is a member of the president-elect's national diversity coalition. van, this all started with congressman lewis saying he doesn't consider donald trump to be a "legitimate president." did that remark go too far? >> well, you know, people love donald trump because he speaks his mind. he is authentic. he says what he is feeling. he is also speaking for millions of people when he talks. his supporters say, listen, you may not like what he says, but he is telling you what he thinks. i think his supporters need to give john lewis that same space. here you have another national icon, a major name in the american life. he is speaking for millions of people who are still not digested yet.

i think probably not. i think if you are going to give donald trump a pass for saying what is on his mind, you have to do the same thing for john lewis who has done more for the united states than donald trump. >> do you believe, van, that donald trump is going to be the legitimate president? >> well, listen. i believe that donald trump has been certified by the electors. he is the president of the united states. or he will be in a few days. at the same time i think you don't respect the office holder. you don't respect the office. you respect the constitution, and the constitution is what should be bringing us all together. we don't have a way, and i'm interested in hearing how par paris -- we don't have a way to

insure that a foreign power has come in and disrupted our election, and i don't know how we get to reassurance when donald trump's attitude seems to be fairly cavalier. other people seem to be very alarmist. i don't know how we get to a place where we feel the constitution is being respected. >> paris, as you know congressman lewis says he doesn't think donald trump is the legitimate president because of russian interference in the election. go ahead and react to all of that. >> i think it's -- first of all, thank you, wolf, for having me on the program on martin luther king day. it's important for us to remember that congressman john lewis is a respected leader in the civil rights movement and as a respected person for our country. we should all stop and give him the credit that he deserves for what he has done -- that does not excuse the fact that he as senator manchin said he was a democrat, his comments about donald trump, the president-elect being uncalled for when he said he was

illegitimate. the -- it's not about the spirit of the law. it's not about how russia may or may not or, in fact, did play a role in interfering. what it's about is the american people came together and voted. their votes matter. they voted the electoral college has been sealed, signed, and delivered. that, period, end of story. all of this conversation about him being illegitimate is not even worth talking about. what i would hope is that congressman lewis could use his platform and to be a beacon of light for not only president-elect donald trump but for all americans to say, you know what, i may not like some of the things that i think you stand for, but i respect the office, i respect the voice of the american people, and the voice of the people in my state who voted for him, and i want to work together with him. >> i have a question. i just lost audio. i don't know if you can hear me or not. i think i may have lost -- okay.

good. >> donald trump seemed to have opened the door for this kind of disrespect for the president. in other words, he seems to be -- donald trump seems to be asking for a respect of the office and a respect of the office holder, but he did not himself grant to president obama. i think it's hard sometimes for people who are liberals, who are democrats, to hear trump supporters saying that we should now govern ourselves in a way that donald trump did not. how does that land when you guys hear that? >> at the end of the day president-elect donald trump said that he is moving forward and believes that president obama was, if you are talking about the birther issue, he believes that -- he plooefz he was born in the country. he believes he is the legitimate president, and he has moved on. president obama said he is going to work with president trump to make everything a smooth transition and make sure that he is successful. i would hope that democrats, liberals would take the same

tone that the president -- our current president has taken on this issue. when jop lewis says he would never invite president-elect trump to selma, that's a missed opportunity. i'm glad martin luther king iii did not take the same attitude and say, you know what, i don't want to go and meet with jimmy kemp of the james kemp foundation be and do that. i don't want to go to trump tower and meet with the next president of the united states. i think -- >> i hear you where. >> -- this is an important moment for us. >> this is what i think. i think that you have some missed opportunities on the trump side as well. when there's no real acknowledgment -- listen, it's not like, you know, a few days after the election donald trump came to jesus. it took him almost eight years, and then i think when the trump people then tell the democrats, you don't get eight weeks to digest this, you don't get eight months, when our guy took almost eight years to finally admit that president obama was born here and to stand by that statement. i just think it just seems like hypocrisy on all sides. i think that's why most people

are getting very frustrated with the situation. >> you don't have to -- >> we have to leave it there. paris, very quickly, give you a final thought. i got to go. >> final thought is you may not like donald trump as a person, but you have got to respect the office, and that's all i hope that people will do, especially today. >> i wish he had done that. >> paris, guys, thanks very much. >> thanks a lot. breaking news in the case of the orlando pulse nightclub shooter. the wife has been arrested. you'll find out why right after a quick break. stand by. [vo] quickbooks introduces jeanette and her new mobile wedding business. at first, getting paid was tough... until she got quickbooks. now she sends invoices, sees when they've been viewed and ta-da, paid twice as fast! see how at quickbooks-dot-com.

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>> live picture coming in from

trump tower in new york city. the president-elect donald trump is meeting with the son of dr. martin luther king jr. right now over at trump tower after these meetings in new york. president-elect tends to come down to the lobby to speak briefly with the press. let's see if he comes down with martin luther king iii. of course, if it he does, we'll have live coverage of that. right now, though, i want to get to some breaking news. the wife of the man bho carried out the worst mass shooting in u.s. history has been taken into federal custody. she was married to omar mateen who killed 49 people at the pulse nightclub in orlando, florida, last year. let's go to our justice correspondent pamela brown and, pamela, do we know why mateen's wife has now been arrested by the fbi. >> we know, wolf, that the fbi believes she was complicity in her husband's actions at pulse nightclub launching the deadliest mass shooting in u.s. history, and she has now been officially charged by the department of justice with aiding and abetting mateen's

provision and material support to isis as well as of obstruction of justice. she will have her first court appearance in oakland, california, tomorrow morning. the charges are coming out of florida. authorities we've spoken with say the evidence is clear through the course of the seven-month investigation that she knowingly did something to obstruct the investigation and she acted of her own free will. she had been telling authorities in the interview that her husband was abusive to her, she felt threatened and was coerced into certain behaviors, but authorities believe that through the course of this investigation that she acted on her own free will and just a reminder to our viewers about what we have already reported, we know she told us authorities that mateen -- omar mateen had spent thousands of dollars in the weeks leading up to the shooting. he bought her a very expensive piece of jewelry. we know they went to several targets together. at that point it was unclear if she -- how much she knew about her husband's intentions, but

it's believed by the fbi and department of justice that she knew her husband was going to do something bad. in fact, we had previously reported that she told investigators that her husband made it clear he wanted to commit an act of jihad. she claimed she didn't know about his specific plans. that night that left the house with a gun if his bag and that she feared that something bad was going to happen -- in fact, during the shooting there were calls exchanged. she had text missionaged each other. she claimed she didn't know about her specific plan, and we will learn about the evidence supporting these charges when that it revealed by authorities. >> in four days dlt will become the 4 59 president. today he is getting harsh criticism from officials in russia, china, and germany. china says he is an amateur.

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statements do not correspond to reality. responses to president-elect donald trump's latest interview with the german publication billed and the times of london. the reaction is rolling in. let's discuss that and more with our senior international correspondent ivan watson, who says joining us in hong kong. our senior international correspondent matthew chance, who is in moscow, and here in washington our chief national security correspondent jim schudo. under the one china policy, taiwan is part of china. that's recognized, has been for decades, by the united states, but in his interview trump suggested once again that the one china policy in his words is negotiable. how is china officially firing back. >> it's bristling. the china foreign ministry saying this agreement basically, this understanding is the bedrock of the bilateral relationship between the world's two largest economies, the

foreign ministry spokeswoman today warning that if donald trump continues down this path, he would just be shooting himself in the foot. meanwhile, chinese state media has been quite a bit harsher in some of its rhetoric. you've got the global times in an editorial writing "we were simply angry initially, but now we can't help but laugh at this leader in waiting. maybe american voters promoted him too quickly. his amateur remarks and over-confident manner are equally shocking." basically criticizing and challenging whether or not donald trump is fit to hold the office of the president. what's very interesting is just a couple of days before he will have his inauguration, you've got the chinese leader who is traveling to the world economic forum in switzerland where he will be speaking they seem turbulent, wolf.

>> listen to what trump said, actually, about the russian president vladimir putin. listen to this. >> who do you trust more if it you talk to them? angela merkel or vladimir putin? >> i start off trusting both, but let's see how long that lasts. it may not last long at all. >> interesting, matthew. a lot of people are stunned that he is comparing these two leaders in the same sentence. how is the kremlin reacting to this part of the interview? also, the comments about lifting sanctions in exchange for russia cutting its nuclear arms. >> well, i mean, wolf, this is all music to the kremlin's ears, of course. particularly on the issue of sanctions. any talk from the future president of the united states about those sanctions being alleviated is something the kremlin really wants to hear. the comments that donald trump made about nato being obsolete,

well, they welcome that. that's a longstanding russian position. the kremlin this morning telling us that we think it's obsolete as well. this is an organization the kremlin said that is focused on confrontation, and so, you know, to hear donald trump voicing what the kremlin position, frankly, has been for so long, is something that is quite unusual for the kremlin, and i think there's a certain degree of sort of shock about what's taking place. that publicly the kremlin is saying, look, we're going to wait to see exactly what happens once donald trump becomes the president because they're very aware that he faces headwinds in his own party and in the congress in general, and, of course, amongst his own allies around the world when it comes to implementing any of these policies or these sentiments. you know, i think that behind the scenes, they're quietly confident that things are going to get better in the relationship. >> interesting. now, you know, jim, trump didn't stop in this interview with the billed german publication. he did stop at china and russia.

he also went on to say this about nato. listen to this. >> among eastern europeans there's a lot of fear of the -- of putin and his russia. >> sure. and i said a long time ago that nato had problems. number one it was obsolete because it was, you know, designed many, many years ago. number two, the countries aren't paying what they're supposed to pay. >> jim, what kind of message is the president-elect sending to the european nato allies? >> listen, it's inexplicable, right? you have the president -- you talk about china. i don't want to say an adversary, but it's not an ally relationship, and it's one thing to devine how he means to adjust the relationship with what is competitive relationship with china. nato is an alliance. the u.s. has been in it in decades with its closest allies in the world. the comment about angela merkel,

that he may or may not trust angela merkel is understandably causing germans to get very nervous because germany is one of america's closest allies. you know, it's the comments about american allies that it's truly -- i don't want to say head-scratch, but head exploding reactions for diplomats in europe, but even here in the u.s. and, again, republicans. keep in mind, wolf, you and i were listening to confirmation hearings last week of all of donald trump's senior national security appointees who diskbrae wi -- disagree with him on this issue. mattis talking about how essential nato is. what's happening here? he has an enormous disconnect. it's not even a disconnect, but a diametrically opposed position with his appointees and every republican in congress. it's inexplicable. it's hard to figure out what message he is trying to send. >> you know, and jim, listen to

what the secretary of state john kerry, how he weighed in on the president-elect's most recent comments. listen to this. >> well, i thought, frankly, it was inappropriate for a president-elect of the united states to be stepping in to the politics of other countries in a quite direct manner. he will have to speak to that. as of friday, you know, he is responsible for that relationship. >> the comments from the president-elect, jim, are causing a lot -- as you point out, a lot of concern so far with only a few days until the inauguration. even kerry now is weighing in. go ahead. >> no question. you know, inappropriate. i'm pretty sure it took john kerry some forebearance to not use a stronger term because in private i am certain he has stronger feelings. not about the man, donald trump, but about these positions here because john kerry, secretary of

state, knows the weight that american allies, nato allies, particularly the eastern european allies, carry or invest in both the words and the actions of the biggest military power in the world, the u.s. it's really just hard to devine here, and i know that sean spicer, donald trump's spokesman, and others have said these are just words, but i'll tell you, these words, they have enormous impact on those areas of the world where there's great nervousness right now. >> and ivan, you're there in hong kong for us watching this u.s.-china relationship emerge based on what -- actually, i want all of you guys to stand by because we're getting some breaking news. take a look at this. we're getting some live pictures coming in from trump tower in new york city. momentarily. we expect the president-elect donald trump to emerge from the elevator there, walk over to reporters, walk over to the

microphone, and he has been meeting with the son of the late dr. martin luther king jr., martin luther king iii. they've been meeting. they're going to walk over to the microphones and make a statement, we're told, about their meeting on this dr. martin luther king jr. national celebration, this national day commemorating the civil rights leader here in the united states. they'll walk over. they'll make a statement. we'll have live coverage of that coming up. let's stand by for a moment. it looks like we were told they would be walking out momentarily. we'll wait a minute. we'll take a quick break and be right back.

>> they are now in the lobby. martin luther king iii and the president-elect. let's see if they make some statements. >> how did it go, sir? >> can we talk about the inauguration? >> are you attacking john lewis? >> the president-elect did not make a statement. there's martin luther king iii. let's see if he walks over and makes a statement to the news media. there are a lot of reporters that are there in the lobby at trump tower. looks like he is beginning to walk out.

it's an important day in the united states today and we know this follows the criticism levels against the president-elect by congressman john lewis, who was civil rights icon, who worked together with martin luther king jr. in the civil rights movement here in the united states and on this day the president-elect met with the son of mathin luther king jr. >> i think it was a meeting that they clearly wanted to have given the day that it is. donald trump was supposed to be here at the african-american museum. did not come to washington for that. i do think given the controversy that we've had between john lewis and donald trump i think what they're trying do do is lower the temperature a little bit. >> i'm surprised, though, that the president of had elect didn't make a statement when he

was there together with martin luther king iii. let's continue to watch what's going on. quickly, i want dg over to the white house right now. the president of the united states, president obama welcoming in the chicago cubs. the world series champions. i want to listen in. >> the truth is there was a reason not just that people felt good about the cubs winning. there was something about this particular cubs team winning that people felt good about. for example, david ross and i have something in common. we've both been on a year-long retirement party. but -- [ applause ] unlike grandpa, my team has not yet brought me a scooter with a motorized golf caddy, but there are four days left. maybe i'll get that. the last time the cubs won the

world series teddy roosevelt was president. the first cubs radio broadcast wouldn't be for two days. we've been three ae cold war, a space race, all manner of social and technological change. during that time, those decades were also marked by kill phil cavaretta and ernie banks, billy williams is here today. [ applause ] ryan sandberg. maddox, brace -- those decades were punctuated by harry caray's

exuberance. hey, hey, and holy cow, and capped off by go cubs go. the first thing that made this championship so special for so many is that the cubs know what it's like to be loyal and to persevere and to hope and then suffer and then keep on hoping. it's a generational thing. that's what you heard michelle describing. people all across the city remember the first time a parent took them to wrigley or memories of climbing in their dad's lap to watch games on wgn, and that's part of the reason why michelle invited -- made sure that jose cardonell was here because that was her favorite player, and she was describing -- [ applause ] >> i'm going to quickly break away from the white house and the president with the chicago cubs. martin luther king iii, the son of the late martin luther king jr., has just wrapped up a meeting with the president-elect. he is now in the lobby.

he is speaking with reporters. let's listen in. >> do you know if lewis still has the scars from the march on selma? were you offended by the president-elect's tweet describing lewis as all talk and no action? >> first of all, i think that in the heat of emotion a lot of things get said on both sides. i think that at some point i am, as john lewis and many others are, a bridge builder. the goal is to bring america together and americans. we are a great nation, but we must become a greater nation. what my father represented, my mother represented through her life, what i hope i i'm trying to do is always bring people together. >> as you know -- many african-americans are very concerned about a trump presidency. a woman came in here last week and told me he is going to have black people up against the wall both literally and figuratively. did he alay your concerns that he will be a president for all people, black and white?

>> well, certainly he said that. that he is going to represent americans. he said that over and over again. i think that we will evaluate that. i believe that's his intent, but i think also we have to consistently engage with pressure, public pressure. it doesn't happen automatically. my father and his team understood that, did that, and i think that americans are prepared to do that. >> sir, if i may follow-up. isn't there something that just cuts to your core when you hear the president-elect refer to john lewis as all talk and no action? i mean, nothing could be further from the truth, isn't that right? john lewis is not all talk and no action. >> no, absolutely i would say john lewis has demonstrated that he is action. as i said, things get said on both sides in the heat of of emotion. people are literally probably dying. we need to talk about how do we

feed people, how do we clothe people, how do we create the best education system? that's what we need to focus on. >> what do you think your father's message would be to president-elect trump? >> this is the final answer because i'm i'm going the reiterate what i just said. i think my father would be concerned about the fact there are 50 or 60 million people living in poverty and somehow we've got to create climate for all votes to be lifted. in america work a $20 trillion economy, it's insanity that we have poor people in this nation. that's unacceptable and when we work together, we know we can roll up our sleeves, there is nothing that we as americans can't do. thank you very much. >> martin luther king iii speaking out about this latest controversy surrounding representative john lewis, the civil rights leader the civil rights icon who said the other day that the president-elect was not a legitimate president because the russians had interfered in the u.s. election

causing a reaction from the president-elect on twitter. gloria, as i said earlier, i was surprised that the president-elect was not talking together with martin luther king iii at this opportunity over at trump tower. they had an important meeting especially on this special day here in the united states, martin luther king jr. day. >> i think he clearly wanted to avoid questions about his tweet, about john lewis. and i think what he wanted his guest to do was to lower the temperature for him which is exactly what martin luther king iii was trying to do. he did say john lewis was action, not just talk. but he did talk about how both sides need to kinds of cool it a little bit as you head into a new administration. and so in many ways maybe it was better coming from him than it was -- it would be coming from donald trump himself. >> that's a good point, dana. david chall onis with us as well.

dana, your reaction? >> i think as usual gloria is dead right, that you know, it doesn't -- look. it would have been a nice photoon for donald trump to stand next to mlk, iii. he understands imagery and perhaps for him to just stand there it might look forced and fake and for him to walk away and let the guy with the famous name do it for him and the man that we are celebrating today it makes a huge difference. >> because what he could have done and decided he didn't want to do, merge with martin luther king iii, go to the micro phones, make a nice statement on this day he tweeted lovely words with martin luther king jr., made that statement and then left and then let martin luther king iii answer reporters' questions. we see that often from leaders. >> donald trump probably made the right calculation that that may have opened a whole can of worms as they are trying to move beyond this story today now that we are four days before the

inauguration rather than all the shouted questions of all the implications with the battle with john lewis have the validator in martin luther king iii go out there, do his evaluation of donald trump at the moment. and as gloria said, trying to diffuse -- donald trump going out there, just having questions shouted at him can allow the story to continue to bubble. rather than diffuse. >> the story will continue to bubble. gloria you have a documentary airing on cnn tonight on the first daughter, ivanka trump. i want to play a excerpt, a little clip. watch this. >> well, jared is taking a coveted spot inside the west wing ivanka has decided not to take an office there, at least not yet. instead she is working on a child care proposal behind the scenes and getting her family settled in the tony call rama neighborhood in washington.

how would she be most helpful? >> i think there is the donald trump that i know as a son, and so i think if she can sort of show some of the softer side of him and be able to bridge some of those gaps i think it could go a long way towards his efficacy in getting things he wants done done. >> reporter: though she is stepping away from the trump organization and her own brand, ivanka will likely face possible questions about her possible conflicts of interest, like marketing the dress she wore at the republican convention. >> well, i think that idea of conflict of interest is going to houpd her. i mean if she meets with somebody who runs one of the trump hotels after the same day she was in the white house people are going to say that's a conflict that's going to happen. the key to the trump enterprise is they don't think of terms per se of conflict of sbrchlt they think of legal and illegal, they think of winning and losing.

>> with her father winning the white house, ivanka trump is on target to become the most influential first daughter ever. >> ivanka trump certainly is, you know, at 35, she's a successful business woman twice in real estate development in development in her own brand. i think she would be very powerful. again i don't sense from ivanka it's about power. it's about impact. >> and it's about the family. protecting and enhancing the newest brand, the trump presidency. >> you value family, especially in that world. and i think you know for years we had always heard real estate is one of the most coat throat industry in the world. it's nopg compared to politics. it's nothing compared to politics. and then i think when you go through that and you live through it i think quite frankly you become closary family than ever before. they are the closest people in your life. they are the people who will look out for you when others might have conflicting interests. and that's very, very special.

and i think we all in some certain way, and ivanka will lend that in a very big way. >> she has a great way of being able to talk to him. he trusts her. she has proven herself time and time again in business. and whatever she decides to do in washington f there is a role for her then, i'm sure she will up to that. but that's really up to her. >> we are looking forward to the documentary later on the. he rl really trusts his adult children with these critical important decisions, and his social as well, jared kushner, eye can have a trump's husband. >> the thing i've learned about donald trump and conferring him is that loyalty is so important to him. and who are the most loyal people in your life but your family? and these are his adult children, who have been his business partners. so he knows how they make decisions. because he has worked with them before. so i think they are the first among equals in the white house. that can be very complicating in

a white house, wolf, when you have top staffers -- and what if there is a disagreement between jared kushner or eye kane van ka trump and some people at the top levels in the white house? you know, that's going to remain to be seen, how they work it out. i remember nancy reagan disagreeing with people on the white house staff and she seemed to win a lot of those arguments, wolf. >> she certainly did. she had a very, very influentialtial role. >> yes, she did. >> as some of us who covered that administration can recall. thanks so much. you can see gloria's special report, first daughter, ivanka trump, that airs later on the, 9:00 p.m. eastern right here on cnn. we'll be right back. ue psoriasis isn't it time to let the real you shine through? introducing otezla, apremilast. otezla is not an injection, or a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently.

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hi there. i'm brooke baldwin. you are watching cnn. thank you for joining me on this martin luther king jr. day as the nation honors the civil rights leader. his son, martin luther king iii just met with president-elect donald trump. pictures inside the lobby there at the trump tower. mr. trump going toe to toe with another icon in his own rights, congressman john lewis of georgia. he marched with martin luther king in the '60s. spoke of that march