President Trump dominates red carpet chatter at “Melania” premiere

For anyone who may have wondered if President Trump would give up the spotlight and let the first lady field all the questions from reporters at the premiere of her film “Melania” Thursday night, the answer was no. 

When he stepped into the building that is now called the Trump Kennedy Center, Mr. Trump backed a few feet away from his wife so photographers could take some solo photos of her. 

After that, he dominated their joint appearance on the 90-foot red carpet — which was covered with a black runner — making headlines on the Federal Reserve, Iran and Cuba. 

He told CBS News his Fed chair pick was “somebody that could have been there a few years ago.” The president announced Friday morning that he’s nominating former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh for the post. During his first administration, Mr. Trump considered Warsh for the job but ultimately picked Jerome Powell. 

Mr. Trump also said he’s talking with Iran and “it would be great” if he doesn’t have to use military force. 

He told other reporters that Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, went to Georgia because she is “working very hard on trying to keep the election safe” and that “you’re going to see interesting things happen there.” On Wednesday, the FBI executed a search warrant at an elections office in Fulton County, Georgia, removing ballots in an investigation linked to the 2020 presidential election. Gabbard was spotted outside the elections office that day.

Asked if he’s trying to choke off Cuba, Mr. Trump said no — “the word choke off is awfully tough” — but added that the “failing nation” likely “will not be able to survive.”

The documentary film, produced by Amazon MGM Studios, about Melania Trump’s preparation to be first lady again is an hour and 44 minutes long; it opens Friday in about 1,700 theaters in North America, according to the premiere’s public relations team, and will be released in 27 countries. Amazon Prime Video has not announced when it will begin streaming the film. 

Amazon MGM Studios has faced criticism that it commissioned the film to help Amazon cofounder Jeff Bezos curry favor with Mr. Trump. The president dismissed a New York Times reporter who asked him about this allegation as “fake news” before saying, “Really, I’m not involved in that — it was done with my wife. I think it’s a very important movie.”

Melania Trump did some side-by-side interviews with him, her voice sometimes a little drowned out by her husband and reporters. She told CBS News she thinks people will connect with the inside look at 20 days in her life ahead of the 2025 inauguration.

“I think you will see a lot of emotions, from humor to sadness to grief to celebration, family,” she said. 

Donald Trump Jr. and Melania Trump’s father, Viktor Knavs, were seen at the Thursday premiere. Other family members will view the movie Friday or this weekend, Mr. Trump said. Barron Trump saw it a couple days ago and “loved it,” Mr. Trump said. 

“I got to see it for the first time the other night. It’s really good. Glamorous — very glamorous. We need some glamour,” the president told reporters.

Other celebrities at the premiere included singer Nicki Minaj and TV personality Dr. Phil. Several U.S. officials were also there, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and most of the rest of Mr. Trump’s Cabinet.

Only in D.C. red-carpet topics: Government funding deal, Screwworm, Measles, Russia and Ukraine 

Screwworm and how to prevent a U.S. infestation was the topic of a CBS News interview with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who wore a sparkly black gown.  

Rollins said there was a two-hour meeting at the White House Thursday with six Cabinet members and senior staff on how to contain the spread of the flesh-eating parasite, which is believed to have originated in Mexico and has Texas livestock producers across the border increasingly concerned. 

“It is certainly an all hands on deck issue,” Rollins told CBS News. “If it does end up on our side of the border, we’re ready for that.” 

On Russia’s war with Ukraine, special envoy Steve Witkoff told CBS News that “the Ukrainians have said that we’re making more progress than they’ve seen in four years” with a security protocol agreement that is is “basically done,” and with a prosperity agreement. 

Witkoff declined to comment on the weeklong cold-weather ceasefire Mr. Trump said Russia agreed to. 

Asked about measles outbreaks, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told CBS News his department is advising people to get their measles vaccine but that most of the outreach activities are happening on the state level.

House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed optimism about passing the Senate government funding deal, calling it “a big achievement.” He told CBS News, “By Monday, we’ll get the House back; we’ll pass those bills. We will have 11 of the 12 appropriations bills funded — that’s 96% of federal funding for a year.” He acknowledged “we’ll have to haggle it out over the next couple of weeks” on DHS funding for the year.