And im george powell, wednesday, december 7th. Its 4 00 a. M. In the east. Donald trump the warning against blocking his pick for secretary of defense. Trump hit those themes on his thank you tour, his latest rally, in the battleground state of north carolina. Trump also introducing his nominee for defense secretary james maltis. He noted that the retired general will need a special waiver in order to take office and he almost dared congress not to give it to him. Cnns Sunlen Serfaty has the latest from north carolina. Reporter good morning, george. President elect Donald Trump Holding his second rally here. He was much more retrained, much more disciplined, quite different from that first thank you rally he had last week where that rally almost divulged into airing of grievances. This rally staying on message for donald trump where he pushed a heavy message for the military community only a few miles away from ft. Bragg where he formally rolled his nominee for secretary of defense. Im proud to announce today my intention to nominate general James Mad Dog Mattis for the secretary of defense for the United States of america. I look foreign to being the civilian leader as long as Congress Gives me that senate waiver and the senate votes to contends. Hell get that waiver, right . Hell get that waiver. Over, if he didnt get that waiver there will be a lot of angry people. Reporter and theyre leading to his legal battle they have ahead in congress that mattis needs a special waiver to be considered for this job. The fact that mattis has retired from the military for three years and there say statute on the books that requires officers in uniform to be out of uniform for seven years. Trump sending a little bit of a warning sign, a threat to congress, you better get this passed through. Meantime, donald trump will take to the road tomorrow to des moines, iowa. And he tolds another one of these thank you rallies friday in michigan. Republicans are using a shortterm spending bill to speed up the mattis nomination. Theyre adding language to the stop gap funding make that opposes time limits on the debate over whether to grant that special waiver mattis needs to become secretary. They want him cleared when president elect trump is inaugura inaugurated. The house votes on the spending bill thursday. The company responding to Donald Trumps tweet slamming the price for new air force one jumbo jet said this comes out of left feel. Trumps tweet that costs are out of control 4 billion and he did demanded that he cancel the order. Boeing saying they have no idea where that 4 billion figure came from. The aircraft maker says it can lower costs, but only if the pentagon eases the specifications that it requires. Donald trump used to hold shares in boeing, but he sold that position, along with the relevant of his stock portfolio. Trump transition spokesman jason miller, he told reporters yesterday that trump dumped all of his stockholdings in june. A Financial Disclosure submitted in may showed holtings at about 100 other Companies Including once again, boeing, apple, microsoft, ge and pepsi. In total the shares amounted to 10 million just a tiny fraction of trumps billionaire net worth. Verifying whether trump actually sold the stock thats going to be more difficult. Hes not required to file another disclosure until may 2018. However all others have voluntarily submitted their Financial Holdings in this first year in office since the ethics passed it in 1978. And the Vice President elect mike pence is laying out the plan for the first 100 days of the trump administration. The First Business is handling the Affordable Care act, obamacare as its known. The first 100 days, i was visiting capitol hill the other day and i told my former colleagues there to buckle up. Vacations over. Were going to work. Were going to start out by repealing obamacare, starting the process of replacing it with free market solutions. Right out of the box, youre going to see our president elect get out that pen and repeal every single unconstitutional executive order that barack obama signed in law. Pence is also planning to simplify tax code before spring. But alison, repeal and replace is easier said than done. And will millions of people be left out in the cold . How long will it take . Interestingly enough, you might end up seeing them tweak obamacare and not replace the whole thing. Pence and the rest of the trump team are trying to distance themselves from the son of michael flynn. Flynn is trumps pick for National Security adviser. And the Security Team has requested clearance for the generals son, michael g. Flynn even though he has been pushing false conspiracies online like pizza gate. I want you to list ton that request. You must be aware that the Transition Team put in for security clearance for michael g. Flynn the son of general flynn . Well, im aware in talking to general flynn that his son was helping the scheduling. Hes helping his dad arrange for meetings and provide for meetings, but thats no longer the case. Do you need security for scheduling . I think thats the appropriate decision. To move forward aboard any former distraction. Tapper asked pence several more times about the security request for general flynns son. Each time pence refused to acknowledge the request was even made. And the president of the United States barack obama checking off an important box on his todo list giving his final National Security advice speaking to troops at Macdill Air Force base in florida. The white house said the speech was planned before donald trump won last month. But that address, they say, wasnt meant to send a message to the president elect. Still, some point to mr. Obama saying it sounded he was speaking not to an audience but rather than speaking to one person. White house correspondent Michelle Kosinski has more from tampa. This was a broad defense. An explanation of president obamas policies against terrorism and our National Security over the last eight years but it also searches as almost a warning to the next administration that you need to be extremely careful with these intricate complexities of National Security, otherwise, you could make problems worse. When you think about it, this is how this administration continues to communicate with the next one. The president continuing to hit the same point and set up these contrasts between his policies and some of the things that donald trump has said. For example, the president s continued attempts to close gitmo. Calling it a blot on our national honor. Saying that adherence to the rule of law is not a weakness but in fact is our greatest national strength. Also on the muslim issue, arguably, the most controversial part of Donald Trumps campaign platform. Listen. United states of america is not a country that imposes religious tests as a price for freedom. Were a country that was founded so people could practice their faiths as they choose. United states of america is not a place where some citizens have to withstand greater scrutiny or carry a special i. D. Card or prove that theyre not an enemy from within. Were a country that has bled and struggled and sacrificed against that kind of discrimination and arbitrary rule. Here in our own country and around the world. This was not the fiery president obama we saw in on the campaign trail but this was the lawyerly president obama making the careful case for why he believes his policies are the ones to Carry Forward and looking long term. It can almost be summed up in one sentence that you use, he takes the fight to terrorists not through invasion but through a network of partnerships. George and l alison. Today marks the 75th anniversary on the attack on pearl harbor. Thousands of veterans and a few remaining survivors will attend a ceremony there later this morning. On monday, japanese Prime Minister shinzo abe announced head will visit the site of the attack in late december with president obama making him the first japanese leader to do so since the end of world war i i. Speaking to reporters, abe replied the zwreft togesture is mirroring the when he visited hiroshima in may. The president elect donald trump taking credit for bringing the 50 billion investment and 50,000 new jobs in the United States but heres the question, was that deal already in the works before mr. Trump was elected . That story next here on early start. Donald trump is taking credit for a 50 billion investment by a conglomerate. The japanese internet and Telecommunications Giants plans to invest heavily in u. S. Startups creating 50,000 jobs here. Trump is insisting the deal only happened because he won the election. Lets get the latest now from cnns Andrew Stevens live from hong kong. So, is there a way to tell for sure whether or not donald trump had a hand in ushering in this deal . At this stage, alison, no, theres not. We have to take the president elects word for it. He did not independently say that he had said that to trump. So we dont just know at this stage. If you take a step back and look at this deal that 50 billion is going to come, according to some peeking to the wall street journal, from an ininvestment fund which is being set up by softbank. That was announced back in october before the election. Its a 100 billion fund, which will invest in Tech Companies and Tech Startups, not just in the u. S. , but around the world. Now, softbank is going to put in about 25 billion we understand. The Saudi Arabians are going to be put number 45 billion and the balance piece made up by various other investors. That is already in the works. The money hasnt come in yet, and the u. S. Would be an obvious place to go if youre looking at Tech Startups. Silicon Valley Springs to mind, obviously. At this stage, what we know, those headlines, song says hes going to be directing 50 billion of that 150 million into the u. S. A lot of money looks like for Tech Startups. Alison as you know, startups and Tech Companies dont ememplploy lot of people. A fouryear investment. Donald trump campaigned on bringing jobs here to the u. S. If anything, this looks like a good photo op for him. Andrew stevens, thanks so much. Here at home, that fire in oakland, california, at a ghost ship warehouse, fire Officials Say they still dont know what caused it over the weekend. A fire thrilling 36 people. Said to be looking at a malfunctioning refrigerator as a possible source. One witness who escaped the fire said they saw flames coming from that refrigerator. This morning, people in gatlinburg, tennessee, are getting the allclear to return to their homes and businesses full time following the wildfires. Residents had been a allowed to go back on a temporary crisis. The wildfires were blamed for at least 14 deaths and 1700 buildings and homes were destroyed. The assault a heon aleppo. Thousands warned to get out or die. Welcome back to early start. Im george howell. Were following the fighting in syria. Government forces there are closer than ever to retaking aleppo. Northern 70 of the last rebel stronghold has been recaptured. Assad regime is now using massive fire power to either kill or replace thousands of people. Cnns Jomana Karadsheh is following the story. Jomana, weve been talking about the story for a while now. The extreme fighting so intense in parts of aleppo, many parts of that city have simply been leveled. And we have seen those images, george, coming out of those neighborhoods that have been claimed by the Syrian Regime. And whats left of them is largescale destruction, and pretty much leveled when you look at these neighborhoods. As you mentioned over the past 24 hours, more advances by the Syrian Regime and their allied forces who have been provided by this air cover. This really powerful air cover, that they have been advancing undertaking a neighborhood after neighborhood, of eastern aleppo. At this point, estimates are they control about 75 of eastern aleppo. The question remains what is going to happen to the rest of eastern aleppo. The last quarter left under rebel control. Are we going to see the remembers working any sort of deal here to withdraw from aleppo as they did in other areas like the damascus suburbs like we awe ssaw a few months a whether that remains to be seen, george. On the civilians attacked in aleppo. Jomana, id like to touch on that when it comes to civilians, when it comes to children. I remember of the last unicef statement talking about the some 100,000 children in aleppo itself. What is the situation with these families . With these children, weve seen so many little boys and girls trapped in the rubble, so many killed . Its a very, very dire situation, george. Youre talking about them favoring this military onslaught, this constant bombardment. We were speaking to people in aleppo a short while ago and you could still hear the shelling in neighborhoods taking place. Children terrified, one father i spoke to has a 9monthold daughter. He said that his wife had no longer breastfeed her. They have done out of food all they can give this baby that is crying constantly is some crushed ice and bread thats dipped in tea. Because people have run out of food. Have run out of clean water because of the siege. The humanitarian situation and the military offensive leaving tens of thousands of civilians favoring starvation and death. Jomana karadsheh live for us in jordan. Its painful. Donald trump on the second leg of his thank you tour formally picking general james mattis. Almost Daring Congress to try to block the waiver that mattis needs. Details ahead on early start. Oh, if he didnt get that waiver, there would be a lot of angry people. The president elect of the United StatesWarning Congress that he wants that waiver for his nominee to run the Defense Department or there will be angry people he says. Plans for the new air force one jet, up in the air. The president of the United States the National Security address as commander in chief, messages seemingly meant for donald trump without ever mentioning him by name. Good morning, welcome back to early start. Im george howell. Im alison kosik. Its 30 minutes past the hour. President elect donald trump is Warning Congress about blocking his pick for secretary of state. Trump introduced his nominee for defense secretary, and he noted that retired general james mattis, hes going to need a special waiver to take office. And almost dared congress not to give it to him. Cnns Sunlen Serfaty has the latest from north carolina. Good morning, president elect Donald Trump Holding his second rally here in fayetteville, north carolina. He was much more restrained, much more disciplined than that rally last week where that rally almost divulged into an airing of grievances. This rally for donald trump he pushed a heavy National Security message for the military community, only a few miles away from ft. Bragg, where he formally rolled out his nominee for secretary of defense. Im proud to formally announce today my intention to nominate general James Mad Dog Mattis, as the next secretary of defense, for the United States of america. I look forward to being a civilian leader, so long agency the Congress Gives me the waiver and the senate votes to consent. Hell get that waiver, right . Hes going to get that. Oh, if he didnt get that waiver, there would be a lot of angry people. Reporter and both general mattis and donald trump, theyre alluding to this legal battle that mattis has in congress in order to be considered for this job. The fact that mattis is only retired from the military for three years. And there is a statute on the books that requires officers in uniform to be out of uniform for seven years. Trump sending a little bit of a warning sign. A threat to congress, you better get this passed through. Meantime, donald trump will take to the road tomorrow to des moines, iowa. And he holds another one of these thank you rallies friday in michigan. George and alison. Sunlen serfaty, thank you. The government argues a shortterm spending bill to speed up the mattis measure. Theyre adding measures on the stop gap time limits that mattis needs to become defense secretary. They want him cleared to take over the pentagon when president elect trump is inaugurated. The federal government, though, runs out of money on friday. The house votes on spending bill thursday. The boeing company responding to Donald Trumps tweet slamming the price for new air force one jumbo jets saying it came out of control. Trumps tweet, the costs are out of control, 4 billion and demanding cancel order. Boeing says they have no idea where that 4 billion figure came from. They say the pentagon havent decided on what model they want and whether to buy two or three. Donald trump used to own stock in boeing but he actually sold that position, along with the rest of his stock portfolio. Trump transition spokesman jason miller, he told reporters yesterday that trump dumped all of his Stock Holdings in june. A Financial Disclosure in may showed holdings in 100 other companies, boeing, microsoft, ge and pepsi. And verifying whether trump actually sold the stocks thats going to be difficult because hes not required to file another disclosure until may 2018. But trump has repeatedly warned of a stock market bubble. Now, if he did cash out means he missed some big gains because the s p 500 is up about 4 since he was elected and 5. 5 percent since he ditched the stocks in june. The Vice President elect mike pence will be laying out the Affordable Care act, obamacare, he said trump will hit the ground running once drmp dr donald trump takes oath of office. The first 100 days, i was visiting capitol hill, i told my colleagues to buckle up. Vacations over. Were go to work. Were going to start by repealing obamacare and replacing it with free market solutions. And right out of the box youre going to see our president elect get out that pen and repeal every single unconstitutional executive order that barack obama signed into law. Pence is promising to cut taxing by the arrival of spring. And pence and team trump trying to distance themselves from the son of michael flynn. Cnn has learned the Transition Team requested security clearance for the generals son michael g. Flynn, even though hes been pushing false conspiracy theories online like pizza gate. I want you to listen to the Vice President elect deflect jake tappers questions about that. You must be aware that the Transition Team put in for security clearance for michael g. Flynn, the son of general flynn . Well, im aware in talking to general flynn that his son was helping with the scheduling. Yeah, but you put in for security for him. He was helping his dad for meetings. I think thats the appropriate thing to move forward, to avoid any further distraction. And tapper asked pence several more times about the security request for general flynns son. Each time pence refused to acknowledge the request was even made. The current president of the United States barack obama is checking off an important box on this todo list, giving his National Security request, speaking to drips at Macdill Air Force base in florida. The white house said the speech was planned before donald trump won last month. And that the address wasnt meant as a message for the president elect, but there were times when it looked like mr. Obama was speaking to an audience of one. Michelle kosinski has more from tampa. Hi, george and alison. This was a broad message of president s obamas war against terrorism. But also a warning that you need to be extremely careful with the intricate complexities of National Security, otherwise you make things worse. This is how thissed administration continues to speak with the next one. The president setting up contrast between his policies anded what donald trump has said. For example, the president s continued attempts to close gitmo. Calling it a blot on honor. And saying adherence to rule is not only a weakness but in fact our greatest strength. Also on the muslim issue. Arguably the most controversial part of Donald Trumps pratlatf. United states is a country that was founded so that people could practice their faiths as they choose. The United States of america is not a place where some citizens have to withstand great scrutiny or carry a special i. D. Card or prove that theyre not an enemy from within. Were a country that has bled and sacrificed against that kind of discrimination and ash contrary rule. Here in our own country and around the world. This was not the fiery president obama that we saw on the campaign trail. This was the lawyerly president obama, making a careful case for why he believes his policies are the ones to Carry Forward. Sand looking longterm. It could almost be summed up in one sentence that he used. He takes the fight to terrorists everywhere, not through invasion. But through a network of partnerships. George and alison. Okay, Michelle Kosinski, thank you. Today marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on pearl harbor. Thousands of veterans and a few remaining survivors will attend a ceremony there. On monday, japanese Prime Minister shinzo abe announced he will visit the site of the attack in late december with president obama, making him the first japanese leader to do so since the end of world war ii. Speaking to reporters abe replied the gesture say way of mirroring the commitment shown by obama to japanu. S. Relations when he visited hiroshima in may. It is a moment of history. It is. The president elect donald trump taking credit for bringing a 50 billion investment of 50,000 jobs in the United States. But heres the question, was that deal already in the works before donald trump was elected . Well examine it. Welcome back to early start. Im george howell. Donald trump is taking credit for a 50 billion investment in the u. S. By the japanese tech conglomerate. The president elect making an appearance in trump tower with the ceo of softbank. The japanese internet and Telecommunications Giants plans to invest heavily in u. S. Start jupps creating 50,000 jobs. And trump is insisting the deal only happened because he won the election. That is the question. Lets bring in Andrew Stevens live in hong kong following this story. Andrew, thats the question can we determine with any certainty whether trump indeed did have a hand in this or was this already in the works . Short answer is, we dont know, george. That is what donald trump is claiming that without his election success that softbank wouldnt have made this 50 billion investment to create 50,000 jobs in the u. S. What we do know the money is coming from a 100 Million Investment fund which is call the soft said bank vision fund. This was actually announced back in october before the election, obviously. Now that fund is being set up with 25 billion. Thats whats being roared, 25 billion of softbank money. 45 billion interestingly of Saudi Arabian government money. The balance coming from other investors. So we know there was this fund in process. We know this fund was being set up to invest in internet and Tech Startups around the u. S. And not only, around the u. S. But it would be a big tiein of silicon valley. So it looks like it was probably going there anyway. So for donald trump to say its all about him at this stage, we can only take his word for that. But certainly, its going to be quite a challenge to create 50,000 jobs in the mix four years. Thats what theyre talk about, four years to invest his money. Startups, george, to get that 50,000 is going to require a lot of invests. A major portion of that money coming from saudi arabia, as you indicate, a country that donald trump has been critical of. Many times. Andrew stevens live for us in hong kong. Thank you for the reporting. A jury in the dylann roof trial is expected to be seated today in South Carolina, followed by opening statements. It comes after a federal judge denied a defense request to delay the start of the trial because of a mistrial in the murder case against former South Carolina cop michael slager. Roof is charged with killing nine people at a black church in charleston last year. The governor of new jersey, Chris Christie, his final year in office. It is shaping up to be a long one. According to a new quinnipiac poll just 19 of new jersey voters approve of the job that hes doing. 77 disapprove. Thats the lowest Approval Rating for any governor in more than 20 years. The poll also found that nearly half, 48 , believe that Chris Christie personally ordered the bridge gate traffic jam. And 56 say his involvement in the scandal should be investigated further. Ceos Big Companies are thrilled with donald trump but theres one important business move they wont be making when he takes office. Ill tell you what that is when we get a check on cnn money stream. Thats next. Who says i shouldnt have a soda every day . My doctor. My dentist. Definitely my wife. Hey wait. We have better bubbles. Make sparkling water at home and drink 43 more water every day. Sodastream. Love your water. The Syrian Government forces are closer than ever to retaking aleppo. More than 70 of the last rebel stronghold eastern aleppo has been captured. The assad regime helped by Russian Forces is now using massive fire power to kill or displace house to. The onslaught is so extreme that parts of aleppo have been raised to the ground. Cnns Jomana Karadsheh is tracking developments live from jordan. It is true, we follow the bullets flying but its those personal stories. I know that you spoke of one earlier, how one desperate resident saying that death is much better than fleeing to those regime areas. Alison, the civilians in eastern aleppo are absolutely terrified of what might be coming, what they are going through, right now, as you mentioned, you know, communication to eastern aleppo is very limited. We try and reach civilians who remain there to try and understand what they are going through. What their top choices are right now and how they are surviving, and its been difficult to reach them in the past week or so. As you mentioned, we are seeing this rapid advance by the Syrian Regime forces and their allied troops on the ground. This ground offensive moving into eastern aleppo, capturing neighborhood after neighborhood. Its really moving faster than many people anticipated. Now, the estimates are they control about 75 of eastern aleppo. Now, what happens next to the civilians, to the rebels, now there have been talks of whether were going to see the rebels reach an agreement of sorts that was on the table in the past for them to withdraw from aleppo and move to a different part of the country. Or if they are going to fight until the end. And of course, the biggest question here is the civilians. Weve seen thousands displaced over the past week or so. In the fighting some regime areas but as you mentioned, some of these people that we have spoken to, alison, say that death is much better than going to regime areas. They are absolutely terrified of what they fear will be regime retribution. Is there any indication that the rebels would actually surrenderer . You know, a couple of months back, when we saw more of these offensives taking place in aleppo. We have spoken to opposition figures, and asked them, at that time, i remember one person telling us they would not give up alo help poealeppo. Which seems to be something theyre moving towards right now this would be their biggest victory so far in the civilian war. Of course, we have to wait to see if the rebels would accept any deals on the table to withdraw. Their defenses have been collapsing. It doesnt seem like they have much choice at this point, alison. The head of the Standing Rock sioux tribe says that the thousands of people who gathered together to protest the dakota pipeline should go home as soon as the weather permits. On sunday, the army corps of engineers denied a permit that would have allowed the pipeline to cross under the missouri river. The chairman says the next stage would focus on legal battles. In a statement the chairman thanked the demonstrators and asked them to leave the land as they found it. Lets get a check on cnns money stream. Futures are higher at the moment from another record high yesterday. Stock markets are enjoying solid gains and shares in asia rose overnight. Sprint and t mobile, both wireless carriers getting more than 1 after trumps tweet about japans softbank investing in the u. S. Softbank owns a lank stake in sprint. That stock up almost 33 over the last month. A Senate Committee holding a hearing on the 85 billion merger between time warner and at t. Time warner is the Parent Company of cnn. Also making an appearance, billionaire tech entrepreneur mark cuban. Hes going to be testifying on capitol hill. Hes been a vocal supporter of the merger. A new survey finds american ceos are happy with the Business Environment donald trump is creating. A survey of executives by the business round table finds 67 expect sales to increase over the next six months. Thats up from last quarter. 35 expected to hire more workers during the first half of next year. Thats a significant rise. But Business Leaders are still hesitant about spending money. The percentage expected to increase Capital Spending is dropping. This year heavy equipment maker caterpillar says an increase there will follow economic growth. You know, a lot of the spending from businesses resonates from confidence. Were starting to see confidence. Definitely confidence in the market after you see the dow hit record high after record high. Absolutely. Early start starts right now. Donald trump introducing general james mattis as his pick for defense secretary. The president elect almost daring his critics to try to mound a challenge. In fact, people and nations do not make good decisions when they are driven by fear. A word of advice from the president of the United States barack obama to his successor about fighting terrorism. Good morning. And welcome to early start. Im george howell. Good morning, im alison kosik. It is wednesday, december 7th. It is 5 00 a. M. In the east. And president elect donald trump is Warning Congress against blocking his pick for secretary of defense. At a thank you rally in the battleground state of north carolina, trump introduced his nominee for defense secretary. He noted that retired general james mattis is going to be needing a special waiver to take office. And trump almost dared congress not to give it to him. Cnns Sunlen Serfaty has the latest from north carolina. Reporter good morning, george. President elect Donald Trump Holding his second rally here. He was much more retrained, much more disciplined, quite different from that first thank you rally he had last week where that rally almost devolved into airing of grievances. This rally staying on message for donald trump where he pushed a heavy message for the military community only a few miles away from ft. Bragg where he formally rolled his nominee for secretary of defense. Im proud to formally announce today, my intention to nominate general James Mad Dog Mattis as the next secretary of defense for the United States of america. I look forward to being the civilian leader as long as Congress Gives me the waiver and the senate votes to consent. Hell get that waiver, right . Hell get that waiver. Over, if he didnt get that waiver there will be a lot of angry people. Reporter and both general mattis and donald trump, theyre