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Trump Meeting with GOP Leaders in Washington, D.C. Aired 10- 10:30a ET

Aired May 12, 2016 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[10:00:04] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Trump's powwow with Ryan kicked off a busy day after Trump wraps up with the GOP leaders in the House, he'll meet with the party's Senate leaders. The big question, as I said, when Trump leaves Washington today, will the party be united?

We're following all of this as only CNN can with our team of political experts, our chief political correspondent Dana Bash is in front of the RNC headquarters, along with senior political reporter Manu Raju, our chief political analyst Gloria Borger is here with me, and senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta is at a place where Trump will be later meeting with his top aides.

I want to start with you, Dana. So what do you suppose is going on right now?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I can tell you what was going on -- everything OK, Carol?

COSTELLO: Yes, yes. You disappeared for just a second. But you're back now, Dana.

BASH: Oh, good. OK. So what was going on for the past hour while you and I talked through the 9:00 hour was a very, very limited meeting. It was just Paul Ryan, the House speaker, Reince Priebus, the National Committee chair, and Donald Trump, just the three of them. And it seems as though it lasted at least an hour, and in the lead-up to this meeting.

And you alluded to this, Carol, the last time you and I spoke, it appears that Reince Priebus, the RNC chair, was very much the go- between because he has gotten to know Donald Trump over the past many months as the chair of the party dealing with him and all of the contenders for the Republican nomination.

And so I am told by a source familiar with kind of the goings on behind the scenes over the past week that he, Reince Priebus, talked to Trump every day, sometimes multiple times a day in preparation for this and other things, just as they're kind of joining forces, and also consultation with Paul Ryan, another man he knows very well. They're both from Wisconsin. They, again, grew up together in Republican politics there.

So he very much has been kind of the go-between and clearly was that bridge, at least attempted to be, in this meeting that just occurred at the RNC behind me, and kind of the way I was thinking about it. These are my words, not my sources', Reince Priebus is kind of the couple's therapist for this first meeting -- Carol.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: I think you -- I'm being sent e-mails with great information you're getting from the field. Is it true that Reince Priebus and Donald Trump have talked every day leading up to this meeting?

BASH: That's my understanding. Now I should say that given where we are in the campaign, that Donald Trump and his team and the RNC and the whole -- all of the mechanics that go along with the RNC, they have to, you know, now work together. So I can't imagine that the two of them were just talking about Paul Ryan. I mean, they have to join forces and are trying to figure out ways to do that.

So it's not unusual for these two men in their positions to have a very aggressive line of communication, but it obviously different, a lot different, given the state of play right now with Donald Trump and the House and Republican leadership, but obviously mostly Paul Ryan who shocked everybody last week by withholding his endorsement.

COSTELLO: Interesting. All right, Dana Bash, thanks so much.

Let's head across the street to Manu Raju. He's standing with a whole bunch of protesters.

Describe the scene there, Manu.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is rather chaotic, I'll tell you. This is actually group of protesters that has grown larger over the past several hours. There really was only maybe a handful of people initially. Now it's not a ton of protesters, maybe about close to two dozen at this point but they're loud and they're trying to make their point heard and what they're trying to say actually really railing on the issue of immigration reform, one of the most passionate issues, of course, in this campaign season, and Donald Trump taking a very hard line position here. But a peaceful, yet raucous protest.

One thing I want to add about inside the room. That meeting, the smaller meeting that Dana described so well, is that meeting is now concluded. I have been told by sources familiar with the meeting, we're now in that broader leadership meeting beyond just the initial meeting included just Reince Priebus, Paul Ryan, Donald Trump. Now it includes four other members of the House Republican leadership.

A lot of folks who don't know Donald Trump. So that meeting is going to happen right now. We'll see how long it lasts. Paul Ryan has his press conference and we'll hear more about it as well as Donald Trump heads across the Capitol to meet with Senate Republicans. So we'll see if this was a good meeting or not, but one thing that a lot of these guys want to make sure of is that these kind of things that happen, these protests that happen behind them, don't get ugly, don't get to a point where it will embarrass the party and make it hard for those guys down ticket in those very tough House and Senate races, Carol.

[10:05:09] COSTELLO: OK. So, Manu Raju, thanks so much.

Gloria, when you step back, it's just such a soap opera because the specter of Mitt Romney is hanging over all of this, right?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, yes. I mean, don't forget, don't forget that Paul Ryan is very close to Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney, chosen to be his junior partner, his running mate, in the last campaign. I'm told the two talk all the time. So they are very close.

I think, however, when it comes to Paul Ryan, who is the speaker of the House, he has some clear differences with Trump. He doesn't like his tone and I think there's a worry that he's a little bit erratic. I mean, we've seen just yesterday on the proposed Muslim ban, right, which was very strong during the campaign, 70 percent of Republicans in a lot of exit polls supported him on the temporary ban on Muslims, and now he seems to be softening his position --

COSTELLO: There are exceptions.

BORGER: -- saying that it might be a suggestion. So Donald Trump will tell you that he is a negotiator, he is a dealmaker, and what Paul Ryan is all about is his conservatism, his agenda, his very definitive policies. So I think what they're trying to do is find a way to get to yes, so they can support each other because what they both need to do is bring out the voters in the Republican Party to the polls because that will help Paul Ryan's caucus get re-elected, and it will help Donald Trump become president.

So they do have to find a way in the end to be more unified than they are right now because what you're really seeing is unprecedented, and I think in the end they will get to yes. They may not get there this morning, but I think when they continue to have these conversations, they will find a way to do it because it's in their own self interest.

COSTELLO: Interesting. OK. So Donald Trump is probably wrapping up his meeting with the House leadership right now.

BORGER: Yes.

COSTELLO: Next, later this afternoon, he's going to be meeting with Senate leaders.

BORGER: Right.

COSTELLO: Jim Acosta is outside the place where that meeting will take place.

Set the scene -- Jim.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol. This meeting with Paul Ryan and Reince Priebus, that's only one half of the equation. Donald Trump is going to be meeting with the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, and other top Senate Republican leaders at these offices behind me on the other side of the Capitol later on, as you mentioned.

And, you know, basically what the Republican Party is doing right now, the establishment and Donald Trump, what they're trying to do is find a tent big enough for the circus that you've seen roll into town this morning, Carol. And I talked to a Donald Trump aide earlier this morning who said, you know what? They understand that Paul Ryan is probably not going to walk out to the microphones and endorse Donald Trump, that this is an opening conversation.

This is the beginning of a process of healing that they understand needs to take place in the Republican Party. Donald Trump engaged in what can only be described as combat in order to get this nomination. He had to roll over the likes of Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and then some, and it was difficult at times. And so there are some Republicans who have a little DTSD, a little Donald Trump stress disorder, and they're going to have to work through this process.

But I can tell from you talking to people up on Capitol Hill, Carol, you know, I talked to a very good Republican aide source up on the Hill yesterday who said members are all over the place. Those are his words. All over the place when it comes to Donald Trump. And so there is something at stake here for Donald Trump. Yes, he runs against the establishment, he rails against the establishment at these rallies, but he can't have Paul Ryan out there along with Mitt Romney, the last ticket for the Republicans in 2012, sort of making life difficult for him between now and Cleveland.

And I think that's why you've seen Donald Trump over the last several days, yes, he sent out that one tweet saying, well, I don't support Paul Ryan because he doesn't support me, but in the last couple of days what you've seen from Donald Trump is a lot of restraint, a lot of un-Trump-like restraint saying he wants unity, saying he wants to work with Paul Ryan. And when you talk to people inside the campaign they want that as well.

They know there are some policy differences that they have to work through, but there have been policy differences inside the Republican Party on things like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, on taxes for a long time, and they think they can work through those issues, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK. So, Gloria, I want you to help our viewers and me understand why Donald Trump needs the Republican Party establishment so very much going forward.

BORGER: Well, he needs the apparatus, right?

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: But does he really need --

BORGER: He needs the money. Yes. He's -- you know, and the RNC is there for him, and they're going to raise money together.

COSTELLO: So it's about money.

BORGER: So -- well, and it's also about using the apparatus to get out the vote. You know, Donald Trump was not famous for having great get out the vote efforts, and I think the RNC --

[10:10:02] COSTELLO: But he got more votes.

BORGER: Exactly.

COSTELLO: Than any other Republican primary candidate.

BORGER: But that was primaries. That was primaries. And also it's a great concern to Donald Trump, who after all wants to be president, that if he's elected he brings along with him a Republican House and tries to keep a Republican Senate because that means he's going to get a lot more done.

So there is an awful lot of mutual self-interest here, and by the way, you know, Trump walks into these meetings today with these battleground polls in his back pocket which say, by the way, it's very close in these states. So you guys need to be with me because I could just win.

COSTELLO: OK.

BORGER: Right?

COSTELLO: Well, let's talk about that Republican House and Senate thing.

BORGER: Yes.

COSTELLO: And if he can get more things done. So if he really is for raising the minimum wage, if he really is for raising the taxes on wealthy, which he's like intimated, right?

BORGER: Right.

COSTELLO: Just in the past few days.

BORGER: Right.

COSTELLO: How can he get that through the Republican House?

BORGER: Well --

(CROSSTALK)

BORGER: It depends which Republicans get -- you know, get elected and look, I think what Paul Ryan is doing, let me say this, he has an agenda, and if there are Republicans who are uncomfortable with Donald Trump's agenda, whatever that is, they can say, you know, I'm supporting the Republican nominee, but I like the Paul Ryan agenda. He's given them a place to go. However, if you're a Republican in your district, you don't like what Paul Ryan is doing.

So it's not as if there is a united Republican caucus out there. When you run for re-election, it's each man or woman for himself, right? That's what it is. And so everybody has to do what they have to do. Paul Ryan understands that. Donald Trump understands that. And they both have to do right now whatever they need to do to retain control of the House, retain control of the Senate, and try to elect a Republican president. So they have to get somewhere where their voters are motivated, and Donald Trump has motivated Republicans like no one else, right?

COSTELLO: So interesting. So fascinating.

BORGER: So Ryan is in a tough spot here, and he does have to find a way to get this behind him.

COSTELLO: All right. So, Gloria Borger, thanks so much.

Again, you're looking at the RNC headquarters here in Washington, D.C., where Donald Trump has just met with the speaker, Paul Ryan, and also the RNC chair Reince Priebus. We believe -- actually Manu Raju is reporting that Donald Trump has moved to the next meeting now. Paul Ryan is also part of that meeting and also it's a wider meeting of House leadership members, and they're all talking.

Should I take a break here or -- all right, I got to take a break. I'll be back with much more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:16:56] COSTELLO: And good morning, I'm Carol Costello. And welcome back. You're looking at a live shot out of Washington, D.C. That's the RNC headquarters where Donald Trump just met with the House speaker, Paul Ryan, and the RNC chair, Reince Priebus.

We believe Mr. Trump is now meeting with the rest of the House leadership and they're talking about party unity. In fact, so far it went great, at least according to the RNC chair Reince Priebus, who was in that meeting, as I said. He tweeted this out just moments ago. He said, "The meeting was great. It was a very positive step toward party unity."

So let's talk about this meeting and the other meetings that will take place today with the New York state assemblyman and Trump supporter, Bill Nojay, CNN political commentators SE Cupp and Ana Navarro also with me.

Welcome to all of you.

SE CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Hello.

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Hi.

BILL NOJAY, NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Good morning. So, Bill, are you glad to see your candidate doing this?

NOJAY: Absolutely. Look, it was a tough primary season, unlike any we've seen in previous cycles going back in modern memory. So, look, these things happen during primaries. People get their adrenaline flowing and emotions rage, but eventually it's going to come down in November into two candidates. And the parties I think on both sides are probably going to unite behind their candidates, so this is a normal process of winnowing out and then a reconciling or coming back together.

COSTELLO: But this isn't normal, Bill. This has never happened before. This is history in the making.

NOJAY: Well, it is history in the making. We've never started with -- what did we have, 16, 17 candidates? It's always been a smaller field. But, you know, a lot of people say politics is like sports for old folks, and in sports you've got tryouts for the varsity and those tryouts sometimes can get a little testy.

Well, that's what we saw here over the last several months, but Mr. Trump has prevailed. He is a unifier, unifying, he is a business person who is used to bringing parties together with very different points of view, and this process, this healing process, is a largely communications process and you have great communicators here. Mr. Trump certainly knows how to communicate but Paul Ryan and other members of the congressional delegation, they know how to sit down, talk Turkey, and resolve their differences.

COSTELLO: All right. So, you know, I have always wondered if what was said on the campaign trail can be forgiven, if you really can be a uniter when you've said the most awful thing. You know, just yesterday Donald Trump talked about John McCain. John McCain, as you know, threw Donald Trump a bone. He said you know, maybe I can back his candidacy. But then Mr. Trump doubled down on his attack on McCain's war record. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Whether they get caught or don't get caught, they're all heroes as far as I'm concerned, and that's the way it should be and then --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So do you regret saying that?

TRUMP: I don't -- you know, I like not to regret anything. I mean, you know --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course.

TRUMP: You do things and you say things, and what I said, frankly, is what I said.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So, Ana, should -- if Donald Trump was really a uniter, some might say, he should have just said, you know what, I'm sorry I said that. It was in the heat of the moment. Of course John McCain is a war hero.

[10:20:11] NAVARRO: Well, Carol, Donald Trump is a guy who has admitted that he doesn't seek forgiveness from God, that he doesn't, you know, have regrets, has not asked God for forgiveness in recent times, so I'm not sure why any of us would think that he would ask John McCain or POWs for forgiveness or express that kind of regret.

I think it is, frankly, very ungracious from Donald Trump to do that given that John McCain, who opposes Donald Trump ideologically on tactics and on tone, and on so many other things, has given him a lukewarm endorsement in support, but a support nonetheless, and I think, you know, if he is trying to reach out, if he is trying to stretch out a hand and send out an olive branch, the least he could do is say a few gracious things about the guy who said he's supporting him.

COSTELLO: So, SE, if Donald Trump emerges from these meetings today and has a more gracious tone, maybe apologizes for a few things, would that do it? Would he then be able to unify the Republican Party and Republicans across the country, frankly?

CUPP: Well, as Ana said, I don't think apologizing is in Donald Trump's nature. He has said that the tone that he's taken over the course of this election has worked. In fact, in that Imus interview he went on to sort of analyze his McCain comments as putting him ahead in the polls, the sort of really soulless look back on the things that he said that turned a lot of conservatives off.

So I don't think Donald Trump has any desire to change tactics or change course at this point, and I think this meeting is really just kind of a formality to -- for appearances. I know it means a great deal to Paul Ryan and the rest of the House members and Reince Priebus, but I think for Donald Trump this is a formality, and he has no plans to really change any of his tactics that have been working for him over the course of the primary.

COSTELLO: Well, Bill, when you put it that way, why should Mr. Trump change and why is he going through this -- with this anyway?

NOJAY: Well, Carol, can I just interject? Look, politics ain't beanball as has often been said, and there's another old saying in politics, that if you want a friend in politics, buy a dog. This is a contest for the presidency of the United States. Somebody who is going to be able to walk into a room and face down world leaders, people that would do us harm. I don't think the American people wake up in the morning thinking, is this candidate or that candidate going to issue an apology for something?

They wake up thinking who am I going to vote for, that's going to be the leader of the free world, that's going to revive our economy, that's going to make America strong? Donald Trump has shown over and over again all across the country that he has those qualities. Now whether or not a particular candidate says something about another candidate in the course of a hard-fought primary campaign or even a general election, that's not where the American people are in their thinking about candidates --

COSTELLO: Well -- but he wasn't running against John McCain.

(CROSSTALK)

CUPP: Carol, let's reject out of hand that mocking disabled reporters and mocking POWs is politics as usual. I think we're a lot better than that, and I think if you are a POW or someone that Donald Trump has personally attacked, and I speak from experience, you actually do wake up wondering if he's capable of issuing an apology, if he's capable of reflection, if he's capable of being a grown-up, if he's capable of having sympathy and empathy and compassion for the people he would be the leader of.

I think that matters deeply and to dismiss these character issues as unimportant or politics as usual I think -- excuse me -- does a deep disservice to the nature of electing leaders and the nature of the examinations and analysis that voters go through when they go into that poll booth.

NAVARRO: Well, not only that --

COSTELLO: Because don't you --

NOJAY: But you know what --

NAVARRO: You're talking about --

COSTELLO: Let me tell you this, Ana. Ana.

NAVARRO: You're talking about prisoners of war. You're talking about prisoners of war being attacked by a man who was a draft dodger. You're talking about John McCain who hung by his thumb and was tortured by the Vietnamese for five years. You're talking about a guy who wants to be commander in chief.

(CROSSTALK)

NOJAY: Hold on. Carol, we're talking about -- Donald Trump has more then 2-1 support.

NAVARRO: That means being commander in chief of people who are going to serve much like John McCain did and who are going to risk their lives for the freedom of this country and for peace around the world. Something that Donald Trump was never able to do. So, yes, he should apologize.

NOJAY: Carol.

NAVARRO: He should apologize and have some regrets for having offended and attacked those people when he wasn't willing to do any of that.

COSTELLO: And one of the things they're talking about in these meetings, one of the things Paul Ryan wants Mr. Trump to do is be more gracious, Bill.

NOJAY: Look, Donald Trump has more than two to one support amongst veterans. The American military community, both active and veterans, have spoken very clearly so far in this election. Donald Trump speaks for them. He appeals to them and they are going to support him in the general election.

[10:25:05] So various partisan players can demand that Mr. Trump do this or that. The fact is the American people are making their views clear and he has the full support of the veterans' community and American armed forces personnel.

COSTELLO: Do you know that he has the full support? I mean, I don't know that. I haven't seen any poll or --

(CROSSTALK)

NOJAY: Well --

CUPP: Nor does he have the full support of the party.

NOJAY: There's a lot of poll. There's actually a lot of polls showing that.

CUPP: I think 60 percent of the party does not support him. So he only has the full support of the 40 percent of Republicans who support him.

COSTELLO: OK, so --

NOJAY: Look, if Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders think that they can outdo Mr. Trump when it comes to veterans and active duty military personnel, good luck to them. I don't think that's going to happen. I think the polling support is clearly there and Mr. Trump is going a great job talking about American foreign policy and strengthening America's military presence.

CUPP: I don't think that nukes for everyone is a good foreign policy strategy. I don't think anyone has uttered that in the history of nuclear armament.

(CROSSTALK)

NOJAY: Well, giving --

NAVARRO: Not to mention not --