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Trump Team Rushes to Fill Administration Jobs; Controversy over Trump's Bannon Pick; Other Countries Concerned with Bannon Pick; Repairing U.S./Turkey Relations. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired November 15, 2016 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:11] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. Ahead this hour -

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VAUSE: Hello, everybody. Great to have you with us. I'm John Vause. We're now in to the third hour of NEWSROOM L.A.

Across the United States, emotions are running high six days after Donald Trump was elected president. Protesters are turning out by the thousands in major cities. Many students walked out of class on Monday. Most of the demonstrations have been peaceful but there was a violent confrontation on Monday at Ohio State University.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SHOUTING)

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VAUSE: The shooter who tackled the protester was quickly arrested. The demonstrators said shame as he was led away. The man he knocked down was not seriously hurt.

Trump has hundreds of key jobs to fill before taking office in January, including cabinet posts which require Senate confirmation. CNN has learned that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has expressed interest in becoming secretary of state. And Republican Senator Jeff Sessions is considered for defense secretary and attorney general.

But it's the advisers Trump has already named which are causing the most controversy.

CNN's Sara Murray has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESWPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump is already sparking outrage as he builds a White House team with an Alt-Right edge.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our work on this movement is now really just beginning. MURRAY: The president-elect naming Steven Bannon campaign, CEO and executive chairman of "Breitbart News," as a key strategist and senior counselor. And tapping Republican National Committee chairman, Reince Priebus, as the chief of staff.

As Priebus argues, Trump wants to be president for all.

RIENCE PRIEBUS, CHAIR, RNC & TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF: It is important that all Americans understand that he is a president for everyone. He wants to make everyone proud, whatever your race, ethnic background, gender, anything.

MURRAY: The Bannon hire instantly drew criticism from hate-watch groups who have noted Bannon's embraced of the Alt Right movement - (AUDIO PROBLEM) -- conservatives, populists, and Anti-Semites. The Southern Poverty Law Center saying Trump should rescind this hire. The Anti-Defamation League voicing its opposition to Bannon because he and his Alt-Right are so hostile to core American values.

House Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, saying, "There must be no sugar coating the reality that a white nationalist has been named chief strategist for the Trump administration."

In a move that could further fuel concern, Alex Jones, operator of the "Info Wars" website, said Trump called to offer gratitude.

ALEX JONES, DIRECTOR, INFO WARS: He said, listen, Alex, I just talked to kings and queens of the world, world leaders, you name it. But he said, it doesn't matter. I want to talk to you and thank your audience and I will be on in the next few weeks to thank them.

MURRAY: Jones' site is known for pushing many conspiracies, including the notion that Sandy Hook, a shooting that left 20 children dead, was a hoax. And that 9/11 was an inside job.

The moves could further embolden people who have been harassing Jews, Latinos and Muslims in Trump's name, actions of bigotry that the president elect condemned in an interview with "60 Minutes."

TRUMP: I am so saddened to hear that. And I say stop it, if it - if it helps. I will say this and I'll say it right to the cameras, stop it.

MURRAY: All of this as Trump begins to flesh out his presidential priorities, saying he'll focus on deporting two to three million undocumented immigrants who he says have criminal records, but offering little clarity for the millions of other immigrants here illegally.

TRUMP: After the border is secure and after everything gets normalized, we will make a determination on the people that you are talking about, who are terrific people.

MURRAY: Trump also giving little inclination he plans to take up a fight against gay marriage in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling.

TRUMP: It is irrelevant because it was already settled. It's law. It was in the Supreme Court. And it's done.

MURRAY: But suggesting he could still try to curtail abortion rights by appointing justices to overturn Roe v. Wade and leaving further decisions to the states.

(on camera): Transition planning is likely to take on a new sense of urgency on Tuesday. That's when Donald Trump and Mike Pence, his vice-president-elect, also the head of his transition team, will meet here at Trump Tower to pore over a list of names for potential cabinet positions. It is possible we could have some of these open slots, some of these big questions marks nailed down by the end of the day Tuesday, but certainly not a guarantee.

Sara Murray, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:05:36]VAUSE: In the last hour, I spoke with CNN senior political analyst, Ron Brownstein; and CNN political commentator and Trump supporter, John Philips; as well Mitchell Schwartz, a Democratic candidate for the mayor of Los Angeles. I started by asking Ron how much authority is Bannon expected to have?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLTICAL ANALYST: This is a classic situation of a team of rivals that presidents establish in the White House where you have someone, Reince Priebus, clearly, the emissary to the Republican establishment, and Bannon the emissary to what we call the Alt-Right or populous conservative elements of the Trump coalition. The difference is that Steve Bannon is not like anyone we have seen this close to the Oval Office before. Yes, there have been presidents that brought in their political strategists, whether Karl Rove or David Axelrod, and put them in a position like this, but no one has come to the job with a pedigree of Steve Bannon and the kinds of issues that have been raised by his stewardship at "Breitbart." So, it a moment in which Donald Trump is signaling to the Republican leadership, as well as to his critics, that he is not going to be tamed or domesticated into pursuing the agenda that overlaps entirely with what Republicans on Capitol Hill have long advocated. There's a whole other side of Trump, and Steve Bannon is there to make sure he gets his day in the sun.

VAUSE: John?

JOHN PHILLIPS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Steve Bannon is abrasive, he's aggressive, and he's the guy that helped to win the election for Donald Trump. Not only did he help win but, in the final days of the campaign, when he was shifting resources to places like Minnesota, when he was sending people to Wisconsin and Michigan and Pennsylvania, people weren't just questioning his judgment, they were questioning his sanity. And he was the guy that was right. He pegged this election correctly. He knows what he's doing and that's why he is there.

VAUSE: So he's being rewarded? MICHAEL SCHWARTS, (D), LOS ANGELES MAYORAL CANDIDATE: That's what

usually happens on campaigns. It's going to be tough for Bannon, though, once he gets in the White House. What direct authority does he have? His power will rely on his closeness to Donald Trump. And what Donald Trump showed from the campaign is he has a quick trigger. He went through a bunch of campaign managers. We'll see what influence Bannon has. But institutionally, the power goes to the chief of staff because they have the power of the schedule, of appointments and the other perks of the power. But the adviser could be more powerful. It depends on if he has the president's ear.

VAUSE: Ron, I wonder if this is classic "Art of the Deal" stuff. There was relief from Democrats and Republicans that Reince Priebus was announced as the chief of staff.

BROWNSTEIN: Yeah. There was an hour where this looked very different. I think that Trump was functionally an Independent candidate who ran under the Republican banner. There is about half of his agenda that overlaps with what Republicans in Congress have long wanted to do, cut taxes, cut regulation, increase domestic energy production, repeal Obamacare. And when Reince Priebus was announced as chief of staff you could hear the sighs on Capitol Hill that, yes, Donald Trump will come in harness, come in line, and that's what Reince Priebus is there to do. And an hour later, you get Steve Bannon and a reminder that many of the elements of the Trump agenda that are less congenial to traditional Republican thought, rethinking the alliances, walking away from trade deals, radically accelerating deportation or radically reducing legal immigration, expanding infrastructure spending. There is a series of things that Trump has put forward that most Republicans on Capitol Hill will have trouble with. I think the Bannon appointment was a reminder that he is not going to be pushed away or walk away from all of those, and they are getting the full package of what they saw on the campaign trail that they are going to have to deal with and negotiate around as president as well.

PHILLIPS: You look at the failures of the past Republican presidents, go back to the George W. Bush years, what is the criticism that we have seen from the Bush administration from the people back home, back in the states? It's, you come and you campaign here and say one thing and you go to Washington and become a creature of the district and you do another. What Bannon's role of this administration is to keep him connected with the voters and the people. It's going to be easy for Donald Trump to say, you know what, that wall I promised, let's go ahead -- I heard it will be difficult to put up and this group doesn't want it and that group doesn't want it and the Chamber of Commerce is giving us push back, Bannon is going to hold his feet to the fire and force him to do things like that.

[02:10:10] VAUSE: OK -

(CROSSTALK)

VAUSE: -- Steve Bannon's in the White House.

Sorry. Go on, Ron? BROWNSTEIN: I was going to say, John, the complication is that that

is true for a big portion of the Trump coalition but not all of it. If you think about the last few points, particularly among suburban white-collar college-educated white voters, in many ways, they voted for him because they didn't believe he was going to the some of those things. You know, only a minority of voters supported deportation. College whites don't support a ban on Muslim immigration or building the wall. They supported Trump because they questioned Hillary Clinton and wanted change. They believed the political system wasn't working. The challenge is if he goes forward and actually implements all of the edgiest elements of the agenda, can he hold together the last pieces of the coalition that got him over the top, beyond that core, who undoubtedly did respond to those arguments.

(CROSSTAKL)

SCHWARTZ: And that's why Reince Priebus is there to talk to those people.

VAUSE: OK, Bannon's appointment is raising concern, not just in the United States. This is from Israel's "Haaretz" newspaper, "Less than a week after election day, a clear moral dilemma is presenting itself to the American-Jewish community to work with or against the most powerful leader in the one, one that placed a white supremacist and anti-Semite at his side." We have this from the Council on American- Islamic Relations telling "The New York Times" that, "Bannon's appointment sends a disturbing message that anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and white nationalist ideology will be welcome in the White House."

John, at least he is bringing Israelis and Arabs together.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: The leading contender to the ambassador of the United Nations is Rick Grinnell (ph), who is a favorite of the Netanyahu administration in Israel. You look at John Bolton on the short list of being secretary of state, who has been a huge friend to Israel. This is not going to be an administration that is hostile to Israel or Jews.

VAUSE: OK.

BROWNSTEIN: By the way, on "Haaretz" saying the American Jews have a decision to make about whether we support -- I say this as an American Jew -- they shouldn't be saying that. Of course, we are going to support the president. That doesn't mean when we disagree we won't argue with him, but of course -- we are loyal Americans. I don't like the way that sounded. It sounded as if, right from the get-go, Jews may not work with him. That's not true. Even though they voted overwhelmingly for Hillary but, of course, we support the president.

VAUSE: Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, who is dealing with Brexit, their own Trump-like event, she has linked the events together. And this is how she put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: If we take a step back and look at the world around us, one of the most important drivers becomes clear, the forces of liberalism and globalization, which have held sway in Britain, America, and across the Western world for years, have left too many people behind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Ron, does she have a point?

BROWNSTEIN: Undoubtedly. And globalization -- the impact of globalization has been uneven. Certainly, in many developing -- most of the developing world, it has accelerated the movement of people to the middle class but it has widened inequality in most of the developing countries. Politically, the choice that Democrats face -- Hillary Clinton fell in between. She was not as anti-globalization and anti-trade as Donald Trump and couldn't talk to places as though they felt they were on the losing end of globalization. But neither did she embrace the idea that the U.S. benefits from engaging with the world on all fronts, from ideas and people and trade and alliance. And thus, she didn't maximize her advantage in the places, the centers of the new economy that feel they are benefitting from globalization. I think that is more the future of the Democratic party. The Democratic party, I think, has to be the party of openness to the world and the idea that you would be like that on alliance and immigration and not trade doesn't make sense and this election showed the danger of find that kind of waffling.

I felt like, John, in the debates, she was saying -- Donald Trump was saying NAFTA was the worst deal in history and her answer would be it is not that bad. Instead of we do benefit reaching out to the world.

SCHAWRTZ: What I wonder what the prime minister says that liberalism and globalization left people behind. What's the answer? What's Trump going to try to do? Is it go back to the orthodoxy of less government and less taxes? We know that. But what he will do for those people? Does he think by slapping a 35 percent tax on Chinese goods, getting into a trade war will help those workers? Does he think the factory jobs he talks about are coming back? I fear and I think -- and I really hope I'm wrong -- I don't know that those jobs are ever coming back. I think they are not from what people say. And I think he has led working-class folks down a path that he won't be able to grant them what they think.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:15:20] VAUSE: We will take a break. When we come back, the future of U.S. and Russian relations could be shifting. And what Donald Trump and Putin talked about in a phone call on Monday.

And why one Trump adviser thinks extraditing an aging Muslim cleric to Turkey could be the key to repairing strained relations between Washington and Ankara.

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VAUSE: For the past few days, Donald Trump's White House has begun to take shape. Among those seen coming from Trump Tower was this man, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. He's in line for a top national security job. One of the foreign policy challenges for the Trump team, whoever it is, will be the strained relationship with Turkey, a key ally in the fight against ISIS. Turkey allows U.S. war planes and drones to use the Incirlik Air Base that is close to the border with Syria. The U.S. wants Turkish involvement in the operation to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa, the self-declared ISIS capitol. But in the wake of a coup back in July, Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has purged the military, the courts, universities, and the media. 30,000 people have been arrested. And critics say this crackdown moved beyond the plotters of the coup and is aimed at crushing any dissent.

[02:20:25] As part of that, Erdogan is demanding the U.S. hand over Fethullah Gulen, a former imam living in Pennsylvania, who the Turkish president says was behind the plot to overthrow his government.

Last week, on the same day as Americans were voting, the political news website "The Hill" published an article by General Flynn who argued that the U.S. hand over Gulen and do it quickly, calling him a shady Islamic mullah and likening him toll bin Laden. In the op-ed, he said, "If he were, in reality, a moderate, he would not be in exile, nor would he excite the animus of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government."

We still don't know what a President Trump will do. Could this be an early indication what we can expect when it comes to foreign policy?

Earlier, I spoke with Journalist Lucy Der Tavitian, who has spent much of her career covering the Middle East.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

Thank you for coming in Lucy.

LUCY DER TAVITIAN, JOURNALIST COVERING MIDDLE EAST: Thank you for having me.

VAUSE: On the issue of Gulen, there is an extradition process in the United States. Gulen is a legal resident in this country. He is entitled to due process.

DER TAVITIAN: Yes, absolutely.

VAUSE: That court system should play itself out, right?

DER TAVITIAN: Absolutely. Essentially, what they are asking to do is not legal in the United States. We have a separation of our executive branch and judicial branch. Obama can't just extradite Gulen. It's not up to him. There's a process in the United States we have to follow.

VAUSE: Even if it is agreed to, it could be vetoed?

DER TAVITIAN: Exactly.

VAUSE: He is a peaceful humanitarian, runs charter schools here. But to critics, he has a dark side, determined to bring down the Turkish government, and a lot of accusations coming from Ankara. Has Ankara provided hard, firm evidence that Gulen was involved?

DER TAVITIAN: They haven't. Nothing that would prove his culpability in the sense would prove he is guilty due to the fact -- like you are saying, we can't extradite him on the evidence that Turkey has offered so far. The tricks are seeing there's more to come but so far nothing.

VAUSE: Assuming he had nothing to do with the attempted coup, should they extradite him anyway, throw due process out the window because this is something that would ingratiate the incoming administration to Recep Tayyip Erdogan?

DER TAVITIAN: The answer is no. We can't keep changing our rules and policies to please Erdogan. We don't know what kind of relationship Trump will have with Turkey. In this case Recep Tayyip Erdogan will become an asset, a barter chip if you may. Trump was saying he wants to dismantle NATO and now says he wants to uphold NATO. We don't know what he will do and we don't know what the movement are. We know that they were united, that Gulen helped Erdogan. Then he turned on Gulen because he didn't want to share power with him. It is complicated and has a lot to do with power struggles within the Turkish elite. It really is more of an internal issue rather than a U.S. issue.

VAUSE: Some people say we had this pragmatist in the White House, Donald Trump, he's not ideology and essentially handing over Gulen is being pragmatic.

DER TAVITIAN: Again, it goes back to what role Trump wants Turkey to play. They have been helping us to fight is but for the last month the Kurds have been saying they have not been attacking ISIS. So, it depends. Trump did, when he was running for presidency, he came out and he attacked Erdogan and his supposed oil ties with is and, at the same time, he turned around and after the coup when Recep Tayyip Erdogan started to crack down, as you mentioned, on --

(CROSSTALK)

[02:25:13] VAUSE: Pretty much everybody.

DER TAVITIAN: Pretty much everybody, the judges, the scholars, the media for sure. Trump turned around and said he did a good job putting the country together. We can't get involved. We need allies we can't get involved in the internal business of other countries. That's music to his ears. But again, think it comes down to what role Trump wants to you are can -- Turkey to play in the middle east.

VAUSE: Foreign policy is always complicated. Lucy, thank you for coming in.

DER TAVITIAN: Always. That's what makes it so fun.

VAUSE: Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Next here on CNN NEWSROOM, Russian's Vladimir Putin was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Donald Trump. Now, he and the U.S. president-elect is talking about what comes next.

Also, one of Trump's campaign promises could mean trouble for Chinese factory owners. The hit they are hoping to avoid.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Welcome back. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause with the headlines this hour.

(HEADLINES)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[02:30:23] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Russian President has called -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has called to congratulate the president-elect. Putin is a fierce critic of NATO and, during the campaign, Trump often was, too. But President Obama says, after his Oval Office meeting with Trump, he will be able to reassure NATO countries the incoming president is still committed to the alliance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In my conversation with the president-elect, he expressed a great interest maintaining our four strategic relationships and so one of the messages I will be able to deliver is his commitment to NATO and the transatlantic alliance. I think that's one of the most important functions I can serve at this stage during this trip is to let them know that there's no weakening of resolve when it comes to America's commitment to maintaining a strong, robust NATO relationship and a recognition that those alliances aren't just good for Europe. They are good for the United States and they are vital for the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Matthew Chance joins us live from Moscow.

Matthew, the U.S. president says Donald Trump is committed to NATO but during the election campaign, this is what candidate Trump had to say about the alliance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: NATO is obsolete. It was 67 years or over 60 years old. It is many countries, doesn't cover terrorism, OK. It covers the Soviet Union, which is no longer in existence, and NATO has to either be rejiggered, changed for the better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Is there an element of confusion in Moscow? Where do the Russians think the new president stands on NATO?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think the comments we heard from Trump during his campaign are music to the Kremlin's ears. The presence of NATO's continued existence and its expansion in to territory previously part of the Soviet Union, particularly the Baltic States, have been perhaps the biggest thorn in the side of Washington and Moscow since the collapse of the Soviet Union. For Russians to hear an American president, or a president- elect to share their view of NATO is something that is very encouraging for them. Of course, it is widely talked about in in the media here and amongst officials. I think there's no expectation that Donald Trump will see the rolling back of NATO from countries previously that were part of the Soviet Union, which is, of course, what Russia wants, what it says it wants. I think there is an expectation in Russia at the moment that NATO expansion will be halted. There's not going to be further considerations about that. Remember, what Russia really wants is for the point of view on NATO and other issues to be taken in to account by Washington. It seems they have a president-elect, a future U.S. president who is predisposed to doing that.

VAUSE: So, NATO to one side, what are the Russians expecting from this incoming Trump administration?

CHANCE: They have a huge wish list, of course, from economic sanctions, the U.S. imposed sanctions along with the E.U. for its interference in Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea. Trump suggested he would look at recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea, annexed from Ukraine in 2014. That's something, again, which would be incredibly welcomed by the Kremlin.

There's also lots more heightened talk now of closer cooperation between Moscow and Washington when it comes to the conflict in Syria. There's been conversations for several months, even under the Obama administration, about the U.S. and Russia joining forces to eliminates Islamic State. From a Russian perspective, with Trump in power, that is more realistic. You could see a situation where Russia and the United States join forces in Syria. That's something that would be very welcomed in Moscow.

VAUSE: We should keep in mind, every administration, when they come in, they start to talk about resetting the relationship with Russia.

Let's go back seven years ago. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, here she was with the foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), FORMER SECRTARY OF STATE: Thank you.

SERGEI LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Thank you very much.

CLINTON: You're very welcome.

We worked hard to get the right Russian word. Do you think we got it right?

LAVROV: You got it wrong.

CLINTON: I got it wrong.

(LAUGHTER)

LAVROV: It should be (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANUAGE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:35:20] VAUSE: It often doesn't work out as expect. George H.W. Bush said he looked in the eyes of Putin. Is there an expectation that this time it will be different?

CHANCE: I mean, who knows? America doesn't even know what Trump's policies will be when it comes to international affairs, and Russia has high expectations, but in the end, it is, of course, going to be complicated. For instance, the issue of recognizing Crimea. That's going to involve a U.S. policy U-turn on Ukraine. It's going to, yes, build better bridges with Russia, but it will put -- all of the concerns of the European Union allies that are that are deeply concerned about expansionism and militarism in to Eastern Europe, and Syria as well. If the United States and Russia join forces to tackle Islamic State, that is going to put Washington on the same side as Bashar as Assad and Iran, for that matter, which will create its own dynamic of tensions with traditional U.S. allies. It's going to be immensely complicated if this is going to happen at all. And every possibility, as with Clinton and George W. Bush, before her, it won't work out as anticipated.

VAUSE: Indeed. Often doesn't.

Matthew, thank you. Matthew Chance live this hour in Moscow.

While they may be happy in Moscow, when we come back, we'll tell you why businesses in China are fearing the worst from the new Donald Trump administration.

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VAUSE: One of Trump's core campaign promises was to impose tariffs on Chinese imports. If he makes good on that threat, it could spark a trade war.

Here's Andrew Stevens.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN ASIA-PACIFIC EDITOR (voice-over): In a small, non-descript factory in southern China, workers pop out tin cans by the thousands for the U.S. market. It's boring, repetitive work, but even though it is low tech, the profit margins are thin, just 10 percent according to factory owner, Tim Wu. All wiped out if Donald Trump carries out the threat to slap 45percent tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S.

(on camera): How worried are you about your future?

TIM WU, FACTORY OWNER: If the tariffs kick in, I will be very worried. All our prices would increase. But if our clients in the U.S. do not accept this, we won't be able to continue manufacturing in China.

[02:40:02] STEVENS (voice-over): That means potentially 70 people thrown out of a job.

(on camera): Ghonwong City (ph) is the heart of this southern Chinese province known as the world's workshop. Factories here are doing a part as China's economic growth slows to a 25-year low. The last thing they want is a trade fight with one of their biggest export markets.

(voice-over): Exports still matter for China. Even though Beijing is trying to wane the economy off the export model, last year, nearly $500 billion worth of Chinese goods went to the U.S. alone, all of which could be subject to punitive tariffs.

But exporters here aren't panicked yet. Over a lunch of prime U.S. steak and Portuguese wine these factory owners tell me why.

UNIDENTIFIED FACTORY OWNER (through translation): When the products go to the United States and they put on those heavy tariffs it will not be good for the ordinary people. The increased prices will hurt them.

UNIDENTIFIED FACTORY OWNER (through translation): Trade goes both ways. It they suppress us, our country would suppress them, too, and this would be a vicious circle. I don't think we need to worry too much.

UNIDENTIFIED FACTORY OWNER (through translation): It would be a major hit on China but it might have a bigger impact on America, I think. American businessman use us to make their products so it would hurt.

STEVENS: One key point everyone at the table was kin to make, Donald Trump is a businessman and slapping on tariffs, sparking a potential trade war is not good business.

Andrew Stevens, CNN, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Finally, Actor Alec Baldwin had the world laughing with his impersonation of Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live." And turns out the critics liked it, too. He has been nominated for a Critics Choice Award. And he is in good company. Larry David, also known for his portrayal of Bernie Sanders, also on "SNL." The Critics Choice Awards will be held next month. Clearly, Hillary Clinton no longer in the running.

You are watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause.

Stay with us. "World Sport" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Hello, there, and welcome. I'm Don Riddell, at CNN Center. And this is "World Sport."

Let's kick it off today with the tennis action at the o2 arena where Andy Murray is playing for the first time as the new world number one. Murray welcomed with a standing ovation. Murray kicked off his campaign against the 2015 U.S. Open champion Cilic. Murray has never won the world tour finals. He may have to win it if he wants to protect his top ranking and he is on terrific form. He says this was one of his better matches in the finals.

Up next, for Murray, it will be the Japanese star, Kei Nishikori, who kicked off his tournament with a win against the U.S. Open champion Stan Wawrinka. He was good but Wawrinka, frankly, was well below par. It was over in just over an hour, 6-2, 603 score. It is a great start for Nishikori who could end the season as the world number three.

[02:45:10] There is a lot at stake in London this week. Remember, Djokovic has won the tournament five times before and won it in London for the last four years. Another win and he will tie Federer's record.

The rankings can be complicated. But Murray currently leads Djokovic by 405 points. But he will lose the 275 points he gained from helping Great Britain win the Davis Cup this time last year and that reduces the advantage to just 130 points. The ATP Awards 200 points for each round robin win, 400 for winning the semifinal and 500 if you win the title. An unbeaten champion will walk away with 1500 points. It is going to be winner takes all for Murray or Djokovic this week as long as the Serb wins at least two of his round robin matches.

Meanwhile, what is up with Novak Djokovic? The Serbian is usually robotic in his domination on the men's tour and usually keeps his emotions in check. But this year there are a few chinks in his armor and lost his world number-one ranking this year to Murray. At one point, he hit a ball into the crowd and he was still pretty mad when he was asked about it in the post-match press conference.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: We saw you venting your frustration. Does it concern you that could cost you dearly? NOVAK DJOKOVIC, TENNIS CHAMPION: You guys are unbelievable.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why is it unbelievable?

DJOKOVIC: You are always picking these kinds of things.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You keep doing these things.

DJOKOVIC: Why don't I get suspended then?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You were close, weren't you?

DJOKOVIC: I'm still not suspended. I'm still not suspended. If I'm not close. I'm not close.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It could have been serious.

It could have been, sure, or it could have been snow in O2 arena today, but it didn't.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: But you are not concerned about your mind set?

DJOKOVIC: I'm the only player that shows frustration on the court. That's what you want to say. I'm the only player that shows that.

(CROSSTALK)

DJOKOVIC: Sorry?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You are one of the top ranked players in the world.

DJOKOVIC: So.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you think it's an issue for you?

DJOKOVIC: It's not an issue for me. It's not the first time that I did it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIDDELL: OK.

A lot of planning, strategy and effort goes into winning international football matches. Divine intervention doesn't hurt either. The champions Italy are playing Italy in a friendly this week. On the eve of the game, they popped in though Vatican with an audience with Pope Francis. He is well known football fan and has a signed Germany shirt for his collection. They will play Italy on Tuesday.

The pope is in Argentine and he met their national team three years ago and they could do with a bit of help from above. Despite making it to the World Cup final in 2014, Argentina are in danger of missing out on the next World Cup all together. They are languishing in sixth place. There's still seven games left to play, but only the top four will automatically qualify for the tournament in Russia 2018.

USA made friends before last Friday's game with Mexico and then lost 2-1. They are outside of the top three. You head to Russia. They travel to Costa Rico on Tuesday where they have never won. China would love to be there, too, and have thrown huge amounts of money at the World Cup-winning coach to make it happen. He's already talking about the miracle they need to get off the foot of their Asian qualifying group. And Australia can't afford slip ups in the other Asian group. Thailand's leaders have relaxed their ban on cheering in the stadium.

[02:50:20] They say every cloud has a silver lining. Does Manny Pacquiao's jacket lining contain a hidden message?

Stay with us.

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RIDDELL: Remember the fight of the century, that over-hyped clash between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas last year? It was a terrible fight. However, it looks as though we could be in for a rematch. A number of signs lately indicate the two could be negotiate for another mega bout. Mayweather won on an anonymous points decision was ring side at Pacquiao's last fight earlier this month. There wasn't official talk of a fight. Mayweather is currently in retirement. Now look at this. Pacquiao just posted this picture to his Instagram account with the caption, "Like my jacket?" he didn't like anything else but the ling is of he and Mayweather in action. Why would he do that? Pacq2uiao's promoter, Bob Aaron, says he thinks the fight is 75 percent likely to happen. We'll see. It has to be better than the last one, surely.

World rugby bosses claim the sport's return to the Olympics in Rio has attracted 17 million new fans to the game. Research was released on the opening day of the World Rugby Conference. Even independent observers hailed its Olympic debuts as a success. Especially Fiji's gold, their first. They didn't take the accolades at the world rugby awards it was a fantastic occasion.

Alex Thomas was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great to rub shoulders with great people in our sport.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm stoked to be here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a celebration in rugby. I'm not worried about who wins and who doesn't. Get amongst the people and supporting the game on one particular night.

ALEX THOMAS, CNN WORLD SPORT CORRESPODNENT (voice-over): Rugby may be two centuries old but this is only the 16th time the sport handed out annual awards. 12 months on from their record World Cup win, New Zealand's All Blacks were the star guests.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New Zealand.

THOMAS: They dominated the ceremony. While England, Ireland, Australia and south Africa were among the winners of 12 awards, the team, coach of the year and men's player of the year all went to the reigning world champions from New Zealand.

[02:55:03] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty obvious players leaving, really had a point to prove and helped us in terms of motivation. We are a team that wants to keep growing. This year we had a strong desire to improve and get better as a group.

THOMAS (on camera): When the legends left the team, did you say there is a record to go for in terms of the streak for winning those matches?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not at all. Our point of view was going out and trying to establish who we were as a group, a new group. Bunch of men putting on the Jersey and trying to establish our legacy. Obviously, we got close and then we started to think of things like the record. We wanted to get out and have fun.

THOMAS (voice-over): So those are the 2016 winners. Congratulations to them. And the next awards will take place after a year that includes a tour of New Zealand and women's rugby World Cup in Ireland.

Alex Thomas, CNN, London.

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RIDDELL: Of course, rugby is the national sport in New Zealand and All Blacks players are revered. The former captain is practically a god, at the least a hero. And New Zealanders have found new love for him after the earthquake that struck on Sunday. He retired last year and is a helicopter pilot. And he spent the last couple of days flying rescue workers in to the affected areas.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was just discussing. Able to get some help to them or whatever you can do. It is nice to be able to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIDDELL: Good for you. Well played, sir.

That's it for this edition of "World Sport." Thank you for your company. I'm Don Riddell at CNN Sport Center.

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