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Internal Power Struggle in Trump White House; Trump's Controversial "Killer" Comments as Russia Demands Apology from FOX; Russia Responds to Tensions between U.S., Iran; Trump Speech at MacDill AFB. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired February 06, 2017 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:31:32] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Take a look at this. We have live pictures come in MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. Pretty soon, the president will be speaking there going up to the microphone. He is having lunch with troops right now, but he will have some remarks coming up, formal remarks. We'll have live coverage of that right here on CNN. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, the Trump administration is beginning its third week, facing a major legal battle and a lot of political infighting. In part, the battle is over whether President Trump's travel ban affecting seven Muslim-majority countries should remain on hold. At the White House, the fight is over who has the most power, the most influence.
White House correspondent, Sara Murray, is joining us now with details.
Sara, how is this internal power struggle playing out?
SARA MURRAY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we've seen them take pains to insist that everything is fine, that now Reince Priebus is going to be the person who oversees all of these big-legislative priorities, executive actions and make sure the "T"s are crossed, the "I"s are dotted, and things roll out smoothly. But sources say that has not diminished the tension within the competing power centers in the White House. You still have Reince Priebus, the chief of staff. You have Steven Bannon, a chief strategist. And you have Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law. All who have strong pull with the president, all who have very different views about how he should be using his executive office. The notion that, all of a sudden, this internal infighting has evaporated overnight just doesn't square with reality.
I think the big question is, how much does it really bother Trump? He has a history of operating tumultuous environments and largely being fine with it. And he seems to mostly feel the same way now. We're told that he is happy with the team he has around him. But as for the rest of Washington, I think these stories of chaos and infighting in the White House give them a little bit more heartburn.
BLITZER: Sara, at the White House. Sara Murray, thanks very much. Let's get more insight on the White House power struggles from our
panel. Our legal analyst, former federal prosecutor, Laura Coates, with us; "Washington Post" national political reporter, Matea Gold, is here; and our chief political analyst, Gloria Borger.
Gloria, you have just written a column on CNN.com. Among other things, you write this: "Donald Trump's version of the Lincoln model, less team and more rivals, he manages by conflicts, says one source close to the White House who is familiar with Trump's management style. And in the end, if there's conflict, he likes it because he can steer the point of view himself."
It sounds as if you were saying he wants a certain amount of chaos.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: He does. That's the way he has always managed. You know, the Lincoln-esque view is team of rivals, but you expected them to work together. I think he enjoys the conflict. He likes bringing a lot of people in a room. And then the problem is, when you talk to people inside and outside the White House, there's a sense that he agrees with the last person he spoke with. That could really be a problem when you are trying to set up an orderly chain of command.
In addition, you've got a staff that's trying to prove itself to him. Reince Priebus has had a rough relationship with Donald Trump throughout the campaign. They didn't always agree. And you have a president who upsets the apple cart by tweeting at night or early in the morning. They have to continually put out his fires without getting him angry. It's really difficult.
BLITZER: Matea, the president's controversial nominee to become the education secretary, Betsy DeVos, the vote is supposed to be tomorrow in the U.S. Senate, but I think Democrats are looking for ways to delay it again?
[13:35:07] MATEA GOLD, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, WASHINGTON POST: They are really putting the pressure on, and we are seeing activists around the country dialing up their outrage to Senators offices, both through emails and phone calls. This is going to be a really big test for this administration. This is not a fight they anticipated. There were other cabinet nominees that I think were actually -- they thought they were going to have a harder time.
I mean, I think that her nomination has come to symbolize something that many on the left have really recoiled at, this notion that he sorts of is going against even his "drain of swamp" pledge. This is someone who was a major donor, who doesn't have experience in the schools. And the fact that she is then put up for the highest office to oversee education has really earned a huge backlash.
BLITZER: Two Republicans are going to vote against her confirmation. That sets the stage for a 50-50 tie, which the Vice President Mike Pence would break. But any chances one more Republican will come out and oppose her nomination?
GOLD: That's the question of the moment. They're really putting the pressure on now. I think it's more likely that we say that Pence goes for a tiebreaker. But anything can happen in the final hours.
We'll watch it very closely.
We're watching the legal battle, Laura, that's unfolding right now. The -- it's up to the ninth circuit court of appeals to make a decision, but then it can could all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which only has eight justices right now. Four appointed by Democratic presidents, four appointed by Republican presidents. If it's a 4-4 tie, that ninth circuit court of appeals decision, let's say, it's against the administration, that holds.
LAURA COATES, CNN LEGAL ANLAYST: That will hold, and that will hold the weight for the nation. And it's a good thing that Trump likes conflict because he is going to have three branches of government competing for the actual role here.
Remember, this is about a battle between whether or not the president has overstepped his executive authority to try to make sure there's no national security concerns in our nation. But in doing so, they have to balance against whether he is trampling on the Establishment Clause, which says we can't prefer a religion. Right now, we're in this kind of legal limbo where the courts haven't yet gotten to the merits of the argument. When they do, you're in the most liberal circuit of all. It's so liberal that the Republicans have tried to break up the ninth circuit because it has so much weight and authority. And right now, they are going to be the ones, assuming that they do not have the first circuit coming in, out of Massachusetts, saying, listen, we had the very polar opposite view that that Seattle judge did, and he appealed to us, and we may have a different battle. Either way, this is going to the Supreme Court. And that short staffing that happened last February and March of 2016 will have sweeping repercussions and probably not the support of President Trump.
BORGER: And it could affect the Gorsuch --
COATES: Absolutely.
BLITZER: You mean to have it delayed?
BORGER: In in I way. You know, delay it, certainly be raised as an issue in his confirmation hearings.
COATES: Oh, yeah.
BORGER: And, you know, there's no guarantee that Gorsuch would even side with Donald Trump.
COATES: In fact, you think he is somebody who has been very adamant about the separation of power.
BORGER: Exactly.
COATES: And he does not like the fact that people trample on the judiciary. Remember, Donald Trump's tweets have done just that. They have offended the overall judiciary by assuming that an unpopular judge's opinion is somehow undermines their credibility as a judge.
BLITZER: Gloria, when the president derided the judge and called him a so-called judge, that is -- that could have an impact on the other judges who were in the ninth circuit court of appeals, in fact, federal judges all over the country. It's not the first time the president has done so. He did it to a federal judge in Indiana who was involved in the Trump University case.
BORGER: I think the White House, when it first responded to this ruling, had the word outrageous in their response, and then they removed the word because you don't want inflammatory language referring to another branch of government. Then you have the president tweeting this calling him a so-called judge and clearly it makes the Justice Department's job more difficult. It makes the White House job more difficult. And it reminds people of what he did with the Indiana judge during the campaign.
You know, when you are president of the United States and you are running the executive branch of government, it's probably best not to deride the judicial branch of government because that is what we call checks and balances. That's the way we run.
BLITZER: Everybody stand by. There's a lot more coming up.
Once again, we're standing by to hear from the president momentarily. He will go up to the stage, head over to the lectern. His remarks coming up.
[13:39:43] Also, President Trump defending Russian President Vladimir Putin. The details on what could be one of the president's first big foreign policy tests with the Russian leader. That's next.
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BLITZER: Once again, you're looking at live pictures from MacDill Air Force base in Tampa, Florida, the home of the U.S. military's Central Command and the Special Operations Command. The president will be speaking there shortly. He is having lunch with troops right now. We'll have live coverage of his remarks coming up.
The long-running conflict, meanwhile, between Ukraine and Russia may put President Trump between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, he wants a warmer relationship with Russia. On the other, the president pledged to the Ukrainian president that the United States would work to restore peace on the country's eastern border. But there seemed to be mixed messages from the president and the vice president, in fact, over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[13:45:00] GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS ANCHOR: Russia has been violating the cease-fire in Ukraine. Are they on notice as well?
MIKE PENCE, VICE PERSIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're watching, and very troubled by the increased hostilities over the past week in eastern Ukraine. I know the president had a conversation with Vladimir Putin.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Will I get along with him? I have no idea.
(CROSSTALK)
BILL O'REILLY, FOX HOST, O'REILLY FACTOR: He's a killer. Putin is a killer.
TRUMP: There's a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What, you think our country is so innocent? You think --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: While President Trump is drawing a lot of criticism for drawing what's being called a moral equivalency between Russia and the United States with that remark about killers, the Kremlin took issue with another aspect of the interview.
For more our senior international correspondent, Ivan Watson, is joining us now live from Moscow.
Ivan, the Kremlin is demanding an apology. Tell us why.
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPODNENT: The Kremlin wants an apology from FOX News anchor, Bill O'Reilly. The Kremlin spokesman saying that his comments, basically, accusing Vladimir Putin of being a killer, are offensive and unacceptable. Again, going after the FOX News anchor for making those allegations that the Russian president is a killer.
The fact that Donald Trump, the U.S. president, defended Vladimir Putin, well, the Kremlin did not want to comment on that, but Trump's frequent comments kind of in support of Vladimir Putin, in support of Russia, or taking care not to offend them, that's part of why Trump is so popular here in Russia right now. There was a recent poll that suggested 46 percent of Russians surveyed, they think relations will improve between the U.S. and Russia under a Trump administration -- Wolf?
BLITZER: Ivan, the tension between the U.S. and Iran also growing right now. President Trump calling Iran the world's number-one terrorist state. Now Russia and Iran, they are close allies, working together in Syria. How is Russia responding to this comment from the president?
WATSON: Oh. This is criticism coming from President Trump, Wolf, where he has referred to Iran as a sponsor of terrorism. The Kremlin spokesman has made it clear that Russia does not agree with that terminology, that it views Iran as a country that it has, quote, "kind partner-like ties with." You get into a conundrum here. Trump and his administration have frequently said that they see possible cooperation with Russia in the future in the fight against terrorism, but Trump has also designated Iran as a sponsor of terrorism. Russia disagrees with that definition. How can these two countries potentially work together against international terrorism when they cannot agree on which countries, which actors they believe are behind terror -- Wolf?
BLITZER: Ivan Watson, in Moscow. Thank you very much.
The president of the United States has been introduced by General Joseph Votel, the commander of the U.S. military's Central Command. There you see both of them. Let's listen in to the president. He's at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Thank you, everybody.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Thank you very much.
(APPLAUSE)
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: Thank you. It's so nice. A lot of spirit. Great spirit for this country.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Thank you all.
We have tremendous spirit. And I want to thank you.
We had a wonderful election, didn't we?
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And I saw those numbers, and you like me and I like you. That's the way it works.
(LAUGHTER)
I'm honored to be here today among so many of our really and truly great heroes.
I want to begin by thanking General Votel and General Thomas for their distinguished leadership and service on behalf of our country. Very, very outstanding people.
I'd also like to thank General Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That's big stuff when you have the chairman.
Where is he?
Joe, stand up for a second. This is one of the great people.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Thank you.
Also, Commander Votel and everyone serving at MacDill Air Force Base. Quite a place. And we are going to be loading it up with beautiful new planes and beautiful new equipment. You have been lacking a little equipment. We are going to load it up. You are going to get a lot of equipment. Believe me.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: So importantly, also let me thank all of the coalition partners and their representatives assembled here today. We proudly, very proudly, stand with you. And we will be fighting for your security. They are fighting for our security and freedom.
[13:50:12] Let me recognize our great governor, and a very good friend of mine and somebody who endorsed me. That makes him a better friend of mine.
(LAUGHTER)
If they don't endorse, believe me, if you are ever in this position, it's never quite the same. OK? You can talk, but it never means the same.
But this man is a great, great governor and has done a fantastic job.
Rick Scott, Governor, stand up, please.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Thank you, Rick.
Finally, on behalf of the entire nation, let me express our gratitude to all members -- and I mean all members -- of our military serving in the United States Central Command and the United States Special Operations Command. We salute the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, along with our civilian defense personnel who are so important to the success of what we're doing.
Let me also recognize the military families and spouses who bravely shoulder the burdens of war. I want every military family in this country to know that our administration is at your service. We stand with you 100 percent. We will protect those who protect us. And we will never ever let you down.
As your president, I have no higher duty than to protect the American people. Highest duty we have. I said it the other night. Great, great Supreme Court nominee -- you all saw that. But I said to myself, perhaps the only thing more important to me, definitely, is the defense of our nation. Supreme Court, so important. But we have to defend our nation. And we will do that. Believe me.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: We will do that. And each and every one of you is central to that mission. The men and women serving in CENTCOM and SOCOM have poured out their hearts and souls for this country. They have really experienced things that very few people get to experience. You have shed your blood across the continents and the oceans, you've engaged the enemy on distant battlefields, toiled in the burning heat and bitter cold, and sacrificed everything so that we can remain safe and strong and free. Our administration will always honor our sacred bond to those who sever. And we will never ever forget you. Believe me. We will never ever forget you.
We will ensure that the men and women of our military have the tools, equipment, resources, training and supplies you need to get the job done. You have seen me say we've been depleted. Our Navy is at a point almost as low as World War I. That's a long time ago. That's a long time ago. It's not going to happen anymore, folks. It's not going to happen anymore. Not with me.
But we will ensure no taxpayer dollars are wasted. I have already saved more than $700 million when I got involved in the negotiation on F-35. You know about that.
And I want to thank Lockheed Martin and I want to thank Boeing. And I want to thank all of the companies that have really opened up.
And when I say opened up -- Rick Scott understands this very well -- opened up and cut their prices, OK? Because that's what they did.
And we've got that program. And it's going to be back in really great shape from being really troubled.
And we are going to be taking care of our great veterans. We will make a historic financial investment in the armed forces of the United States and show the entire world that America stands with those who stand in defense of freedom. We have your back, every hour, every day, now, and always.
That also means getting our allies to pay their fair share. Been very unfair to us. We strongly support NATO. We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing. Many of them have not been even close. And they have to do that.
Central Command and Special Operations Command are at the very center of our fight against radical Islamic terrorism. America stands in awe of your courage. Those serving at CENTCOM have bravely fought across the theater of war in the Middle East and bravely battled a vicious enemy that has no respect for human life. Today, we express our gratitude to everyone serving overseas, including all of our military personnel in Afghanistan. SOCOM has dispatched its legendary warriors to the most secret, sensitive, and daring missions in defense of the United States of America. No enemy stands a chance against our special forces. Not even a chance. They don't have a chance. And that's the way we're going to keep it. And you are going to be better off because you are going to have the finest equipment known to man. Going to be better off.
For proof that our nation has been blessed by God, look no further than the men and women of the United States military. They are the greatest fighters and the greatest force of justice on the face of the earth and that the world has ever known.
The challenges facing our nation, nevertheless, are very large, very, very large. We're up against an enemy that celebrates death and totally worships destruction. You have seen that. ISIS is on a campaign of genocide, committing atrocities across the world. Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland, as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino, and all across Europe. You have seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe, it's happening. It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported. And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that.
So today, we deliver a message in one very unified voice to these forces of death and destruction, America and its allies will defeat you. We will defeat them. We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism. And we will not allow to it take root in our country. Not going to allow it.
You have been seeing what's been going on over the last few days. We need strong programs so that people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in, not people that want to destroy us and destroy our country.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Freedom, security, and justice will prevail.
In his first State of the Union message, President George Washington wrote that, "To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace." Almost 200 years later, as the general was also speaking about Ronald Reagan, he said that "Wisdom comes in three very, very strong words, peace through strength." I've said it many times during the campaign, speaking in front of tens of thousands of people at one sitting, and I would always mention America First, a phrase that you probably never heard, make America great again. Anybody ever hear that?
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And peace through strength.
The men and women of the United States military provide the strength to bring peace to our troubled, troubled times. We stand behind you. We support your mission. We love our country. We are loyal to our people. We respect our flag. We celebrate our traditions. We honor our heroes. You are our heroes. And we are prepared to fight. And we pray for peace.
Thank you. God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Thank you very much.
