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President Trump Came Out This Week With Positions On NATO, The Chinese, Even Fed Chair Janet Yellen; Pyongyang Is Threatening All-Out War If It Is Provoked By The U.S.; President Trump Has Been Monitoring The Situation In North Korea From His Private Mar-A-Lago Resort; United Airlines Is Changing Its Policy After Facing Backlash From The Viral Video Showing A Passenger Being Dragged Off An Overbooked Flight; President Trump Is Sending His Own Message In The Past Couple Of Weeks. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired April 15, 2017 - 16:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:00:27] ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York.

We begin with some breaking news on the west coast. I want to take you there where protesters supporting and opposing President Trump are clashing in Berkeley, California. This video was just moments ago. A fight breaking out among the crowd there. And it really escalated quickly. We watched this. We do know four people have been arrested and a couple of people have minor injuries. But we are working to get more information on exactly what is going down, and what police are doing about it.

Now, we have video, again, from moments ago that you are watching right now, fighting happening in the streets of Berkeley, California, during protests amongst supporters of President Trump and those who are opponents.

Police also tell us they have confiscated a number of items from the crowd, something they cowl contraband from demonstrators like a knife, some wooden sticks. We are working to get more information on exactly what is happening. Last check, things seemed to have calmed down just a little bit. But it doesn't take much for a scene like this to break out as we have been watching these pictures for some time now.

Meanwhile, we are also monitoring other big stories happening around the globe. In North Korea today, the country is not just ignoring President Trump's threats, but raising the stakes. It used a major holiday parade to roll out never-before-seen weapons, specifically missile canisters that are larger than any the volatile country has shown us before.

CNN has inside Pyongyang right now. Our crew was at this parade. And what you are seeing are two of the most worrying developments. Expert say these canisters are capable of holding intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach the U.S. mainland, emphasis on the word, could there. As of right now, it's unclear if there's anything actually inside

these canisters, but if so, the design means they could be deployed rather quickly, the more easily hidden from satellite detection. It's a disturbing realization and it comes as analysts speculate that North Korea is close to carrying out another nuclear test. It if does, there is a chance vice president Mike Pence will be just across the border. He is expected to land in Seoul overnight. We saw him this morning take off from the U.S.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is in South Korea and ha more now in North Korea's latest show of strength and the anticipation ahead of vice president Mike Pence's trip to the region.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anna, the U.S. vice president Pence is on his way to Seoul at a particularly interesting time on the peninsula, certainly recently the North Koreans said that they are ready to respond to all-out war with all- out war. And you saw a massive military parade in Pyongyang this Saturday. Experts around the world and intelligence agencies will be poring over those images to get any kind of information they can about of what the capabilities of the North Koreans is or what their goals and their aims are.

Now, in particular, the one thing that people are looking at is two new types of ICBM canisters. This is the intercontinental ballistic missiles which would have the potential of hitting mainland United States. Now, experts are saying that they are larger than anything they have seen before. Potentially it is a design concept. It is an indication of what North Korea is working towards.

And certainly North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has been very clear about what he wants to do. He wants to have an ICBM that can hit the United States, the mainland, with a nuclear-tipped warhead. He said at the beginning of this year he was close to testing an ICBM.

So this is what the experts are looking at from Pyongyang at this point. We know that the vice president Pence is coming at this tense time. He will on Sunday be going to service. He will be laying a wreath at the national cemetery. And then on Monday he will be meeting the acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn.

Interestingly, though, he is meeting politicians that won't be in power for a few weeks' time. It is a very tricky time here in South Korea. The previous president was impeached, imprisoned, and there will be an election on May 9th. So certainly it is a very difficult time to be trying to deal with the likes of North Korea.

But when you look at South Korea, certainly on the streets of Seoul, you don't see these tensions, you don't feel the concern that you feel further afield from Korea. This country has dealt with a northern neighbor that they are technically with war with for decades. So certainly from an unofficial point of view on the streets of Seoul, it appears as though it's business as usual -- Ana.

[16:05:03] CABRERA: Paula Hancocks, thank you. Let's get right to our panel with me CNN global affairs analyst

Kimberly Dozier and North Korea expect and president of Iris independent research Rebecca Grant.

Rebecca, first to you. What is the message Kim Jong-Un is trying to send by unveiling those weapons?

REBECCA GRANT, NORTH KOREA EXPERT: Well, he is trying to send a message that he is on his way to having a nuclear tipped arsenal. But it is interesting that he settled for putting these on a flatbed on parade. I would personally be a little more impressed if they were out on a test range. We do know though he has made incremental progress in trying to test both land based missiles and a submarine launched ballistic missile. They are making step by step progress. I think today is just expected just for show. It's really going to be about how he continues this test program in the future.

CABRERA: Are you surprised that we have not seen a test happen on their biggest holiday?

GRANT: Not necessarily. He would have liked to do that, I'm sure, but he has had to settle for this. Maybe it's partly due to pressure from China, or they may just not quite be ready to test. But let's remember that it's all about balance. And we do have missile defenses in place. We have ground based interceptors in Alaska and Vandenberg in California. We have sea based interceptors throughout the region. And of course the new theater high altitude air defense system going into South Korea.

CABRERA: So it sounds like you think that the U.S. and our allies are prepared should Kim Jong-Un move forward.

But Kimberly, the president has said he thinks China will help then, however he has also said he would go it alone and deal with North Korea himself, or the U.S. would. What are his options?

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, it is likely that China has made some calls to Pyongyang and said, look, this administration might really strike you. And Trump has acted and shown by sending in the carrier group to park just off of North Korea's shores a symbol that the Obama administration never deployed before.

Someone close to Trump explained to me that his thinking is, the world, you can't make it perfect, but when you see your interests being stepped upon or infringed upon, you can send signals that you're not going oh accept getting pushed any further, and that that is part of what's going on here.

Then again, so Pyongyang could be reacting to that or it could simply be drawing out the suspense, and we could see a test in the coming days.

CABRERA: Rebecca, President Trump touted the fact he's unpredictable. Is unpredictability an asset when dealing with someone like Kim Jong- Un? GRANT: I think strength is an asset, and he's shown that. You know,

in a way Trump is trying doing what he said he would do in the campaign. He wants to make our rivals respect us. So he has done some things in the past week or so that have helped him there. And also, very important we see this with the Pence visit. The Trump administration wants our friends in the region to know they can depend on us. And I think having vice president Pence set to visit there is a really strong signal. Secretary Mattis put it well. This is about getting together with our allies. North Korea has got to change its behavior.

CABRERA: All right, ladies, I got to leave it there. We want to get back to the breaking news.

Kimberly Dozier and Rebecca Grant, thanks to both of you.

CABRERA: Let's take you back to Berkeley right now.

Breaking news. These are pictures right now overhead of protests happening in the Berkeley area where we have been watching fights breaking out among those who are in support of the president, and those who don't like what he has been doing in office. We know there were going to be tax day protests all around the country. Presumably this is what it began as, tax day protest. But we've seen these two different factions in terms of people's perspectives now clashing on the ground in a very physical way, where fights have been breaking out. We know four people are under arrest, and a couple of people are injured. We'll keep an eye on this and take a quick break and be right back.

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[16:13:22] CABRERA: Welcome back. President Trump again spending the weekend at his Florida resort, his seventh trip to Mar-a-Lago since taking office and it is counting (ph). Administration officials are not only dealing with spiking tension in North Korea. But this was also the week that the U.S. military made a historic move on the battlefield in Afghanistan. And the president appeared to have changed his tone and his tune on several major American policy issues.

So let's talk it all over with CNN political commentator and Republican strategist Alice Stewart. Comedian and "Daily Beast" contributor, Dean Obedallah, and White House correspondent for the "Washington Examiner," Sarah Westwood.

Sarah, I will start with you. President Trump came out this week with positions on NATO, the Chinese, even fed chair Janet Yellen that were all different than when he was running for office. Do you think it's a case of reality just looking different from the top?

SARAH WESTWOOD, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Well, I think we were always going to have a risk of policy shift with President Trump, because he is an ideologically flexible man. That was something that gave conservatives pause when he was running for the Republican nomination because they thought he was unmoored from the type of conservative ideology that most other Republicans seeking the presidency were guided by in the past. And that has come to fruition in several key areas that have concerned Republicans.

But what I think that Trump is doing is shifting in areas that aren't necessarily near and dear to his base, like NATO, like the export/import bank. Those aren't things that voters typically care about, and that he runs the risk of beginning to alienate his core supporters as he starts to flip his positions as they relate to trade and immigration because those are the issues that put him in office.

[16:15:02] CABRERA: Now, let's talk a little bit about another move that the president's administration made this week. Just yesterday, the White House said it will no longer make visitor logs public. That has gotten a lot of backlash. Congressman Adam Schiff, California Democrat, tweeted this. The same White House that just agreed to sell your browsing history won't disclose visits to White House to protect privacy of lobbyists. Swamp wins again.

Dean, is that how you see it?

DEAN OBEDALLAH, CONTRIBUTOR, THE DAILY BEAST: I think -- I agree with Schiff. And I think that Donald Trump, when he is going to drain the swap apparently, he is being sarcastic when he said that.

You know, he went after President Obama and everything, from his birth certificate, high school records revealed. I'm surprised he didn't ask for his play list on his ipod. Now giving the visitors logs, which had exceptions for national security, not letting us see who he meets is very troubling. It paints a picture of Donald Trump doesn't want us to know what's going on, be it his tax returns, press conferences or this. We should know who's meeting our president at the people's house, the White House. So this is a real issue.

CABRERA: Alice, is this a transparency issue?

ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, Ana. I'm fully in support of openness and transparency with our government. But this thing to keep in mind, they are not closing these records for all to see. They're simply making it where you have to fill out a freedom of information action request. It's a pain in the rear, but it does provide a process in which you can obtain this information. And it will be made available to those that fill out the proper paperwork. And given the nature of security issues that we've had over the last several months, in recent years, I think it's important that we do protect some information that the White House does have. But also, make it available for those that do need it and request it, to make it available. I think that's the fine line that the White House is walking on this.

CABRERA: Let's talk more about public versus private or at least actions happening in public versus private, the president who normally welcomes cameras. He signed a bill this week that essentially gives states the option of whether or not they would provide grant money to Planned Parenthood.

Sarah, why do you think he did that in private?

WESTWOOD: I think for context, that was a congressional review act bill. And President Trump has signed a number of congressional review act bills without the media present. Later that day, for example, he signed a labor department CRA bill that did not have reporters present at the signing ceremony. He hasn't typically invited the media in when he signed the CRA bills. The internet privacy rule that Adam Schiff was actually mentioning in

his tweet hitting the White House on withholding the log. That was another CRA bill that he signed behind closed doors. So it's not necessarily a departure from his normal procedures when he' is signing the CRA legislation. I think it's because this is such a highly partisan bill. And temperatures are run so high on the issue of abortion that more attention was paid to the fact this particular bill, but it is not it is in keeping with how he has handled the other CRA legislation.

CABRERA: You know, the other thing that seemed to get buried this week, but I think this is important as we continue to follow the Russia investigation, and the ties between the Trump associates and Russian meddling in the election and is there anything there, we have some exclusive reporting this week that classified documents contradict house intel chairman Devin Nunes who remember stepped down last week from the House investigation, and the surveillance claims he made. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have found that there is no evidence that the Obama administration officials did anything unusual or illegal.

Alice, that seems pretty significant, no?

STEWART: Sure it is. And look. I have said this for the last week or so, given so much that has gone on with regard to how Devin Nunes has handled this investigation. I think we need to just hold all of our cards, let the investigation play itself out, and then look at the facts after the investigation is complete. I think this has been handled in a very poor way. I think the way he has gone to the press and the president before a meeting with other members of the Intel committee I think was inappropriate. So I think there's so much of this particular aspect of the Russian influence in the election case has been bungled. We need to let this investigation play out. And really keep focus on the big picture what this was all about is did we know that Russia did interfere with our election, but did it influence it in any way, and that's what we need to keep the focus on as this plays out.

CABRERA: Dean, we just have a couple of seconds, but I want to give you one more chance to get in on the conversation. What do you think about that information sort of getting buried among all the other news this week for better or worse?

OBEDALLAH: We have so much news, you can't keep track. It is one second and the other. One quick thing about the Planned Parenthood thing. I think it's despicable that these men are playing politics with women's health. There's no funding for abortion. Zero from the federal government. This has taken the most vulnerable women who go to health care for mammograms and pap smears to find out if they have cancer or they are sick, and to cut their funding is so callous. There's no place for it at all. It is reprehensible. So I think it's important, I don't care what they sign that bill. And the idea of what it is doing and the impact is going to have on women around this country is horrible. It is wrong.

[16:20:23] CABRERA: Dean Obedallah, Sarah Westwood and Alice Stewart, thanks for talking about some of the other news this week with us. We appreciate it.

OBEDALLAH: Thanks.

CABRERA: Now, quick update on the breaking news we have telling you about. Twelve people we have learned have been arrested during some of the violent clashes at a protest in California. This was the scene in Berkeley, California, just minutes ago. First, they confront each other. Then full-on fight breaks out. We will have much more just ahead.

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[16:25:05] CABRERA: Breaking news on the west coast. Live images right now of protests about President Trump have been turning violent in Berkeley, California. Right now there's a calm over the crowd there. But we have seen fights breaking out. And now we know, 12 people have been arrested. Berkeley Police telling us a firecracker was even thrown into the crowd. Police have confiscated a number of items, they call contraband, as we show you the pictures of this. Looks like a knife, some wooden sticks.

We are trying to get more information about exactly who is fighting who. But the "San Francisco Chronicle" is reporting that today's rally follows other violent eruptions at other rallies, conservative or pro-Trump events that have been taking place in the Berkeley area last month. In fact, ten people were arrested and a lot of others bloodied and bruised as fist fights broke out between marchers and counter protesters which is much of what we have been seeing here today, including people who they call mass anarchists.

So here is one video from moments ago. One of the fights we have been talking about, back in February as well the University of California at Berkeley said protests at the school ahead of the Planned Parenthood by right-wing commentator (INAUDIBLE) caused $100,000 of damage to the campus. The commentator's appearance was canceled in that moment. But again, today's protests going the wrong direction with these two different factions, fighting in the streets of Berkeley, California.

All right. Let's talk more about what's happening around the globe now. CNN with rare access inside North Korea. And our Will Ripley was there as North Korea's new missiles were paraded through the streets of the North Korean capital. You will see his report next.

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[16:30:54] CABRERA: Breaking news on the west coast now. Protests about President Trump are turning violent in Berkeley, California. I want to show you live images right now overhead. We have learned the arrest total has climbed to 14 people who have now been arrested.

Byron White with the city of Berkeley police department is joining us on the phone now.

Thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us more about what exactly happened this afternoon?

BYRON WHITE, BERKELEY POLICE DEPARTMENT (on the phone): Certainly. We have had a number of skirmishes inside the park, some of which have spilled out into an adjacent street. We have made 14 arrests. And there's been two reported minor injuries.

CABRERA: Now, as we look at these images, it looks like there's so much trash in the street, maybe somebody starting a fire with that. Earlier, we were showing video of two groups that looked like fighting each other. And there are a bunch of people wearing black. We saw the "San Francisco Chronicle" describing those folks as anarchists. Are those people who typically show up at some of these protests and cause trouble?

WHITE: It's something that we have seen in the past. However, I'll leave it to those groups to explain who they are and what they are about. In terms of today, one of the steps that we took prior to this event was to set up some controlled access points as well. We also banned a number of items, prohibited a number of items that people could potentially use as weapons before this event.

CABRERA: Now we're looking at some of the video from earlier where one of those fights happened. Can you tell us any more about injuries?

WHITE: So, the two injuries that were reported to us, one involved an officer who was exposed to some, what we believe is tear gas. When a member of the crowd put it out into the park. Another person was sprayed with what we believe is bear spray, or pepper spray type bear spray. Both of those people have since been treated and released.

CABRERA: Officer, when we look at images, you don't see police getting involved and trying to break up the fight. Why is that?

WHITE: I imagine that some of what you may be talking about is when the -- some of the people went out into the adjacent street.

CABRERA: Yes.

WHITE: As I mentioned before, we had a number of controlled points, trying to limit the weapons that people had when they are having their peaceful demonstration. When those -- when that controlled area broke free, that presented a particular challenge for us, that officers had to confront people who were potentially armed out in the street. So there was a degree of caution necessary.

CABRERA: Will you go back and watch some of the video, do you think, and try to follow up and make additional arrests?

WHITE: Certainly. Just as in past demonstrations, the police department continues its investigation after the event. The Berkeley police aren't just responsible for what happens in the park, but for the entire city. And we are going to review any video recordings from the area, as well as videos the public sends in to us, and perhaps send out arrest warrants for those people as well.

CABRERA: Now, when you talked about the challenges of trying to control the crowd that spilled out into the street because the event was initially planned to be at the park, do you feel like the law enforcement on scene was prepared for the what-ifs? You talked about the possibility of weapons and people being outside where the checks were. It seemed like that could have been a possibility. How did you guys plan to deal with that?

WHITE: Well, keep in mind that none of the parties who were at the event today have filed for any type of permit. So the information that we do come up with are things that we have seen on social media or being fired in the area. So it's a situation where we have to try and plan for something we do not have necessarily a complete picture for.

[16:35:01] CABRERA: Do you know any more about the groups of people who are now in the streets and at the park?

WHITE: Well, as we all know, one group said that they would start their event at noon. And they have -- I'll leave it to them to explain what they are all about. And then there's another group, a counter protest who said that they were going to be there at 10:00.

CABRERA: OK. And of course, that's three hours earlier there from where we are here on the east coast, 4:35 in New York, and 1:35 currently there. So those protests starting as early as three hours ago. We will continue to watch the developments there.

We appreciate you taking some time, Byron White, to talk to us again, public information officer for Berkeley police. And good luck as that continues. We appreciate your time.

All right. Still ahead after campaigning to make America great again, President Trump has spent the past week sounding more like the world's policeman. We will examine his shifting foreign policy.

And in this week's living to 100, CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta describes what the best diets have in common and how sticking to one might help you live a little longer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: People always talking about wanting to lose weight and wanting to get healthy and talking about diet and exercise. That's exactly what you should be talking about.

Bit here is a little secret. Diet is far more important than exercise when it comes to actually accomplishing those things. If you want to look at what these diets that doctors like have in common, there are really three basic things you need to look for.

They got to have a lot more vegetables. They are going to cut back on sugars. And they are also going to be cut back on grains particularly refined grains. There are people who will say look, if you want to completely rid your

risk of heart disease, perhaps you shouldn't eat meat at all. Just don't eat any red meat in particular. And those are people who say look, that's going to hard for me to do by cutting back and when you do eat it, making sure it's no bigger than the size of your palm.

I love this thing that they do in Japan. And the phrase is called (INAUDIBLE). What it basically means is that you push the plate away when you are about 80 percent full. The point is, you never stuff yourself.

Here's a little tidbit when it comes to diet, it can help you lose weight. It can improve your health and it can increase your longevity, helping you live to 100.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:41:01] CABRERA: Breaking news on the west coast. Let's take you back to Berkeley, California, just moments ago, this is what happened. As you watch these groups gathered in the streets, protesters who have been clashing in the past few hours. And then you see there's what appears to be some kind of tear gas that goes off in the street. People start running, dispersing everywhere. We are also watching some of the video where just moments ago more fighting happening on the streets.

We just spoke with the information officer who was there, Byron White, who tells us that this event started as early as 10:00 this morning local time. So about three-and-a-half almost four hours ago now. There go the folks running in the street. It was supposed to happen at a park. Couple of different groups showed up, some who were more apparently more pro-Trump, others who have been protesting the policies, as well as calling on President Trump to release his taxes today. They have been since clashed in the streets.

And here are some live images now. It looks like some of the groups are a little more spotty and have been dispersed following that tear gas. Apologies for the video going in and out. Those were live pictures and coming from a helicopter overhead, those aerial images, so we don't have control over that. But we do know at least 14 people have been arrested and a couple of minor injuries. We will continue to monitor the situation on the ground again in Berkley. California.

But now to North Korea, and Pyongyang is threatening all-out war if it is provoked by the U.S. The nation appeared to show off some new missiles that might have the ability to strike targets in the U.S., and Europe. We do not know if these intercontinental ballistic missiles are actually operational. The display happening at North Korea's annual military parade marking the birthday of the nation's founder.

And CNN's Will Ripley was there. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An ominous site in Kimmel Sung Square (ph), North Korea's growing missile arsenal on full display. Including what the South Korean military suspects are two never before seen two intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Like all military parades around the world, these missiles are most likely mockups. And analysts believe North Korea has the real thing and may be waiting for just the right moment to put this modernized missile arsenal to the test.

What should the world think when they see these ballistic missiles rolling by? Is North Korea a threat to the world?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

RIPLEY: The Korean people's army is fully ready to attack our enemies at any moment, he say, if they try to attack us.

Despite escalating rhetoric and U.S. warships and submarines headed for the Korean coast, the nation's supreme leader, Kim Jong-Un, did not test a nuclear weapon Saturday as many predicted. Instead, he showed forces by showing off missiles that could someday deliver nuclear warheads to the mainland, U.S.

I think we have done something bigger than a nuclear test, had says. We have shown the world something much bigger.

Analysts say Kim Jong-un can push the button on North Korea's sixth nuclear tests at any time. He has already launched more missiles than his father and grandfather combined.

From missiles, to manpower, (INAUDIBLE) stepping soldiers from all branches of North Korea's massive standing army, a fighting force of more than a million member and women, soldiers chanting they are willing to die for their supreme commander.

Also on display, North Korea's conventional arsenal, tanks, artillery, weapons pointed directly at tens of millions of people in the city of Seoul, South Korea. Even if North Korea can't match the firepower of the U.S., experts say they have the potential to do a lot of damage and kill a lot of people.

After the soldiers, the civilians, these are people who have been out since the predawn hours screaming, long live Kim Jong-Un.

Saturday marks the day of the sun, North Korea's most important holiday, celebrating the 104th birthday of Kim Jong-Un's grandfather, President Kim Il-Sung, the founder idolized alongside his son, the second North Korean leader, Kim-Jong-Il, the entire society built around three generations of the Kim family.

What do you want President Trump to know about the North Korean people?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) RIPLEY: I think President Trump should try to learn more about North Korea and its people, she says. We are never afraid of the American nuclear threat. We have our own nuclear weapons to counter those threats.

Weapons North Korea and its unpredictable leader put on full display, promising they're not afraid to use them if provoked.

Will Ripley, CNN, Pyongyang.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[16:46:54] CABRERA: President Trump has been monitoring the situation in North Korea from his private Mar-a-Lago resort. He's traveled there with a number of staffers from the national Security Council.

CNN'S Susan Malveaux is joining us now from Wet Palm Beach, Florida, near the president's resort.

Suzanne, any reaction from the show of Pyongyang by the president and his team?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Ana, certainly you have reaction that I think that is very intentional from the White House. You saw in the days leading up to this, certainly some preparations the "USS Carl Vinson" strike group, that aircraft carrier group in the region moving in just in case of North Korea provocation.

You also heard President Trump talking on the one hand about China's leader, saying that, yes, there might be some economic incentives with the trade deals if China was going to get tougher on North Korea. And at the same time, we also saw some tweets from the president previously talking about the U.S. would be willing to do it alone if China wasn't on board.

But what we are seeing today here is obviously the last 24 hours, very tense with the White House. The president here at Mar-a-Lago getting a briefing by his national security staff, his deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland here in Florida with him in case things went terribly bad. They have the whole setup ready to go. But then really not much of anything here.

So they are looking at those new weapons that was rolled out by North Korea, taking in, but what we have seen so far is the President Trump playing golf. He went out this afternoon, he did so yesterday as well, behind the scenes, of course, trying to analyze what this means for North Korea's military might, Ana.

CABRERA: Suzanne, I understand Mar-a-Lago has been outfitted in case of a possible crisis. What do you know about that?

MALVEAUX: Well, certainly they have a communications center, really very much secure. So you can deal with classified information, conversations, briefings that they don't have to worry about intercepts, things like that. This was the kind of outfit that they used last time, just very recently in the last week when the U.S. struck inside of Syria. That is when the president was getting kind of real-time information about what was taking place there. So they are not concerned about that. It's not the White House, but it certainly is a secure place where the president can do his business.

And also, to let you know, Ana, the hotel where many of the Trump staff were staying as well as many reporters had a briefing room that was set up full with a podium equipped, ready to fire up at a moment's note overnight last night. We were all on kind of standby if you will overnight in case anything happened. And fortunately that did not have to be used. But yes, they feel they were very much ready and are still ready in case there is something that happens from North Korea.

CABRERA: All right. Our fingers crossed that they don't need to activate anything.

Suzanne Malveaux in West Palm Beach, our thanks to you.

Donald Trump's foreign policy has certainly shifted in the past week. A closer look at that, next in the CNN NEWSROOM.

[16:54:16] CABRERA: All eyes are locked on North Korea this weekend in a warning from the country's dictator of an all-out war if it's provoked.

President Trump is sending his own message in the past couple of weeks. He has made some major military moves. The U.S. launched tomahawk missiles at a Syrian air base. And then just a couple of days ago, the U.S. dropped the largest nonnuclear bomb, the mother of all bombs, on ISIS tunnels and caves in Afghanistan. This, after the president said on the campaign trail the U.S. shouldn't be the world's policeman. Is he changing his mind?

CNN' Elise Labott has a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New warnings from China. As tensions rise with North Korea, the Chinese foreign minister warning that if war breaks out quote "there will be losses on all sides."

Russia, Iraq and Syria also issue warnings to the U.S. about new strikes in Syria. The threats follow President Trump's decision to launch two major military strikes, in Afghanistan and Syria.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have the greatest military in the world and they have done a job as usual. So we have given them total authorization. And that's what they are doing. And frankly, that's why they have been so successful lately.

LABOTT: The display of military might a message to U.S. enemies and their supporters and what is quickly becoming a hallmark of Trump's emerging foreign policy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Trump has given much more leeway to his military commanders to strike, and they're striking. And I think that does send a message around the world that America's back.

TRUMP: Unbelievable.

LABOTT: It's an about-face from the candidate who promised a national security strategy that put America first.

TRUMP: I want to help all of our allies. But we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We cannot be the policeman of the world.

LABOTT: But as commander in chief, Trump acknowledged the images of last week's gas attacks in Syria had a deep impact.

TRUMP: I now have responsibility, and I will have that responsibility, and carry it very proudly.

LABOTT: In the span of a week, Trump has also changed his mind on the NATO alliance. Now viewing it as a tool to counter Russian aggression in Europe.

TRUMP: I said it was obsolete. It's no longer obsolete.

LABOTT: And abandoning his hard line stance on China, now calling President Xi Jinping a partner to counter North Korea's nuclear threats.

TRUMP: President Xi wants to do the right thing. We had a very good bonding. I think we had a very good chemistry together. I think he wants to help us with North Korea.

LABOTT: If a Trump foreign policy is emerging, it would be, don't have a doctrine.

TRUMP: I like to think of myself as a very flexible person. I don't have to have one specific way, and if the world changes, I go the same way. I don't change. Well, I do change.

LABOTT: Trump says he trusts his commanders pressing him to flex U.S. military muscle. In Yemen, where the U.S. is stepping up air strikes against ISIS, and Iraq and Syria, where Trump sent troops to fight ISIS since taking office. And in Afghanistan where his national security adviser, General H.R. McMaster, it traveling soon to plot the future of the U.S. military presence. Trump now learning to trust the expertise of his generals he once boasted about knowing more than.

TRUMP: I know more about ISIS than the generals do, believe me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LABOTT: Military experts are pointing to a popular saying in the military, you can delegate authority but you cannot delegate responsibility. And as commander in chief, President Trump still owns the consequences of the decisions taken by the military on his behalf. While he may be glad to take credit when the mission is successful, the question is, will he be willing to share accountability when things go wrong, including civilian casualties.

Elise Labott, CNN, Washington.

CABRERA: Thank you, Elise.

United airlines is changing its policy after facing backlash from the viral video showing a passenger being dragged off an overbooked flight. Who can forget this video? Lawyers for the passenger, Dr. David Dao, now say he suffered a concussion, a broken nose and some other injuries as well. He plans to sue the airline. This viral video shows Dao being forcibly removed from United Airlines plane last weekend in Chicago. United later said Dao's seat was needed for a commuting crew member.

Well now, today, we have a new statement from United Airlines about some policy changes they are already implementing. Saying quote "we issued an updated policy to make sure crews traveling on our aircraft are booked at least 60 minutes prior to departure. That ensures situations like flight 3411 never happens again. This is one of our initial steps in a review of our policies in order to deliver the best customer experience."

All right. The wait is finally over. Early this morning, April the giraffe gave birth to a healthy male calf. 1.25 million people watched the live stream of this birth. Now, he is the first giraffe calf to be born at animal adventure park in New York. 15-year-old April, the ma, is one of the most popular residents at that zoo we are told. The birth of her calf comes as giraffes are in the middle of a silent extinction. The giraffe conservation foundation says the population has plummeted in the past three decades from more than 150,000 to less than 100,000. Welcome to the world, baby girl.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CABRERA: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. Top of the hour. Thanks for being with me in the New York studios. I'm Anan Cabrera.

And we have some breaking news on the west coast to talk about right now. Protests regarding President Trump are turning violent --