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Report: Twitter Says Has New Safeguards on Trump's Account; Soldier Gives CNN Inside Look into the DMZ; Trump Calls No Prison Time for Bergdahl a Disgrace. Aired 3:30-4p ET
Aired November 03, 2017 - 15:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Breaking news here on Twitter. Now taking action after the unthinkable happened. The president's account disappeared. This is what many people saw when they went to President Trump's page last night. Nothing.
Soon after, this message appeared, sorry, that page doesn't exist. 11 minutes later it was back, but it wasn't totally clear what happened. Twitter blamed it on human error. More on what that really means. Laurie Segall is here, CNN tech correspondent and Richard Quest money editor at large and host of "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS."
So, on the Twitter angle, what's Twitter doing? So how does the president's page go bye-bye for 11 minutes?
LAURIE SEGALL, CNN SENIOR TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: A little context. Right after the election a Twitter employee told me that they actually tightened the circle of people that even had access to his account. Now they are saying customer support employee was able to take it down for 11 minutes. That's a big deal because this meant this employee was able to get unauthorized access. So, they just put out a statement they are implementing safe guards. They won't give --
BALDWIN: What's that mean?
SEGALL: That's a good question, Brooke. Look, there are already questions, if you talk to folks inside Twitter, if you go and try to access Trump's account inside Twitter, there are safe guards and I am told there is some kind of alarm that is supposed to go off where internally you can see that.
Obviously, something didn't go right for an unauthorized employee to be able to access it. So, I think a lot of us have a lot of questions. And I'll tell you having talked to folks inside Twitter for a long time, there has been a debate over Trump's tweets and you have some disgruntled employees. I think you're saying that play
out in a pretty public way at this point.
BALDWIN: Do you care to weigh in on Twitter, my friend?
QUEST: It's really very simple, Twitter is now the single most important method of communication by the U.S. government.
BALDWIN: Official U.S. White House statements.
QUEST: And what happened was that those who have the keys managed to unlock the door. In this particular case the person got in whether he was authorized or not, and Twitter is now learning to their chagrin exactly the price. But the stock market which loved Twitter last week, liked it again today, the stock was up 1 percent.
BALDWIN: Hang on. I have a question. The real question as you talk about somebody having the keys to his Twitter account. How many people have the keys?
[15:35:00] SEGALL: You know, not many people are supposed to have the keys. That's the point of it. Then a lot of folks are saying what if they did more than this and tweeted from his account and said something? I'm told that there are not many people being able to do it. Told unlikely someone could do that. By the way we want some more transparency from Twitter on this especially on a week when all these tech executives are on Capitol Hill saying they have control over their platforms, and they accept their roles as gate keepers of information.
BALDWIN: As millions of peoples are exposed to these Russian ads.
QUEST: I'm old enough to remember when Barack Obama came into the White House, there was the issue of Blackberry and he wouldn't give up his blackberry. And the question was can we put in place safe guards, so we have this monstrous size blackberry that had different safeguards that he could use.
Now we have gone to another level. We have the president of the United States using open software on a system that millions of other people use. And the security Department is having to work back yards to ensure its integrity.
BALDWIN: OK. That's Twitter. And the White House jobs. I mean, huge. It was lowest unemployment rate, numbers today, lowest unemployment rate in 17 years. The president has been saying, look, it's economy, economy, economy. This is a great day for him to get to take the credit. He does, doesn't he?
QUEST: He takes the credit for the confidence that has arisen as a result of his respective policies on tax and deregulation. Look at those numbers.
Unemployment at 4.1 percent. Wage growth is still anemic. That's the problem. He has to deliver. He has got a scenario where the pots are boiling or simmering nicely but he has to create a better meal out of it. And that's going to be the hard part.
And let's not forget Janet Yellen, chair of the Fed it was just about to kick out by not re-nominating, she is the one who has done all the work over the last four years to build a sustainable robust economy, that he is has now inherited and has to build on. See in a year's time when his legislative agenda is through if he can still take credit.
BALDWIN: Will you say Blackberry again?
QUEST: Blackberry. I still have one. I can remember what those are.
BALDWIN: You and your flip phone. Richard Quest and Laurie thank you so much. Coming up U.S. fighter jets conducting drills on the Korean peninsula as President Trump is heading to that part of the world. North Korea calling them test runs for a surprise nuclear attack. You will hear my interview, I was in Korea a week before last with this 19-year-old soldier stationed at the border at the DMZ, why he signed up in the first place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: What's your message to Americans back home who are worried about Americans like you so close to North Korea?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would say to just pray for us, really.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[15:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: North Korea is accusing the United States military of conducting trial runs for a surprise nuclear attack. Referring to a series of joint drills between U.S. Air Force bombers and fighter jets from South Korea and Japan. The Pentagon says the drills were long planned and come as President Trump heads on 12-day trip to Asia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I must tell you North Korea is a thing that I think we will solve. And if we don't solve it it's not going to be very pleasant for them. It not going to be very pleasant I guess for anybody. China is helping us.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Japan is worried?
TRUMP: Of course, they are worried. They should be worried. They are very close to North Korea.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And they want a nuclear pledge from the United States.
TRUMP: Japan is a warrior nation. And I tell China and I tell everyone else that listens, you are going to have yourself a big problem with Japan pretty soon if you allow this to continue with North Korea.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: As the president is on his way to Asia, I was just in Korea because I wanted to see for myself what life is like for Americans living and serving in the military only Korea peninsula. The Army granted us access to the DMZ, that is the 38th parallel the separation North and South Korea, and there it was that I meant 19-year-old private first-class Josh Robertson. He had never left the United States prior to signing up to serve. Now he is stationed mere miles from the secretive nation of North Korea.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSH ROBERTSON, PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, U.S. ARMY: I visit North Korea almost every day except --
BALDWIN: Is that crazy?
ROBERTSON: It's a little crazy.
BALDWIN: Say that again. You visit North Korea?
ROBERTSON: Almost every day.
BALDWIN: Almost every day. A little out of my range ROBERTSON: Yes, ma'am.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, we are heading over to check point 3. The same rules apply.
BALDWIN: How do you explain to Americans back in the states what you do day-to-day?
ROBERTSON: I provide security for people that would like to come toward the DMZ.
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is private first-class Robertson. I'll be your security escort today. Before we get started I'm going to ask you guys a couple questions, is anybody currently under the influence of drugs or alcohol at this time? No. And anyone feel like defecting towards North Korea today? No. OK. Cool.
BALDWIN: Where do you live? Where are we?
ROBERTSON: The JSA is a joint security area. So right now, I'm only about two kilometers away from North Korea. I can hear propaganda music they play every night.
All right, can everyone hear me. Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to conference road. This is the official meeting place between North Korea and South Korea, or the UNC and the KPA. All the blue buildings you see belong to the United Nations Command or UNC. Prior
[15:45:00] While the silver or gray buildings belong to KPA or North Korea. If you will follow me, please.
BALDWIN: This is when you get to walk over the line into North Korea.
ROBERTSON: The three microphones you see on the table they are recorded and monitored 24 hours a day. And they serve as an official military demarcation line inside of this building. So those of you standing on my left are now standing in communist North Korea while those on the right are relatively safe with me in the Republic of North Korea.
BALDWIN: What does it feel like to be standing in North Korea you guys?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feels the same.
BALDWIN: Why did you want to join the Army in the first place?
ROBERTSON: On Veterans day we do a parade in my hometown and first time I went to the parade. Just seeing those guys walked the roads in my town I had a lot of respect for the sacrifices they gave up.
BALDWIN: You are 19.
ROBERTSON: Yes, ma'am.
BALDWIN: Prior to coming to South Korea, had you ever left the country?
ROBERTSON: No, ma'am. I've only been to maybe 13 states inside the U.S. but never been outside of the country.
BALDWIN: Do you sometimes get home sick?
ROBERTSON: I think everyone here would get a little home sick. But everyone here we are all so close to each other. So, everyone here is willing to help out in a hard time.
Ready?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready.
ROBERTSON: Set. Go.
BALDWIN: So, it's Friday night.
ROBERTSON: Yes.
BALDWIN: And you hit the gym.
I mean, do you ever think about what your friends back home would be doing on a Friday night versus where we are sitting right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm pretty confident that my friends would still be going to the gym. Hang out with guys that lift all the time.
BALDWIN: What were you thinking when you are almost nose to nose with the soldier in North Korea?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had them played up in my head. In my head they were these warriors.
BALDWIN: And then when you saw them?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, all right, not what I had in mind, but OK these are like 5-2, 100 pounds top. I'm like, OK, well, since you guys are the ones, OK, cool, nice to meet you. I am three times your size.
BALDWIN: Do you feel like the tensions have increased between the sides?
ROBERTSON: We always maintain a readiness here, so it doesn't feel any different when tensions do rise or fall. We are always ready in case something were to happen.
BALDWIN: What's your message to Americans back home who are worried about Americans like you so close to North Korea?
ROBERTSON: I would say pray for us, pray for the best that no altercation will happen, and hopefully that something good will come out of this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: Pray for us, he says, private first-class Josh Robertson, thank you so much for your time and your service. And thank you, U.S. Army for allowing us incredible access DMZ.
We'll have another piece coming out on Monday where we stopped and talked just to Americans living in Seoul. And one key question I asked them who worries you the most, Kim Jong-un or the president of the United States?
That answer might surprise you. That's Monday. Coming up next on CNN President Trump slamming the decision not to give Bergdahl prison time. His response and the sentence Bergdahl did receive. Plus, more secret files on the JFK assassination, hear who they are from and what we are learning.
[15:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Pres. Trump is calling the sentence handed down for Army sergeant Bowe Bergdahl a, quote, complete and total disgrace to our country and to our military.
That tweet after he learned Bergdahl will not receive any prison time for abandoning his outpost in Afghanistan back in 2009. The judge did rule that he would be dishonorably discharged, that he would have his rank reduced from sergeant to private and pay a $10,000 fine. You know the story, Bergdahl was held hostage by the Taliban for five years after he deserted and ultimately released in that prisoner swap. When President Trump was candidate Trump, he said Bergdahl at the time should be put to death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're tired of sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who is a traitor. He's a traitor. A no-good traitor. Who should have been executed. We get -- we get sergeant Bergdahl and they get five of the biggest killers that they've wanted more than any people, more than any people. For years they've been trying to get these five killers and they're all now back on the battle field. We got Bergdahl. I heard he probably won't serve any time. 30 years ago, he would have been shot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Again, that was back October 2015. A commanding general will review the sentence and could potentially reduce it.
Just in, the National Archives has just released 676 more records all related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. They include mostly CIA records that have not been seen by the public. The National Archive says it anticipates several more public releases.
CNN is looking through this new batch and will let you know what we find.
Still ahead here, live interview with the former Trump campaign adviser who just testified in front of the House Intel Committee. We will ask Carter Page about the meeting he had with the attorney general, where he mentioned he was taking a trip to Moscow.
[15:55:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: CNN is proud to announce the top 10 CNN heroes of 2017. Each gets a cash prize and a shot at the top honor, CNN hero of the year, which will earn their cause an additional $100,000. Here is Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Now that we've announced the top ten "CNN Heros" of 2017, it's time to show you how you can help decide who should be CNN hero of the year and receive a $100,000 to help them continue their work.
Go to CNNheros.com to learn more about each hero, and when you're ready, click on vote. Log in using email your male account or Facebook or Twitter account. You can also vote through Facebook messenger. You can vote up to ten times a day per method every day through December 12th. Then rally your friends by sharing your vote on social media. My friend and co-host Kelly Ripa joins me to reveal the 2017 hero of the year during our 11th annual "CNN Heroes."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: All right, Anderson, thank you. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
