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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Trump Cancels White House Visit For NFL Champ Eagles; Special Counsel Mueller: Paul Manafort Attempted Witness Tampering; Timing Set For U.S.-North Korean Summit; Apple CEO Says He Spends Too Much Time On His Phone. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired June 05, 2018 - 05:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:30:58] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The Eagles are grounded. President Trump cancels the Super Bowl champs' visit to the White House over the National Anthem controversy, he says.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: The special counsel accusing Paul Manafort of witness tampering. Prosecutors want him in jail until the trial. Could that make him more likely to cooperate?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM COOK, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, APPLE: I don't subscribe to the machines taking over the world. I worry much more about people thinking like machines.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: And a candid Apple CEO, Tim Cook, talks about limiting phone usage. What the company's doing that could change your lifestyle.

Welcome back to EARLY START this Tuesday morning. I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs.

Now that they have used hooked on $500 iPhones they turn --

Well, here's the interesting cover of the "New York Post" -- "Trump Flips the Bird."

There's a new National Anthem policy in the NFL but they have the same old problem -- the president.

Here's a quote. "Our president is not a true patriot but a fragile egomaniac obsessed with crowd size and afraid of the embarrassment of throwing a party which no one wants to attend."

The words of Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney after President Trump canceled the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles' White House celebration. The move inflaming the controversy over players kneeling for the National Anthem. In a statement from the White House, Mr. Trump -- in the third person, mind you -- says, "They disagree with their president because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country. The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better."

Worth noting, no member of the Eagles took a knee during the Anthem last season. Safety Malcolm Jenkins did raise a fist and player Chris Long was there for support with a hand on his shoulder.

Last month, the NFL announced it will require players on the field to stand during the Anthem or teams will be fined.

Some players have been kneeling to protest racial injustice. It famously prompted the president to say this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say get that son of a bitch off the field right now -- out -- he's fired -- he's fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: CNN's Jake Tapper learned the Eagles held team meetings to discuss the White House invitation. Not many of the players wanted to attend but the president making an issue of the players taking a knee was never brought up.

Eagles' management releasing this statement. "Watching the entire Eagles community come together has been an inspiration. We are truly grateful for all of the support we have received."

Torey Smith, who played for the Eagles on the Super Bowl team -- he'll play with the Panthers this season -- was far more vocal, tweeting "So many lies. The men and women that wanted to go should have been able to go. It's a cowardly act to cancel."

Philly Mayor Jim Kenney echoing those sentiments on CNN last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR JIM KENNEY, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA (via telephone): There's no one more disrespectful in this country than the President of the United States, which is a sad thing to say but it's true.

The guy talks about being patriotic. He avoided the draft five times in Vietnam. If he wanted to be patriotic he could have been patriotic back then as opposed to this sham of a -- of an issue relative to the National Anthem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The White House has renamed the 3:00 p.m. event the, quote, "Celebration of America."

The president also tweeting last night, "Staying in the locker room for the playing of our National Anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling. Sorry."

A reminder, teams only started coming out for the Anthem in 2009 after the government paid them to do so. Also, staying in the locker room is an option next season for NFL players who don't want to stand for the Anthem.

I doubt any player, Christine, will take that option. That completely just does away with the point of protesting -- staying in the locker room. I don't look for that to happen.

ROMANS: Let's bring back CNN White House reporter Sarah Westwood.

And how does this play for this president? He seems to go back and mime this issue whenever he can, right, that this division -- this division about these players who, by the way, are protesting racial injustice among other things. They're not protesting against the military but the president keeps going there.

[05:35:12] Does that play for him? Will that play for him today in these primaries?

SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, it's clear President Trump sees this as a winning issue for him. He's a culture war president. He's loved to pick these culture battles because often, and particularly in the case of the NFL protests, public opinion is more on his side in these kinds of battles than some of the other controversies that he's gotten himself in.

For kneeling during the National Anthem, I think Trump and the White House saw the NFL changing its policy as a capitulation and therefore, a concrete win in this situation and not just a figurative one in terms of the NFL losing viewership even though there was a lot of factors that contributed to the ratings falling.

And now, instead of having a conversation about how few players are attending President Trump's party, we're having a conversation about the definition of patriotism and how President Trump potentially forced the NFL to change its policy. So he's reframing what could have been an embarrassment on terms that are favorable to him.

BRIGGS: Yes. I mean, this was media tough spot for the president. Had 10 Philadelphia Eagles showed up, he would have been embarrassed. It would have been on the cover of all these papers -- the front page in front of us.

But let's turn to another issue it appears that the president wants to keep alive, and it's the whole Russia investigation. He may say this is the fake news making attention of this. He tweets about it all the time.

He chooses to send out Rudy Giuliani just about every day on national television and did it again last night with Chris Cuomo in prime time, attempting to explaining all these varying explanations for who wrote the statement about Don, Jr.'s meeting -- with the Russian meeting at Trump Tower.

Here's Rudy last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS CUOMO, HOST, CNN "CUOMO PRIME TIME": Why do you think they chose to lie about his role in drafting the statement about Trump, Jr.'s meeting with the Russians?

RUDY GIULIANI, ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Chris, you think maybe somebody could have made a mistake?

CUOMO: That's a lot of mistakes.

GIULIANI: Why is it always --

CUOMO: A lot of mistakes.

GIULIANI: Why is it always that somebody -- you think that Jay Sekulow lied? Maybe he just it wrong, like I've gotten it -- I got a few things wrong in the beginning of the investigation.

You can make a mistake and then if you don't -- if you don't -- if you want to you can say it's a lie.

But it was a mistake. I swear to God, it was a mistake. The guy made a mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: OK. Shifting stories or whatever you want to call them, there are about 12 different explanations.

ROMANS: They've had two years to get this straight, by the way.

BRIGGS: Two years and Sarah Sanders can't even comment on her own comment on who wrote that statement.

Is this central to obstruction of justice, and why does the president keep sending out Rudy Giuliani each and every night?

WESTWOOD: Well, President Trump -- there's been tension between him and his legal team for a long time because he had been advised for months to take a more deferential approach to Mueller. And you'll recall during the beginning of the investigation he never said Mueller's name. He never attacks the -- or rarely, at least, attacks the investigation head on.

As the probe has dragged on for months longer than President Trump was told by his lawyers it would, he's grown more and frustrated and it's clear he wants to go on offense and take a more aggressive position towards the investigators.

Giuliani is sort of serving a dual function for him because we know that he's been more combative as Mueller prepares to potentially try to sit down with Trump for an interview. And he's also been trying to wage Trump's legal battle in the court of public opinion.

And his involvement in the case is coinciding with a period of a rise in the public's view towards Trump's take on the investigation, which is that maybe there is some partisan bias on the Mueller investigation. Maybe this has dragged on too long. You're seeing that sentiment start to rise in polling, particularly among Republicans.

So from Trump's perspective, perhaps the intervention of Giuliani is doing exactly what he'd hoped.

ROMANS: Let's talk about President Bill Clinton. You know, he was out talking about a novel he wrote with James Patterson.

And he was doing an interview and he was asked by Craig Melvin at NBC about looking at his indiscretions of 20 years ago through the lens of MeToo, and the president was defensive.

I want to play that and then right after, we're going to play how he kind of tried to clean that up a little bit when he was giving a book talk about the book with Patterson -- listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRAIG MELVIN, HOST, NBC "TODAY" SHOW WEEKEND, ANCHOR, MSNBC NEWS: Did you ever apologize to her?

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes, and nobody believes that I got out of that for free. I left the White House $16 million in debt. But you typically have ignored gaping facts in describing this and I bet you don't even know them.

The suggestion was that I'd never apologized for what caused all the trouble for me 20 years ago. So the first point is I did. I meant it then and I meant it now. I apologized to my family, to Monica Lewinsky and her family, and to the American people.

[05:40:19] The second is that I support the MeToo movement and I think it's long overdue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Sarah, what do you make of that performance from the president?

WESTWOOD: Well, it's sort of remarkable that after all this time, Bill Clinton still doesn't seem to have an explanation for his indiscretions and he had to have known that this question was coming. It's the first time we've seen him step out in the public sphere in a long time. This is certainly the first time since the MeToo movement began.

And so much of a conversation about MeToo has involved Democrats grappling with how they treated the Bill Clinton accusations and the Bill Clinton accusers, and how the party sort of tried to discredit some of those women. I think that's where the problematic aspects of what happened to Bill Clinton lie.

And so, he had to have seen that conversation taking place in the public sphere so it's absolutely remarkable that he sort of attempted to somehow claim the mantle of a feminist and someone who's empowered women throughout his career, and yet tried to sidestep having to offer any kind of public apology.

ROMANS: All the trouble for me. I mean, there was a lot of sort of -- he was the victim, sort of. I mean, it just seemed a little bit -- I don't know, the self-awareness --

BRIGGS: (INAUDIBLE) -- yes.

ROMANS: The self-awareness, I just don't think was there.

BRIGGS: Most of us get perspective on our mistakes -- not all of us.

Sarah Westwood, thank you for being here -- appreciate it.

WESTWOOD: Thank you.

BRIGGS: All right.

The special counsel accusing former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort of witness tampering. In briefs filed in federal court, Robert Mueller's team says Manafort asked witnesses to lie for him.

They are asking a judge to send Manafort to jail until his trial. He is currently on house arrest under a $10 million unsecured bail.

The new allegation puts even more pressure on Manafort as prosecutors investigate the possibility he coordinated with Russians during this 2016 race.

He faces two trials. One for allegedly failing to disclose lobbying for a foreign government, and one for financial crimes.

ROMANS: The timing is set for President Trump's meeting with Kim Jong Un in Singapore, and with the summit just one week away the president may not be seeing eye-to-eye with one of his top national security officials.

Let's go live to Seoul and bring in CNN's Alexandra Field -- explain.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

We do have a date now and a time now for the summit. It will happen on Tuesday morning in Singapore, Monday night in New York.

Not a lot of time, of course, until this big meeting happens and everyone's expectations about what to expect here have certainly been tempered -- reduced to basically, the minimum of a meet and greet. In order to protect having this meet and greet -- to get it done, essentially, it now seems that the national security adviser, John Bolton, is being sidelined in the process.

He was, of course, the one who made those comments about Libya, drawing comparisons between Libya and North Korea that so inflamed tensions with North Korea to the point where President Trump had temporarily canceled the meeting -- the summit -- altogether.

He was not in the meeting where President Trump smoothed it over and decided that the summit was back on. We are now learning from sources who are familiar with the conversations that it was the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who advised the president that it would be counterproductive to have Bolton in that meeting.

Bolton is certainly the most hawkish when it comes to North Korea.

All of this underscoring what seems to be a growing rift, according to sources, between the secretary of state and the national security adviser. The National Security Council is throwing some cold water on questions of whether there is a rift here. The White House also trying to knock it down.

But certainly, it seems that the priority of this administration right now, at all costs, is to simply have a meeting which might not be more than just an opportunity to meet -- Christine.

ROMANS: Meet and greet -- all right. Alexandra Field, thank you so much for that.

BRIGGS: All right. Even the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, admits he spends too much time on his phone. The new tool to help curb tech addiction in a CNN T.V. exclusive, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:48:54] BRIGGS: Even the CEO of Apple thinks he's on his iPhone too much. In a T.V. exclusive, Tim Cook tells CNN's Laurie Segal he was surprised by this own tech habits after seeing data from a newly- unveiled Apple tool, Screen Time -- Monday's centerpiece at Apple's annual Developers Conference. That's the tool that tells users how much time they spend on their phones and on each app.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOK: I thought I was fairly disciplined about this and I was wrong. When I began to get the data I found I was spending a lot more time than I should.

Each person has to make the decision when they get their numbers as to what they would like to do. And I encourage everyone to look and everyone to make an informed decision and ask themselves if they're picking up their phone 10 times an hour or 20 times an hour, maybe they could -- maybe they could do it less.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRIGGS: Apple has also enhanced its do not disturb feature to hide notifications at night when you should be sleeping.

ROMANS: All right, let's get a check on "CNN Money" this morning.

[05:50:00] What trade worries? A big rally in tech sent U.S. stocks higher, pushing the Nasdaq to a record close, it's first in three months. Investors love tech stocks. Tech companies grow fast even if the broader economy loses momentum.

Stocks for Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, up double-digit percents this year.

In fact, the Nasdaq is up 10 percent in 2018. To compare, the S&P 500 up oh, about 2.7 percent. The Dow is barely higher. Right now, at this moment, global stocks are mostly higher.

Speaking of tech stocks, Twitter is joining the S&P 500, replacing Monsanto on the index of the top U.S. public companies. Investors liked that. Twitter's stock jumped three percent on the news.

Why is Monsanto bowing out? Well, last week we told you the Justice Department approved the sale of Monsanto to Bayer, creating the world's largest agrochemical company. The new conglomerate will the Monsanto brand name.

Facebook facing new allegations over how it handles user data. "The New York Times" reports that Facebook shares personal user data with device makers like Apple and Samsung, including access to users' friends without their consent.

Now, Facebook is disputing this claim but lawmakers are looking into it and they're calling for stricter privacy regulations.

Facebook is still recovering from its other data crisis when it, remember, exposed the date of 80 million users to a third party.

BRIGGS: All right. Ahead, the Supreme Court rules in favor of a baker who refused to bake a cake for a gay couple, but the ruling won't mean much down the road. We'll explain.

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[05:55:53] ROMANS: In Guatemala, the death toll from the eruption of the Fuego volcano has climbed to 69 as entire villages were buried in mudslides and under ash. At least 15 people remain hospitalized, including 12 children.

Battered residents facing even more hazards with a cloud of volcanic ash stretching across a 12-mile radius, spread by the wind. Officials are warning residents to be alert for mudslides and the possibility of new eruptions.

BRIGGS: Saudi Arabia has issued its first driver's licenses to women. Ten Saudi women received licenses Monday. Officials expect another 2,000 to seek licenses in the next week. The world's only ban on women behind the wheel ends June 24th.

ROMANS: Later today, the Iranians are expected to inform U.N. officials they intend to increase uranium enrichment capacity. That announcement comes on the heels of President Trump walking away from the Iran nuclear deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a 3-day trip to persuade the leaders of Germany, France, and the U.K. to also walk away from the deal. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she agrees Iran's activities are a concern for Israel's security but she is standing by the nuclear agreement.

BRIGGS: A Supreme Court victory, but a narrow one, for a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, citing his religious beliefs.

The justices ruled seven to two in favor of baker Jack Phillips but the ruling did not directly address freedom of religion. Instead, it cited members of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission showing hostility toward Phillips, suggesting he claimed religious freedom to justify discrimination.

The limited scope of the ruling written by Justice Anthony Kennedy leaves broader questions involving religious liberty unresolved, so the case is not expected to set a precedent.

ROMANS: At least 117 homes now destroyed by lava from the Kilauea volcano. Hawaii's civil defense spokesman says there are still a lot more homes to count. Lava now covers nearly 5,000 acres.

This new video shows the conditions at Kapoho Bay. Lava from fissure eight still flowing into the water, prompting warnings. Hydrochloric acid and volcanic gas particles are in the air.

BRIGGS: A man police say killed six people in the Phoenix area is dead. Dwight Lamon Jones taking his own life after being surrounded by police. According to authorities, Jones fatally shot six people, some with links to his bitter divorce case.

ROMANS: The suspect's ex-wife, Connie Jones, says her current husband recognized a connection to her divorce and notified police. Investigators are still trying to figure out if Dwight Jones' last two victims found dead Monday are also connected to that divorce.

BRIGGS: The Washington Capitals one win away from the Stanley Cup. They beat the Las Vegas Golden Knights 6-2 last night to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Caps put the game away early, scoring three first-period goals. Washington can hoist the Stanley Cup with a winning game five Thursday night in Las Vegas.

ROMANS: All right, thanks for joining us. A big primary today, everybody. We'll be up early tomorrow, 3:00 a.m. here on the east.

I'm Christine Romans. BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. "NEW DAY" starts right now. We'll see you at 3:00 a.m. tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president has hosted multiple national champions. Unfortunately, politics gets in the middle of this.

KENNEY: There's no one more disrespectful in this country than the President of the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fewer than 10 players were planning to attend. That's an attempt to try to embarrass the president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a way of putting black players in their place. It's very, very disturbing.

JAY SEKULOW, ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: The president did not draft the response.

GIULIANI: It was a mistake. I swear to God, it was a mistake.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: The president dictated that statement in order to mislead the American public.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Prosecutors allege that Paul Manafort has been tampering with witnesses.

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: This desperate action says he is really concerned about going away for a long time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The pressure is going to pick up on the Trump team.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Have you ever been disinvited to a party the night before?

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: No, but I would be tempted to cancel a party if none of my guests were going to come.

BERMAN: Ah, touche.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY, Tuesday, June fifth, 6:00 here in New York.