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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

President Trump, No Due Process For Immigrants; Restaurant Asks Sanders To Leave; Trump Berates U.S. Immigration Policy; Erdogan Fights Off Challenge In Turkey; Wooden Cases Heading To North Korea; U.S. Fine Tunes Wish List For North Korea; Trump Attacks Fallon In New Twitter Rant. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired June 25, 2018 - 04:00   ET

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


[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, SENIOR DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT: The President wants to send immigrants home without due process and the administration's plan to reunite families separated at the border is going to require some patience.

DAVE BRIGGS, EARLY START SHOW CO-HOST: Another chapter in the blurring lines between public and private life when it comes to politics. Sarah Sanders ask to leave a restaurant, because she works for the president.

KOSINSKI: And an election with consequences around the world. Turkey's President fends off a strong challenge and tighten his grip with sweeping new powers. Good morning and welcome back to "Early Start," I'm Michelle Kosinski in for Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. How are you my friend? Good to see you.

KOSINSKI: I am all right.

BRIGGS: Did you survive the weekend?

KOSINSKI: Let us not talk about that.

BRIGGS: Barely it feels like Monday. It's June 25th, 4:00 a.m. in the East and 11:00 a.m. in Ankara. We will check-in on that Turkish election shortly.

But we start with the Trump administration releasing its plan for reuniting thousands of families separated at the border, but don't expect any fast action. Homeland Security officials say 2,053 children are still in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services and they will remain that way until their parents deportation proceedings are completed. Families will be reunited before deportation or if the parent is released, so they can apply to serves as the child's sponsor.

KOSINSKI: According to Homeland Security, officials over 500 families have been reunited since the zero tolerance policy started and parents are now being offer the option of signing voluntary departure orders, to speed up their cases. They are being assured they will be reunited with the children if they do sign with the offer, raising eyebrows with advocates who question whether the families clearly understands the terms.

BRIGGS: Now President Trump, talking about depriving immigrants of due process. More now from CNN's Boris Sanchez at the White House.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN NEWSROOM HOST: Michelle and Dave, President Trump taking his harsh rhetoric on immigration yet another step further. The President of the United States suggesting that its segment of the population, immigrants should not receive due process. And further building on these idea that his strong rhetoric on immigration helped get him elected.

Here are the President's tweets. He writes, quote, we cannot allow all of these people to invade our country. When someone comes in, we must immediately with no judges or court cases bring them back from where they came from. Our system is a mockery to good immigration policy and law and order. Our immigration policy lack that all over the world, is very unfair to all of those people who have gone through the system legally and are waiting online for years. Despite these tweets from the President, he has sent mixed messages to Congress about how he want them to solve this problem.

If you recall on Friday, after weeks of negotiations on Capitol Hill by House Republicans, the President essentially told them to punt and to wait on the passage of a potential bill on immigration until after the mid-term elections. Then on Sunday, the President tweeted to Democrats saying that they have to fix this issue and that they stop resisting. It is unclear exactly how the President wants Congress to move forward and what is, is that this rhetoric will continue going as we get closer to the mid-term elections. The President not seeming to let up at all. Dave and Michelle.

BRIGGS: No he is not. Boris thanks.

Defense Secretary, James Mattis says the Pentagon is preparing to build temporary camps on two military bases to house immigrant children. Details are still being worked out. And Mattis is comparing the response to the defense department providing housing to natural disaster victims. Or Vietnamese refugees being rescued at sea in the years after the Vietnam War.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES MATTIS, DEFENSE SECRETARY GENERAL: We have done this, some of you remember, with the Vietnamese boat people. They were put on refugees, they were flick in U.S. military bases for months as it was worked out and how they would be dealt with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, calling on the Trump administration to appoint Azar to oversee the reunification of migrant families. KOSINSKI: The President has a busy day ahead of them. He will be

join by the first lady, hosting the king and queen of Jordan. The two leaders are expected to discuss terrorism, the Syria crisis, the threat from Iran and forging a lasting peace between the Israeli's and Palestinians. Then the president heads to Columbia, South Carolina in the eve of the run-off election to campaign for Governor Henry McMaster. The White House is jumping knee deep into the race to save McMaster with Vice President Pence appearing there over the weekend.

BRIGGS: White House Press Secretary, Sarah Sanders booted from a Virginia restaurant, because she works for the President Trump. Sanders tweeting she was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington Virginia to leave, because I works for POTUS. And I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with respectfully. And will continue to do so.

[04:05:16] KOSINSKI: The restaurant owner Stephanie (inaudible) told the Washington Post she would do the same thing again. She says, she explained to Sanders the restaurant has certain standards that she has to uphold, such as honesty and compassion and cooperation. Just days earlier, protesters booed and shouted at Homeland Security Secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen as she dined at a Mexican restaurant in Washington.

BRIGGS: A Washington Post editorial entitled "Let the Trump team eat in peace," says, how hard it is to imagine for example, people who strongly believe that abortion is murder, deciding that judges or other officials who protect abortion rights should not be able to live peacefully with their families. Down that road lies a world in which only the most zealous sign up for public service. That benefits no one.

KOSINSKI: Sarah Sanders father, Mike Huckabee now facing allegations of racism after he tweeted a photo of five men who appear to be using MS-13 gang signs with the caption, Nancy Pelosi introduces her campaign committee for the take back of the House. A spokesman for Pelosi, the House Minority Leader responded by saying quote, Trump and his surrogates will continue repeat blatantly false attacks, as long as the media continues to take the bait and Trump them.

BRIGGS: Huckabee later justified his tweet in an exchange of Washington Post political columnist Karen Tumulty, he said, quote, MS- 13 is not a race, but an illegal gang who rapes, murders and mutilates children as sport. Nancy Pelosi defended them, because she said Donald Trump insulted them. And Huckabee said in the tweet was not racist calling that absurd.

KOSINSKI: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tightening its control over the country after surviving the most serious threat yet to his political dominance. Erdogan declaring himself the winner of Turkish election before the official results were announcement. His opponents claiming state media and the election commission manipulated the results. Let's go live now to Istanbul and bring in CNN's Sam Kiley. Sam, so, I mean, tell us how close this could have been and how you see this announcement of the result at this point? SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, now the

results have been officially endorsed by the electoral board and they had been accepted as -- if not fair as fact by Muharrem Ince's coalition. Muharrem -- Mr. Ince was the opposition leader who was hoping to give Mr. Erdogan enough of the run for his money. At least to force a runoff. But in the end, it is has been confirmed that just short of 53 percent of the Turkish voters voted for Mr. Erdogan and some around 30 percent for Mr. Ince.

So that could be seen as something of a success for the opposition particularly in the context there was only one television station for example that ran any of the statements last night. Indeed, the Turk -- the pro-Kurd Party, the HDP, did not have anybody run their message. While Mr. Erdogan completely dominates the media and of course locked up huge numbers of his political opponent.

So, in the future, what Mr. Erdogan now has is very high degree of executive power concentrated in the hands of his presidency. He will be able to rule by decree, appoint his own cabinet. The position of Prime Minister has been abolished. And the legislature has been reduce -- if not to a rubber stamping institution, something close to it, particularly as his now ruling coalition will be completely dominant there too. Michelle.

KOSINSKI: Solidifying his power. Sam, thanks so much.

BRIGGS: President Trump says to crackdown on his next target in the trade battle with China. Investment this week. The White House will restrict Chinese investment in tech, including blocking firms of 25 percent Chinese ownership from buying U.S. companies with industrially significant technology according to the Wall Street Journal.

The White House will cite national security concerns. The White House did not return a request for comment. Restricting Chinese tech investment targets, Xi Jinping's made in China 2025 initiative. Beijing planning to dominate industries like aerospace, robotics sand electric cars. The U.S. already slaps tariffs on Chinese products and those categories and its latest action to introduce rules to stop the U.S. shipping's of tech to China. But U.S. companies will have time to comment before the rules take effect. Corporate America could suffer if this cuts off foreign capital. But Chinese investment in U.S. is already down significantly. The total is just $1.8 billion this year. 92 percent less than last year. The drop largely due to tougher scrutiny by U.S. regulators on Chinese acquisitions.

KOSINSKI: The ban on women driving finally lifted in Saudi Arabia. What's the response been like there? We'll be live on the ground next.

[04:10:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRIGGS: The White House is preparing its formal follow-up to the recent Singapore summit. The U.S. expected to give North Korea specific request and timeline regarding the Pyongyang's commitment to complete denuclearization. Alexandra Field is live for us in Seoul with the latest, 5:14 p.m. there. What is the latest on this, where are we headed?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Dave, the world watched when President Trump and Kim Jong-un signed that agreement in Singapore agreeing essentially just to work toward denuclearization. But there was no explanation at that time of what would that mean. Now you got a senior U.S. defense officials saying, that the plan is going to be put in place. They have to essentially present North Korea with what their vision for implementation looks like and that will comes with this specific set of quote/unquote asks, as well as the timeline and that there will be data point which will indicate whether or not North Korea is acting in good faith rather quickly in terms of its intentions to actually work with United States and actually move ahead to denuclearize. So that is where we are keeping our eye on

[04:15:08] Certainly you got the Secretary of State, Jim Mattis, making his way to the region this week. He will be stopping in China and South Korea and Japan where of course, North Korea will be a tough item on the agenda. When it comes to what North Korea has done in the aftermath of that summit whether or not they are signaling that they are in fact trustworthy.

Well, there were a few other agreements that were made between the President and Kim, on (inaudible), a pledge to return the remains of some of the U.S. service members whose bodies were left there since the Korean War. President Trump has said that he expects the return up to 200 sets of remains. We know there are 5,300 sets of remains belonging to U.S. service members, there is still believe to be in North Korea. The United States making preparations now to receive those remains. Sending about 100 wooden coffins up to the DMZ. It is up to North Korea now to handover the remains, which will be then taken to the air base in South Korea and eventually flown to the United States for DNA testing. So, it is at that point family members would be notified whether or not their love ones have finally been found. Dave.

BRIGGS: A gesture, but nothing concrete toward denuclearization. Alex, thank you.

KOSINSKI: Well, we saw some great pictures over the weekend of women in Saudi Arabia taking the wheel for the first time. They are now legally permitted to drive in Saudi Arabia after decade's old ban was finally lifted Sunday. CNN's Jomanah Karadsheh live in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with the latest. Hello Jomanah, so, we see these jubilant pictures. You think that the mood there is more, happy or more exasperated like this should have happened a long time ago and I still need permission from my husband or dad to do this?

JOMANAH KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know what, Michelle, in the past couple of days, it has been really incredible time here. Very emotional for a lot of the women that we met. You know, they can't believe that this is finally happening that they can actually drive legally without the fear of being arrested. But at the same time, you know, there are some who are just waiting to see what kind of reaction they are going to get from the ultra-conservative society. But I have to say, in big cities, like Jeddah here, what we have seen

over the past couple of days, men have been welcoming of this and women have felt comfortable on the roads. As you mentioned, you know, this is a big step forward. And this is what everyone here is saying. That there is still a long road ahead when it comes to equality in Saudi Arabia. Especially when it comes to that repressive guardianship law, which means that women here from the moment they are born until they die, they cannot take some basic decisions like their ability to travel or go to a college without getting the approval of a male guardian.

But some of the women that we spoke to, Michelle, say they think that this is going to change soon. They are seeing a bit of loosening up when it comes to that repressive law. And one thing that we have to mention on this day, absent, not behind the wheel, but behind bars where some the prominent women's rights activists who for years spent trying to campaign for the women's rights to drive in Saudi Arabia and they were rounded up in recent arrests of human rights activists here in the kingdom. Michelle.

KOSINSKI: All right. Just a step. It must have been great to be there, Jomanah. Thanks so much for bringing that to us.

BRIGGS: It is unusual, right. You want to celebrate, but it is 2018.

KOSINSKI: You have to see it both ways. You need permission to do this. However, you are seeing happy faces and celebrating so.

BRIGGS: Baby steps towards progress.

KOSINSKI: Yes. Nice to see some happiness.

BRIGGS: All right. Jimmy Fallon opening up about that infamous night, he tousled President Trump's hair.

KOSINSKI: Let us demonstrate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY FALLON, THE TONIGHT SHOW: I did not do it to normalize him or to say I believe in his political beliefs or any of that stuff. I don't do that with any guest. With anyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Hear what Fallon says about that low point and his overnight Twitter feud with the President. Look at that.

[04:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSINSKI: Tonight show host Jimmy Fallon expressing regret over the episode where he tousled Donald Trump's hair before the election. He then telling the Hollywood reporter, quote, I did not do it to normalize him. He describe how people ganged up on him following the September 2016 show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FALLON: It was definitely a down time. It is tough for morale for, you know people -- there's 300 people that work here and so people talking that bad about you and ganging up on you in a really gang mentality. It was insane. People you wouldn't expect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are a sensitive guy.

FALLON: You go, all right. We get it. I heard you. You made me feel bad. So now what? Are you happy? I'm depressed. You want to push me more? What do you want me to do? You want me to kill myself? What will make you happy? Get over it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The President responding with this tweet. Jimmy Fallon is now whimpering to all that he did the famous hair show with me where he seriously mess up my hair and he would have done it differently. Because, said to have humanized me. He called and said, monster ratings. Be a man Jimmy. Come on man! This is 2018. We got real issues, but this is what we are doing. So Jimmy Fallon makes a donation to the group, of course, that is providing for immigrant families education and legal services.

[04:25:06] So, on again/off again Twitter feud. Is this what you want to see between the president of United States and late night comedian? This is just -- the perfect 2018 story?

KOSINSKI: I don't know. Let's tussle your hair. You did not have to take a knife out when I tried.

BRIGGS: No one touches the head. It's not about the hair. It's the head.

KOSINSKI: I would like to see that happen.

South Carolina congressional candidate Katie Arrington, is expected to make a full recovery after being seriously injury in a fatal car wreck Friday. Arrington's campaign said she had two major surgeries on Sunday. One on her abdomen and another for spinal fracture. The doctors say the 47-year-old will not suffer any neurological deficits. Arrington was travelling on a highway in the passenger seat when another driver travelling in the wrong direction struck the car carrying Arrington and her friend. The friend also suffer serious injuries. The driver of the other vehicle died at the scene.

BRIGGS: OK. Coming up, the Trump administration has a plan to reunite families separated at the border, but it's not an instant fix. Now the President wants to send immigrants home without due process.

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