Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Awaiting Trump Comments; Cohen Pleads Guilty to Lying to Congress; U.S. Marshal Shot and Killed in Tucson; Cowboy Snap Saints Winning Streak in Upset. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired November 30, 2018 - 05:00   ET

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

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to EARLY START.

[05:00:01] I'm Christine Romans. It's Friday.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, we made it. I'm Dave Briggs, November 30th, 5:00 a.m. in the East. It is 7:00 a.m. in Buenos Aires.

And that's where we start this morning. The president in Argentina this morning for the G20 summit, his first meeting with Argentine President Mauricio Macri set to start any minute now. We'll take it live as it begins.

Bad headlines, though, back home threaten to overshadow the president's visit. Yesterday, his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleading guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Moscow. And he canceled a sit-down with Vladimir Putin following Russia's seizure of the Ukrainian navy ships and sailors on Sunday.

White House correspondent Abby Philip is with the president, joining us live from the G20.

Abby, good morning.

ABBY PHILIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave.

Well, we are minutes away from president Trump leaving from where he is staying here in Argentina for his first meeting of the day, but already, he is tweeting about something completely different, tweeting about Michael Cohen and about special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, calling it once again a witch hunt. Now, this tweet really is telling us more publicly about what is going on behind the scenes.

According to our source, the president has been in a terrible mood over the last day or so as this news from the Mueller investigation has come out. He is distracted according to our sources, going into an incredibly consequential G20 Summit with world leaders. Now, President Trump has so much on the agenda here with issues on the world stage, ranging from trade to that meeting with President Putin that was supposed to be on Saturday morning, scheduled for about two hours. Shortly after Cohen's guilty plea, President Trump announced that the meeting would be canceled. He said it was because of the situation in Ukraine. But at the same time, he didn't condemn Russia. He said he looked forward to meeting with Putin at another time.

So, it remains to be seen how much all of this domestic turmoil is really overshadowing these meetings here at the G20. President Trump is often uncomfortable really in these kinds of settings with world leaders, including with European allies who he ought to have a better relationship with, but who in recent months, he's had some tumultuous moments on Twitter, criticizing several of them.

He also has a trade pact that he's expected to sign with Mexico and Canada later this morning on the agenda. Trade meetings with China on Saturday. And then he is headed back to Washington after cancelling another part of what was supposed to be a two-stop South American tour.

Clearly, Christine and Dave, President Trump trying to pack in as much as he can in about two days here in Argentina and then getting back to Washington where there is a lot that is hanging over his head, especially when it comes to this Russia investigation.

BRIGGS: Boy, there sure is. Abby Philip live for us from the G20 in Argentina.

The president up early tweeting about the Cohen plea, saying: Against all odds, I decided to run for president and continued to run my business very legal and very cool, talked about it on the campaign trail. Put up zero money. Zero guarantees and didn't do the project. And returning to his favorite line, witch hunt, Abby.

So, clearly, this is front and center on the president's mind this morning.

PHILIP: Absolutely. And as you can see from that tweet, the president trying to downplay these developments with the investigation. But at the same time, Dave, we should really be clear here that what Michael Cohen was accused of lying about is not something that the president talked about during the campaign trail. He denied he had any business dealings at all with Russia. So, I think President Trump is clearly pre-occupied with this issue.

It is just yet another development that seems to bring this investigation closer and closer to his inner circle. This deal that they tried to do in Russia also involves his children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump. And I think we have not seen the last of this particular issue and this investigation.

ROMANS: And we know that that really rankles the president. He is 5,200 miles from Washington. But this is foremost, as you can see from his Twitter feed, in his mind.

Abby Philip, thank you so much for that great reporting.

More details now on the president's former lawyer and fixer turning on him once again. Michael Cohen, as we said, pleading guilty to lying to Congress, admitting he misled lawmakers about the Trump Tower Moscow project during the campaign in order to protect Mr. Trump.

Let's get more on that from CNN's Evan Perez.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Dave and Christine, the president's former fixer Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about how much the president knew about the deal that was dubbed Moscow Project and when it was terminated, telling the court he lied out of loyalty to the president.

Now, the plea agreement says that the man who once said he would take a bullet for the president, gave information to special counsel Robert Mueller during more than 70 hours of questioning between August and November.

[05:05:03] Now, the deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow was one of the many topics discussed according to a source. The court documents revealed that, quote, Cohen discussed the status and progress of the Moscow project with Trump, referred to as individual one on more than three occasions. And while Cohen told Congress last fall that the Moscow Project ended in January of 2016, he now admits the discussions lasted as late as approximately June of 2016.

Cohen now admits he made the false statements to protect Donald Trump and give the false impression that the Moscow project ended before the Iowa caucus and the very first primary in hopes of limiting the ongoing Russia investigation. Cohen also described plans to travel to Moscow to discuss the deal ahead of the 2016 Republican convention in Cleveland. The court papers say that Cohen's work isn't done yet. His attorneys telling reporters that Cohen will continue to cooperate with prosecutors -- Dave and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRIGGS: All right. Evan Perez, thanks.

Again, we are awaiting remarks from the president and President Macri there in Buenos Aires. We'll play them for you as they happen.

But one idea for the Trump Tower project in Moscow was to give a $50 million penthouse to Vladimir Putin as a gift. A former Trump associate who worked on the deal with Michael Cohen says the plan was to place the Russian president in the building to enhance its value and prestige and would-be buyers. According to a report by "BuzzFeed", Cohen discussed the idea with one of Putin's reps. It is not clear whether then candidate Trump was informed of the plan.

ROMANS: Special counsel Robert Mueller looking into the role of the president's children in the Trump Tower Moscow project. According to Yahoo News, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. worked independently on the project but were aware of his efforts. Yahoo says it reached out to Don Jr. for a comment and has not received a response. An attorney for Ivanka Trump refused to speak on the record. BRIGGS: Clearly on the offensive, reacting to news of Cohen (AUDIO

GAP) implying that his former trusted attorney is, quote, weak and a liar, trying to save his own skin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's a weak person and by being weak, unlike other people you watch, he is a weak person and what he's trying to do is get a reduced sentence. So, he is lying about a project that everybody knew about it. I mean, we were very open with it. He's a weak person and not a very smart person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Now, a quick fact check here. Everybody did not know about the Trump Tower Moscow project. The proposal only came to light long after it was canceled and after President Trump took office.

Leaving the White House for Argentina yesterday, the president expanded on the view of Cohen's motives and he made the remarkable claim he could do anything he wanted before taking office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: It's very simple. He's got himself a big prison sense and (AUDIO GAP) prison sentence by making up a story. Now, here's the thing. Even if he was right, it doesn't matter, because I was allowed to do whatever I wanted during the campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMAN: The ranking Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees which Cohen admits he lied to wanted to bring the fixer back only this time for truthful answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA), RANKING MEMBER, HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: It means when he was representing the president during the campaign that he had no business interests in Russia, that that wasn't true.

SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA), RANKING MEMBER, SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: If anything the president has said is true and there is no "there" there, why are all of his closest associates being guilty of lying about thier ties to Russia?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: It remains to be seen if they will get a chance. Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12th.

All right. A replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement is expected to be signed by the United States and Mexico and Canada this morning at the G20. President Trump announced the trilateral deal known as the United States Mexico Canada agreement, USMC, rolls off the tongue, that was at the end of September. After it's signed, the deal needs to be approved by lawmakers in all

three countries. It is unlikely the agreement will come to a vote in Congress before the end of the year. Republicans still have control of the House. The new trade agreement differs from the '93 NAFTA in a few ways. It includes a brand new chapter on digital trade. (AUDIO GAP) cars and trucks are manufactured. For vehicle to be free from tariffs inside those three countries, more

of its parts will have to be made in North America and by workers earning at least $16 an hour. There is no deadline for ratification. And Congress will most likely to vote until the International Trade Commission releases a report on the economic impact of the deal. The commission has until mid-march to deliver that report to Congress.

BRIGGS: Breaking overnight: A U.S. deputy marshal was shot and killed in the line of duty overnight. Police say it happened in Tucson, Arizona, while the marshal and team of officers were delivering a felony warrant to a suspect who was allegedly been stalking a law enforcement officer.

[05:10:00] Police surrounded the home until surrendered to police. The marshal's name has not been released. Tucson's police chief calling it a tragic night for law enforcement.

ROMANS: All right. Life or death drama caught on a sheriff's body cam. His escape through wildfire flames, next.

BRIGGS: And some help from above for a man desperately trying to survive in a rain-swollen river.

Also awaiting the remarks from the president at the G20 in Argentina.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRIGGS: All right. We are awaiting remarks from President Trump and Argentinean President Mauricio Macri. This would be the first time we heard from President Trump on the world stage after the guilty plea of his long-time personal attorney Michael Cohen and his fixer.

[05:15:00] This should be some interesting remarks. We will play them in their entirety live when they step to the podium.

But, first, a dramatic chopper rescue in a rain swollen Los Angeles river all caught in camera. Take a look at the rescuer struggling to stop spinning as he's lowered into surging water, finally locates the victim, a 50-year-old man who police suspect is homeless, clinging desperately to a tree.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have harnessed him and they are in the process of making the rescue. Wow, that is awesome. Look at that. You can see that person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Very nice. They got him just in time because he was suffering from hypothermia. He is in fair condition this morning at a local hospital. Heavy downpours on L.A. on Thursday trapped people in their homes and vehicles forced evacuations.

ROMANS: Elsewhere in California, flash flooding roaring through creeks and canyons down stream from wildfire burn areas. This is Trabuco Creek in Orange County which was charred by the Holy Fire in August. This is Riverside County where some neighborhoods affected by the Holy Fire were evacuated Wednesday ahead of the storm.

In northern California, heavy downpours caused flash flooding in and around the Camp Fire burn area. So far, no reports of serious injuries or widespread property damage or injuries.

BRIGGS: Just released body cam video from the deputy's narrow escape from California's deadly Camp Fire. Deputy drove into the wildfire to evacuate four nurses from the hospital in paradise. He had to walk through the flames when his car became disabled. That is when he activated his body camera to capture what he believed might be the final moments of his life.

(VIDEO CLIPP PLAYS)

BRIGGS: That bulldozer took the deputy and the nurses to safety. The death toll from the Camp Fire currently stands at 88.

ROMANS: I just can't get enough of that video. That's amazing that they got out of there. I'm so glad.

The Dallas Cowboys suddenly looking like a playoff contender after knocking off the high flying Saints. Dave tells me this was a big deal.

Coy Wire has more in the "Bleacher Report."

BRIGGS: Huge offset, man. Massive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:17] BRIGGS: A Texas-sized upset as the Cowboys put on the NFL's hottest team, the Saints, suddenly on ice.

Coy Wire has more on the "Bleacher Report."

Boy, the over/under on this game, my friend, is 51.5 points. You lost big time if you bet the over.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, if you liked offense, this was not the game for you. But like a defensive guy, my goodness, going into last night's game, it would be difficult to give the Cowboys a chance, because the Saints were the hottest team in the league, riding a ten-game win streak and the NFL's highest scoring offense. And that was all behind this week's "Sports Illustrated" cover boy Drew Brees, an MVP candidate.

But, man, those Cowboys were thinking, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Quarterback Dak Prescott completing an amazing 85 percent of his

passes and this one touchdown pass to Ezekiel Elliott.

Then it was time for the Dallas defense to shine. Look at this hit? They were physical too. Alvin Kamara was surprisingly with no penalty called on this one. The boys sacked Drew Brees twice and put this one on ice with Jordan Lewis' interception with two minutes to go.

The Saints held with just 176 total yards. That's their lowest total in the last 17 years. A 13-10 loss. How about them boys?

It is championship weekend in college football with conference titles on the line. None of them are bigger, though, than the SEC championship, number one Bama facing number four Georgia in the rematch of last year's college football playoff final.

The Crimson Tide are 13.5 point favorites. But Heisman winner turned analyst Tim Tebow told us that you can throw that out the window.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM TEBOW, 2007 HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER: I think it will be a really good rematch. I think Kirby is one of the coaches that understands Nick very well and he'll have a good scheme against them. And I think Georgia is a team that can play Alabama player for player.

And it's going to be two great quarterbacks matching up, you know, head to head. And that's exciting. It is two of the four best teams in the country. This is a semifinal game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Finally, Warriors star Steph Curry is making a girl's holiday special by listening. Nine-year-old Riley from Napa wrote Steph a letter saying that what she wanted for Christmas was a pair of Curry 5 shoes for the new basketball season. When she went online, they were listed only under the boys section.

Well, Steph saw that letter and wrote a handwritten note of his own ride back. Not only is Steph going to get Under Armour to put the shoes under the girls section, he's also sending a surprise present.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY MORRISON, 9-YEAR-OLD BASKETBALL PLAYER: So surprising he is such a busy person.

[05:2501] I was not expecting anything like that. I was just expecting Under Armour to see it and not say anything and fix it. He said he would give me the Curry 5 and Curry 6.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Great move by Steph Curry there. Back to you in studio. Some breaking news. BRIGGS: That's right, Coy. We're going to get now to Buenos Aires.

We are looking at live at President Trump and host President Mauricio Macri as they prepare to make remarks.

Will president Trump talk about the plea and the comments from Michael Cohen from yesterday or will he focus on the G20? This is a relationship between Macri and Trump that goes back to the 1980s when there was a real estate acquisition between Macri's father and President Trump. They even wrote about that in "Art of the Deal" did President Trump.

So, it should be interesting remarks, Christine, as we await President Trump. Will he talk about Michael Cohen, his personal lawyer?

ROMANS: This is the first time we heard from him since the surprise court appearance from Michael Cohen yesterday when Michael Cohen admitted he had lied to Congress about Trump's dealings, about his dealings with the Russians during the campaign and the timing of all that.

And, you know, the president has been tweeting this morning. We know this is on his mind because he has been tweeting about this already this morning.

BRIGGS: Yes, definitely, the first thing on his mind this morning was the comments, the plea from Michael Cohen. Here they are. We will take their remarks as they begin.

Some interesting color here, Romans, from this relationship. Macri once talked about when they played golf, Macri beat Trump, Trump broke his golf clubs in his response. Here they are about to being their remarks. The handshake.

ROMANS: The photo op.

BRIGGS: And we will listen in here for a moment.

PRESIDENT MAURICIO MACRI, ARGENTINA (through translator): Good morning, good morning. I would like to welcome -- I would like to welcome President Donald Trump to Argentina on his first visit to Latin America and his first time in Argentina, of course.

Just now, we were coming up the stairs, and I told him it took 30 years, Donald, to convince you to come down because I invited you over 30 years to visit our city and beautiful country. I have to wait for you to become president and G20 could to be held here. I'm really happy to have you here.

But this is a great opportunity. Thank you for the huge support we have received from the United States and from your government, especially during this past year as we have been going through some difficult times and your support and your support for the deal with the IMF has helped us build a better future and start taking steps in that direction.

We would like to thank you for the work we're doing together in such fields as education and defense and especially with regard to domestic security, with fight against organized crime and drug trafficking, enemies of our citizens. And the work we are doing together is certainly making a lot of head way. We see a lot of progress which we hope will continue for the rest of our time in office.

Let me also tell you that Argentina's investors in U.S. companies and we hope you invest in Argentina and they will bet on our talent and help us build quality jobs. Also, tourism is getting important. We are getting more and more citizens from around the world, but a country that is exporting most tourists to Argentina is the United States, which I think shows the affection from the American people for Argentina.

Thank you very much for visiting us. We will have a meeting and I'm sure we will find more ways to work together and cooperate for the benefit of our people and the people of the United States. Thank you, Donald, for being here.

TRUMP: I think I understood you better in your language than I did on this.

I wanted to say I have been friends with Macri for a long time, many years. People would know that he is a very young man, very handsome man. We knew each other very well -- I actually did business with his family, with his father. A great father, a friend of mine.