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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Trump Demanded Clearance for Ivanka; White House Pushes Back on Dems; North Korea Rebuilding Missile Facility; New Drug to Treat Severe Depression. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired March 06, 2019 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:19] DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: First Jared, now Ivanka. CNN learning the president overruled officials to get this daughter security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They started doing so many things that they shouldn't be doing. They want to play games.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The White House strategy that could be involved withholding documents.
BRIGGS: And North Korea has begun rebuilding a part of a long-range missile test facility. The work begun right around the summit, between the president and Kim Jong-un.
ROMANS: And a new drug has been approved to threat severe depression. It is major news for millions who haven't been helped by other anti- depressants.
Good morning and welcome to EARLY START, everybody. I'm Christine Romans.
BRIGGS: Good morning. I'm Dave Briggs. It's Wednesday, March 6th, 4:00 a.m. in the East.
For the second time in two weeks, we're learning the president lets his preference over longstanding protocol. Three sources telling CNN President Trump pressured aides to grant security clearance to first daughter and senior aide, Ivanka Trump, revelation contradicting Ivanka's denial to ABC News just three weeks ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVANKA TRUMP, FIRST DAUGHTER & SENIOR ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT: The president had no involvement pertaining to my clearance and my husband's clearance.
INTERVIEWER: So, no special treatment?
TRUMP: No. (END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: It's not clear what red flags were holding up Ivanka's clearance. Several sources tell CNN it's possible she was unaware there were any concerns raised during her background check. She might have been unaware of her father's involvement.
But it followed the president's top secret clearance for Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner. And it shows him once again overruling security officials on federal grounds.
Senior White House correspondent Pamela Brown has more from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAMELA BROWN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Dave.
We have learned that President Trump then pressured his then chief of staff John Kelly and White House counsel Don McGahn to grant his daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump a security clearance against their recommendations. Now, this is according to three people familiar with the matter speaking to me and my colleague Kaitlan Collins.
And while the president has the legal authority to grant clearances, most instances are left up to the White House Personnel Security Office which would determine whether a staffer should be granted one after the FBI conducts a background check. But after concerns were raised by the personnel office, Trump pushed Kelly and McGahn to make the decision so it didn't appear as if he was tainting the process and his family's favor.
Now, after both refused, Trump granted the security clearance. Now, this development comes on the hills of "The New York Times" reporting that Trump ordered Kelly to grand Ivanka's husband, Jared Kushner, a top secret security clearance, despite concerns raised by intelligence officials.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders the White House cannot comment on security clearance issues, nor can it respond to every anonymous source. Kelly could not be reached for comment and McGahn declined to comment for this story.
Back to you, Christine and Dave.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRIGGS: OK, Pamela, thank you.
CNN learning the concerns about granting a security clearance to Ivanka were separate from those about her husband. We've also been told the White House is rejecting a demand from the House Oversight Committee to turn over documents and comply with interviews about the security clearances of some of President Trump's closest advisers, including for son-in-law Jared Kushner. That increases the likelihood of subpoenas from Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings.
ROMANS: President Trump signaling the White House will push back against the barrage of congressional investigations targeting his political and personal lives. West Wing officials say the strategy is to limit the number of documents provided to House committees. The president accusing Democrats of launching probes to hurt his 2020 reelection chances and making a curious reference to his predecessor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Essentially what they're saying is the campaign begins, instead of doing infrastructure, instead of doing health care, instead of doing so many things that they should be doing, they want to play games. President Obama, from what they tell me, was under a similar kind of a thing.
Didn't give one letter. They didn't do anything. They didn't give one letter of the request. Many requests were made. They didn't give a letter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: And it's not clear what letter President Trump was talking about there, but for what it's worth, President Obama did hand over documents, lots of them, to the investigation launched by Congressional Republicans. You see there.
Now, White House officials are bracing for congressional efforts to go Mr. Trump's tax returns. There's only one Democrat on Capitol Hill with the authority to officially demand Mr. Trump's tax forms. Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal, he says he does not have a timeline that he will seek the forms only after his committee has built a case to do so.
[04:05:01] ROMANS: All right. Michael Cohen is back on Capitol Hill today. He will be finishing his testimony to the House Intelligence Committee behind closed doors.
His appearance comes one day after the New York state fiance department slapped a subpoena on the Trump Organization's insurance broker Aon PLC, and just a few days after Cohen dropped this potential bombshell.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D), NEW YORK: To your knowledge, did the president ever provide inflated assets to an insurance company?
MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Aon says it intends to cooperate. The New York State Finance Department can impose heavy fines and while it does not have the power to bring criminal charges, it can refer its findings to state prosecutors for that. BRIGGS: Breaking news overnight, new satellite images appearing to
show North Korea rebuilding part of the long-range missile testing facility. The work apparently taking place around the same time Kim Jong-un was meeting with President Trump in Vietnam, at a summit that ended abruptly with no deal.
Paula Hancocks live for us from Seoul with the breaking details.
Paula, what are we learning?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Dave, these are commercial satellite images which according to 38 North and CSIS, two think tanks, show that there has been rebuilding of part of this facility called Tongchang-ri which has actually been dismantled by North Korea since Singapore last year. This is one of the ones that Kim Jong-un had been speaking to the South Korean President Moon Jae- in about.
It was in their declaration after Moon went to Pyongyang. And he was even talking about potentially letting inspectors into the site to show how they had dissembled certain elements of it. But now, it does appear, and this is being corroborated also by the intelligence services here in South Korea, a roof has been attached to a certain structure, the engine test done, that structure has been increased, there are construction cranes as well.
So, certainly, the question is, what does this mean exactly? Does this mean this is a message to the U.S. president? But of course, the first question is, when were the satellite images from anywhere from February 16th to March 2nd, according to 38 North. So, this increase in activity could have been before, during or after the summit. So, there really is a difference of opinion among many experts as to whether or not this is a message from North Korea or not -- Dave.
BRIGGS: As usual, no press briefing from the White House, so we'll await comment.
Paula Hancocks live for us in Seoul, thank you.
ROMANS: Foreign adversaries still pose a serious threat to U.S. elections. FBI Director Christopher Wray telling a cyber security conference in San Francisco, the U.S. did not see a material impact on the infrastructure of the midterms but he warned American democracy is still in peril.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPER WRAY, FBI DIRECTOR: What has continued virtually unabated and just intensifies during the election cycles is this maligned foreign influence campaign, especially using social media, but lots of other techniques as well to sow divisiveness and discord, to pit Americans against each other.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Director Wray says the cyber threats facing the U.S. are unlike anything we've had in our lifetime, his words. But he says the FBI has been working closely with social media companies to minimize the impact.
BRIGGS: House Democrats plan to update their resolution condemning anti-Semitism, to also include a condemnation of anti-Muslim bias. The resolution now likely to come to the House floor for a vote tomorrow, instead of today. Democrats facing pressure to commend anti-Semitic comments by freshman Democrat Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, and also defend her from anti-Muslim rhetoric.
ROMANS: Omar is one of first two Muslim women to serve in Congress, is again under fire for repeatedly suggesting support for Israel is tied to Jewish money. Her comments sparking calls from Jewish groups to remove her from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, but Chairman Elliot Engel says he's not close to doing that.
BRIGGS: The Trump administration says a surge of migrants along the U.S./Mexico border has Customs and Border Protection at the breaking point. Border officials say more than 76,000 people were apprehended crossing illegally or without proper papers in February alone. That's the highest number in any February over the past 12 years. Officials say slightly fewer than 10 percent were unaccompanied children and almost half were people who came with family members. In previous years, single adults made up the majority of migrants.
ROMANS: This happening as congressional Republicans grapple with Trump's national emergency declaration in order to build his signature border wall. GOP aides say Senate leaders are planning to vote on a resolution blocking declaration next week. Four Senate Republicans have said publicly that they will support the resolution which pushes it beyond the simple needed for its past. But GOP aides say they still expected to fall short of a veto proof majority.
BRIGGS: Experts calling it the biggest advancement in years to fight depression. The Food and Drug Administration approving a new nasal spray for treatment.
[05:10:01] It will be sold as Spravato. Officials say it should be used in conjunction with an oral antidepressant. The medication also designed for adults who have not benefited from other anti-depressant drugs. That's about a third of Americans battling depression.
The nasal spray works within hours, rather than weeks or months like current drugs. It will carry a black box warning, the most serious issue by the FDA with abuse in suicidal thoughts, as potential side effects. Some people who take the nasal spray will have to be monitored for at least two hours to guard against that.
ROMANS: All right. Eye-popping deficit numbers from the Treasury Department. The U.S. government spending so much more than it takes in. The deficit grew 77 percent in the first four months of fiscal year 2019.
Here are the numbers. The deficit hit $310 billion. That's up from $176 billion a year ago. The budget deficit ballooned as tax revenue plummeted and government spending rose. Now, interest rate is still relatively low. So, you know, it's cheap
to borrow the money. But every one of those dollars you are borrowing to run the company.
Here's what White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow had to say about deficit on Fox News.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KUDLOW, NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL DIRECTOR: We are making an investment in America's future. It's already beginning to pay off and if that means we incur some additional debt in this short run, so be it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: More than just a little bit of additional debt.
The numbers come as the White House gets ready to release a new budget for the government sometime this month. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the deficit will reach roughly $900 billion this year. You recall there had been a lot of criticism from the Obama administration for deficits that added to the national debt.
BRIGGS: Yes, a lot.
ROMANS: During the final crisis, you know, trying to fight the economy from falling off a cliff. We are in good times, a strong job market and running these big deficits. It really has experts concerned.
BRIGGS: The point is this isn't the short term. This is the long term. They don't go away.
ROMANS: Where's -- the hypocrisy of the party of restraint (ph). That's the other thing that's so fascinating.
BRIGGS: Is it gone from the platform entirely?
Ahead, very scary moments on a Norwegian cruise. Can you imagine that? The ship tilts severely at sea after being hit by hurricanes- force winds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:16:42] BRIGGS: That is the sound of some chaos for cruise passengers when their Norwegian ship started tilting to one side after being slammed by a sudden hurricane-force wind with no warning. Furniture was flying. Glass breaking. Passengers at the bar holding on for dear life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was at the bar, I was sliding down. Chairs were flying.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My son got up and he looked out the window, and he could see water at that port window.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had to grab a table. I couldn't hold my balance. And whatever -- all of the items were not attached properly, keep them from falling down, glass breaking.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People falling down, crying. Yes, it was a pretty traumatic experience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Several passengers and crew members were injured. There was no serious damage to the Norwegian "Escape." The ship arrived at Port Canaveral yesterday.
ROMANS: All right. Today, search efforts will transition into recovery efforts in Alabama after that outbreak of catastrophic tornadoes in Lee County killed 23 people Sunday. The victims ranged in age from 6 years old to 89. Authorities say the death toll could rise. Seven to eight people are still unaccounted for.
One woman who lost five family members is volunteering at a command supply center to help get her mind off of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAKITHA GRIFFIN, LOST FAMILY MEMBERS IN TORNADO: I'm here volunteering, to help my community off. It keeps my mind off of stuff because this is the thing, real life. We see this somewhere else, not like here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Two large corporations who wish to remain anonymous have announced they will pay for the funerals for all 23 tornado victims.
BRIGGS: R&B singer R. Kelly tearfully denying sexual abuse allegations. Kelly pleaded not guilty to ten counts of felony aggravated sexual abuse of young girls.
In an interview with CBS's Gayle King, Kelly denied the allegations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
R. KELLY, SINGER ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ABUSE: Use your common sense, forget the blogs, forget how you feel about me. Hate me if you want to. Love me if you want.
But just use your common sense, how stupid would it be for me with my crazy past, what I've been through, right now, think I have to be a monster, hold girls against their will, chain them up in my basement and don't let them eat and don't let them out.
Quit playing. Quit playing. I didn't do this stuff. This is not me. I'll fight for my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: The interview will air in full over two days on CBS this morning. Prosecutors say the charges against Kelly spanned 1998 to 2010. He faces three to seven years in prison for each count if convicted.
ROMANS: Las Vegas, the final stop on Melania Trump's three-state tour to promote her Be Best initiative. The first lady getting personal during a town hall Tuesday on opioid addiction, saying she frequently talks to her 12-year-old son Baron about the dangers of drugs. She talked about getting to know families affected by drug use, and the impact of holding a baby suffering from withdrawal.
She also did not miss a chance to criticize the media.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELANIA TRUMP, FIRST LADY: I challenge the press to devote as much time to the lives lost and the potential lives that could be saved by dedicating the same amount of coverage you that do to either gossip or trivial stories.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:20:02] ROMANS: Mrs. Trump shared the stage with former Fox anchor Eric Bolling whose teenage son died of drug overdose in 2017.
BRIGGS: All right. Ahead, horseracing at the famed Santa Anita track in California suspended indefinitely. Twenty-one horses have died while racing or training there since December 26th.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRIGGS: Four-twenty-four Eastern Time.
Racing suspended indefinitely at California's famed Santa Anita racetrack. Twenty-one horses have died at Santa Anita since December.
[04:25:00] The latest, a 4-year-old filly who was injured while training at the track and had to be euthanized Tuesday. Officials say the suspension will give a new consultant time to thoroughly inspect the racing surfaces. Southern California has endured an unusually harsh and rainy winter. Sixteen inches have fallen in Arcadia, the home of the track since late December. The heavy rains could be a factor in the horses' deaths.
ROMANS: All right. Too bad, you don't have $19 million just laying around. If you did, you could have bought this, the world's most expensive car. Bugatti promises one only will be ever be made. The premium car maker gave it the imaginative name, La Voiture Noir, that means the black car.
BRIGGS: Glad you had that read.
ROMANS: Sold to an anonymous buyer. Recalls Bugatti's Type 57 SC Atlantic of the 1930s, beautiful specimen. Only four of those ever made, and they're among the most valuable cars on earth, costing upwards, guess how much, $50 million. $50 million for those four.
If you're looking for something more in your price range, it's entry level model, the Chiron, starts at $3 million.
BRIGGS: We don't get to know who bought that $19 million car.
ROMANS: Can you imagine how rich you have to be to spend $19 million on a car?
BRIGGS: Bezos rich.
ROMANS: Yes.
BRIGGS: Do you ever drive that thing with a risk of a scratch?
ROMANS: I don't know.
BRIGGS: I hope it flies you to the moon.
Ahead, blood is thicker than protocol. For the second time in two weeks, we've learned that the president demanded security clearance for a family member over objections of career officials.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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