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Trump's State Visit to U.K. Turns from Pomp to Politics; Trump Praises British Prime Minister's Handling of Brexit; Trump; Corbyn Wanted to Meet but I Said No; Thousands Gather to Protest Trump's U.K. State Visit; Trump's Public Feud with London Mayor Heats Up; Interview, Irfan Siddiq, British Ambassador to Sudan, No Guarantee Violence Will End; Nigel Farage at U.S. Ambassador's Residence; 30 Years Since Tiananmen Square Massacre; Muslims Celebrate Eid Al-Fitr. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired June 04, 2019 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00] BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: We are connecting a world today where the more things change, the more they stay the same with protesters in
Sudan demanding democracy. Contrasting against China with the government trying to erase any kind of thinking like that. More details on both those
stories ahead.
Our first stop though this hour, London, England, getting you right outside Buckingham Palace with the U.S./U.K. special relationship seemingly pretty
unchanging -- Hala.
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It sure is, Becky. It's a very busy day for the President and Prime Minister after the big Royal
welcome yesterday. Today was all about politics. Donald Trump and Theresa May are getting down to the business of diplomacy on the second day of the
U.S. President's state visit to the U.K.
Earlier Mr. Trump and Mrs. May spoke to reporters after meeting behind closed doors at 10 Downing Street. They touched on a wide range of issues
from Iran to NATO to trade. Although it was clear they have some policy disagreements, specifically on Iran, their personal relationship appeared
warm. The Prime Minister after all only has a few more days on the job. The man who calls himself the ultimate deal maker even conceded the Prime
Minister may have bested him when it comes to Brexit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I still believe, I personally believe that it is in the best interest of the U.K. to leave the European Union
with a deal.
And I seem to remember the President suggesting that I sued the European Union, which we didn't do. We went into negotiations and came out with a
good deal.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes. I would have sued but that's OK. I would have sued and settled maybe, but you never know. She's
probably a better negotiator than I am. Perhaps you won't be given the credit that you deserve if they do something, but I think you deserve a lot
of credit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Let's get right to our team of reporters for much more of our special coverage. Bianca Nobilo is here with me to talk about that news
conference. Nick Paton Walsh is covering protests in Trafalgar Square. Protests that Mr. Trump just downplayed as fake news, by the way. And Max
Foster is at Winfield House, Mr. Trump's residence during his London visit. It's the U.S. ambassador's residence in central London. And Nick, first I
want to get to you. The crowds are smaller. It is raining, though. That could be part of it. Talk to us about what's going on in Trafalgar Square
today.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Trafalgar Square earlier on we think we can certainly say thousands, maybe 10,000 or so
protesters. Significantly less than we saw a year ago and rain came out at exactly the wrong time for protest organizers, significantly reducing crowd
numbers to what you're seeing behind me here in Parliament Square. Really down straggling numbers here. Intermittently you see a pro-Trump supporter
or a group of them standing on their own and often actually they get surrounded by anti-Trump protesters. And on two occasions we saw them led
away by police for their own protection. And just earlier on another group walking off in a separate direction.
But the message frankly united against what they say here is xenophobia, Islamophobia of President Donald Trump. And also too we saw earlier on
today the Trump blimp. Resonating from last year, back in the skies again. And actually it will have a home in the Museum of London in the weeks
ahead. Because it's considered such part of a time capsule of this era -- Hala.
GORANI: OK, Nick Payton Walsh we'll get back to you soon. Bianca is here with me. So after that news conference, I understand according to the
schedule that the U.S. President was given a tour of the Churchill War Rooms.
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He was indeed. We now know he wasn't just having a tour. He was also having a sit-down interview, I believe his
only press interview that he's doing on camera with Piers Morgan, an old friend of his, the winner of the celebrity apprentice which Donald Trump
crowned him winner of. They sat down for I believe over a half an hour. And apparently, there will be plenty of material from that which we'll be
getting later in the day. So it'll be interesting to see how the President opened up.
Because he has been more restrained than usual. We saw a slightly looser temperament today in the press conference with Theresa May. But yesterday
in a day that was full of pageantry with the Queen, he wasn't in his comfort zone so much and he was trying to respect protocols. It was a more
refined side of the President than we've ever seen at the dinner last night. But today we're back into politics. We're back into trade. This
is an area where the President is comfortable. And he's now being a little looser lips. We'll have to see what we get from that.
GORANI: And Bianca, Piers Morgan tweeted -- not a big surprise there -- world exclusive, just finished a 33-minute interview with President Trump
in Churchill's War Rooms.
[11:05:00] His only U.K. or U.S. -- it will air tomorrow morning. But they talked Churchill, Brexit, Iran, guns, climate change and more. However in
this news conference we got a good sense of what maybe he told Piers Morgan.
But Max, you're at Winfield House where this dinner will take place tonight, the reciprocal dinner at 7:45 p.m. this evening. Talk to us
about what to expect this evening. This is the last full day of this U.K. state visit.
MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so it's a private dinner. We're not going to see much about it. It was President Trump and the first
lady providing this reciprocal dinner to last night. But the Queen isn't coming. Prince Charles is coming in her place with the Duchess of
Cornwall. So them around the table and the key messages of the American entourage we imagine. But we don't know much more apart from that.
So it's quite a quiet affair. Interesting to hear these references again to Churchill. We keep seeing it throughout this trip. Someone Donald
Trump looks up to. But also an opportunity for the British side to really celebrate the institutions that came out of the war which Churchill would
have supported of course in their modern form as well. Many people feel the likes of the United Nations and NATO.
GORANI: Max and Bianca let's talk a little bit about what emerged from that -- what came out of that news conference. Because Donald Trump did
have a few news lines. Particularly I was interested in what he said about China. Because he was asked whether or not he would downgrade the
intelligence sharing relationship with the U.K. if the U.K. did not go along with the U.S. and remove Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant from its
5G network. So he said, don't worry about that, we're in agreement. As if somehow, they had reached some sort of deal on Huawei.
NOBILO: It seems like it. When it comes to Huawei and when it came to Iran, the President acknowledged that there were differences and yet they
shared the same objective, the same common goal, which they wanted to arrive at.
In terms of the issues about Huawei, that isn't just a concern that the U.S. have. It's a concern that members of Prime Minister May's cabinet
also share. There are some within the intelligence community in the U.K. that are apprehensive about allowing China to have such a large involvement
in the cyber and 5G infrastructure of the United Kingdom. Because of concerns that you can't essentially protect certain areas from being spied
on if that was the intention of a hostile state. That's where the concerns lie.
GORANI: But I was going to say, the discussions at the highest levels of government were about allowing Huawei to build the noncore 5G network which
would exclude it from some of the more sensitive aspects.
NOBILO: It would, but there are some people who I've spoken to in the defense community that argue that it's too much of a risk and that you
can't essentially compartmentalize the structure to an extent which they're comfortable with. However, many others seem to be fine with the and that's
why there in support of involving Huawei in this instance.
President Trump discussed which was interesting. He weighed into the Conservative leadership contest. He was asked about whom he thought would
be a good replacement. He said that he thought Boris was great. He thought Jeremy Hunt was great. And he's been having a lot of face time
with the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt. And then when asked about Michael Gove -- who he supposed to be meeting with later today -- he said he didn't
know Michael and then in comedic fashion gestured to Jeremy Hunt and said, Jeremy, what do you think of Michael. Because obviously they're going to
be competing against each other.
He was quite complimentary toward the Prime Minister. He said that she deserved a lot of credit. When reporters tried to bring up issues where
you might instinctively assume that there would be a schism between the two, President Trump was more conciliatory than usual when asked about the
fact that Theresa May didn't take his advice when it came to Brexit and didn't take a harder line in terms of suing the EU. He said, I would have
sued. She didn't, but she might be a better negotiator.
GORANI: Right. He also talked about the NHS being on the table in any future trade deal. I don't think that will play very well in the U.K.
Max, he also said -- and this has been confirmed by CNN -- that Jeremy Corbyn wanted to meet with him and that he said no to him. Jeremy Corbyn
who of course boycotted the state banquet at Buckingham Palace yesterday. That was surprising to some to hear that Jeremy Corbyn had requested a
meeting with the President.
FOSTER: To be fair to Jeremy Corbyn there was lots of publicity around the fact that he didn't go to the state dinner. So he turned down that
invitation, therefore, he was snubbing the President. But the Labour side have said consistently they are not snubbing the President. They would
quite happily have a meeting with him. They just didn't want to honor him personally at the state dinner. They have huge issues with him as a person
but not necessarily as the head of the key ally. That's their argument, at least. As a result of what we heard today it's pretty clear that Donald
Trump snubbed Jeremy Corbyn. So it all went the other way in the end.
[11:10:02] GORANI: All right, Max. Quick last question there to Nick Paton Walsh. We talked about Jeremy Corbyn requesting that meeting. He's
the leader of the opposition. And of course, this country is going through incredible political turmoil. He addressed those protesters today. What
did he tell them?
WALSH: Very much a message of unity, but I have to say what people will take away, Hala, from those protests was the reduction in number. When we
were here in the middle of 2018 Donald Trump's first visit here. The streets were crammed. They were flowing in towards for Trafalgar Square.
But today I think we got possibly to $10,000 or so. Hard to tell really. They amassed in number up at Trafalgar Square and then slowly moved down
towards Downing Street where Donald Trump was at that particular time.
Also here in Parliament Square and then came the rain frankly. And then we saw things slow significantly. Jeremy Corbyn potentially the symbolic
highlight of this standing before the crowd there and addressing them as the leader of the U.K. opposition certainly showing the divide in British
politics here. But as we've seen the numbers lessen, intermittently there's been a pro-Trump supporter led away by police here. Occasionally
they've been storming out into the middle of the anti-Trump protests and making their opinion felt and then led away. Another group over there.
But really a fact check for President Donald Trump.
We saw his convoy pass. We can't tell for sure if he was in it. But he passed here. Would have heard the substantial booing from Parliament
Square, both his cars as they went past. The question of course, is did he see the larger contingent up at Trafalgar Square. People in support of him
here in the dozens. They were drowned out by larger numbers. But smaller numbers of anti-Trump protesters than the year before -- Hala.
GORANI: All right, Nick Payton Walsh, thanks very much and Max Foster and Bianca as well. We saw that presidential convoy, by the way, Nick, arrive
here at Buckingham Palace just about ten minutes ago. And we anticipate that the President will take off from Buckingham Palace on his way back to
the ambassador's residence shortly.
Mr. Trump's very public feud with London's mayor got even more heated today. The President called Sadiq Khan a negative force and blamed him for
some of London's problems. Well Mayor Khan has some strong words of his own about President Trump. He spoke with our chief international
correspondent, Clarissa Ward.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SADIQ KHAN, MAYOR OF LONDON: It's sort what you'd expect from an 11-year- old. But it's for him to decide not for me to respond in a like. But I think it's beneath me to do childish tweets and name calling.
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What made you decide to write what you wrote about him though? Because some people will say,
hold on, you were egging him on.
KHAN: I'm quite worried about what I'm seeing across Europe, across my country where you've got far-right parties, a far-right movement that in
previous years was on the fringes that's now been normalized and mainstreamed and they see Donald Trump as the poster boy.
WARD: Some people will say though the U.K. is in a moment where it needs to be pragmatic. It needs to look ahead to a bilateral trade deal. Do you
worry at all that your comments could potentially jeopardize the U.K.'s working relationship with the U.S. in the future particularly if President
Trump is reelected?
KHAN: For those people who say it's wonderful for us to leave the European Union even without the deal because we'll have a good deal with the USA,
this demonstrated why putting all your eggs in the Donald Trump basket is unwise. Because we know his mood changes from hour to hour. He can be
upset by an article in a Sunday newspaper to the extent where he resorts to name calling from Air Force One.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Sadiq Khan there on his public feud with Donald Trump. Freddy Gray joins me now. He's the deputy editor of "The Spectator". So what did
you make of day two?
FREDDY GRAY, DEPUTY EDITOR, THE SPECTATOR: Day two was a lot more political as expected. I think Trump press conferences are always
hilarious. I think his ones with Theresa May are particularly funny. And I was quite sad this will be the last one, because they're such an odd
couple together.
GORANI: Do you think he likes her personally?
GRAY: I think in his strange head, he probably does, yes. Another thing that's interesting about Trump is the sheer faultiness of his memory. I
mean he said every time he's spoken with May he said that he came to Britain the day before the EU referendum and predicted that Britain would
leave the European Union. He didn't. I was there, it was the day after. But nobody seems to be able to convince him that this is otherwise.
GORANI: He also said he doesn't know Michael Gove.
He doesn't know Mike Gove who actually interviewed him. Michael Gove had spent as a journalist when he dropped out of politics after the EU
referendum. And interviewed him for the "Times".
GORANI: He posted a picture.
GRAY: Posted a picture.
GORANI: The evidence is there.
GRAY: You can't really blame Trump. I mean, he is 72. He meets a hell of a lot of people. But it's just quite funny how sort of faulty his memory
is on this.
[11:15:02] GORANI: How will it play domestically for Trump to seemingly endorse at least two of the contenders for Theresa May's job, Boris Johnson
and Jeremy Hunt, the current foreign secretary?
GRAY: You hear a lot of British journalists saying we don't want Trump interfering in our politics. I think most British people don't really see
it that way. American Presidents have always spoken about British politics. Barack Obama famously said we'd be the last in the queue.
GORANI: But specifically Trump endorsing --
GRAY: But I don't think he specifically endorsing. All he said he's an excellent guy and he would do a good job. He didn't favor one person. I
mean, he threw in Jeremy Hunt who I think he's only just become aware of in the last couple of days.
GORANI: Well he's had a lot of facetime with him over the last few days.
GRAY: He has had some facetime.
GORANI: Interestingly he mentioned Huawei. And I think this is one of the areas where the U.K. -- because it was leaked from a national security
meeting -- was considering using Huawei for some aspects of its 5G network. The U.S. is really putting the pressure on.
GRAY: Yes. And this is what we've heard in all the briefings beforehand. The U.S. is not for budging on this issue. And my concern would be how far
down Britain is with its commitments to Huawei in terms of 5G. How are we going to backtrack on the infrastructure we've already started to put in
place.
GORANI: And Iran? Briefly, on Iran?
GRAY: Well Iran is interesting because Britain was so adamantly opposed to Trump's tear-up of the deal in the early stages after the terror up. But
that seems to have softened and quieted. And there's lots of theories as to why. Has Trump got some leverage over Britain now particularly with
Brexit coming up. Or perhaps something to do with the Mueller inquiry. That Trump is managing to exert a bit of understand influence over Britain
in terms of saying just go along with me on Iran.
GORANI: Freddy Gray, thank you very much. As always, a pleasure. Becky, back to you.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Hala. It might just be worth noting that Winfield House where we just had Max, that's the U.S. ambassador's property in
London. Barely a stone's throw away from one of the capitals largest mosques. Interesting today of course because it is the first day of Eid.
And Eid al-Fitr to those of you who are celebrating. So some users on Twitter wondering if the President woke up to the sound of the call to
prayer. That of course, just days after reports of the White House military office wanted to hide the USS John McCain from Trump's view when
he was in Japan.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Still to come --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In the capital cities, hospitals full of the wounded hope for a peaceful power sharing agreement
replaced. They try to frighten us with bullets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Calls for civilian rule are met with gunfire in Sudan. The latest on a violent crackdown on protesters is coming up.
And a massacre that China wishes the world would forget. We look back 30 years after Tiananmen Square.
And after the fast, a feast. We'll show you how Moos looms around the world are celebrating Eid. All that coming up. Stay with us.
[11:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: They call them Kandaka, the women protesters of Sudan. And this image perfectly captures their defiance, grace and courage. Wearing the
white dress of working Sudanese women woven from cotton the country produces. Paired with gold moon earrings traditionally associated with
bridal wear. This woman alone in an image that has gone viral is looking to the future and demanding women's rights while evoking the Nubian Queens
of ancient Sudan.
Well that bravery cannot be overstated. Protesters in Sudan are counting their dead after a brutal crackdown by security forces. A doctors group
says that least 35 people were killed when troops attacked demonstrators on Monday. The country's de facto military leader says the violence is
regrettable and he is calling for elections within nine months. CNN's David McKenzie has more on the bloodshed. A warning, some of his report
includes graphic images.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A new day in Sudan's dangerous impasse, ushered in by gunfire and screams, the brutality
streamed live on social media by protesters who for weeks had peacefully demanded civilian rule. Now desperately recording the security forces
deadly response.
"They killed someone, they killed someone," the man filming shouts. A civilian lies unresponsive.
In the chaos, the cameraman flees for his life. Witnesses in opposition groups tell CNN that the paramilitary rapid security force led the
crackdown.
In this video filmed by a witness you see a car stopped by security forces, the occupants inside beaten mercilessly. Despite these images, Sudan's
transitional military counsel claimed that they did not disperse the sit-in by force.
The council has been negotiating with opposition groups for weeks. Since Sudan's long-time strongman Omar al-Bashir was ousted in late April, the
biggest sticking point what role citizens will have in leading the country forward.
In the face of such violence opposition groups have suspended those talks, calling for a nationwide strike and more defiance. In the capital city's
hospitals full of the wounded hope for a peaceful power sharing agreement replaced.
"They try to frighten us with bullets," one injured man is heard saying. "We need leadership. We need leadership. The peace has ended now after
this bitterness."
Among those killed, an 8-year-old child, according to a doctor's group. They say that more than 100 injured are crammed into city hospitals, some
with gunshot wounds and others badly beaten. It is feared the death toll will rise -- David McKenzie, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Earlier I spoke to the British Ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, via Skype from Khartoum. And I have to tell you it was a real
challenge to get it up as the government are making communications extremely difficult. My team against the odds going for it for you. I
began by asking Mr. Siddiq about how that crackdown played out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IRFAN SIDDIQ, BRITISH AMBASSADORS TO SUDAN (via Skype): So there was loud gunfire that erupted at around 5:00 in the morning yesterday. It woke me
from my sleep, very close to the residence in the compound of the British embassy. It seems as if all of the witnesses are saying that these are
troops of the rapid support forces who were assaulting the protest site. And that's what led to the violence and the killings and also the fear for
normal people to go about their normal movement around the town.
ANDERSON: So has a sense of normalcy returned to the city? What's the situation now?
SIDDIQ: The city is far from normal. I've just been out for some meetings, including with the military counsel. And today by some accounts,
the first day of Eid. The formal of Eid in Sudan will take place tomorrow but it's very quiet. There are informal barricades and roadblocks strewn
all over the city.
[11:25:00] There are very few people out. Shops are all closed. So it's far from normal.
ANDERSON: What leverage does the U.K. and other international community members have on the transitionary military council to prevent the violence
from happening again?
SIDDIQ: There's no guarantee that the violence won't happen again. But were using all of the efforts at our disposal to try to ensure that there's
no repeat. The African Union is lending on the negotiations, the support to the negotiations for the formation of a transitional civilian
government. They made clear that the AU will suspend Sudan from membership of the African Union by the end of this month if that civilian government
isn't in place.
Similarly key Western countries who own most of Sudan debt -- and particularly the U.S. -- has listed to Sudan as a state-sponsored
terrorism. We have a very strong and powerful role to play in helping Sudan normalize its economy and helping it get through the economic crisis
that is still facing despite the change of leadership at the top. And Sudan wants the support of the international community. I think it need to
stop this violence and it needs to work to ensure this transition to civilian rule happens as soon as possible.
ANDERSON: Are you confident that that is going to happen, a democratic transition?
SIDDIQ: So the military council announced this morning that it was suspending all talks with the freedom and change forces and annulling all
the agreements they've reached so far. They will be calling for elections to be held within nine months. This is obviously an actual step which will
not help leading to an agreed outcome.
In a meeting with the military council that I just had along with other diplomatic representatives, we made very clear that the military council
needed to avoid unilateral steps. They needed to ensure that any outcome or the political agreement was an agreed outcome, something that had wide
ranging support and central support and one that wouldn't lead to further divisions and polarization.
I was a bit surprised the police to hear from military council that they would be open to resume negotiations. Despite the fact that the head of
the military council had said this morning that they were off and that they would be holding elections in nine months. And he also said that they
would be willing to reconsider holding elections within nine months.
ANDERSON: Would all parties and major players have a chance to prepare for those elections? That sounds like a pretty short time frame, doesn't it?
SIDDIQ: Absolutely. That's one of the points that we made that wasn't really credible given the context to expect free and fair elections to be
held within nine months. There's a huge amount of restructuring of the state, dismantling of the elements of the former regime. There's a huge
inbuilt advantage for those linked to the former regime.
There are issues of peace and conflict that need to be resolved as well as economic stabilization. And then simply there's the logistical challenge
of holding elections in a country that has been riven by conflict. That has been economically marginalized. And that really isn't in a good state
to hold elections. So I think there's huge question marks about the credibility of the proposal to hold elections in nine months.
ANDERSON: Are you concerned about the influence of other regional stake holders at this point?
SIDDIQ: There's been a lot of speculation that this crackdown on the protest site and this unilateral declaration by the military council came
soon after a regional tour by the head of the military council and his deputy particularly to the Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the United
Arab Emirates. And there's a concern that there may have been some sort of implicit green light given to this actions that we've seen.
In my own discussions with representatives of those countries, they've been clear that they want to support a transition to civilian rule and do not
support unilateral action. So I hope that there isn't been this message and that all actors, all international and regional actors work to build
stability in Sudan. These actions that we've seen over the last 24 hours and the unilateral statement by the military council will not help the
instability in Sudan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: We are just learning that President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort could be transferred to a maximum-security prison in
New York. Prosecutors have asked a judge to send him to Rikers Island later this week where he could be held in solitary confinement. Manafort
was convicted last year on bank fraud, tax and conspiracy charges. He was sentenced to nearly 7 years in prison. He faces even more charges in New
York later this month.
Right ahead it's been a busy day for the U.S. President in London but there is still more to come. We look at what's next for Donald Trump on this
trip. That is coming up.
Stay with us. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson for you.
[11:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: The U.S. President is getting down to business during the second day of his state visit to the U.K. And we've just learned that Brexit party
leader Nigel Farage has now arrived at Winfield House where President Trump is staying.
Earlier Donald Trump met with Prime Minister Theresa May trying to hammer out a trade agreement or at least the beginning of the discussion that
would lead to one and one that would take effect. At least the U.S. leader hopes as soon Britain leaves the European Union.
Now this is a big deal for both countries. They're each currently involved in some major trade disputes threatening their economies.
Meanwhile thousands are protesting Mr. Trump on the streets of London. And the Trump baby balloon is back to soaring above Parliament Square. We're
joined by CNN White House reporter, Kate Bennett, live at 10 Downing Street. And U.K. correspondent for "Politico", Charlie Cooper. So Kate,
it is raining right now. Talk to us about the expectation for this evening. Our team on the ground has confirmed that Nigel Farage -- who of
course is the Brexit party leader -- has now entered Winfield House and presumably is talking and having discussions with the President. What more
do we know and what is on the schedule for this evening?
KATE BENNETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: It's an interesting development. The schedule for this afternoon is sort of downtime before this evening's
festivities. And obviously if the President wanted to schedule meetings with people he was interested in speaking with here during this trip, this
would be the time. Clearly not something that's been on the appointment earlier today at Downing Street. We did see not just the President and the
first lady but members of his administration, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Steven Mnuchin, John Bolton, others coming through for these meetings
today.
So again, now it's downtime. This evening the President and the first lady will host a reciprocal dinner for Prince Charles and the Duchess of
Cornwall who are representing the Queen. It's a reciprocal dinner thanks in part to last night's state banquet at the Buckingham Palace.
Clearly tonight is something that the first lady has been focusing on. She's been working on this event for many, many weeks from back in
Washington. She gets very involved in the details. She likes to oversee the menu. She likes to be involved in the guest list and the seating
arrangements. So this will be sort of a big hostess-ing deal. It's not their home clearly. It's the ambassador's residence. But for the evening
for all intents and purposes the President and the first lady are hosting this evening.
It's a tradition that the Obamas did when they received their state banquet from the Queen. They hosted the next night at Winfield House. We're
carrying on a tradition here.
[11:35:00] Certainly this has been a busy few days for the President and the first lady. And so, it's interesting that he's still taking meetings
over there at Winfield House.
GORANI: All right, thanks very much, Kate Bennett. Charlie Cooper is here with me. So Nigel Farage, at Winfield House. There was speculation in the
days leading up to this state visit as to whether or not the President would meet with this very controversial figure in this country.
CHARLIE COOPER, U.K. CORRESPONDENT, POLITICO: Yes, I think Nigel Farage is going to be delighted. It looks very much like he's got his meeting if
he's at the ambassador's residence. It seems a quite a big hint to me. Yes, he takes his U.S. ties very seriously. It's a big feather in his cap.
I mean, I think he'll be very pleased to get that sort of publicity boost. There's a meeting with the U.S. President today.
GORANI: I can understand why Nigel Farage would want to meet the U.S. President. Why would the U.S. President want to meet Nigel Farage?
COOPER: He is somebody who Trump listens to on Brexit and he has done for quite a while now. Since before the referendum. They speak relatively
frequently about Brexit as far as I understand. I've interviewed Farage. And like I say he does take his ties with America very seriously. I think
he sees it as sort of a glamour that boosts his role here in the U.K.
GORANI: And we understand that the President also had a phone conversation, 20-minute phone conversation with Boris Johnson who's hoping
to become the next Prime Minister. But Boris Johnson said he didn't have time to meet the President because he has an event tonight that is a part
of the leadership contest that he didn't want to miss.
COOPER: I find that really fascinating. So the big thing here in London is obviously the Conservative Party leadership race to replace Theresa May.
Now you may remember we had one of those three years ago when Theresa May was elected. And Boris Johnson was seen as a front runner at the
beginning. And he alienated in that contest a lot of MPs. He stood MPs up at meetings, he didn't turn up at meetings he said he would. And they
thought he was a bit arrogant. And he lost a lot of support. He fell out of the race.
And I just wonder if him standing up Donald Trump arguably to go and see the MPs today is a message saying I've learned my lesson. I see that you
guys are the guys that elect me in this first phase. You're all that matter to me now. I thought that was interesting.
GORANI: Also Donald Trump has a 21 percent popularity rating in this country. So being seen with him, being endorsed by him, could even that be
politically damaging?
COOPER: I think that's probably right when you talk about the wider electorate. Yes, across the whole population Trump is not popular.
GORANI: But even among conservatives.
COOPER: I don't know, I've not seen the polling among Conservatives. He could be more popular Among Conservatives than among the wider population.
But I think that's probably about right. Because Boris Johnson after all may if he becomes Prime Minister quite soon have to face a general election
and then he would have to face the whole public.
GORANI: You were at this press conference today between Theresa May and Donald Trump. What stood out to you? What was the big headline?
COOPER: It's always a bit of a circus when the U.S. President is in town. For me the headline is that despite a lot of warm words there's still
serious strain on that trans-Atlantic relationship. Take one example, trade. The U.K. leaving the European Union needs the trade deal with the
U.S. after Brexit. Trump was asked about that today.
He was asked about the National Health Service which in this country is sacrosanct. It's regarded very highly by the public. Should that be on
the table as in should it be opened up to more U.S. corporations coming in, making a profit out of it. Trump mishearing the question at first.
Theresa May leans over and says, he's asking you about the National Health Services. He said, oh, yes, that's on the table. And that's going to
cause headlines here. That's a big deal here. And it's not great for any incoming U.K. government because as I say, NHS is sacrosanct. It's a big
political issue here. And needs to be protected and it sounds like Trump is going to go after it in any trade deal.
GORANI: But also the President said that they could sign a trade deal and trade could increase two to threefold. You don't have to be an economist
to know that already there is a very healthy trade relationship between the two countries and really the probability that it would increase as much as
the President is promising or that a deal could be signed as quickly as the President is saying that it could is not realistic.
COOPER: Let's be honest, this is Donald Trump. He says quite a lot of things off the cuff. But even in that last remark I must admit it probably
was a bit off the cuff, but it is consistent with what we know he and his administration think. Also bringing the issue of food, U.S. food coming
into the U.K. That's something the government has been very clear on. We're not going to lower our environmental standards or our food standards
to let that happen. The U.S. say that's one of the prerequisites for a trade deal. They want U.S. farmers to benefit. So I think these talks
could end up being pretty brutal for the U.K.
GORANI: Charlie, I understand we have new pictures of Nigel Farage -- the Brexit party leader -- entering the U.S. ambassador's residence. Let's
take a look at them. I'm seeing these for the first time. Not too far from here Winfield House. It's Northwest region park area. There he is in
the back seat with the driver and I understand potentially security there in the passenger seat. But no entourage. No other pro-Brexit figures.
There was speculation as to whether that might happen but that did not happen. So there you have it Nigel Farage.
[11:40:00] Let me ask you about Brexit now. Just last question about what this all means for Brexit. Because the U.S. President coming out, clearly,
he has been a supporter of the idea of a hard Brexit if no deal can be finalized between the EU and the U.K. Here in the U.K. where are we on
that? October 31st is the date.
COOPER: It's not that far away. Because we got the summer recess from Parliament. We've got the conference in the autumn. They haven't got much
time to get this done. Trump said Theresa May has done a good job. He went back on some of his former criticisms he says she's done.
GORANI: It's easy to say someone's done a good job when they're out the door.
COOPER: One could argue, yes. But I think he's wrong about that. It really doesn't look easy. Yes, the deal is done with the European Union
but in terms of it being teed up in Parliament to get through, I don't see a path at the moment. I see some Conservative leadership candidates
looking for no deal which Parliament will reject. I see some Conservative candidates looking to reopen the negotiation. That's something the EU has
said cannot happen. Once again with Brexit it's uncertainty.
GORANI: Well I'm sure we'll talk about it again. Charlie Cooper, the U.K. correspondent for Politico. Thanks very much. That's the view from here.
Becky, back to you.
ANDERSON: You certainly will be talking that again, and again, and again. Hala, thank you for that. You are back with us in Abu Dhabi for the rest
of this show.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson, of course.
Coming up the image that says a thousand words. We mark the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, as China tries to erase it
from history.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: If you were trying to watch the following segment in China, this is what you would see instead, blackout. Today a painful and tragic
anniversary commemorated around the world, but it's being not only ignored but virtually erased from history in the country where it happened.
You of course know this iconic image immortalizing the resistance from June 1989 in China. The man who stood up to a column of military tanks in
Tiananmen Square in Beijing just a day after troops massacred an unknown number of demonstrators. Thousands of Chinese protesters had gathered in
the square demanding freedom and democracy. Instead their own government told troops to move in and quash the protest without mercy. Hundreds or
thousands are believed to have been killed.
CNN's Matt Rivers is in Beijing for this 30th anniversary and he joins us now -- Matt.
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, you know, if you were out on the streets today like we were for multiple hours this morning here in Beijing
going really all across the city, it felt like an ordinary Tuesday.
[11:45:06] You didn't see any memorials. You didn't see anyone talking about what happened 30 years ago and you didn't see anything printed in
state media. And that is because that's exactly the way China's government wants it to be.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RIVERS (voice-over): Thirty years later it's an event most remembered by the lasting images it produced. Tiananmen Square packed for weeks with
demonstrators calling for a more democratic government. And on surrounding streets the subsequent chaos and violence, the fires, the tanks, the
gunshots, hundreds if not thousands were killed as the government sent in troops to shut down the protest. An official death toll was never
released. For those who were there on June 4, 1989, the memories remain fresh.
Every now and then these three get together in Beijing. They all protested in Tiananmen and spent about 15 years in prison because of it. It's come
to define the remainder of their lives and yet --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Average people in China only have a very basic awareness of what happened.
RIVERS (on camera): China wants you and the rest of the world to forget that anything bad happened here, to erase the protest and the violence from
the history books.
(voice-over): School children are not taught about it. It's not mentioned in their textbooks. There are no memorials to remember those who died. On
Chinese internet anything about the pro-democracy protest is censored. For all the witnesses, all the horrific pictures China's government pretends a
seminal event of the 20th century didn't exist.
China's defense minister recently defended the military's response in 1989, saying the protests were a political turmoil that needed to be quelled and
that military response was the correct policy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Once they mention it, it's very possible that the legitimacy of their regime will be threatened.
RIVERS: Fang Zheng protested in the Square and spoke to us in Taiwan. He lost his legs after being run over by a tank. He says China's ruling
Communist Party wants to stay in power more than anything else and talking about what happened could undermine the Chinese public's confidence in
party leaders. Erasing a government atrocity from history is in its interest.
FANG ZHENG, PROTESTED IN TIANANMEN SQUARE (through translator): And in recent years under the rule of President Xi Jinping, the political
situation has become harsher.
RIVERS: Fang and other critics say not talking about what happened in Tiananmen is right in line with increased repression in China recently,
things we've reported on. Hundreds of human rights lawyers arrested, extra judicial imprisonment of dissidents, increased censorship of the media and
the internet, the mass detention of ethnic Muslim minorities. China denies all of that. But they are all things designed to exert control and quash
dissent. Done by a government, critics say, whose biggest fear is a repeat of what happened in 1989.
Many in the West thought China would democratize after what happened in Tiananmen Square. It didn't. Perhaps the most well-known scene from the
events of 30 years ago is this, a man alone standing in front of a column of military tanks trying to stop their advance. He's paid homage right now
at this exhibit in Taiwan. We filmed it last week. And as we did so, a Chinese tourist came up to us and asked who is that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIVERS: Now, Becky, if you're of a certain age here in China, you know generally what happened in Tiananmen Square. You just don't talk about it.
But if you were young when it happened, you were born after it happened, you don't know. And I know that because we've had how many different
Chinese interns in the four years I've been here come into this bureau and every time they come in, I ask the question, do you know what happened in
Tiananmen Square? Usually they say, no. Then I show them the original CNN tapes that we still have here in the Bureau and they are fascinated by what
they see. And it is direct proof that the younger generation has been not told about what happened.
ANDERSON: Yes, it's fascinating isn't it. Matt, you recently had your broadcast interrupted there by a man you suspect to be a plain clothed
officer. I just want our viewers to have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: If you stick your neck out and you start talking about -- we're not sure who this gentleman is here. A plain clothes police officer more
than likely. So what we're going to do now, I'm going to toss it back to you in the studio. And Natalie you can just backup. We don't want to
antagonize the situation but this is what happens when you talk about Tiananmen Square.
So what's happening here is that uniformed police officers don't want to be captured on camera pushing us away. Then they bring in people like this
who clearly are working for security forces in some way shape or form, but they just don't want us to be here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:50:00] ANDERSON: I think what our viewers will be fascinated by, those who are still able to watch this outside of China, will be that in a world
of social media, Matt, is it really possible to entirely sensor material?
RIVERS: I think ultimately no. And a lot of people here in China will use what's called virtual private networks which allow them on their phones and
laptops to get around the great fire wall here. But you have to remember that if you don't know what's out there. If you don't know what you're
missing, do you know what to seek out. If you're a 20-year-old that's never been taught about this, well why would you go on Twitter or Google --
which is blocked here -- but why would you use a VPN to use some of those services to then seek out Tiananmen Square if you don't really know? Soy
think that's part of the challenge here when it comes to getting legitimate information about very relevant events in modern Chinese history to the
younger generation. If they don't even know what to look for, then why would they look for it.
ANDERSON: Matt Rivers is in Beijing for you viewers. I am in Abu Dhabi. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you, Matt.
Coming up, how Muslims around the world are marking a very special day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, here in Abu Dhabi and in many parts of the world, but not all we know, but in many other parts of the world Muslims right now
celebrating Eid al-Fitr with the traditional greeting Eid Mubarak. So for our Parting Shots, let's get you to some places around the world where the
holiday is being enjoyed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Prayers greeting the beginning of Eid in Sudan. The holiday there marks the end of Ramadan on the first sighting of a crescent moon
after a new moon. Interestingly there, Eid being celebrated definitely by the government as opposed to those on the streets. It does happen every so
often.
Pakistan one of several places where that won't happen until Wednesday. But shoppers there have already been crowding into marketplaces stocking up
on food for a break the fast feast and other holiday needs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I have to buy clothes and jewelry. I'm really enjoying myself watching all this hustle and bustle
and seeing that people are trying to celebrate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: The same kind of thing could be seen in Bangladesh, other Eid traditions including festivals of lights, and carnivals, charity to the
poor, visits with friend and family and in some places visits to graves to remember the departed.
[11:55:00] Happy Eid to one and all. We've connected a remarkable world on the move for you this hour. And will do it all again tomorrow. We've
already got some great TV lined up for you in the show. And so does Zane Asher. She's got "THE EXPRESS" for you next right after what is a very
quick break. I'm Becky Anderson. It's a very good evening.
END
