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Banks Ordered to Reveal Tax Returns; Fact Checking Trump's Comments at the G-7; Brazil Rejects Aid. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired August 27, 2019 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Two major banks, Deutsche Bank and Capital One, have until 4:00 p.m. Eastern to tell a New York court whether they have President Trump's tax returns. If they refuse to answer, both banks will have some explaining to do.

Sara Murray is going to explain all of this to us. She's live in Washington.

Sara.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

Well, look, the judges have set this 4:00 p.m. deadline today telling Capital One and Deutsche Bank they need to inform the court whether they have Trump's tax returns after what were pretty bizarre oral arguments on Friday. On Friday before this panel of judges, Deutsche Bank and Capital One refused to say whether they had President Trump's tax returns. They cited contractual obligations.

Now, this is a small fight in what is, of course, a bigger fight. And the bigger fight is Democratic lawmakers that are trying to get their hands on President Trump's financial records. The Democrats say this is all for legislative purposes. We need to know if we should be making different kind of laws based on what we don't know is going on with the president's finances in the time before he became president and when he took office. And the president's lawyers are saying, no (ph), these are lawmakers who are trying to pay law enforcement, they are trying to play cop here, and they are running outside of their lanes.

So, ultimately, the judges need to know, do these banks even have the president's tax returns. As they're proceeding, we should get that answer by 4:00 today.

Back to you, John.

JOHN AVLON, CNN ANCHOR: Do you have them, not will you give them to us. Very, very small steps but an important one.

Sara Murray, thank you very much.

MURRAY: Thanks.

BERMAN: President Trump back in Washington after the whirlwind G-7 Summit filled with all kinds of lies and contradictions and misdirections. What happened? What didn't happen? And the small fibs that could be the most inexplicable. One, of course, involves his wife right there. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:35:43] CAMEROTA: President Trump's trip to the G-7 is over, but the fact checking of his claims continues apace. Fact checkers are working overtime this morning. Were there really calls between the Chinese and the U.S., as President Trump claimed? The Chinese say no.

Why did he really skip that climate summit? There are conflicting reports.

What are Melania Trump's real thoughts on Kim Jong-un since she's never met him?

And then there was the president's desire to host the next G-7 at his Doral resort in Miami, though he claims he would not make any money, which is not true.

So back with us, David Gregory and Joe Lockhart.

I think that just, for illustration sake, David, we should play the one about how -- about Melania Trump's thoughts on Kim Jong-un.

Listen to the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The first lady has gotten to know Kim Jong-un, and I think she'd agree with me, he is a man with a country that has tremendous potential.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: She's never met him.

DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. I mean this is why the role of press secretary is such a diminished job, unfortunately, in this White House because the job of having to correct these mistakes is -- is so big. And it just shows that the president, just off on his own, on his own tangent. I think the clarification was that the president feels as if Melania has gotten to know him because he's gotten to know him. I mean it's -- it's a --

CAMEROTA: Right. That's not a fact.

GREGORY: Right.

CAMEROTA: Like, I'm so glad you point that out, David, because that is the explanation, right?

GREGORY: Right.

BERMAN: I can read it. I can read it. President Trump confides in his wife on so many issues, including the detailed elements of his strong relationship with Chairman Kim. And while the first lady hasn't met him, the president feels -- the president feels like she's gotten to know him too.

CAMEROTA: And that is so, I think, instructive, David --

GREGORY: Yes.

CAMEROTA: For a lot of what we're told. If the president feels it strongly enough, to him it's true, or it's worth saying, or it's worth lying about.

GREGORY: Right.

CAMEROTA: And, to the rest of us, that's called not true.

GREGORY: Right. And it just diminishes the impact of the word of the president, right? And we're seeing this all over the place. The president -- when the president speaks, it still matters. It can still roil markets, which is why presidents are usually careful. I think this president, you see especially on the world stage, just wants to create an atmosphere of chaos to see whether he can gain an advantage of create an opening or create a new story somewhere. That's how he operates. And I think, you know, we could go through the examples and see what he was trying to gain in each one here.

BERMAN: And it just shows that the truth doesn't matter. Is it epically important whether or not Melania Trump has met Kim Jong-un? No. Is it important whether the truth matters at all to the president? Yes. I kind of think so, Joe. And it gets to the issue of the climate change meeting also.

The president didn't go. The White House put out a statement saying the reason he wasn't there was because he had these extra meetings with the leaders of Germany and India. But the fact of the matter is, they were there. Look, they made the meeting. So, clearly, that wasn't the reason the president missed it. Again, it's just the idea that the truth doesn't matter.

JOE LOCKHART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I mean, it's -- that's -- I agree with both what Alisyn and David said, that it -- for Trump, if he believes it, it's true. And for the rest of us, we just have to sort it out. It's just -- you know we -- you know, we've had now many years of this. It's not going to change. He's not going to tell the truth. He believes what he said.

And I -- listen, I think the big story out of the G-7 is just how irrelevant the American president has become. The president went there to push Vladimir Putin, the Dural Country Club, and China tariffs, all of which were just, you know, flatly rejected. And what the rest of the world wanted to talk about, you know, getting out of this trade war and climate change, the president just ignored. So we are in this isolated position, not isolated because we're right and we're strong and we're going to lead the world, you know, isolated because we've become irrelevant, you know, at these -- on these stages except for the theatrics. [06:40:06] CAMEROTA: You know, there was one really revealing moment, though, David, and I think that it is important for us to play it because I think that it is at the heart of all of the sort of schizophrenic decisions and the up and down and the day is night and the China, yes, I have had second thoughts, no, I never have second thoughts. I mean all of that stuff. I think that -- that there was a really sort of self-aware moment that the president had when the -- when asked by reporters --

BERMAN: Unintentionally honest.

CAMEROTA: Why he -- why he does this.

So here is where he said it's just the way I negotiate. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Sorry, it's the way I negotiate.

QUESTION: So my question is, is that a strategy? Is it a strategy to call President Xi an enemy one day and then say the relations are very good the next day?

TRUMP: Yes. N, no, no.

QUESTION: And then, you know, I mean it's gone back and forth several times.

TRUMP: It's the way I negotiate. It's done very well for me over the years. And it's doing even better for the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: The last part's debatable.

GREGORY: Yes.

CAMEROTA: But, bingo, there it is. That's what -- I mean to Joe's point, this is what he does, it's what he's always done --

GREGORY: Right.

CAMEROTA: And the rest of us need to stop being so, you know, befuddled every time it happens.

GREGORY: Yes, well, I agree with that. And I also think that it's -- it's one of the -- the idea that Trump hates the media and takes on the media all the time. I mean this is the perfect example of how the opposite is true. What he thrives on is being able to create all of these waves by creating stories and sewing chaos because he's looking to catch an edge here or there in the negotiation with China or move the ball or create a new narrative. That's what he does. And it is -- it's highly debatable.

I mean, again, you could appreciate the president trying a new tact. You could even support him on his general approach to China. I think there's Democrats and Republicans who do that. We don't know what the result -- we have no idea whether it's actually working for the country except for creating such volatility.

And I think to Joe's point about the relevancy of the United States, I guess I would say it a little bit differently. I think the United States is isolated and I think the president has -- is captured by the idea that he alone can somehow better the fortunes of the U.S., vis-a- vis the rest of the world, independent of some kind of concerted action. And that has certainly not borne fruit at all. And that's what's disturbing is that the idea -- and you can have disagreements with the allies on any number of issues, but the idea that we've just separated from the idea of working with the rest of the world and our traditional allies to effect change in the world is -- harkens back to an era, you know, of -- in the 18th century, the kind of great game approach to the world, one off deals here and there, and it's really unsettling.

BERMAN: You know, Joe, it's interesting, I talked to Rick Santorum last night, who is dead set against the president hosting the G-7 next year at Doral, his country club in Florida. Santorum said, hell no that that's a good idea. He thinks it's a terrible idea.

Do you think this is the last we'll hear of this? What happens if the president keeps on pushing the idea of hosting the G-7 there?

LOCKHART: Oh, I believe he'll keep pushing it, and I believe it will be held there, because that's what he wants. and on decisions where he gets to decide, he does what he wants and he doesn't really care about the backlash.

It is a terrible look to the rest of the world. You know, there are -- you know, most presidents want to showcase what's best of America or what's best of France. We're going -- you know, he -- Trump wants to take the rest of the world to a second rate golf resort in Florida, which tells you about -- about Trump. So I think he'll keep doing it.

But one other thing on, you know, on China and strategy, I have to just tell you, having been in the White House, it's not a strategy. A strategy would be the president would say something even if it was, you know, sort of, you know, back and forth, and his staff would be out there helping him push that. You know, with China, you know, with the China and second thoughts, you had his press secretary saying one thing, you had his chief economic adviser saying another thing. It's not (INAUDIBLE). It's whatever feels right to Trump in that moment, which is very much like a three or a four-year-old. You know, they will tell lies because in that moment they have to make something right. And it's really a testament to, I think, you know, his character, and, you know, you know, something that goes on in his head, but it is not a political strategy.

GREGORY: And can I --

CAMEROTA: I don't think he's calling it a strategy, by the way, I think that he's saying it's his style. GREGORY: Right. But, you know, there's also business leaders that I've

talked to have said, what's dangerous about this is that the Chinese, who normally play a long, diplomatic game anyway, are beginning to think about who his successor will be, and they're urging the president, business leaders are, to say, look, get what you can this year. You're not going to get this longer term deal. But the very least you could do is try to get something that would shore up this -- the volatility right now. But I think Joe's absolutely right, there's no concerted effort here.

BERMAN: China had one position over the last five days. The president seemed to have five different positions over the last five days. That should tell you something.

CAMEROTA: Gentlemen, thank you both very much.

[06:45:01] All right, now to entertainment. Taylor Swift getting political again, this time at the Video Music Awards. We'll tell you what she called out the White House for.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: Boeing is reportedly facing its first lawsuit in connection with the troubled 737 Max fleet. "The Financial Times" reports a Russian aircraft leasing company is suing Boeing for breach of contract. The company ordered 35 Max 8 jets from Boeing before the planes were grounded worldwide in March following those two deadly crashes. The suit alleges that Boeing intentionally failed to disclose safety information to its customers to get them to buy that aircraft.

BERMAN: A new, deadly tragedy for the city of Dayton, Ohio. Two children were killed last night after a suspect in a stolen police cruiser crashed into several cars in front of the city's library. Police say nine others were injured and taken from the scene to local hospitals. At least seven children were among those hurt. The suspect accused of stealing the police car was wanted in connection with a stabbing. He was injured and has not been identified at this hour. Needless to say, that's the last thing that Dayton needs right now.

[06:50:05] CAMEROTA: So horrible.

Meanwhile, Denver Police say they believe they have identified the driver who plowed into a crowd over the weekend. This terrifying moment was caught on cell phone video.

(VIDEO TAPE)

CAMEROTA: The man who shot the video told the local station he thinks the driver was just trying to get away from attackers who were vandalizing his car. Two people struck were said to be slightly injured. Police say they are investigating whether to charge the driver with vehicular assault.

BERMAN: All right, pop superstar Taylor Swift making a statement at the VMAs. She won Video of the Year for her equality anthem "You Need to Calm Down." The end of that video, as you all well know, includes a push to sign a petition for the Equality Act, which focuses on LGBTQ rights. The White House has yet to respond to this petition, so Swift gave the Trump administration a reminder in her acceptance speech.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAYLOR SWIFT, ENTERTAINER: I want to thank everyone who signed that petition, because it now has half a million signatures, which -- which is five times the amount that it would need to warrant a response from the White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Traditionally, and I think it was started in the Obama administration, a petition gets a hundred people -- a hundred thousand people signing it, it does get a White House response. That is what she was referring to. No word from the White House -- this White House if they'll respond to the petition.

CAMEROTA: She's a force of nature.

BERMAN: Uh-huh.

CAMEROTA: I mean she's a force of nature.

BERMAN: I think she's going to turn into something. I think -- I think --

CAMEROTA: She's got it. She's got something.

BERMAN: Soon -- soon a lot of people will be listening to Taylor Swift.

CAMEROTA: Will know her name. Yes.

BERMAN: Yes.

CAMEROTA: I think -- well, OK, you're going out on a limb.

Meanwhile, Brazil rejecting millions of dollars in international aid to help fight the Amazon wildfires. And now this crisis is getting personal. Details and a live report, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:55:59] CAMEROTA: A Brazilian official says the company's leaders will reject the $20 million pledged at the G-7 Summit to help fight the fires that are destroying the Amazon's rainforest.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is live in Brazil for us with more on why the president of Brazil would reject such help.

Nick.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's kind of a startling move to be honest obviously given the enormity of what we're seeing here. Fires burning, according to the French president, over twice the size of France, 85 percent up on the year before. We saw, though, startling devastation ourselves. But Jair Bolsonaro, the Brazilian president, who has campaigned, got himself to power on the idea that the Amazon is a resource that people living in it should be riching (ph) themselves upon, his chief of staff has come out with an extraordinary comment, frankly, saying how French President Emmanuel Macron can't even avoid a foreseeable fire in a church that is a World Heritage Site and he wants to teach us something. He's referring to the Notre Dame fire that burned that landmark in Paris almost down to the ground. He goes on to say, he has a lot to look after at home and in the French colonies.

This really a part of the spat that has overshadowed so much of the urgency here. Jair Bolsonaro himself has said that he's not sure why everyone is so fascinated with the Amazon, why are they not looking at their own problems. Feeding the conspiracy idea this is all some big, global colonial plot for people to get their hands on Brazil's natural resources.

But the urgency is still certainly there. But we've seen this in remarkable personality based bickering between politicians. Emmanuel Macron very offended at frankly a very offensive meme put out on the Internet regarding his wife, which Jair Bolsonaro commenting on. They've been in a spat back and forth which ended with Emmanuel Macron saying he hoped eventually Brazil would get a president that was up to the job.

But none of this is getting to the actual heart of the problem. And, in fact, we're seeing in Brazil here lots of misinformation about how the fires aren't really as bad as necessarily we might think they are as independent scientists like NASA, who've got no axe to grind against Brazil, are actually saying -- some are even saying the rain is on its way to cure the day and make us all fine. That simply isn't the case. This is extremely bad compared to the last few decades, and continues to rage.

The question is, when do people actually begin to harness global resources and let them in to assist Brazil with the problem or can Brazil deal with it themselves?

John. Alisyn.

BERMAN: And will people focus on the actual problem or their own personal issues there, which seem to be getting in the way.

Nick Paton Walsh, thank you so much for being on the ground.

Major news this morning. We're going to hear from both sides of a landmark case that could change how the opioid crisis in the U.S. is being fought.

NEW DAY continues right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Johnson & Johnson will finally be held accountable for thousands of deaths and addiction caused by their activities. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A landmark decision worth over half a billion

dollars.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Johnson & Johnson did not cause the opioid abuse crisis here in Oklahoma.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the first time a drug company is being found culpable for this opioid epidemic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Residents in Puerto Rico bracing for impact as Tropical Storm Dorian churns closer and closer by the hour.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When a storm forms, we are worried about what is going to come after.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole island is being traumatized. You have to take that into consideration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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

BERMAN: All right, welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY and we do have breaking news.

Millions of Americans waking up to serious weather warnings. The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning and hurricane watches as Dorian, you can see it right there, intensifies and moves closer to Puerto Rico and is now, for the first time, really taking aim at Florida.

[06:59:48] This is a live look at the west coast of Puerto Rico. The governor has declared a state of emergency for the island. The weather expected to get much worse, as you can imagine. This is a live look at Barbados, where Tropical Storm Dorian is already beginning to churn up the waves. We'll have the latest forecast and a live report from Puerto Rico just ahead.

END