Return to Transcripts main page
New Day
Peter Navarro is Interviewed about the Vaccine, Ventilator Money, Kodak, and Workplace Probe; Jobless Claims Drop Below 1 Million. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired September 03, 2020 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:30:08]
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The CDC is telling states to prepare to distribute a coronavirus vaccine by next month. But scientists worry that the Trump administration may be putting politics ahead of science.
Joining us now is White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro. He is coordinating the federal government's Defense Production Act policy response to the pandemic.
Good morning, Peter.
PETER NAVARRO, WHITE HOUSE TRADE ADVISER: Good morning, Alisyn. How are you?
CAMEROTA: I'm doing well.
So, I have so much to get to, so forgive me if I jump in to just try to move you along. But let's just start with that, is the goal of the administration to get a vaccine out before Election Day?
NAVARRO: The goal of the administration is to get a vaccine out as quickly as it is safe and efficacious to do.
My role, Alisyn, is simply to make sure that we have enough manufacturing capacity to get a vaccine out that's safe and efficacious at scale. And that's a challenge.
So as the Defense Production Act policy coordinator, I'm working with a lot of different folks, making sure we have the vials, the needles, the injectors and things like that.
CAMEROTA: So, but, Peter, are you saying that you will not -- that it will not be released until phase three clinical trial is complete?
NAVARRO: No, I -- that's -- that's -- that's way outside my purview, Alisyn. My -- my only job is to make sure that we have mass scale production. And I think that's -- that's a big difference between this administration and -- and -- and previous efforts. The typical way to go through a -- a drug trial and get a vaccine to market is sequentially where -- where you do the phases and only after that do you prepare for production. What we're trying to do with five or six different companies in the horse race for the vaccine is make sure that we have all of the vials, the injectors.
And that's no small task, Alisyn, to -- to scale up our -- our -- our manufacturing base to do that.
CAMEROTA: Right.
NAVARRO: And, by the way, it's -- it's creating a lot of jobs in places like -- companies like Corning and thing like that. So, yes.
CAMEROTA: Yes, no, I can imagine. Look, I -- I understand the herculean task. I guess what I'm saying, you're in the meetings. Is it your sense that they will wait until the phase three clinical trials --
NAVARRO: Actually, I -- I -- I'm not in the meetings. I'm not on the task force. I'm not at the CDC. The only meetings I participate in is what's called the Strategic National Stockpile meetings with Paul Mango (ph) and Steve Adams (ph) over at HHS. And our role is to fill the stockpile and scale up our production so that we can bring our manufacturing base home for things like pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and medical equipment. So that's my lane.
CAMEROTA: OK. Got it. OK. Got it.
So let's talk about your lane. There's a few investigations that have come to light about your style and your handling of the procurement. So let's just go through them.
So a House Oversight Committee is looking into your procurement, or attempted, I guess, of ventilators. And they say that you were working with Phillips, which is a technology company, and that you, they believe, wasted half a billion dollars, $500 million, by agreeing to pay Phillips to make ventilators at a price that was five times the amount that the Obama administration paid.
So is that true and why?
NAVARRO: No, it's -- it's -- it's not true. The contract with Phillips, the Belgian company, was executed totally by HHS. There's a unit for aspers (ph). So that was not my contract, number one.
CAMEROTA: But did you negotiate with them?
NAVARRO: Hang on. Hang on. Hang on.
Number two, this whole thing with Phillips is kind of weird. Let me explain. They have two kinds of ventilators. One's let's call it the dirt bite version, right? It's a small ventilator. It sells for about $3,000 that you can use out in the field. It has limited functionality. They also have a $15,000 ventilator, that's the one you would want, Alisyn, if, God forbid, you were in the ICU in the later stages of the disease, right?
And so two different functionalities. It's the -- it's the dirt bike versus the BMW.
CAMEROTA: OK. Yes, I get it.
NAVARRO: With respect to Phillips, HHS had the option of either buying the $15,000 one at $15,000 or getting multiple ones of the $3,000 one. There was -- as I -- this is a court case, so I've got to tread lightly here. But all that stuff you're seeing in the fake news is basically -- I mean, look, Alisyn, let's be honest here, when a Democrat -- when somebody from the Democratic-controlled House does an investigation of this administration --
CAMEROTA: Yes.
NAVARRO: That is a partisan witch hunt. Like, we've shown that time and again.
CAMEROTA: Well, I don't know, Peter.
NAVARRO: So I would say to you --
CAMEROTA: I mean I don't want to get into the politics. I'm just asking you about the math.
NAVARRO: Well, well, but --
CAMEROTA: Did you overpay for it?
NAVARRO: It is by definition politics.
CAMEROTA: Do -- OK, just answer this, yes or no, did you overpay or not?
NAVARRO: But I -- that -- that -- what I've said, Alisyn, is all I can say. And if I just repeat what I said, it's simply like that contract was -- was executed by -- by Esper at the Health and Human Services.
[08:35:07]
CAMEROTA: OK.
NAVARRO: They are investigating Phillips. That investigation was announced before the House did. And -- and I would say to your viewers, it's just, look, this is a partisan world here in the swamp.
CAMEROTA: Yes.
NAVARRO: It -- really, if you see the Democratic House call for an investigation, you should ask yourself just why aren't they legislating.
CAMEROTA: I understand. I hear you, Peter, but I'm not -- I mean I'm not even talking about the politics. I'm truly just talking about the price tag at this point.
NAVARRO: Yes.
CAMEROTA: OK, let's move on.
NAVARRO: OK.
CAMEROTA: There's another investigation that you are involved in. This one is about the Eastman Kodak --
NAVARRO: Well, I -- I don't know about -- Kodak, yes.
CAMEROTA: This is about the Kodak, OK.
And so you spearheaded this effort. There was a government loan of $765 million to turn, I guess, Eastman Kodak, a camera company, into the pharmaceutical company. The SEC says one day before that was announced publicly, 1 million shares of Kodak changed hands, which was a spike, much higher than usual.
So is it your belief that there was insider trading connected to this?
NAVARRO: So -- so let me say two things. First of all, I think it's wrong to say this was like a camera company we're going to change into a chemical company. That's inaccurate. They -- Kodak is already making organic pharmaceutical material, key (ph) start (ph) materials.
CAMEROTA: OK.
NAVARRO: They've got like 88 things. So -- and if you look at kind of some of the great success stories, you look at like Fuji, for example, which was a film company, they're doing the same thing. They're making -- they're making organic pharmaceuticals.
CAMEROTA: Yes, no, OK, I got it.
NAVARRO: And the reason why that's easy to do is that the old film was all -- all about chemistry.
CAMEROTA: But just tell me about the insider trading stuff.
NAVARRO: With respect to -- yes, with respect to what happened with Kodak, this administration did everything right. That would have been a beautiful project. But two things happened that -- that Kodak itself is investigating.
The first that happened was their communication team, the day before the announcement, inexplicably released a press release about it, and that's what appears to have sparked some of that trade activity.
The second thing that happened, which -- which I've described and will do so again as just incredibly stupid is that it appears that some of their executives bought some shares prior to the announcement. And, again, Kodak is investigating that.
So, as far as we are concerned, we did everything right. That would have been a beautiful project but we have zero tolerance for the kind of actions that Kodak executives and staff took.
CAMEROTA: OK. OK, got it.
NAVARRO: So investigate all you want. We did everything right and they screwed it up.
CAMEROTA: OK.
Next is the investigation or probe into your personal style. So "The Washington Post" reports --
NAVARRO: Which -- which -- which investigation are you referring to? Is there a current --
CAMEROTA: How many are there?
NAVARRO: Well, you tell me. You tell me.
CAMEROTA: OK. I'm referring to the one that Don McGahn looked into your personal style of accusations --
NAVARRO: I'm unaware of anything that Don McGahn ever looked into.
Here, let me explain something here.
Yesterday was interesting, right? The Amazon's "Post" threw four reporters and 30 anonymous sources at me with 20 different fake allegations, OK?
Now, the good news here is that if you want to be portrayed as a tough son of a bitch in Washington, D.C., that's a plus.
CAMEROTA: But are you saying that there has never been an investigation into your personal style, because just --
NAVARRO: Go for it. OK. But here's the problem -- here's the -- here's what I -- here's --
CAMEROTA: Just to bring people up to speed --
NAVARRO: Here's what I'm saying.
CAMEROTA: What "The Washington Post" reports --
NAVARRO: No, no, here's what I'm saying --
CAMEROTA: Is that your personal style can be --
NAVARRO: Here's -- here's what I'm saying --
CAMEROTA: Verbally abusive and that some of your colleagues have complained about that.
NAVARRO: Here's what I'm saying, Alisyn. One of my charges in this -- in this administration is to go in after strongly the -- the people who engage in counterfeit trafficking. And one of the biggest enablers of counterfeit trafficking is none other than Amazon and Jeff Bezos. And you are well aware that there's a -- there's been a public feud between Bezos and I. It's been well publicized.
CAMEROTA: So none of your colleagues --
NAVARRO: It's not personal. But what I'm saying is that -- that the Amazon's "Post" --
CAMEROTA: Just -- just to be clear, Peter, just -- I don't -- I don't want to get into the fight between you and Jeff Bezos.
NAVARRO: Well, but -- but to -- it's the Amazon "Post," Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: There -- but just answer this, Peter, none of your --
NAVARRO: It's the Amazon "Post."
CAMEROTA: I hear you.
None of your colleagues have complained about you being verbally abusive to them?
NAVARRO: They threw four reporters -- they through four reporters at me -- they -- they threw four report -- I'm still here. What -- what's -- what -- what's -- here's the thing --
CAMEROTA: Were you admonished for that?
NAVARRO: No. Absolutely not.
CAMEROTA: You've never been admonished -- no one talked to you about toning it down and changing your style?
NAVARRO: No. No. No.
CAMEROTA: Are you aware of any colleagues, particularly female colleagues, who have an issue with your style?
NAVARRO: Look, Alisyn, what you're doing now is feeding the Amazon "Post" hit piece. Would we agree that that was like a hit piece? Would we agree, that's like the quintessential Washington hit piece?
CAMEROTA: Well, Peter, I don't know because I don't know if the allegations are true.
[08:40:01]
NAVARRO: I'm not here to -- look, my job -- look, let me explain what my --
CAMEROTA: I mean what the -- what the -- what "The Washington -- but let me -- let me just read what "The Washington Post" says. I'll just read a few sentences and then I'll give you the floor.
NAVARRO: Amazon "Post." The Amazon "Post."
CAMEROTA: What "The Washington Post" says is Navarro's harsh manner and disregard for protocol had alienated numerous colleagues, corporate executives and prominent Republicans. In a previously undisclosed incident, the White House Counsel's Office in 2018 investigated Navarro's behavior in response to repeated complaints and found he had routinely been verbally abusive towards others. Navarro narrowly avoided losing his job but the abuse has continued as the White House has grappled with the pandemic, multiple administration officials said.
OK, your turn, Peter, go.
NAVARRO: Well, all right, please don't interrupt me now.
So -- so my heroes, my role molds are Sunzu (ph) and General Patton, OK. I'm not about Dale Carnage (ph) and Emily Post (ph).
My mission in this administration is to serve as a soldier for the greatest commander in chief ever. And my job is to help this president do two things, save American lives and create American jobs. And if people get in the way of that, there will be conflict. And I make no bones about that. So -- so this is a tough town. This is --
CAMEROTA: OK, so meaning whatever means necessary? So what -- what you're saying is, whatever means necessary to do, that's what you do?
NAVARRO: No, I'm not saying whatever's necessary, but there will be conflict in people get in the way of the president's mission to save lives and create jobs. And the problem is, Alisyn, you know, this whole reference about a deep state, this -- there's a lot of people in this swamp town that really are not on the Trump train, that -- that really don't want to bring our jobs home from Asia. They're the globalists who don't want to close our borders. Who don't want to basically --
CAMEROTA: Yes. I mean "The Washington Post" says they had 28 sources in and around the -- the White House. So even your colleagues --
NAVARRO: It's -- it's -- yes, they were all anonymous.
CAMEROTA: Are your colleagues the deep state?
NAVARRO: Alisyn, don't you find it -- Alisyn, Alisyn, hang on. If this were you, wouldn't you want those sources to say who they are? What -- what is this anonymous source stuff? I mean this is -- this is like -- this is like nothing but character assassination.
By the way, I had a better day yesterday than Nancy Pelosi. That was pretty funny.
CAMEROTA: I hear you, Peter.
NAVARRO: But -- but this is about -- ask yourself --
CAMEROTA: I know -- I know you want to deflect, but, I mean, I just want to --
NAVARRO: Look, but ask -- no, ask -- ask yourself this question, Alisyn -- CAMEROTA: I just want to get to the bottom, which (INAUDIBLE) it, which is, you're saying there was no internal investigation?
NAVARRO: Ask yourself -- ask yourself this question --
CAMEROTA: You -- you have never but admonished for any of your style against colleagues?
NAVARRO: I -- I -- ask yourself this question, is the Amazon "Post" going after me because this administration is cracking down on them for being the great counterfeit enabler of the world?
CAMEROTA: Yes.
NAVARRO: And that's where I'll leave it. I -- you know, my -- look, look, I mean, my job -- my job here --
CAMEROTA: I mean, obviously, Jeff Bezos doesn't run the paper, as you know, and I'm sure that you deal with journalists from there all the time.
NAVARRO: Look, Alisyn, I -- yes.
CAMEROTA: But, just to be clear, so your -- none of your colleagues --
NAVARRO: Alisyn, I --
CAMEROTA: But, again, your female colleagues --
NAVARRO: Look --
CAMEROTA: I'm just coming back to it because you haven't addressed the female colleague part where --
NAVARRO: Hang on, Alisyn, look, you're not going to -- you're not going to cross-examine me on this show.
CAMEROTA: I'm questioning you, Peter.
NAVARRO: I came here -- I'm here -- no, hang on. Why am I here? What -- what do your viewers wanting to hear? You viewers want to hear from the Defense Production Act policy coordinator about how their lives are going to be better saved, how things are going to get better, and you're kind of wallowing in the Amazon mud.
CAMEROTA: No, no, for sure. Peter, just -- so let me respond, Peter, let me respond.
NAVARRO: And that's fine. I get it. You guys are the never Trump network. That's fine.
CAMEROTA: For sure that is our -- you're so right --
NAVARRO: Yes, but, look, I'm not --
CAMEROTA: That's our viewers' priority, unless your personal style is getting in the way of that progress.
NAVARRO: Look, you can -- you can --
CAMEROTA: If you're rushing things that are then causing internal investigations because you're overpaying --
NAVARRO: That's a different -- that's a different question.
CAMEROTA: And if your personal style is getting in the way of progress, then it's relevant.
NAVARRO: That's a different question. That's a different question. Asked -- I -- asked and answered. I've explained to you about Kodak. I've explained to you about Phillips. I've explained to you about how this administration goes forward trying to save lives and create jobs. And -- and -- and that's fine. And, again, I'll say what I said at the beginning, if -- you know, if people look at -- read that story and they think you're a tough son of a bitch in this town, hey, that's a plus this this town because what we need to do here, particularly in the middle of a pandemic from a virus from China, is basically to get things done in what I like to call Trump time --
CAMEROTA: Yes.
NAVARRO: Which is to say as quickly as possible.
CAMEROTA: Yes.
NAVARRO: So your viewers can make their decisions about this.
CAMEROTA: No, absolutely.
NAVARRO: But I would ask them put your -- themselves in my shoes. You've got the Amazon "Post," four reporters, 30 anonymous sources, a bunch of fake news.
And, you know, it's a hit piece. That's all it is.
CAMEROTA: OK.
NAVARRO: It comes and goes.
CAMEROTA: OK.
NAVARRO: And they're trying to take this administration down because Jeff Bezos --
CAMEROTA: OK.
NAVARRO: Wants to keep sending counterfeits into your home and making billions off of it.
CAMEROTA: OK.
All right, Peter Navarro --
NAVARRO: Yes, ma'am.
CAMEROTA: Thank you for answering all of those questions and explaining being on Trump time.
Nice to talk to you.
NAVARRO: Bye-bye.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Amazon does not own "The Washington Post." Jeff Bezos owns "The Washington Post." They're two completely separate things.
CAMEROTA: I don't think he makes those distinctions.
BERMAN: Clearly he doesn't make those distinctions there.
CAMEROTA: OK, there's a new snapshot of the nation's unemployment crisis and Christine Romans brings us the breaking details, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:48:22]
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
BERMAN: All right, breaking news, jobless claims have dropped below 1 million in the last week, though layoffs remain elevated six months into the pandemic.
CNN's chief business correspondent Christine Romans joins us now with the breaking numbers.
Romans.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You know, John, bottom line here, you still have an awful lot of layoffs every single week. In fact, the situation so deep and the hole dug so deep that this Labor Department is tweaking how it actually figures these numbers, adjust these numbers. So that's why you have 881,000 first time unemployment benefits. That's their new seasonal way that they adjust this.
In all programs, John, all programs, 29 million people are receiving some sort of jobless benefit. That's about one in five American workers. So that is a very big number, a deep hole.
Continuing claims, though, continuing to decline. That's a good number. That shows there is improvement on the margin in the jobs market.
But, you know, we heard from the Congressional Budget Office that they don't expect to get back to normal for a decade. They're looking for the average 6.1 percent unemployment rate over the next -- over the next decade. So think about that, how long it will take to get out of this hole. And just this week, John, we have heard about more furloughs, more buyouts, more layoffs. We heard from Amtrak. We've heard from United. We've heard from Ford. This is stimulus talks completely stalled in Washington as we're hearing from big name companies that they are going to be shedding their workers and getting smaller.
BERMAN: It will be interesting to see when those show up in the national numbers.
ROMANS: That's right.
BERMAN: Christine Romans, thanks so much for your report. Appreciate it.
[08:49:58]
Here's what else to watch today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ON SCREEN TEXT: Soon, Biden goes to Kenosha, Wisconsin.
2:00 p.m. ET, First Lady holds White House event.
7:00 p.m. ET, Trump speaks in Pennsylvania.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAMEROTA: Time for "The Good Stuff."
A remote community in Alaska coming together to save the life of a child. The young patient needed to be flown to a hospital, but the runway lights at the airport would not turn on. So a call went out and residents rolled in, lined up their cars, their trucks, their ATVs, they turned on their headlights.
[08:55:00]
About 20 vehicles showed up in 20 minutes allowing the plane to land, load the patient and then take off again.
That is some good community can do spirit there, John.
BERMAN: Way to go, Alaska.
CAMEROTA: Way to go, Alaska.
All right, Joe Biden heads to Kenosha later today and CNN's coverage continues, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good Thursday morning to you. I'm Jim Sciutto. This morning, experts are warning, don't rush to a Covid-19 vaccine.
The president has hinted at the possibility of a vaccine before Election Day. Now the CDC is telling states and major cities to come up with a game plan for how to distribute a vaccine as soon as late October.
[09:00:03]
But this is key. What is the science telling us? The nation's top infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
