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CNN International: Trump's Trial; Pro-Palestinian University Protests; Aid To Gaza; US-China Relations. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired April 26, 2024 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:28]
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DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER US PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Today was breathtaking in this room. You saw what went on. It was breathtaking. And amazing testimony.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): You don't scare us.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was an overwhelming amount of force against a group of college students.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If we can get our little ship in it will be a drop in the bucket of what's needed. But hopefully it will put pressure on other countries to put pressure on Israel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from London, this is CNN Newsroom with Max Foster.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Max Foster. It is Friday April the 26th 9:00AM here in London, 4:00AM in New York where day 4 of the testimony in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial will resume later today. The former publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid has been revealing details, secrets all week about the so-called catch and kill deals involving a former porn star and a Playboy playmate.
David Pecker has insisted these agreements was standard operating procedure for politicians and for celebrities. More now from CNN's Kara Scannell.
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KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New details on the hush money payout to adult film star Stormy Daniels from an ex-tabloid executive back on the stand were counting how he brokered a deal at the center of the case against former president Donald Trump. David Pecker was questioned by the prosecution about the catch and kill scheme to quiet Daniels story of an alleged affair with Trump weeks before the 2016 election.
Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, testified he found out from his editor in chief that Daniels was trying to sell a story that she had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump, and it would cost $120,000 to kill it. Pecker said he told Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen, about the story which he called very damaging. He recalled explaining to Cohen that he was not going to pay Daniels saying his company already purchased two other negative stories for Trump totaling almost $200,000.
He said he told Cohen, I am not purchasing this story. I am not going to be involved with a porn star. Cohen, he recalled, said the boss would be furious. Trump denies having an affair with Daniels. Pecker also discussed in earlier scheme involving former Playboy model Karen McDougal. She alleged having a nearly year long relationship with Trump, which the former president denies.
Pecker told the jury he would not have entered into the deal with McDougal if it wasn't going to benefit Trump's campaign, saying we didn't want the story to embarrass Mr. Trump, or embarrass or hurt the campaign. Trump's attorney Emil Bove use his time cross examining Pecker to show how the mutually beneficial relationship between him and Trump went back almost two decades before the 2016 election. He confirmed with Packer that he had been giving Trump a heads up about negative stories during that time. Bove asked Pecker if it was standard operating procedure for media to work with politicians including sometimes to win elections. Pecker replied, yes.
TRUMP: Today was breathtaking in this room. You saw what went on. It was breathtaking. And amazing testimony.
SCANNELL: Before a court, Trump commented on Pecker's testimony at a stop at a midtown construction site. Prosecutor cited his words to the judge on Thursday as one of many violations of his gag order not to discuss witnesses in the case.
REPORTER: What have you thought of David Pecker's testimony so far and when was the last time you spoke to him?
TRUMP: Now, he's been very nice. David's been very nice and nice guy.
SCANNELL: Kara Scannell, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Now to the US Supreme Court where the stakes couldn't be higher in the presidential immunity case. The outcome may not only decide Trump's legal fate, but could also have a major impact on the November presidential election. Justices are weighing Trump's claim that he can't be criminally prosecuted for trying to overturn the 2020 election because he has absolute presidential immunity. And, of course, decision on that matter will affect the special counsel's election subversion case. CNN's Paula Reid picks up that story.
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PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL CORRESPONDENT: The high court hearing perhaps its most consequential case of the year, whether former President Trump gets immunity from criminal prosecution for acts committed while in office. D. John Sauer arguing for Trump claiming, without immunity there can be no presidency as we know it.
[04:05:08]
D. JOHN SAUER, DONALD TRUMP'S LAWYER: If a president can be charged, put on trial and imprisoned for his most controversial decisions as soon as he leaves office, that looming threat will distort the president's decision making precisely when bold and fearless action is most needed.
REID: Michael Dreeben arguing for special counsel Jack Smith countered, claiming that absolute immunity would allow a president to commit any and all crimes at will.
MICHAEL DREEBEN, REPRESENTING SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH: His novel theory would immunize former presidents for criminal liability, for bribery, treason, sedition, murder and here conspiring to use fraud to overturn the results of an election and perpetuate himself in power.
REID: The justice is pressing both litigants about when a president can't be prosecuted, and posing several scenarios.
ELENA KAGAN, US SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE: Is it an official act?
SAUER: On the way you've described that hypothetical, it could well be.
REID: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson raising concerns about presidential power without limits.
KETANJI BROWN JACKSON, US SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE: You seem to be worried about the president being chilled. I think that we would have a really significant opposite problem if the president wasn't chilled. I'm trying to understand what the disincentive is from turning the Oval Office into, you know, the seat of criminal activity in this country.
REID: And asking why then did former president Nixon need a pardon after he left office?
BROWN JACKSON: What was up with the pardon for President Nixon?
SAUER: I think it --
BROWN JACKSON: If everybody thought that presidents couldn't be prosecuted, then what was that about?
REID: Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who could be a swing vote that decides the case, getting Trump's attorney to concede that some of Trump's alleged actions were not part of his duties as president and would not be protected under an immunity claim.
AMY CONEY BARRETT, US SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE: I want to know if you agree or disagree about the characterization of these acts as private. Petitioner turned to a private attorney who was willing to spread knowingly false claims of election fraud to spearhead his challenges to the election results. Private?
SAUER: As alleged, I mean we dispute the allegation --
BARRETT: Of course.
SAUER: -- but that sounds private.
REID: Other justices seemed wary of opening the door to prosecuting future presidents after leaving office.
NEIL GORSUCH, US SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE: I'm not concerned about this case, but I am concerned about future uses of the criminal law to target political opponents based on accusations about their motives.
SAMUEL ALITO, US SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE: Will that not lead us into a cycle that destabilizes the functioning of our country as a democracy. And we can look around the world and find countries where we have seen this process where the loser gets thrown in jail.
REID: Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: More than a thousand world leaders were urging Hamas to accept the terms of a ceasefire and hostage deal with Israel. The leaders of 18 countries, including the US and the UK, all signed on to this joint statement as they try to secure the release of their citizens. It says in part, "the fate of the hostages and the civilian population in Gaza, who are protected under international law, is of international concern. We emphasize that the deal on the table to release the hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza."
The parents of American Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin says they are hopeful the call will be a galvanizing force for captives, including their son, to be released. Hamas released an updated video of the Israeli American on Wednesday.
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JONATHAN POLIN, FATHER OF HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN: He doesn't look great. Coloring is off but you'd expect that after 200 plus days in a tunnel, but he looks a little bit puffy. His face, his neck, his shoulders, could be due to a number of factors. But there's mixed emotions here. It lights a few -- it lights a fire under us even more than we've already had to bring him and the other 132 hostages home as fast as we can.
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FOSTER: Well as the war in Gaza approaches the seven month mark, the humanitarian suffering just gets worse and worse. The Pentagon says the US has started construction of a temporary pier intended to help deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel accuses Palestinian militants of firing mortars at the site on Wednesday, as the United Nations team was visiting. CNN can't independently verify or confirm that claim. Meanwhile, new CNN video shows a UN and World Food Programme convoy carrying vital supplies including food, medicine and fuel into Northern Gaza on Thursday. The head of the WFP Palestinian effort says although 2,000 tons of food were delivered in the past month, it's only a fraction of what's needed.
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MATTHEW HOLLINGWORTH, DIRECTOR, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME IN PALESTINE: We need to be providing a lot more food assistance into Gaza City and the North. That's why we're trying to run these convoys every single day, through every single route that is open to us. And we'll be continuing this mission today, tomorrow, the next day, everyday we can.
[04:10:12]
FOSTER: Let's bring in CNN's Scott McLean is live for us in Istanbul, Turkey. Scott, a dire humanitarian situation, of course, what are we learning about this flotilla expected to make its way towards Gaza?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT; Hey, Max. Yes, this was an effort that was actually announced way back in November with the aim of setting sail either late last year or early this year. Here we are now more than five months later, the boats have been purchased. They're in the water, they're ready to go. But there's been an administrative delay preventing them from leaving today, which is when they had planned on going. They're actually in a roundabout way blaming Israel. We have reached out to the Israelis for any kind of comment.
In any event, this flotilla they say will carry more than 5,000 tons of aid, but it will also bring hundreds of foreign pro-Palestinian activists from 30 different countries, 40 of them are American. And in order to get that aid to Gaza, they will have to go through the blockaded -- the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip which will require either permission or may take some confrontation.
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MCLEAN: At a port in Southern Turkey, this cargo ship is being loaded with aid that may well never be delivered. Ship will be part of a small flotilla soon bound for Gaza. Along with this ship being tuned up in Istanbul, neither have permission from Israel to enter the blockaded Gaza Strip.
This is a passenger ferry, it's not meant to carry aid. It's meant to carry people and there will be hundreds of them on board, mostly activists, because as much as this is about sending aid to Gaza, it is also very clearly about sending a political message.
ANN WRIGHT, FREEDOM FLOTILLA COALITION SPOKESPERSON: And if we can get our little ship in it will be a drop in the bucket of what's needed. But hopefully, it will put pressure on other countries to put pressure on Israel and it could be diplomatic isolation, economic isolation, to make them stop this genocide.
MCLEAN: Ann Wright is a former American soldier and diplomat turned pro-Palestinian activist and was on board in ill-fated aid flotilla to Gaza in 2010.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mavi Marmara, you are approaching an area of hostilities, which is under a naval blockade.
MCLEAN: The ships were boarded by Israeli troops in international waters, and on the Mavi Marmara, carrying hundreds of international activists and journalists, soldiers were greeted by slingshots and with bars and chairs after rappelling down onto the deck. The resistance was futile. We have one person has just been hit in the head by a bullet.
WRIGHT: I was at the boat next to them and we heard the shots hitting the Mavi Marmara. And we saw people falling. Nobody expected that. We didn't expect that the Israelis would start killing people and killing ten of them.
MCLEAN: Nine Turks and an American were killed. Israel initially defended the deadly raid, but then years later apologized and paid a multi-million dollar settlement to the victim's families. One of the victims was Cengiz Songur, whose son, Ismail, has spent the last six months organizing this latest effort.
Why are you doing this again?
ISMAIL SONGUR, PRESIDENT, MAVI MARMARA ASSOCIATION: That's very simple, to break the siege of Gaza. It's not because of my father. Right now we are standing for the children of Gaza.
According to Islam, if a person is dying while going for the good mission is becoming a shaheed and martyr. That's why it is not a kind of loss for us. It's kind of, you know, gain for us.
MCLEAN: The flotilla has not been coordinated with the Israelis, nor is it attempting to use the established maritime corridor to Gaza used by the World Central Kitchen before seven of its staff were killed by Israeli strikes. Flotilla organizers say they will not allow Israel or any Western country to inspect the cargo. Israel declined to comment.
SONGUR: We assure that Israel is not authority in the region to check our humanitarian aid. That's why it's very clear for us we have the green lights from the international conscience to move with the flotilla.
MCLEAN: And if they block you?
SONGUR: That's the problem of his side. We will go there. If Israel trying to block it again, you know, same or similar scenario can happen in the Middle East.
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MCLEAN: So what are the Israelis planning to do here? We have asked they have given us no comment though. It's also not clear what the ship organizers would do if confronted by the Israelis other than stressing that they will use non-violent techniques. They also haven't explained how they would actually offload their cargo in Gaza on the very remote chance that they actually make it there.
I asked them whether they would accept an offer from Israel the same one that they got in 2010 to offload the cargo in Israel, and then take it into Gaza by land.
[04:15:10]
They said no, they don't trust the Israelis. They are also not interested in taking it through Egypt and into Gaza by land. Max?
FOSTER: OK. Scott in Istanbul, thank you for that. Meanwhile, in Gaza, authorities say they have recovered nearly 400 bodies from mass graves at a hospital in Khan Yunis. A warning the video you about to see is disturbing.
The Palestinian civil defense said on Thursday, they concluded their search of three mass graves at Nasser Medical Complex. Some of the bodies were still wearing surgical gowns or hospital wristbands. Some allegedly had their feet and hands tied up. The IDF denies it buried Palestinian bodies in mass graves and said Palestinians had dug a grave at the complex several months ago.
The Gaza Civil Defense acknowledged around 100 bodies were buried at the complex before the IDF operation there. Some Palestinians at the scene, so they're very family members on the premises in January but later returned to discover the bodies had been dug up and placed in a collective grave.
Further south, Palestinian medics say Israeli airstrikes killed at least six people including a local journalist in Rafah on Thursday. The strikes came ahead of planned Israeli ground invasion and -- invasion into Gaza's southernmost city and offensive has been on hold whilst hostage negotiations play out. The Israeli War Cabinet met on Thursday to discuss the situation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this month that entry into Rafah is necessary for a complete victory over Hamas.
Meanwhile across the US, pro-Palestinian protests are expanding with law enforcement officers moving on demonstrators at universities in Georgia, New York, California and other states.
At Emory University in Atlanta, 28 people were arrested including two professors. A CNN crew witnessed police using a stun gun on at least one protester the authorities say was resisting arrest. CNN's Nick Watt has more from Los Angeles.
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NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pepper balls fired, lot of muscles deploy against protesters at Emory in Atlanta.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was an overwhelming amount of force against a group of college students.
WATT: Two professors among those arrested.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw a large person seemingly assaulting one of our students, and that's upsetting.
WATT: The administration blames trespassers for the tents and the unrest. These individuals are not members of our community. They are activists attempting to disrupt our university. Emory does not tolerate vandalism or other criminal activity on campus.
This movement is mushrooming, a brand new protest at Princeton --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Popular university for Gaza. We are making history.
WATT: A protest encampment popped up at UCLA. After the violence and standoff across town at USC that led to nearly 100 arrests, this private university is closed to the public and USC just canceled their commencement main stage event scheduled for May 10th, which usually draws 65,000 people.
In Boston at Northeastern University, police encircled the protest then backed off. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called Columbia's decision to call in the NYPD horrific on X. Columbia decided to hold students accountable to the laws of the school. The NYPD Chief of Patrol replied, maybe you should walk around Columbia and NYU, and listen to their remarks of pure hatred.
Fellow Representative Ilhan Omar did visit Columbia with her daughter who's been arrested and suspended during these protests, which kick started this movement. Talks with protesters continue. If they fail, say Columbia administrators, they will have to consider options for restoring calm to campus.
Here at UCLA, a growing but peaceful protest. I think they've learned from what happened at USC where security and the police went in pretty heavy here at UCLA, almost zero visible police or security presence whatsoever.
What's a bit odd though is, even if you're a student here right now, you can't walk across your campus because the protesters have put a barricade up around their encampment. And you got to register with them and wear a mask before they'll let you in. Media not allowed in and there even trying to stop photo journalists from filming from outside in.
Nick Watt, CNN on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles.
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[04:20:10]
FOSTER: A word of the protests at US universities has also reached Gaza.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love the students of Harvard University.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hear the students of Harvard University.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We respect the students of Columbia University.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you to the student of Columbia University.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: US nonprofit Reach Education Fund released the video of children in Southern Gaza expressing their support and thanks for the campus protests in the US. The nonprofit manages and provides humanitarian services for the children.
A somber moment in Washington as World Central Kitchen held a memorial for the staff members killed in an Israeli airstrike.
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FOSTER: Hundreds of people turned out for the interfaith ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. US Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband rather, Douglas Emhoff, attended for the White House. World Central Kitchen continues to demand an investigation into Israel's attack on its workers.
Seven of the charity's employees were mistakenly killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier this month during worldwide condemnation. Israel dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded others after the incident. Chief Jose Andres, the group's founder, says the workers were the best of humanity.
JOSE ANDRES, FOUNDER, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Our losses may seem as small in number compared to the almost 200 humanitarian aid workers killed in Gaza, the 34,000 Palestinians killed by IDF and the 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas. But each of these people leave behind loved ones who will always have them in their heart. When disaster strikes, it's easy to see the dark and never the light. But the reality is this, the light will always shine through.
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FOSTER: Ukrainian troops get some good news after months of severe ammunition shortages. Still ahead, word of more ammunition on its way and possibly more US made air defenses. Plus, the top US diplomat is reportedly meeting this hour with China's president. We go live to Hong Kong to keep track of Antony Blinken's talks in Beijing. And later this hour, we'll go live to Johannesburg and assess the current state of democracy in South Africa as the country gears up for a critical election next month. All that and more after the break.
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[04:25:02]
FOSTER: The US Secretary of State is meeting face to face with China's President Xi Jinping right now before heading back home later today. Antony Blinken met a number of other officials earlier in the day as part of his visit aimed at improving relations between the two nations. The US State Department says he had in-depth talks with his Chinese counterpart about cooperation and competition between the US and China.
For more, CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is in Hong Kong with more on this. There was some tension, wasn't there, in the public moments at least you can only imagine what happened behind the scenes.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, absolutely. Quite the diplomatic dance for both sides involve here. We do know that Antony Blinken right now is meeting with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, this is according to state-run Xinhua. And in doing so, maintaining this critical channel of communication at a time when US-China relations are at a crossroads.
This meeting underway between Blinken and Xi at the moment, they did meet last time when Blinken was in Beijing. And this also comes after the US President Joe Biden held talks by phone with Xi Jinping earlier this month, which was their first conversation since their summit in November.
Now earlier in the day, Blinken met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi for an epic five hours. And Blinken call that encounter extensive and constructive. And in that meeting, he discussed concerns about China's support of Russia, about concerns over China's activities in the South China Sea, and the need to avoid further escalation in both the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula.
Blinken also met with China's Minister of Public Security. You saw a video from earlier today of that meeting, and that was presumably to discuss stopping the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China to the US.
Now, this visit this comes at a very sensitive time because it's on the heels of -- after President Biden signed a bill to counter China's military might to defend Taiwan and that separate bill that could result in a ban on TikTok in the United States. I want you to listen to what we heard from the foreign minister of China earlier about the US China relationship and how he frames it as the choice that needs to be made.
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WANG YI, CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTER (through translation): Should China the United States keep to the right direction of moving forward with stability or return to a downward spiral? This is a major question before our two countries, and tests our sincerity and the ability.
(END VIDEO CLIP) STOUT: Now, last year Blinken visited China to stabilize relations during a time of peak tension. Last year, he had a meeting with Xi Jinping. You're looking at fresh video of his meeting that just happened this afternoon between Blinken and the Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People.
And as these two leaders meet, relations have improved from those peak loads of last year and the back of the spy balloon incident, but yet quite a number of unresolved issues remain that both sides need to discuss. China's support of Russia and its war machine, China's assertions of sovereignty in the South China Sea, the fate of TikTok and it's forced divesture from the United States, the fate of Taiwan, especially as it swears in a new president human rights including Xinjiang, fentanyl, precursor chemicals, trade and the issue of Chinese overcapacity.
Again, you're looking at fresh video coming in from the Great Hall People in Beijing of the meeting that just took place between Xi Jinping and America's top diplomat. We'll continue to monitor developments for you, Max. I'll hand it back over to you.
FOSTER: Yes. Just a thought on the red lines the top diplomat from China was describing, absolutely in flexibility on certain issues. So is the US solution there to simply prioritize the issues that can make progress on literally put some of those issues on the back burner?
STOUT: Yes, especially issues that both sides can agree upon and to work together on. Those issues being climate, public health, artificial intelligence and also cracking down on fentanyl. That's the reason why today Blinken not only meeting with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping as well as Foreign Minister Wang Yi, but also met with China's Minister of Public Security to discuss that very issue, which I've heard from officials is a priority not just for the United States, fentanyl being a leading killer of Americans in the ages of 20 to 40, but also the precursor chemicals existing and stemming from China. And that's something that China's security apparatus wants to crack down along as well.
So this is what's happening here, communication, the channel communication maintaining that, keeping it open between these two powers, acknowledging points of contention and friction also focusing on areas of collaboration. And we also have to note, just the flurry of diplomatic activity that has led to this moment. Not that long ago, the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also paid a visit to China. Back to you, Max.
FOSTER: OK. Kristie, thank you so much for joining us from Hong Kong.
Now ahead, calls for a conservative Supreme Court Justice to recuse himself from Trump's presidential immunity case falling on deaf ears. Plus, Haiti at a crossroads. All eyes are on the new interim prime minister and transitional council tasked with restoring peace to the island ravaged by gang violence. That's just ahead.
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