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Senator Dianne Feinstein's Health Status?; New Video Released From New Mexico Shooting; Pentagon Leak Suspect in Court; Debt Ceiling Negotiations Hit Snag; Zelenskyy's Surprise Visit. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired May 19, 2023 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:39]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: A surprise visit to allies, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, beginning a critical trip overseas with plans to attend the G7 meetings in Japan, as his military gears up for a potentially decisive battle against Russia.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Chilling bodycam video, an up-close look at how the mass shooting in Farmington, New Mexico, earlier this week unfolded. Three people were killed, six more wounded. Watch how the officers had to take down the shooter.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And the Big Apple has a big problem. A new study suggests Manhattan's skyscrapers could be pushing the city down at the same time that sea levels are going up.

We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SANCHEZ: The high-stakes G7 summit in Japan has taken on a whole new meaning now that Ukraine's president will have a seat at the table.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will arrive in Hiroshima this weekend to speak with leaders of the world's largest economies. Those nations just announced a major new round of sanctions targeting Russia. And the United States is now signaling a path forward for European allies to arm Ukraine with American-made fighter jets, something that President Zelenskyy has pleaded for, for months, as his country prepares a pivotal counteroffensive against Russian forces.

CNN's Nic Robertson is live for us in Eastern Ukraine. We also have with us Marc Stewart, who's live in Hiroshima, Japan.

Nic, starting with you, how did this trip come about, and what is Zelenskyy's message to these world leaders?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, Zelenskyy's message, the one that he's just tweeted, that he welcomes the United States what he calls a historic decision, President Biden's historic decision to support the use of F-16s by Ukraine, to support the initiative to get a training program going.

There's been an element of sort of choreography leading up to this. Just a couple of days ago, European leaders were meeting in Iceland. And that was a forum where British prime minister, the Dutch prime minister both jointly said together that they would help initiate a group, an international group of countries that would help Ukraine not only get the F-16s, but get training for their pilots on them.

And that's something also the British prime minister had spoken about back in February. So, this is a -- sort of a continuum, if you will, of a discussion. But it's reached this very important point. And President Zelenskyy's advisers have been saying it is extremely important that he is there at the G7 sitting face to face with the other leaders.

He said very important things will be discussed there. It's important for President Zelenskyy to be able to be there to give his clear arguments and clear proposals about those important things that are going to be discussed. Zelenskyy will want to get a time frame on when his pilots can be flying these F-16s in combat, the same way that he did when the initiative was announced to provide Ukraine with Western tanks, the Abrams, the Challengers from the U.K., the German Leopard 2 tanks, all of those.

This is taking the fight to a new level for Zelenskyy, and he wants to be there to discuss how it's going to happen and no doubt how quickly.

SANCHEZ: And, as you pointed out, Nic, the timeline so critical, because, as Ukraine is beginning this new counteroffensive, it's unclear how the battle is going to turn out.

So, looking forward into next year, once Ukrainian troops are trained, that could be a major gain for Ukraine.

Marc, turning to you in Hiroshima, today's proceedings of the G7 were laser-focused on the war in Ukraine. And I'm wondering what new sanctions were announced against Russia. Could you outline those for us?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Boris.

Today's big focus was on the economics of the war, the financing of the Russian war machine, and efforts to try and stifle its growth. And that is why, today, G7 nations collectively brought up a whole new list, an agreement of new sanctions.

And they do vary country by country. For example, the United States, 300 new sanctions alone. If we look at the United Kingdom, it's going to be banning the import of Russian diamonds, as well as other metals, commodities.

[13:05:04]

These are -- these are materials that bring a lot of money to the Russian economy and have helped it to fund the war, even Australia getting involved, banning Russian machinery, as well as other types of equipment.

Again, these are agreement -- issues of agreement that the G7 can pretty much agree readily on. They knew there were some loopholes in this money aspect of the war, and it's something that they felt was easy to attack first.

These issues of diplomacy that Nic was talking about and the procurement of aircraft, that's much more different and much more difficult. But it is already Saturday, and G7 leaders are ready for this meeting with President Zelenskyy, as well as leaders of other countries who happen to be here who President Zelenskyy also will want to convince to get on his side.

SANCHEZ: Absolutely. The economic front has such a huge impact on what happens on the battlefield.

Marc Stewart, Nic Robertson, thank you both -- Brianna.

KEILAR: President Biden cut his dinner short with fellow G7 leaders to focus on the looming debt crisis here at home.

A short time ago, those talks hit a snag. They are now paused, which is a huge problem, considering the U.S. only has 13 days before potentially running out of money to pay its bills, all major U.S. markets turning negative on this news due to fears that a default will spark worldwide economic turmoil.

CNN's Jessica Dean is on Capitol Hill for us with the very latest.

Jess, what are you hearing?

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, we did hear just a little bit ago that they had pressed pause on this. We were hearing from the lead negotiator for the House Republican Party. That's Congressman Garret Graves. He said it was time to just take a break.

He wasn't sure when they would meet again, if they would meet over the weekend, that they just were not making any progress, and they needed to just take a step back.

Just to remind everyone, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had said he wanted a deal in hand by the end of this week in order to get it through both the House and then also the Senate in a timely manner as we come up on that June 1 deadline. We have also heard from the White House. They said that talks will be difficult, but they remain committed to a bipartisan solution to all of this.

But at this moment in time, on Friday afternoon, there's just a pause and everybody's taking a beat to try to come back to the table. Here's what we heard from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy just a few moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): Well, we have got to get movement by the White House, and we don't have any movement yet.

So, yes, we've got a problem. (CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: The tone seemed really optimistic yesterday. Is it sort of the easy stuff is done and the hard stuff is left?

MCCARTHY: Yes. I mean, yesterday -- yesterday -- yesterday, I really felt we were at the location where I could see the path.

The White House is just -- look, we can't be spending more money next year. We have to spend less than we spent the year before. It's pretty easy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: The overarching issue here, Brianna, remains that Democrats want a clean debt ceiling bill -- that means they just want a vote on that -- and that Republicans have already passed their priorities out of the House. That bill is not going anywhere in the Senate, where Democrats have a majority. And they want cuts tied to raising the debt ceiling.

That is what's really at the heart of all of this. So, where we are now is that they are trying to find some common ground to strike a deal. And, remember, Kevin McCarthy is working with just a four-vote margin in the House. And there are a number of far right representatives who have said they will not vote for anything less than the bill they passed, which is not getting passed.

So it is a lot. It is truly a numbers game. They are trying to find some common ground with things like permitting reform, calling back unused COVID funds, perhaps some Medicaid work requirements. But they have got a long road to go -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, watching these folks play chicken as they are with the debt ceiling here.

DEAN: Yes.

KEILAR: Jessica Dean on the Hill, thank you for that report -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Soon, the alleged Pentagon documents leaker is expected to appear in court. A federal judge outside Boston will decide if 21- year-old Jack Teixeira should remain in custody ahead of his trial.

Former and current defense personnel tell CNN they're just baffled by the many red flags his superiors missed. Newly released memos show that Air Force leadership warned Teixeira repeatedly about his mishandling of classified documents months before his arrest for posting classified information, but kept him in his job.

CNN's Jason -- Jason Carroll is outside the court in Worcester.

First, Jason, I want to ask you what's going on in court, what's going to be decided in court today, and then I want to get some more details on what they learned about these past warnings.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, of course. Of course.

Well, Jim, clearly the judge in this case has a lot to consider. He's been taking his time with this, and you can see why, because, just this week, new information coming into the court about this particular case.

First, when you look at the disturbing video that has now come to light, that video showing Teixeira firing a weapon, using racial slurs. Prosecutors once again say this just goes to this young man's character.

[13:10:05]

In addition to that, the court received new information just this week showing that Teixeira on three different occasions tried to access classified information. You look at it, in one particular situation, according to prosecutors, he got access to classified information, took notes about it, put the notes in his pocket.

A supervisor saw what had happened and had admonished him for what he was doing. Of course, this raises all sorts of questions, in terms of, why, when these red flags popped up, why the Air National Guard didn't do more to relieve him of his duties? But that did not happen.

But just to go on here just a little bit more, after he was admonished for what he had done, he went on to brag about it. And this is what prosecutors say. They say that Teixeira said the following online: "All of the 'expletives' I have told you guys I'm not supposed to. Man, how 'explicit' up is it I can type out all of this and still be ready for more, but can barely get through a two-page college paper?"

So, again, it shows to his character. Prosecutors going on to say: "The weight of the evidence against the defendant has only grown stronger and the risks the defendant poses, if released, have only come sharper into focus."

SCIUTTO: Yes.

CARROLL: Now, the defense, for its part, has gone on to say, look, we understand what has happened here, but this man does not pose a threat. He should be released into his father's custody.

And then what they did was, they showed several examples of other defendants charged with espionage who were let out on bail. We will see what the judge does when this hearing gets -- gets under way just about two hours from now -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes, it's his responsibility, potentially criminal, but also his superiors' responsibility for seeing this, warning him, and somehow letting it go.

Jason Carroll, thanks very much -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: Tensions are flaring, as a migrant crisis plays out in New York City, with hundreds and hundreds arriving every day. And almost every plan to help them is sparking outrage. Plus: She downplayed her health problems. Then her own staff

contradicted her. What we're learning about 89-year-old Senator Dianne Feinstein's newly revealed illnesses.

And New York City is sinking, literally, under the massive weight of its skyscrapers. Throw in rising sea levels, and there is a very heavy problem.

We will explain when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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SANCHEZ: The surge of migrants coming into New York City has reached critical mass.

To help manage this, the city's new asylum seeker arrival center at the iconic Roosevelt Hotel opened today. This morning, dozens of women and children arrived there to receive care and assistance. The hotel is providing 175 rooms to start. Additional rooms will open for migrants who will be going to other locations, though city leaders are warning they will soon run out of space and money.

New York City's Mayor Eric Adams says that his city has now cared for more than 65,000 asylum seekers.

Let's take you now live outside the Roosevelt -- Roosevelt Hotel, where CNN's Polo Sandoval is reporting.

And, Polo, I understand we have live images of a bus that just arrived to help transfer some migrants. What happens once the families actually arrive there to the hotel?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Boris, as we look at these live images from just across the street directly outside of what is now being run as an asylum seeker arrival center, these live pictures will give you an idea of the scene that will repeat itself several times a day moving forward.

That is, these asylum seekers will arrive at the central location, what was -- was the Roosevelt Hotel that's now been turned as -- into the center by -- by city officials. They will be assessed. They will be -- receive orientation. Some might even receive some medical screening and the important resources from some of those charity groups and those nonprofits.

Some, particularly those with children, will be allowed an opportunity to possibly actually shelter at this -- at this facility. You mentioned just over 100 hotel rooms. The goal is to expand that to about 800.

However, others, especially those that are traveling by themselves, who do not have children, will then likely be relocated to another one of the well over 100 shelters and facilities throughout the city. So that's what you're about to see right now, as I look over my

shoulder, is, again, a group of asylum seekers that will be relocated to another facility. The city has been really just struggling to keep up with demand.

Essentially, what's happening, they are receiving more asylum seekers than they're able to place. So that is the constant battle, as the total number of migrants arriving in New York City, Boris, goes from about 200 to 300 a couple of weeks ago to about 600.

The question, will we continue to see those numbers moving forward?

SANCHEZ: Yes.

And how will the city respond, as Eric Adams continues to ask New York City residents for patience and understanding.

Polo Sandoval from New York City, thank you so much -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Police in Farmington, New Mexico, are releasing just chilling bodycam and doorbell video of the moments that a gunman there opened fire on a quiet neighborhood this week.

He shot and killed three women. Six other people were injured when the 18-year-old started firing randomly from his yard at cars driving by his House and at other homes. In one video, you will see several cars speed away. You hear a hail of gunfire, and also this, the shooter screaming off camera for the police to come and kill him.

Got to warn you, this video is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CAR HORN BLARING)

(GUNSHOTS)

SHOOTER: Come kill me!

[13:20:00]

(GUNSHOTS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: That's the shooter there saying; "Come and kill me."

Police rush to the scene. They say the gunman was able to fire at least 141 rounds from his yard. He then ditched his AR-15 rifle in the bushes, wandered through the neighborhood with two handguns.

The next video you will see also disturbing. You're going to hear a lot of gunfire. It also shows the moment a police sergeant was shot responding to the scene.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) (GUNSHOTS)

SGT. RACHEL DISCENZA, FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO, POLICE DEPARTMENT: Ugh. I'm shot.

(GUNSHOTS)

DISCENZA: (OFF-MIKE)

(GUNSHOTS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: What can I tell you? We see this kind of thing multiple times a week, that officer, thankfully, recovering from her wounds.

CNN's Josh Campbell has been covering the story.

Josh, you worked for the FBI for a long time. Tell us, beyond the shock of this -- it's a very visceral demonstration of what gun violence looks and sounds like. This was deadly, by the way. Three women lost their lives. What does the video tell you about the police response to this?

I mean, they were facing 141 bullets fired, or more.

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: No, absolutely, Jim.

The police chief described this as an assault on our community. What we see in this video is these officers gathering together. We know the shooter had multiple weapons. They ultimately find the shooter as he's working through this neighborhood on this rampage.

I will warn you, what you're about to see is graphic, but this is the moment that those officers took down the shooter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get back inside, people!

Hey, let's see your hands!

(GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm good!

(GUNSHOTS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Subject's down! Subject is down!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: Now, the motive remains under investigation, but take a listen here to the police chief, who said that the suspect at one point began shedding his body armor, the chief saying this was essentially suicide by cop. SCIUTTO: Yes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE HEBBE, FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO, POLICE CHIEF: He is yelling on the Ring footage: "Come kill me."

And when he's making the decision to take off his body armor and he -- because we don't know where he is at the final moments. He's making a stand, and he has opportunities to run off. He does not use those opportunities. So, yes, it's my belief that, ultimately, in his head, he has made a decision that he's going to stand and fight it out until he's killed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: And, Jim, this massacre really spotlighting two key issues we see after so many of these mass shootings, in this case, a young person with a gun and mental health issues.

We know that this suspect, just a month after his birthday, turning 18, bought his AR-15, two other weapons, despite having mental health issues...

SCIUTTO: Yes.

CAMPBELL: ... he was able to obtain somehow from a family member, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes. And, of course, the AR-15 allows you to fire a lot of rounds quickly, and high-velocity rounds that can be very deadly, as we saw here.

CAMPBELL: Yes.

SCIUTTO: Josh Campbell, thanks so much -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Still ahead: some new questions about Senator Dianne Feinstein's health after her office confirmed she had previously undisclosed conditions. Dr. Sanjay Gupta will be here to explain next.

And, later, the intensifying race to find four missing children believed to be alive after a deadly plane crash and over two weeks alone in the Amazon.

We have a live report from Colombia on new clues found ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:28:24]

KEILAR: Senator Dianne Feinstein's office now confirms that she experienced broader undisclosed health complications following her shingles diagnosis, despite the fact that the 89-year-old Democrat previously denied it earlier yesterday. A spoke spokesperson for Feinstein says that her encephalitis resolved

quickly. However, she's still dealing with Ramsay Hunt syndrome. We should note that it is rare for an office to publicly contradict their own senator.

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is joining us now on this.

Sanjay, I want to start with encephalitis. Walk us through this.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So, encephalitis -- anything that has the word itis in it, that means inflammation. And encephalo in this case is the brain.

So, a lot of people know meningitis, Brianna. That's inflammation of the outer linings of the brain. But encephalitis is when you have inflammation of the brain itself or at least parts of the brain. It's pretty serious. I mean, you can have all kinds of symptoms, which may be hard discern and really localize to encephalitis initially.

It could be a lot of different things, headache and fever, sensitivity to light. But, given her shingles, given what was going on with her, I'm sure there was a high degree of suspicion that this could be encephalitis. Then you get all kinds of different tests. You get a scan of the brain, an MRI, to see if there's any evidence of inflammation.

You can even get an EEG to see if the inflammation has affected the electrical activity in the brain, and a lumbar puncture to look at the fluid that is bathing the spinal cord and the brain.

So, it's -- it's a tough diagnosis. It can be very hard to bounce back from, especially for someone who's older. The fever and headache may go away, but some of the other symptoms, like the memory difficulties, that may be.