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CNN Gets Exclusive Look At Ukraine's Elite Drone Strike Team As It Carries Out Attack On A Russian Position; FL Republican Claims DeSantis Vetoed His Projects As Retaliation For Endorsing Trump; Schwarzenegger Says He'd "Absolutely" Run For President In 2024 If He Could; GOP Questions If Alleged Biden Tapes Exist. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired June 16, 2023 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): We're with an elite drone unit of Ukraine's security service, SBU, and the patrol police, looking to take out a key Russian anti- tank position with a precision strike.
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
PLEITGEN: "We found this target only recently," a team leader says. "It was discovered literally today, and today it will be destroyed."
(on camera): We're going to the drone launch site right now. It's obviously extremely dangerous, and we have to watch out that the Russians don't see us.
(voice-over): Speed and precision are essential. The drone, a Quadro- copter on steroids, able to carry a massive payload up to 45 pounds.
In this case, a mortar shell the Ukrainians say they got from retreating Russian forces elsewhere and are now using to hit Putin's army.
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: Now we finished our preparing.
PLEITGEN (on camera): OK.
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: The bomb is ready. And ready to go.
PLEITGEN: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: Ready, steady, go.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): It's big, it's loud, and it's heading straight to the Russian position.
We need to hide. Out here, the hunters quickly become the hunted.
(on camera): So for the Russians, the drone crews are also high-value targets. Obviously, the Russians want nothing more than to kill these guys.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Unfazed by the showing around us, the pilot flies straight to the target and releases the bomb.
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: This moment we call from Ukraine --
PLEITGEN (on camera): So you just dropped the bomb?
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: Yes.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): This is what the blast looks like from the drone's camera, pitch black, the strike fully automated.
It's not until daytime that a reconnaissance flight proves they've hit and destroyed the target. Not clear how many Russians were killed and wounded here.
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
PLEITGEN: "This will allow the defense forces of Ukraine to move forward and continue the offensive," he says. "With minimal losses, we'll inflict maximum losses on the enemy for the victory of Ukraine."
But it's not over. As the UAV flies back, intercepted text messages show the Russians have heard the drone and are targeting it.
"Enemy bird spotted," a Russian text. "Understood," another answers.
They launch flares to spot the drone.
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
PLEITGEN (on camera): Are they shooting those up to see the drone? Or why?
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: They cannot see the drone, but they should force us out.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Finally, the drone makes it back. They need to get out of here fast.
(on camera): Can we follow you?
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: Yes, let's go. Follow me.
PLEITGEN: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: Go, go, go, go.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): After what they say was a successful mission, the drone warriors leave exactly the way they came.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, in Southeastern Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: And, of course, Brianna, the small unit like that gets discovered by the Russian military, comes under artillery fire, it'll be in pretty big trouble.
I asked the guy if that's ever happened to them and they said, yes, it happens quite frequently. They said they had a couple of people wounded but they've never had anyone killed. Of course, they want to keep it that way.
But they also said they are not going to back down and continue these operations until Ukraine has won -- Brianna?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: They're taking a lot of risks, but they believe in this.
Fred Pleitgen, live for us from Zaporizhzhia, thank you.
Boris?
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: New today, Pope Francis is out of the hospital nine days after undergoing abdominal surgery. Surgeons repaired a hernia causing him pain. His doctors say the 86-year-old pope is, quote, "better than before."
Vatican officials say he'll be recovering well and no longer feels any discomfort. The pontiff joking with journalists covering his release from the hospital telling him, quote, "I am still alive."
Brianna?
KEILAR: Still ahead, bitter in-fighting among Florida Republicans. Why a state lawmaker is accusing Governor DeSantis of political retaliation.
And he's back. Arnold Schwarzenegger opening up about his political ambitions, including his dream of running for president.
[14:34:01]
Stay with us. You're watching CNN NEWS CENTRAL.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: A State Senator in Florida is accusing Governor Ron DeSantis of vetoing his projects as retaliation for his endorsement of Donald Trump for president.
Florida State Senator Joe Gruters says the cuts amounted to all of his funding requests in the state budget. Gruters is the only Florida lawmaker to endorse Trump while 99 of his colleagues in the state legislature are backing Florida's governor.
CNN's Steve Contorno joins us now live.
Steve, what more do we know about this dispute? And what is DeSantis saying about the allegations?
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Boris, there's been a sharp divide among Florida Republicans over who to get behind in this GOP primary.
We have seen most of the Florida congressional delegation get behind Donald Trump while, as you said, almost all of the Florida lawmakers in the state are supporting Ron DeSantis.
The exception is one, Joe Gruters. He has endorsed President Donald Trump over his home state governor.
Yesterday, DeSantis signed the state's budget and it turns out he vetoed about $30 million worth of projects, all earmarked by Gruters in this budget.
It includes a water quality project, a new nursing facility, and a roads project in this district.
He said this was a mean-spirited retaliation. And in a quote to CNN he said this was:
"The governor is clearly upset I endorsed Donald Trump for president so he took it out on the people of Sarasota County.
Trump and I understand that people come first. And it's our job to deliver clean water, jobs and a better America for the next generation. The governor clearly sees politics differently."
[14:40:05]
Now, this morning, we heard from the state and the governor's office who replied to this allegation saying, quote, "Senator Gruters is turning conservative governance and fiscal responsibility into a political statement. That's absurd."
Boris, I should note Gruters is not the only Florida Republican upset with the governor over these vetoes.
We also saw the state's agriculture commissioner come out today criticizing the governor for vetoing $100 million for a farmland conservation program. Notably, Simpson has not endorsed him in this race at this point.
SANCHEZ: Steve Contorno, reporting from St. Petersburg, thank you so much.
Brianna?
KEILAR: If Arnold Schwarzenegger had his way, he would be in that race with DeSantis and Trump.
The former California governor talking with CNN's Chris Wallace about his dream to become president, a dream that can't come true.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHRIS WALLACE, CNN HOST, "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE?": The Constitution says that a president has to be a natural-born U.S. citizen. If not for that, would you have run for president?
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, (D), FORMER CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR & FORMER ACTOR: Well, yes. Of course. I mean, I think the field is wide open in 2016. And I think the field is open right now.
I mean, think about it right now. I mean, who is there that is really a person that can bring everyone together? Who is the end of the day people say, OK, he's not too old or he's not too this or too that.
Now it's a question, who do you vote against rather than who do you vote for?
WALLACE: You're saying you would run for president in 2024 --
SCHWARZENEGGER: Absolutely. Because it's -- look, it's a no-brainer. I see it so clearly how you could win the election.
I mean, it's like me in California in -- when I was, you know, running for governor. It was clear. The people are looking for some new answer. Not a right wing or a left wing but someone that can bring the nation together.
There's just so many things that need to be done and can be done. And what makes it wonderful, is because it's doable. It's all doable. All it needs is people coming together and saying, yes, we can do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: For more on Chris' interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger and a conversation with actor, Andy Garcia, tune in tonight at 10:00 and streaming on Max.
Boris?
SANCHEZ: A top Republican Senator dropped a bombshell earlier this week claiming that tapes exist of Joe Biden, when he was vice president, allegedly discussing a bribery scheme with a foreign national.
The back pedaling began when that same Senator and key Republicans were asked for proof investigating the Biden family's dealings. They cautioned the tapes may not even exist.
Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-IA): I just know that exist, because of what the report said. Now, maybe they don't exist. But how will I know until the FBI tells us -- are they showing us our work?
REP. JAMES COMER (R-KY): We don't know if they're legit or not but we know the foreign national claims he has them. SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): I'm not aware we verified that those
recordings exist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: So far, these allegations remain unverified. Republicans have not established a direct link tying Biden to foreign business deals when he was vice president.
We have CNN Zachary Cohen with us to break down all of these details.
It can be a tangled web, Zach, for those not focused on what's been playing on conservative media and what these lawmakers have been alleging. So untangle this web for us?
ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, Boris, Republicans have been very eager to try to link President Joe Biden to this alleged bribery scheme.
It's outlined in this form that the FBI has and that they've showed to lawmakers on the Oversight Committees that basically contains a bunch of unverified allegations from an informant.
These, obviously, are years old and -- 17 audiotapes are contained within there. There's this claim that they're from the informant, there's 17 audiotapes containing conversations between this foreign national and Joe Biden when he was vice president.
The allegations talking about pay-for-play bribery. But as you see here, even Chuck Grassley, who went to the Senate floor a few days ago to lay this out, saying these audiotapes of evidence a bribery scheme, he's walking it back.
So Republicans having a hard time showing they have evidence connecting Joe Biden to these allegations. That's really because they've had to walk back several claims like this before.
SANCHEZ: A consistent challenge that dates back to the previous administration, because Donald Trump's DOJ looked into this.
COHEN: Absolutely. Trump's former A.G., Bill Barr, did look into this and said he assigned to do a U.S. attorney who basically went through the cases and checked out the information and wasn't able to verify any of this in this FBI form.
[14:45:00]
But he kicked it then over to another U.S. attorney who is investigating Hunter Biden. Joe Biden's son.
So as you said, a tangled web. A lot going on here. But at its core, these allegations are unverified as far as drawing a direct link to Joe Biden and this claim to bribery.
SANCHEZ: Of course. And we'll come back to you when there are more developments. Zach Cohen, thanks so much.
Brianna?
KEILAR: Well, it is always an intense affair, but this was different. A sold-out soccer match between the United States and Mexico getting so ugly that the referee ended the game early. We have details and the wild video ahead.
Plus, night owls and insomniacs, listen up. You may have a risk of early death. We're going to tell you why and what you can do about it. How you can sleep better, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:12]
KEILAR: One of the most heated rivalries in all of sports boiling over last night. The U.S. men's soccer team won a bruising and at many times extremely dirty match against Mexico to earn a spot in the CONCACAF nations league final.
Punches thrown, jerseys ripped, a flurry of cards delivered, four of them red cards. But it was the actions by fans in the stands, repeated homophobic chants, that prompted the referee to cut the match short.
CNN's sports anchor, Andy Scholes, joining us now on this.
Explain this to us how things got so ugly last night.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Brianna, Mexico's have been doing this homophobic chant for years and they've been punished multiple times for it.
They had to play without fans in a game in 2021. And despite officials pleading with their fans to stop the chant, it continues to happen when opposing goalies do goal kicks.
That's what occurred in last night's very heated game in Las Vegas. The referee stopped the game momentarily because of the chant in the 90th minute with the U.S. leading 3-0.
After adding 12 minutes of stoppage time, he blew the final whistle after just eight of those minutes because the chant had not stopped.
Now, after the match, CONCACAF condemned the chants and said several fans were actually ejected for their behavior during the match.
And as they said, this is a very heated game, nine yellow cards, four red cards handed out. Brianna, these two teams, they don't like each other. Mexico was frustrated they were losing this match, rather handily.
But you know, even though these teams don't like each other and they always have a heated match when they face each other, they will be co- hosting the World Cup with Canada come 2026. KEILAR: All right. They better patch things up. They better.
Andy Scholes, thank you for that.
Boris?
SANCHEZ: Here is a look at some of the other headlines we're following this hour.
A Syrian teen, who survived a shipwreck that killed at least 78 people, had an emotional reunion with his older brother who travelled from the Netherlands to find him.
The brothers wept and hugged through metal barricades after finding each other. Their sister was also on the boat and is still uncounted for.
As many as 750 migrants were packed on the vessel that capsized and sank on Wednesday, some 50 miles off the coast of Greece. Just over 100 people have been rescued and a massive search continues for other possible survivors.
And a first for Muslim American women. Nusrat Choudhury is now the first Muslim woman confirmed as a federal judge.
The 47-year-old currently serves as a legal director of the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Choudhury is now the only -- is only the country's second Muslim-American federal judge.
And finally, members of the Teamsters Union are expected to approve a massive strike at UPS today. If a strike happens, it would be the largest against the single employer in the history of the United States.
A prolonged work stoppage could severely damage the U.S. economy. Workers are pushing for better wages, but a possible strike is still more than seven weeks away. Plenty of time to negotiate.
Brianna?
KEILAR: All right. Bad news for you night owls. A new study followed the sleeping and not sleeping habits of 24,000 sets of twins from 1981 to 2018 and it found that people who prefer to go to bed later and get up later have a higher risk of early death.
CNN's Jacqueline Howard is following this new report.
OK, so, Jacqueline, this isn't about how much sleep people get. It is about the habits they have, really bad habits they develop from staying up late.
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: That's exactly right, Brianna. The study was interesting where it kind of shows that it is not just the bedtime of night owls, but it is really what they're doing when they stay up late at night that is associated with this increased risk of premature death. And exactly what this study found was when they were looking at those twins, they found that those who said that they're more of an evening person than morning person were also more likely to be heavy smokers, to drink more alcohol.
And the study found that there was a 9 percent increased risk of premature death for night owls versus early birds, mainly due to those unhealthy habits.
So, of course, we know sleep is associated with your health, but there is also other factors too here, which is what this study shows -- Brianna?
KEILAR: All right, Jacqueline Howard, thank you for that.
Let's head to the White House where President Biden is marking one year since signing that bipartisan gun safety legislation.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- population in the country and was segregated when I was a kid. That's what got me engaged. And made me believe that we could do anything. Made me believe we can do anything.
[14:55:04]
I want to thank -- I want to thank Chris for the introduction.
Before I say anything else, I want to acknowledge the amazing young people we just heard from. You know --
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: I really mean it. It takes extraordinary courage for them to stand up here and retell the story.
Because many of you out there, parents, relatives and/or victims yourself, it is not just your story, it is the first graders at Sandy Hook, the kids and teachers at Uvalde who I sat with afterwards. It is the Mother Emanuel eight years ago tomorrow. It is the Tree of Life Synagogue. It is the families across Hartford.
Not just the shootings that make the headlines, but every single day, every damn day in America, in areas that are poor, mostly minority, there is a mass shooting. It never reaches the crescendo that it reaches other places. Every single day.
And folks --
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Folks, there is a lot, a lot we have to do. And it takes courage to tell the story that you've been through.
Because, you know, I spent a lot of time as president and I spent 30 sometimes, visits and many more days in Afghanistan and Iraq, and I watched. We have post-traumatic stress, they call it, for soldiers.
What is the difference between post-traumatic stress of a soldier meets in the hills of Afghanistan and a fourth-grade kid meets in a classroom and they have to duck and cover.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: I'm serious.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: And you're here, many of you, and it brings it all back. It brings it all back for your families, your parents, your siblings and brings it back for the entire country. Ripples through the nation.
I don't know how many times I met with people at events in the country who shake my hand and say, I'm worried. There has been another shooting not far from where I live. I'm scared to send my kid to school. It's had a profound impact.
And some people in this room have turned your pain into purpose. I suspect all of you have. Your loss into determination. And your anger, justifiable anger, into a deep-seated commitment.
You're the reason why I'm so optimistic about the future of this country. That's not hyperbole. That's a fact. You're the best educated, most involved, least selfish, most consequential generation in American history.
I'm also optimistic because of leaders like Senator Murphy.
Chris, thanks for inviting me today and for organizing this summit.
You know, we -- Chris and I --
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Chris and I have known each other a long time. Grew closer after that December day in 2012.
He was just elected to the Senate and Barack and I had just been re- elected to the White House. When the soul of Newtown, the soul of Connecticut, the soul of the nation was pierced forever.
You've never forgotten that feeling. You've never given up on something that we can never lose, ever lose, hope. Hope.
Same goes for Senator Dick Blumenthal, a great friend. He was attorney general of my deceased son.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Attorney general of Delaware. Another leader in the fight against gun violence.
And Governor Lamont, Connecticut delegation, which is incredible. I think in this issue and many others you're the best delegation in
the United States of America.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: That's the truth.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: I also want to acknowledge the gentlelady from Georgia, Lucy McBeth.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Lucy carries her son, Jordan, in her heart. She proves you can run for office ending gun violence in the south and you can win.
(APPLAUSE)
(CHEERING)
BIDEN: Only by about 20 points or something like that. I've never come close.
(LAUGHTER)
BIDEN: Lucy, I know this isn't easy for you. You're a real pro. I know it is not easy for you. I remember.
And one of Jill's favorite people in the whole world, and mine, I always introduce her as, she is -- Mark Kelly is her husband.
(LAUGHTER)
Ladies and gentlemen, Gabby Gifford. She's --
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
[14:59:54]
BIDEN: Gabby has more courage than most people I have ever known.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: I would be honored to bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Gabby --
(APPLAUSE)
(CHEERING) BIDEN: -- not only for her courage, but her intellect, to help carry this movement.
