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$500 Million Aid Package to Ukraine; Nauta No Show for Expected Arraignment; New Hampshire Campaign Trail Drama; Ralph Yarl Speaks Out for First Time. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired June 27, 2023 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:33:26]
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story this morning, we are now hearing for the first time some of the significant evidence special counsel Jack Smith has against former President Donald Trump. CNN has obtained an audio recording of the 2021 meeting where Trump indicates that he is holding on to and displaying secret documents to people without any clearances. Trump also saying clearly on the recording that he knows the material was not declassified. The former president is now facing 37 criminal charges related to his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. He has pleaded not guilty.
Sara.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the war in Ukraine and the reaction to extraordinary events that unfolded in Russia. Ukraine's leaders say they were watching events unfold with great interest and some concern.
CNN's Erin Burnett spoke with Ukraine's foreign minister and asked him specifically about the nuclear risks that remain in Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: One big question out there remains the nuclear question, and, obviously, the Ukrainian intelligence chief says Putin has drafted and approved, those are his words, plans to attack the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which, as we know, is the largest in Europe. President Zelenskyy has also warned of such a possible attack recently. How real is this risk, do you think?
DMYTRO KULEBA, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: As long as Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remains in the hands of Russia, the risk is real. The question I think Russia is struggling with is the problem of retribution, because, of course, they don't want to be blamed for causing another nuclear disaster.
[09:35:09]
So I think they're struggling to find a way to perform it as a whole (ph) flag operation or as something else that would not be directly attributable to them. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: You can watch more of Erin Burnett's conversation tonight on "OutFront" at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
John.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Later today, the U.S. is expected to announce a new $500 million aid package for Ukraine. It is expected to include more Bradley and striker fighter vehicles. Ukraine lost several armored vehicles in the early days of its counteroffensive.
CNN national security reporter Natasha Bertrand live at the Pentagon now.
I am sure this package will be a welcomed delivery in Ukraine, Natasha.
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Absolutely, John. So, this new presidential drawdown package will make the total in aid to Ukraine, U.S. military aid to Ukraine, come to over $22 billion since the war began. It is expected to include new Bradley and striker fighting vehicles, which are really important for Ukraine to be able to continue to prosecute this counteroffensive, especially because they actually lost some of those vehicles in the early days of that counteroffensive. So the U.S., obviously, trying to replace some of those now.
And they're also expected to get more munitions for their patriot air defense systems, as well as additional ammunition, which is something that the Ukrainians are always wanting for.
Now, it, of course, remains to be seen just how this rebellion by Wagner group inside Russia will affect Russia's operation inside Ukraine because the Wagner group had played a really instrumental role in Ukraine, including, of course, in the city of Bakhmut, and was actually among the more competent force that Russia actually had there as opposed to Russia's regular military force there.
So, it remains to be seen how this rebellion and Wagner's kind of disintegration will impact the war because Russia had actually been putting up quite a substantial fight in the counteroffensive and had been - it had been difficult for the Ukrainians to break through their defensive lines. But the U.S., obviously, committed to maintaining their support for Ukraine. And this new $500 million package that we are expecting them to announce today is just further evidence of that, John.
BERMAN: Natasha, what are you picking up in that building, in the Pentagon, among U.S. officials, what they are looking for now on the ground in Ukraine in terms of how it will impact the Russian troops there, this revolt?
BERTRAND: Yes, John, so I think what they're examining now is whether any Wagner forces remain in Ukraine, what role they are going to play here, or whether they will simply all be absorbed into the Russian ministry of defense because right now what we're hearing from the Russians is that the Wagner troops are going to be contracted into the Russian military and the Russians are now saying that Wagner has begun to hand over all of their equipment and weapons to the Russian troops. So, obviously, this could have a major impact on the ground there in Ukraine, John.
BERMAN: All right, Natasha Bertrand, at the Pentagon, great to see you this morning. Thank you so much.
Sara.
SIDNER: All right, there is drama on the Republican presidential campaign trail. Why one voters' group is up in arms over dueling campaign events for the frontrunners.
Also, a new Senate report accusing the FBI and Department of Homeland Security of failing to sound the alarm about the January 6th insurrection despite receiving multiple warnings and tips. Just ahead, the message from one tipster who pleaded with the FBI to be taken seriously.
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[09:43:06]
BOLDUAN: This just into CNN, Trump aide Walt Nauta not arriving in court. Let's get over to Katelyn Polantz. She's standing outside that courthouse in Miami with the very latest.
So, Katelyn, we were expecting this arraignment. What's going on?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, Kate, we are, or we have been expecting this arraignment. Walt Nauta, the co- defendant of Donald Trump, expected all week for the past two weeks to be appearing in court in Miami this Tuesday morning. But just a few minutes ago, when his attorney arrived, he was alone. This attorney, Stanley Woodward, representing Walt Nauta, came into the courthouse without his client Walt Nauta.
In recent days we know Nauta has been in New Jersey. He doesn't appear to have walked inside the courthouse. The judge is going to be on the bench just momentarily. And so now it's a question on what's going to happen today. Is this arraignment actually going to happen? Can it if Walt Nauta isn't here, and how does the judge respond to this?
We're going to be listening inside court exactly what Stanley Woodward tells the judge about what happened. But we know Nauta was up in New Jersey and there were a lot of flight delays, especially yesterday up and down the East Coast. So it's really unclear exactly what will happen and if there will be more delay, Kate. We already had this delayed two weeks because Nauta didn't have a Florida attorney to get on his legal team and to get him arraigned two weeks ago when he was here with Donald Trump. Now a question of what is going to happen this morning.
Kate. BOLDUAN: Yes, I was going to ask you about that because this was -
this seems like it would be a delay on top of a delay. But there is definitely no question that weather in the northeast had completely brought travel - air travel to a standstill yesterday. Don't know if at all that's a factor in any of this. But again, when -- this is all about to get underway, right, Katelyn, and we could be hearing - we could -- the judge could be sitting down any - any minute.
POLANTZ: Yes, any minute. 9:45 is the start of this hearing. This court seems to operate pretty -- like clockwork.
[09:45:01]
And so we are watching inside the courtroom as well. I have colleagues in there who are going to see and listen to exactly what the special counsel's office says, as well as Walt Nauta's attorney, Stanley Woodward, who did make it inside to talk to the judge.
BOLDUAN: All right, so updates clearly to come.
Katelyn Polantz outside there for us. Thanks so much, Katelyn.
John.
BERMAN: All right, this morning, what is being billed as controversy on the campaign trail. Dueling events in New Hampshire, one for Donald Trump, one for Ron DeSantis, at the same time. And that has ticked off the sponsors of the Trump event, the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women. They issued a release criticizing DeSantis for not waiting.
Jessica Dean is with us now.
Jessica, they take this kind of stuff very seriously in New Hampshire.
JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They sure do, John. And you know that from being there during former -- previous election seasons.
But, look, New Hampshire is its own beast. And they expect a lot of retail politics there. There's a very specific way to campaign in New Hampshire.
And let's start first with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis because his event will be first this morning. He'll get started here in about ten minutes. We know he's going to take questions from voters. Again, that is key in the state of New Hampshire. They want to have that interaction, that back and forth with the candidate. And that's something that DeSantis has continued to do more of on the trail is to take questions from voters. We're also seeing him trying to go up against this idea that he's not good at retail politics, that he can't interact with people. Really trying to combat that by talking more and more with voters.
Now then we're going to hear from former President Donald Trump, who, as you mentioned, will be speaking to this women's group a little bit later this morning. He will be talking with them. And they did release - the events director did release that statement saying that this was a distraction. It's unclear how much this is the Trump campaign trying to kind of gin this up, but the fact remains that New Hampshire is a very strong state historically for the former president. You'll remember back in 2016 he had an overwhelming victory there. They really tend to respond to him in the state of New Hampshire.
So, we are expecting to see both of them.
Interestingly, though, John, their paths will not cross today. It is a small state, but they will not cross paths.
BERMAN: You know, it seems as if particularly the Trump team is willing and eager to needle DeSantis any chance they get.
DEAN: There is no question about that. Both the former president and his team go directly after DeSantis over and over and over again. We've seen that even before DeSantis got into the race. That seems to be their strategy, just go right at him.
DeSantis has a little bit of a different strategy that we've began - we've begun to see develop on the trail, and that is that when asked about the former president, he will attack him. He will criticize him. But he doesn't bring it up naturally, say, in his stump speech.
So, the question is, will that be enough to convince voters who think, is DeSantis strong enough to take on the former president? That's really his challenge is to win over people who likely voted for him maybe twice in the last couple of cycles but are looking for a fresh face without insulting the former president. So, they're really trying to kind of toe that line. And what will be interesting to see, John, today, is if they get - if he gets any questions about that. We'll be watching.
BERMAN: Look, I'll be interested if either gets any questions or brings up these tapes first reported on by CNN of the Trump meeting at Bedminster.
DEAN: Yes.
BERMAN: That will be fascinating to see what kind of role that plays as well.
Jessica Dean, always great to have you. Thank you so much.
Sara.
SIDNER: All right, it's been two months since Ralph Yarl was shot after simply ringing the wrong doorbell. Now the 17-year-old is talking about his recovery. Coming up, the emotional wounds that still aren't healed.
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[09:52:43] SIDNER: A Missouri teenager shot in the head after ringing the doorbell of the wrong home is speaking to the media for the first time. In April Ralph Yarl was on his way to pick up his twin brother when he mistakenly went to the home of Andrew Lester. Lester opened the door and fired a gun, shooting Yarl in the head, but he survived.
CNN's Adrienne Broaddus joins us now live.
This is an incredible story of survival. What is Yarl saying this morning.
ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sara, certainly is. This is a teen who does not look like what he's been through. He shared with "GMA's" Robin Roberts what live has been like for him and his family since the shooting. Many of our viewers may remember he was 16 at the time. He was going to pick up his twin brothers. And he went to the wrong house.
He told Robin Roberts, he remembers the shooter saying five words, don't ever come here again.
Here is more of how his life has changed, in his own words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RALPH YARL, TEEN SHOT AFTER GOING TO WRONG HOME: There are a lot of things that are going on inside my head that aren't normal. I've been having headaches. Trouble with sleep. And sometimes my mind - my mind is just foggy. Like, I can't concentrate on the things that would be easy for me to do.
CLEO NAGBE, RALPH YARL'S MOTHER: Physically he looks fine, but there is a lot that has been taken from him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROADDUS: His mother also saying, we are look at a child who took the SAT when he was in the eighth grade. She also talked about how his brain has slowed.
I remember when we all learned that the teen was released from the hospital, and everyone was saying, oh it's so remarkable. But it's important to underscore, he went home to a family of health care providers, including his mother and his aunt who have been able to care for him and help in this recovery process, Sara.
SIDNER: Yes, he's a remarkable young man because of who he is, but also because of who his family is.
Thank you so much, Adrienne Broaddus, for that update.
John.
BERMAN: So, what experts are describing as a prosecutor's dream.
[09:55:02] Donald Trump on tape. You hear his voice talking about secret documents that seem to be in his hands. How will this impact the case against him?
And major rulings could come any minute from the Supreme Court, including on affirmative action. We are standing by at the court.
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BOLDUAN: CNN has the tape. Former President Trump gloating about classified documents he took from the White House and saying clearly that he could have declassified the information, and he did not. Trump, in his own words.
And an update just in on his aide also charged in this case.
BERMAN: So, a curious statement just in moments ago.
[10:00:00]
Word that the man who led the revolt in Russia has arrived in Belarus. But, if that's the case, why haven't we seen him?
