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Trump And French President Macron Speak Before Meeting In Oval Office; Trump Meets With Macron Amid Sharp Divisions On Ukraine Aid; Reuters: ICE Memo Outlines New Effort to Deport Unaccompanied Minors. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired February 24, 2025 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:30:00]
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're trying to find out if people are working. And so we're sending a letter to people, please tell us what you did last week. If people don't respond, it's very possible that there is no such person or they're not working.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The agency has instructed their employees not to respond. They're waiting on further guidance. But Elon Musk's tweet said a failure to respond would be taken as a resignation. So there's been a disconnect in communications.
TRUMP: Yes. Only --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- you can turn it off?
TRUMP: Only -- no, no, no. That was done in a friendly manner. Only things such as, perhaps, Marco at State Department, where they have very confidential things, or the FBI where they're working on confidential things.
And they don't mean that in any way combatively with Elon. They're just saying there are some people that you don't want to really have them tell you what they're working on last week.
But other than that, I think everyone thought it was a pretty ingenious idea. We have to find out where these people are. Who are they? And we said, if you don't respond, we assume you're not around --
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: -- and you're not getting paid anymore, too.
So, you know, we're doing a real job. And we just had a poll come out, I guess the Harvard poll, saying that it's massively popular, what we're doing, so.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, you still believe in NATO, in the alliance between Europe and America, in NATO?
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: NATO is very much involved in this. When I first got elected, at the very beginning, first term, I got hundreds of billions of dollars put into NATO. NATO had no money because they hadn't paid for years.
And I said, look, if you don't pay, and we're not going to be a part of NATO, we're not going to protect, we're not going to do what we're supposed to do. And we took in hundreds of billions of dollars into NATO.
No, NATO is a good thing if it's done properly and if it's used properly.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You speak -- these days, you speak a lot about the tariff in Canada, in Mexico and Europe. I want to know if -- what is your idea about, if you want to make the same thing?
TRUMP: The what? Can you talk up a little louder?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- in these -- in these days?
TRUMP: No, no, can you talk a little louder? You have a beautiful voice, but you're not --
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Italy.
TRUMP: From Italy. Oh, I love Italy.
Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: I want to make -- I want to know if you have the same idea with Italy about time.
TRUMP: Well, look, I love Italy. And Italy is a very important nation. We have a wonderful woman as your leader. And she was on the conversation today, one that we had, the G-7.
And, no, I think Italy is doing very well. I think I think Italy has got very strong leadership with Giorgia.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE)
TRUMP: Any other questions over here?
Yes, ma'am.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you clarify what you meant in your Truth today on the major economic development transactions between the U.S. and Russia, any more --
(CROSSTALK) TRUMP: With respect to what? Russia?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And solving a peace deal. You said there would be major economic development transactions, which will take place between the United States and Russia.
TRUMP: Yes, we're trying to do some economic development deals. They have a lot of things that we want. And we'll see. I mean, I don't know if that will come to fruition, but we'd love to be able to do that if we could.
You know, they have massive rare earth. It's a very large -- it's actually the largest in terms of land. It's, by far, the largest country. And they have very valuable things that we could use. And we have things that they could use.
And it would be very good if we could do that. I think it would be a very good thing for world peace and lasting peace.
Well, I mean, our -- our first -- by far, our first thing that we want to do, the first element of -- of the overall transaction is ending the war.
But if just as we're doing with Ukraine, if we could do some economic development in terms of Russia and getting things that we want, something like that would be possible, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President?
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Yes. Go ahead please.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you explain the rationale and having the U.S. vote against the U.N. resolutions that Ukraine proposed and also the U.S. proposed?
TRUMP: I would rather not explain it now, but it's sort of self- evident, I think.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, Mr. President, what about increasing the tariffs on products from the European Union? Is that still something more to do today?
TRUMP: Well, it's not increasing. It's reciprocal. So whatever they charge us, we're charging them. So it's not a question of increasing. If they charge us 20 percent we charge them 20 percent. If they charge us 30 or 40 percent, then we do that, too. So that would be on European Union.
But that really would be respect -- with respect to everybody. It's reciprocity. So reciprocal. Whatever they charge us, we charge them. Nobody has a problem. Even you. I see you don't have a problem anymore. Right? OK?
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: So are you thinking of going to Moscow soon? Maybe in April for the 9th of May for the anniversary?
TRUMP: I mean, not soon, but I would be -- certainly, if this all gets settled out, which I think it will, sure, I would go there. Sure. And he'd come here. too.
[13:35:08]
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: On the 9th of April on the Red Square?
TRUMP: I don't know, the 9th of May. No, I don't -- I think that's pretty -- that's pretty soon. But, no, at the appropriate time I would go to Moscow.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I think the war could end soon.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How soon?
TRUMP: Within weeks.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Weeks?
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Yes, I think so.
Right? Don't you think so? I'd like to ask, have you -- I think we could end it within weeks. If we're smart. If we're not smart, it will keep going. And we'll keep losing young, beautiful people that shouldn't be dying. And we don't want that.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: And remember when I said this could escalate into a third world war. And we don't want that either.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, your envoy, Steve Witkoff, suggested a temporary ceasefire in the conflict, but the Russian government has denied that out of hand. He worried that they're not dealing in good faith?
TRUMP: No, I think they, at some point, will agree to that. I think they probably wanted to. And I think once you have a ceasefire, it's going to end because they're not going from a ceasefire back to war. I think people have had their fill.
I'm just glad I was able to help because there was no communication with Russia until I came along. Biden didn't communicate. He couldn't communicate with his own child.
So Biden didn't communicate. He couldn't. It was terrible. He hadn't spoken to Putin in three years.
You're trying to end a war, people are being killed, every week, thousands of people are being killed, soldiers in this case, mostly.
Also towns, you know, as missiles go in and back and forth. No, it's -- it's a shame. This should have never happened. This is a very sad -- this is going to go down in the history books.
This is a very sad moment because that should have been stopped. That should have never started. And if it did start, it should have stopped the first week, not three years later. OK?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What do you know -- (INAUDIBLE) -- for Ukraine?
EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT: If you allow me, because I had just a question posed by American.
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: By the way, that is the most beautiful -- that is the most beautiful language.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: I have no idea what he's saying, but that is the most --
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: -- elegant, beautiful language.
Go ahead please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a question that was asked by several. What we need to do is make sure that we are building peace. We have capability --
MACRON: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have deterrence capabilities that have been restored. As President Trump said, there won't be any more problems.
We've seen the U.S. re-engagement and the message that that sends to Mr. Putin. We have deterrence, which will allow a truce to take place, verification of that truce.
And then a peace agreement can be put in place so that we can start rebuilding Ukraine with security guarantees. And we have a role to play in that.
[13:39:59]
Again, I'm not preempting any discussions, but we've spoken about Ukraine's sovereignty and that has been a subject of discussion between the U.S. and Ukraine. We have also been working closely with our British partners. This
week, we've shared this information with other European countries, and we are ready and willing to provide those security guarantees, which could perhaps include troops.
But they would be there to maintain peace. They would not be along the front lines. They would not be part of any conflict. They would be there to ensure that the peace is respected.
Our assistance may include other capacity building, perhaps for the military. We see U.S. credibility here. We each have our role to play, but it will be done in a united fashion.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you feel that Ukraine should give up the part of its territory?
TRUMP: Well, we're going to see. It's a negotiation that's just starting. And, you know, they've been fighting and there's been a lot of land that's been taken. So we'll have to see how that works out. That's part of the negotiation.
I will say there was great unity in that room today. You know, we were, via Skype or whatever, but it was great, tremendous unity today in that room with the other countries. I was --
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I was very impressed by that.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- in the back, when they lost in the past years?
TRUMP: That's not an easy thing to do, is it? Right? It's not an easy -- you know?
He's asking whether or not you can take back the land that they lost. And I say that, yes, perhaps some of it. Yes, I hope so. But that's not an easy thing to do.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: It's going to be something we're talking about.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Will you convince them to accept the European troops as peacekeepers, would you think?
TRUMP: Yes, he will accept that.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Putin?
TRUMP: I've asked him that question.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I've asked him that question.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Because he's not -- look, if we do this deal, he's not looking for more war. He doesn't mind. But I specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- going to lift the block on the $300 billion in frozen Russian assets in Belgium. France has opposed unfreezing it to pay Ukraine and compensate the U.S. for its support. Is France going to lift its opposition to that?
MACRON: This is -- I mean, we speak about frozen assets. We already used them to back precisely the loans negotiated at the G-7. And it's part of the sanctions. So it will depend on the follow up of the discussions.
But clearly, we respect international law. It's just frozen assets now. You can take the proceeds of the frozen assets, but you cannot take the assets themselves because it's not respecting international law. And we want to respect international law.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How is it different than the other? You can take the proceeds from it. How can you not --
MACRON: Because it's very different. You keep the assets, you take the proceeds, because they are paralyzed in a certain way. You take the proceeds during the wartime. But you keep the assets. And it's part of the negotiation at the end of the war.
Because, I mean, this war costed all of us a lot of money, and this is the responsibility of Russia because the aggressor is Russia. So -
(CROSSTALK)
MACRON: So at the end of the day, these frozen assets should be part of the negotiation. All in all.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Does France support the U.S. being compensated?
MACRON: I -- I support the idea to have Ukraine first being compensated because they are the ones who have -- lose a lot of their fellow citizens, and they're being destroyed by these attacks.
Second, all of those who paid for it could be compensated, but not by Ukraine, by Russia, because they were the one to aggress.
TRUMP: Again, just so you understand --
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Just so you understand, Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They get their money back.
MACRON: No, in fact, to be -- to be frank, we paid. We paid 60 percent of the total effort. And it was through, like the U.S., loans, guaranteed grants and we -- we provided real money, to be clear.
TRUMP: Well --
MACRON: We have $230 billion frozen assets in Europe, Russian assets. But this is not as a collateral of a loan because this is not our belonging. They are frozen.
If at the end of the day, in the negotiation we will have with Russia, they are ready to give -- to give it to us. Super. It will be loan at the end of the day and Russia will have paid for that.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: If you believe that, it's OK with me, but they get their money back and we don't and now we do. But you know, that's only fair.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What should be the one that pays everybody back? Are they the aggressor?
TRUMP: Well, we're -- we're negotiating everything and everything is on the table. And we'll see if we can get some land back and we'll see about a lot of different things.
And we're going to be making a little speech and say a few words in a little while. We're going to have another meeting, a luncheon meeting, and we'll see you in about two hours. OK?
Thank you very much, everybody.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Thank you. Thank you very much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thanks, guys.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: A fascinating end to that meeting there in the Oval Office as French President Emmanuel Macron seemed to correct or clarify President Trump characterizing how Europe is giving aid to Ukraine.
[13:44:59]
But a lot of news made here. Trump saying that Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, would be OK with European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a potential deal to wind down this war.
He said, "Putin isn't looking for more war," words that may live in infamy, as many Putin observers believe, that's something he does want as he may want to expand the borders of Russia. He praised Macron. He said they had very good talks with Russia. He
did have very good talks with others, but he didn't say Ukraine. He did -- as Macron emphasize the bravery of Ukraine.
Trump, in turn, emphasized that the U.S. is very close to this deal on rare earth minerals with Ukraine to share profits from its minerals.
The treasury secretary there saying there at the one yard line. And Trump again saying Europe does their assistance to Ukraine in the form of a loan, which was what Macron ultimately interrupted him to correct there.
We should note, though, Zelenskyy said yesterday in Ukraine that he won't recognize a $500 billion share of Ukraine's deposits of rare earth and other minerals for the U.S. So he's pushing back on this Trump demand.
It doesn't seem like it's at the one yard line when you listen to him and Trump insisting the war could end within weeks.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: And Trump even saying that Zelenskyy may come in the next week or so to sign a potential deal.
All of this happening on the three year anniversary, of course, of Russia's invasion into Ukraine, beginning of what we known to be a long and bloody war.
Now, he also talked about DOGE, the Department -- the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Obviously, emails went out to all federal employees, essentially saying to state what your accomplishments have been over this past week. It came as a surprise to a lot of federal employees.
But we heard the president weigh in saying that there's a lot of genius in sending this. And if people don't respond, it's very possible there is no such person or they're not working. Obviously, we don't have any evidence that there are no such people.
In fact, we know many of these people have reported to CNN receiving these emails. And of course, specific departments like the Department -- like the Department of Justice, for example, have instructed staff not to respond to those emails.
A lot just happened. I want to bring in CNN's Jeff Zeleny, who is at the White House for us.
Jeff, obviously, an interesting exchange there at the end about the cost of the war. But what stood out to you from seeing those two side by side?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, that definitely is one of the headlines to come out of this. And the reason that this is important is that President Trump has long been talking about, he believes the U.S. got the short end of the deal here. He believes that the U.S. was on a "gravy train," in his words, during
the Biden administration, and has been ripped off and saying that Europe -- and European countries have a loan in the U.S., has just been paying assistance to Ukraine.
Extraordinary there to see the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in a friendly way, but said, to be frank, that is not true. And walked through how actually European countries have much more skin in the game here, if you will. They have paid considerably more money.
So that was actually a very, very interesting exchange. And you saw the American president there said, well, if you want to believe that, that's fine.
And then -- so I believe that we'll be hearing more about that at their news conference this afternoon.
And, yes, they are going to be taking questions from reporters. They're at a lunch right now, a closed-door lunch, a bilateral meeting. But that certainly was important.
But the other headlines, as you said, the American president saying this war in Ukraine could be over in a matter of weeks. That might be optimistic. We shall see, of course.
But important that this meeting and no coincidence is coming on the third anniversary of the war with Ukraine. But what the French president is trying to do is use his personal relationship with Donald Trump to really bring him back on the side of the European allies and try and save the Transatlantic alliance.
He spent two hours in the Oval Office this morning on a Zoom call, if you will, with G-7 leaders, wanted to be at Donald Trump's side when he was on this phone call in this Oval Office right now.
So clearly, what Emmanuel Macron is trying to do is pull him away just a little bit from Vladimir Putin. And this meeting is going to be bookended on Thursday with the visit here to the White House of the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer -- Brianna?
KEILAR: Yes, a big week.
Jeff Zeleny, at the White House, thank you.
[13:49:23]
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JIMENEZ: Welcome back, everyone. There are new reports the Trump administration is preparing to locate and deport hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children.
KEILAR: Reuters is reporting an internal ICE memo outlining a detailed plan to track down youth who illegally entered the U.S. without their parents.
CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is here with details on this.
And, Priscilla, we should note this would be an unprecedented target to push to target migrant children. Tell us about it.
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we don't normally see these types of pushes to target those children who cross the U.S.-Mexico border alone without their parents.
They were in the custody of Health and Human Services but then later in the custody of what we call sponsors, so relatives or family and friends.
Now the Trump administration has been hyper focused on this population, this part of the immigrant population, because White House border czar, Tom Homan, has said that hundreds of thousands of them are considered missing.
Now, when you talk to experts and try to go through that data set, that includes children who didn't go to their court hearing. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are missing so much as they didn't go to that court hearing.
And we -- we don't really have that many systems in place to check on these children, which is part of the concern that Trump administration officials have been raising repeatedly. Another part of this, though, is that there are some that are exploited.
[13:55:01]
But the bottom line and the whiplash here with legal service providers is that this is a part of the population that they don't want to be the focus for ICE.
JIMENEZ: And, you know, throughout this administration, I guess it's only been a month, we've heard a lot about migrants being taken or plans to take migrants to Guantanamo Bay at a facility that could hold tens of thousands.
But also, the United States is halting or stopping a plan to house migrants in in tents. What do we know about that?
ALVAREZ: There's been an emergency emerging tent facility that has been ongoing, and that is what we're told by sources is going to stop.
Now, there is the detention facility. There is the migrant operation center. Those are two buildings that have been used by the administration to house the migrants that have been transferred there.
But what this tells us is how scattered this effort has been. We have been reporting on the chaos and confusion as they have tried to expand the facility to have and house 30,000 migrants there.
Well, this is indicative of how hurried this effort has been, that now they're halting this as a sort of reassess their plans. KEILAR: Interesting.
Priscilla, thank you so much for that.
Payment or pipedream? The investor who first floated the idea of giving out checks to Americans based on DOGE savings will join us live ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.
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