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Don Lemon Tonight

Mary Trump Did Not Mince Words as She Calls President Trump Incapable; New Day New Record-High of Coronavirus Cases in the U.S.; Portraits of Ex-Presidents Removed from the White House Foyer; Gov. Kate Brown (D-OR) Was Interviewed About the CBP Agents Intervening in the Protests in Oregon. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired July 17, 2020 - 22:00   ET

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

[22:00:00]

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: Kamau Bell, the best to you and the kids.

W. KAMAU BELL, CNN HOST: Thank you very much.

CUOMO: All right, brother. Good luck.

All right. be sure to tune in all new season of United Shades of America premiering this Sunday, 10 p.m. Easter and Pacific only on CNN. Thank you for watching. Look at the time. CNN Tonight with D. Lemon.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Look at you right on time. About five or six seconds. That was good. I don't beat you up, do I?

CUOMO: About Trump?

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: About what's going on with him?

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: Like a pinata.

LEMON: Because I called you both sides Cuomo.

CUOMO: I like -- my favorite thing that they don't get enough to see. You do it sometimes on TV but not as well as you do it in person when you go, come on.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: Come on. And he moves closer and closer to me as he's saying it. And I'm like, look, if you want me to talk, I will but you can't be nose to nose with me and say come on like you're waiting. You're not waiting.

LEMON: How much do you want to talk about this? How much do you want to talk about what you shared on television about how we talk about you? What's happening with us about therapy? Listen, Kamau Bell is in therapy, I'm in therapy.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: I'm all about it.

LEMON: You're in therapy.

CUOMO: I think it's ridiculous not to see it as a tool.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: When people say to me, you know, why? Are you OK? One, no. But two, neither is my knee, my neck --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: And my back, my gosh.

CUOMO: And I go see doctors --

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: -- for all of them.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: And that's what this is.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: And people don't like it. And my haters love it, right? Now it makes sense. Get him off TV. You can't have a crazy guy on TV. But I think you have to talk about it. Because look at Dr. Bree (Ph), man she's a star but in every right, Don. But if you don't want to talk about being sick, you're just going to get worse.

LEMON: Yes. Listen, truth is you laugh about crazy people on TV. I mean, we both are, I mean, jokingly. But the serious part of it is that I don't talk about it on TV but when people say I don't know how you do it every night? And I say one, I have a mortgage. Two, my therapy bill is more than my mortgage. So, I have to pay that as well.

And I don't think -- that's -- and they think I'm joking but I'm actually really serious. And I don't see anything wrong with it. We have to take the stigma and I applaud you for just talking about it and we should just talk about it. We have to take the stigma. Listen, Chris and I even talked about drugs.

CUOMO: Yes.

LEMON: I mean, like, what --

CUOMO: I wish I were a pill away from not being a jerk. My wife has been doing research 24/7. Take this. Take this.

LEMON: Take this. Take this. Yes. But I mean, listen, antidepressants. Things for -- I mean, that is normal life. Normal life. Many people who are watching us now taking antidepressants or they take antianxiety medicine or things for OCD and on and on. But that is just -- that's part of normal life and should not be stigmatized or hidden.

CUOMO: It's not part of our culture yet.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: Look, we're still lucky. We're around experts all the time, we're around important people, we get to research, we get the newest information. And you know, there's some rarified air in that. It's still a stigma. If you say it at work, it may be held against you. People will see you differently.

LEMON: Nope.

CUOMO: I get it.

LEMON: I'm saying no, I'm fighting you on that. Not a stigma. We'll keep talking about it. And we'll keep sharing what's happening --

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: Yes, and then you shed the stigma.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: And we'll shed it over time. And that's fine.

LEMON: But people at home who are watching us should we do what we do, should talk to each other, should say hey, Chris, why are you depressed? What's going on? What are you -- are you seeing someone? Am I lying? Do we do that?

CUOMO: We do it all the time.

LEMON: All the time, yes.

CUOMO: But we're lucky enough to know that if you say, hey --

LEMON: OK.

CUOMO: -- I'm depressed I don't say buck up buttercup.

LEMON: Right.

CUOMO: You know, you're doing OK. Don't be sad. It's not about being sad. You're sick. You know, it's like hey, diabetes, don't feel the diabetes anymore.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: It doesn't work like that.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: So, we'll get there.

LEMON: I'm going to feel the wrath of my producer if I don't go.

CUOMO: The best part of the night, Do. Lemon. Don't let tell them you otherwise.

LEMON: I'm going to see you this weekend, right?

CUOMO: I love you. I'll see you tomorrow.

LEMON: All right. Absolutely.

CUOMO: I'll be the guy in the fast boat. Look, you chose style.

LEMON: Right. I have style.

CUOMO: All right.

LEMON: And class.

CUOMO: I know.

LEMON: See you later.

CUOMO: Bye.

LEMON: Bye.

This is CNN Tonight. I'm Don Lemon. Thank you so much for joining us.

Here's our breaking news. The president's niece, Mary Trump, speaking out tonight telling Chris her uncle can't admit that he's made a mistake on the pandemic and that is why he is creating division.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY TRUMP, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NIECE: It's not because he doesn't know masks are good. It's not because he is, you know, rabidly anti- science. It's because those things work for the narrative he needs to spin. So, it would require him to admit, in one way or another, that he's made a mistake, a huge mistake that's cost many, many tens of thousands of lives. He can't do that.

So, all he's got left is creating division. And that's a place in which he's very, very comfortable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And that said the president just can't resist commenting. Lashing out tonight, of course, on twitter. Calling Mary Trump a seldom seen niece who knows little about me. A lot more on that to come.

[22:05:09]

And what the president isn't focused on is the pandemic, which is getting worse every single day. I want you to look at this map. Look, if you're at home. Take a look at it. A sea of red. You hardly see any green at all. Only four states have reported fewer cases in the last week. And our do-nothing president just can't be bothered to say the one thing that might save lives. Wear a mask. Listen to what he tells Fox News' Chris Wallace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WALLACE, ANCHOR, FOX NEWS: And the CDC says if everybody wore a mask for four to six weeks, we could get this under control. Do you regret not wearing a mask in public from the start and would you consider -- will you consider a national mandate that people need to wear mask?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: No. I want people to have a certain freedom. And I don't believe in that, no. And I don't agree in the statement that if everybody wear a mask, everybody disappears. Hey, Dr. Fauci said don't wear a mask. Our surgeon general, a terrific guy, said don't wear a mask.

Everybody was saying don't wear a mask. All of a sudden everybody has got to wear a mask. And as you know, masks cause problems too. With that being said, I'm a believer in masks. I think masks are good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. Look, we all remember masks, if you recall, we're in short supply early in the pandemic. Didn't have enough for healthcare workers risking their lives on the frontlines. Things have changed. We also learned more about the virus as time goes on. Now masks are one of the only ways that we have to stop this deadly virus.

Millions of Americans have been wearing them for months. What freedom does -- what does he believe in exactly? What kind of freedom? The freedom to infect somebody's grandma or grandpa? Is that the freedom? Somebody's teacher? Somebody's baby?

Eighty-five babies have tested positive for the coronavirus in just one county in one state. And that's Texas. They haven't even had a birthday yet but they have the coronavirus. In one county.

This is not about freedom, people. It's not as if this president wasn't warned either over and over.

A former Trump administration top economist tells CNN his team warned in September of 2019 that a pandemic could kill as many as half a million Americans and cause up to $3.79 trillion in damage to the economy. So much for the president's repeated claims that nobody could have seen this coming.

With all eyes on the deadly pandemic, all eyes except the president's eyes, of course, it's probably no accident this is happening right now. And make no mistake, what I am about to show you is very, very scary to see in the United States of America. We all need answers about what is happening here. And where else this administration might try it. In protests, in Portland, Oregon, unidentified agents detaining a

protester with no explanation, driving away with him in an unmarked van. Yes, unclear what happened in the moments before this clip posted on social media.

But we don't see what is describe in the statement from the Customs and Border Protection. CPB agents had information indicating the person in the video was suspected of assaults against federal agents or destruction of federal property. But once CPB agents approach the suspect a large and violent mob moved towards their location.

For everybody's safety, CPB agents quickly moved the suspect to a safer location for further questioning. Unidentified agents grabbing a protester off the street and driving away with him in an unmarked van? Is that law and order in America today? Is that law and order in America today.

What you saw in that video has sparked outrage and criticism from state officials and civil rights organizations. We have a lot more on this for you tonight, including the governor of Oregon. Her response.

But it sounds an awful lot like the kind of authoritarian behavior the president admires from strong men like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un.

And with all these, with the pandemic raging, what has the president been doing? Instead of working night and day to save American lives, he spent this week talking about just about anything other than the virus that has killed nearly 140,000 Americans in less than six months. I mean, we started the week with what, 136,000. Now we're close to 140,000 by the end of the week.

[22:10:03]

Spent the last six months downplaying police violence against black people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CATHERINE HERRIDGE, SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT, CBS NEWS: Why are African-Americans still dying at the hands of law enforcement in this country?

TRUMP: And so are white people, so are white people. What a terrible question to ask. So are white people. More white people, by the way, more white people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Also spending the months paying more attention to statues than living, breathing Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We just passed a statues and monument executive order and they were going well. They see that beautiful, look at that right there it's so beautiful, the Washington Monument. If they had their choice, they'd take it down and I guarantee you they'll rename it. They want to rename it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Trying to stir up fear in white suburbanites.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Your home will go down in value and crime rates will rapidly rise. Joe Biden and his bosses from the radical left want to significantly multiply what they're doing now and what will be the end result is you will totally destroy the beautiful suburbs. Suburbia will be no longer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Complaining about showers and incandescent light bulbs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: So, shower heads, you take a shower, the water doesn't come out. You want to wash your hands, the water doesn't come out. So, what do you do? You just stand there longer or take a shower longer? Because my hair, I don't know about you but it has to be perfect.

An old-fashioned incandescent light bulb, I brought them back. I brought them back.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: They have two nice qualities. They're cheaper and they are better. They look better and they make you look so much better. That's important to all of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And of course, sitting behind the Resolute desk with a bunch of cans and packages of beans and other products. In an example of just how low this White House can go. CNN has learned that the official portraits of President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have been removed from the Grand Foyer of the White House within the last week and placed where the president won't see them.

I want to bring in now CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins. Kaitlan, good evening to you. The president is ignoring the pandemic and now we're learning where the White House's intentions -- or attention, I should say, is. Moving portraits of former presidents out of sight?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. This is quite a story. Because it comes on a week where the president didn't hold any events dedicated to COVID-19. And we've been asking the White House about that. They've been insisting that he was focused on it.

And now with this great reporting from my colleague Jeff Zeleny, we've learned that in the last week, since last Wednesday, they have moved these portraits, that normally when you walk into the front doors of the White House and the Grand Foyer you see these portraits, you can see them there of Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. They no longer are there and typically it's the two most recent presidents that are there right when you walk in.

Barack Obama's portrait of course has not been unveiled yet and that's why it's not up there. But instead they have moved them and now they are in the old family dining room, which if you're not familiar with the layout of the White House, that's a room that when you're taking a tour of the White House or you're a visitor at the White House for an event, you don't often go there.

And right now, they are storing old furniture and table cloths in that room and that's where the Trump White House has decided to put the two portraits of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Now of course the question is who did he replaced them with. We've learned it's William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt. Both presidents who served over a century ago but those are the two most prominent portraits you see when you walk in.

And it's really notable because this is not only the portraits that you see if the president hosts another leader there, as he did with the Mexican president on last Wednesday when you still saw that portraits of Clinton and Bush there.

But also, as the president comes into the White House everyday as he comes down from where he is on the third floor for the residence, these are the portraits he often passes. And now he's moved both of these out of the way to where they are not at all in prominent view like they were before.

LEMON: It's petty but maybe they're in better company in a room with old stored furniture than with the people who go in and out of that White House every single day.

But listen, Kaitlan, I have to ask you, President Trump is attacking his niece, Mary Trump, over her unflattering book of the president. What is he saying?

COLLINS: Yes. He's saying he has very seldom seen her but then he's taking some really personal jabs at her as well. Because in her book she talks about the relationship that President Trump had with his father. Something that he often talks about he has his portrait in the Oval Office -- in the Oval Office.

[22:14:56]

And in his tweet tonight he's saying that his parents who of course, have died, that neither of them liked her very much anyway. An incredibly personal tweet from the president attacking someone. You know, often he does go after anybody who writes a negative book about him.

We saw it with John Bolton. We've seen it with so many other people who've written books about this White House. But this one is different because it's a member of his -- a member of his family, someone who reveals that when the New York Times that massive investigation on the president's finances she actually helped him out with that, she says, in her book.

And so, I think it just makes it much more personal to him. And obviously. she's a family member of his. when you look at her you see a resemblance to President Trump.

And so, I think that has changed the calculus on how he is viewing this, and of course the fact that her book sold nearly a million copies in the first day that it was out is something that people say, you know, the president pays close attention to how the book sales, of books that are written about him do.

LEMON: All right. Kaitlan Collins, thank you very much. I appreciate your reporting. We got a lot more to come on the president's niece, Mary Trump, and what she's saying tonight about her uncle. That's next.

And still to come, much more on the outrage over that detention f a protester in Portland by unidentified federal agents. I'm going to talk to the governor of Oregon about what happened.

[22:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Tonight, President Trump lashing out at his niece, Mary Trump, who is out with a new book that attacks his character, calling her a mess. He also accuses her of breaking the law and saying what he calls untruthful things.

Tweeting that just before Mary Trump's interview with Chris Cuomo tonight where she called on Trump to resign.

So, let's discuss with April Ryan and Frank Bruni. So good to see both of you. I'm glad you're at home, socially distancing and staying safe.

APRIL RYAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Physically distancing.

LEMON: OK. Thank you both. April, good evening. You know, we're going to talk about Mary Trump's response to the president's attacks. But first, here's what she's saying about his response to the pandemic. She explains why he is not able to reverse course. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

M. TRUMP: It's not because he doesn't know masks are good. It's not because he is, you know, rabidly anti-science. It's because those things work for the narrative he needs to spin. So, it would require him to admit, in one way or another, that he's made a mistake, a huge mistake that's cost many, many tens of thousands of lives. He can't do that.

So, all he's got left is creating division. And that's a place in which he's very, very comfortable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: It's interesting, April, because she's confirming what most people have been saying.

RYAN: Yes.

LEMON: She's saying he's putting himself his needs before the needs of the country. We see it, but it has dire consequences.

RYAN: It sure does. Two things, Don. One, she said that this is indicative of who she's known as her uncle all of her life. So, this is nothing new. She says it's going to get worse.

And number two, for her to be telling family secrets, that's the first thing they tell you in a family, never tell family secrets. But she's trying to save the country. And it's so interesting to hear her talk about her uncle. And the only thing that they can come back with is the fact she's broaching or breaching the NDA and they are coming back with personal attacks. Nothing substantive.

So, it must be hurting and they don't have anything on her because she's telling the truth. She's divulging family secrets at the cost of the president's presidency.

LEMON: And Mr. Bruni, here's Mary Trump on her uncle's intellect. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Was he known as the smart one?

M. TRUMP: No. He hasn't changed much. I think, you know, if we only knew him now and extrapolated backwards, it would be pretty obvious. You know, he's not intellectual. He doesn't seem to have any interest in learning. He has no intellectual curiosity. And being well educated does not make you well informed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Again, Frank, a confirmation of what most people have been saying. This is -- this is going to get under his skin. Remember, he's a stable genius.

FRANK BRUNI, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Look, I think it will get under his skin. And for the reason that April apply (Ph) a moment ago. This isn't just another of his many critics and at this point his critics are legion. This is family. And so, this is personal in a whole new way.

I found this interview, Don. And I'm sure you feel the same way. I mean, I found it fascinating, riveting. Because she's describing the man whom we've all been watching, and on the show talking about for three and a half years. And she's describing him to a tee. She really has this number.

I don't think this would have the force and the weight that it does have if she was talking about him in ways that didn't resonate for all of us. But the person she's describing and she's describing him so well. She should have my job. She should have your job. She should have April's job.

RYAN: No, no.

BRUNI: I mean this is the person we -- no, this is the person we are watching for a while. And she also, you know, we've known about this book for many weeks, we've known what was in the book for a week or week and a half. We've only heard her voice and seen her over the last couple of days. And I think she has lent that book extra credibility because she comes across not as vengeful, not as impulsive. She comes across as thoughtful, earnest, and extraordinarily articulate.

LEMON: Yes. And extremely intelligent. Here's what she says about President Trump using the n-word. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: You've heard him use language and express ideas that are bigoted? Period.

M. TRUMP: Yes. Yes. To me, that's one of the least surprising things here. You know, and to be frank about it, what's worse he is endangering through his rhetoric and through his actions the lives of African-Americans in this country every day.

(CROSSTALK)

[22:25:07]

CUOMO: And you think he does so with animus? That he has a problem with black people?

M. TRUMP: Yes. Also, he thinks it will work with his base. It's operating on both levels.

CUOMO: But you believe it's in his heart as well. Not just in his head as I need these people to vote for me. Let me just say what I want them to say.

M. TRUMP: Yes, it's not just a tactic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: She says her uncle is racist, April. When you hear her say the president is endangering the lives of African-Americans every day, what do you think?

RYAN: She's telling the truth. She is telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help her, God.

You know, Don, one of the questions I have for the president if I ever got a chance to interview him one on one that he's never grant to be one of his enemies, I'd say, Mr. President, what did you father teach you about manners of race? And she said in this great interview with Chris Cuomo, it was the culture of the family. That's what they did?

And it goes back to making those C's, marking those C's on those housing applications that they covered up and got in trouble with the Justice Department for. This president has blood on his hands when it comes to matters of race from Charlottesville to black lives matter and beyond.

So, we are seeing more so now what it is and how he ticks and why he ticks the way he does. But she said something and I agree, three years, three and a half years in, this president is racist and cheap.

LEMON: Frank, I'll give you the final word on this. What say you?

BRUNI: I think I wish -- I wish I could disagree with April because I wish I could say that the person in the White House, who's leading us all had a pure heart but I think April has got it exactly right. I think Mary Trump has it exactly right and it's sad for all of us and for the country.

LEMON: And remember, Mary Trump is a clinical psychologist. So, there you go. Thank you very much, both of you. I appreciate here our conversation. Thanks so much.

Coronavirus deaths in this country passing 139,000 as Dr. Anthony Fauci gives a dire warning. What do we need to do to get back on track? A Harvard professor who work in the Obama administration weighs in next.

[22:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: More than 139,000 Americans have now died from the coronavirus. At least 38 states seeing an increase in cases. Florida now the epicenter of COVID-19. Eleven thousand new cases reported today.

I want to bring in now Howard Koh, a Harvard professor who is a former assistant secretary of health in the Obama administration.

Thank you so much. I appreciate you joining us. Are you doing OK?

HOWARD KOH, PROFESSOR, HARVARD T.H. CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Thank you, Don. Good to be here.

LEMON: You heard what Dr. Fauci said earlier, pleading with people to do the basics, wear a mask, stay away from crowds and out of bars. What do you it will take to get Americans to do any of that, or all of it?

KOH: Well, Don, it's fair to say at this point in the pandemic, six months and counting, we are in the public health fight of our lives. At this point we should have this crisis behind us like so many other countries around the world, but instead we have cases skyrocketing. We're setting new records almost every day. Deaths are starting to rise. And in this context, we know that we don't have a cure yet. We don't

have a vaccine yet. So, what we have is the power of prevention in public health. And so, it's up to all of us to maximize that power of prevention every day.

So, I had a great pleasure of working closer with Dr. Fauci and I respect his leadership right now. In my opinion, we need a national mask requirement. That's long verdue and I'm not sure what we're waiting for.

And since it hasn't happened yet, it's gratifying to see that in the last week some five states have implemented state policies on mask requirements. But that's not enough. We have to keep the momentum going forward and we have to get this right and get to the other side of this crisis because the fall is coming, the seasonal flu is coming and we're going to have greater challenges ahead.

LEMON: Doctor, so many states prioritize opening bars and restaurants to get the economy back up and running again. But now we're seeing cases surge, and that's preventing schools from opening safely now for in-person learning. Should the focus have been on classrooms in the first place as a better way to get the country back on track?

KOH: No. We all understand that we have an economic crisis, we have a school crisis, and we have a health crisis. The only way to get to the other side of this is to solve the health crisis first. If everybody felt confident that they could go back to school and to work and not be infected and not be at risk, we would be back to some state of normal. But we're far from that.

So, we're going to focus on the public health first, if we get that right we can contribute to the schools reopening and getting the businesses back to normal as well.

LEMON: The White House is blocking officials at the CDC from testifying at a hearing next week about the safety of kids returning to schools. Does that make any sense to you?

KOH: You know, here we are in this pandemic the worst one our country has faced in a century. And so, with the public health crisis we knew we turn to the public health experts. In my career, as a state public health commissioner and as a former assistant secretary, I've had the privilege of working with literally hundreds of CDC colleagues. They are dedicated and very informed public health scientists.

We need their expertise right now. I'm not sure what the delay is. We need to hear from them every day. And for example, with the school situation, every school is resting whether they should open or not. And what's the best way to do that. That's where the public health expertise from the CDC is so important.

And so, I hope the supplemental guidelines they promise will come forward soon and we can advance this conversation and try to get this country back on track.

LEMON: Well, it does seem like this White House wants parents to fly blind in making these kinds of decisions.

KOH: Yes. The big question for each school and for all parents is how is the coronavirus doing in my community? Because if trends are getting worse, like in so many parts of the country, reopening schools is going to be really tough.

[22:35:04]

Now fortunately, there are some parts of the country like the northeast New York and surrounding areas in New Orleans particularly where things are getting better where public health has been maximized, and I think in places like that, reopening of schools is more of a possibility.

But in all places around the country we have to be cautious. We have to be humble, and we have to be aggressive on public health as possible.

LEMON: Yes. You helped to coordinate the federal response during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic under the Obama administration. And you say without federal leadership we're getting patchwork responses and an inefficient care. Do you see any substantive federal plan now?

KOH: Don, tragically, six months in we still don't have a federal plan. We have 50 states going in 50 different directions. We have states competing with each other for PPE and test kits. We have a lot of confusion about what policies are and should be. So, more than ever we need a one government approach. Federal, state, local, that's what we have in 2019 from H1N1 and I had the great honor of being part of that. That's what we need right now and going forward if we're going to save lives and get this pandemic behind us.

LEMON: Doctor, thank you so much. Be well.

KOH: Thank you so much, Don.

LEMON: Local officials in Portland urging federal authorities to leave after video shows people in camo gear and generic police patches detaining a protester. What is happening there and what does it mean for America? What would you say if you saw it in another country?

[22:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Protests in Portland, Oregon for the past 50 nights devolving into clashes between protesters and federal agents according to state and local officials. And video has surfaced on social media showing masks and camouflage individuals with generic police patches detaining a protester dressed in a black outfit and driving them off in an unmarked van. It is unclear what exactly happened the moments immediate before this short clip was recorded. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you doing? Use your words. What are you doing? Use your words. What are you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't done anything wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Use your words.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't done anything wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's going on, sir marshal?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is going on?

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need to know --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where are you taking this man?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An LGU will get you out. What's your name? Tell us your name.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your name?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, you're fine. We'll get you out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bro, what --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got you, friend.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, Josh Campbell joins me now. Josh is a former FBI supervisory special agent. Josh, hello to you. This video is absolutely nuts. What is the story here?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Yes, Don, it's obviously been very controversial -- controversial since this video first surfaced. Now, again, as you mentioned, you look at these images where you have these officers in tactical uniforms, it didn't have a police insignia but they take a person, arrest him and take him to an unmarked van as nearby bystanders ask the police officers who are you? They're asking them to identify themselves.

Now this has caused a wide backlash of people accusing law enforcement here of over excessive use of force, including one U.S. senator who has called this authoritarianism. Now I can tell you personally, Don, we've been working trying to figure out who these officers were. I contacted multiple federal agencies this morning. It took hours and hours for those agencies to respond.

Finally, we learned who those officers were. They were from U.C. Customs and Border Protection, one of their tactical teams that was out here following these nights of unrest, following some of these protests which turned violent against some of the federal buildings, including the one I'm standing at here. Which obviously a very peaceful protest going on behind me.

But they were part of this infusion of resources that were brought in after President Donald Trump said that he was going to get tough on some of these rioters. And again, we saw what transpired. You have these officers using tactics that people continue to say are excessive use of force by police even as Customs and Border Protection say they were out trying to conduct a lawful investigation.

LEMON: Josh, I understand that CBP has actually issued a statement about this incident. What are they saying?

CAMPBELL: Yes. So, what their statement is saying and I'll read it to you here, it says, CBP agents had information indicating the person in the video was suspected of assault against federal agents or destruction of federal property.

It goes on to say that once agents approach the suspect a large and violent mob move towards a location for everyone's safety. CBP agents quickly move the suspect to a safer location for further questioning.

But again, that's not going to lay low protesters here that are saying look, the officers should have identified themselves. They take someone, throw him into an unmarked vehicle and then whisk him away.

Obviously that smacks of the kind of authoritarianism that they are trying to stop here. CBP saying that they had a lawful right to stop this person. I will tell you finally, Don, that I reached out to CBP asking them what happened to this individual? Was he released? Was he charged? No word yet back from Customs and Border Protection despite our request to find out what happened to this person, Don.

LEMON: Well, it's interesting because they are saying a mob and I mean, again, we say we don't know what happened before but in the video we don't see a mob as they're taking the man off, and it's -- you know, it kind of reminds me of the incident in Buffalo where they put out a statement saying the guy tripped when you can clearly see police officers pushed him but we are showing the video now we don't see a mob.

CAMPBELL: Yes. There are lot of questions there, Don. And again, as we mentioned we don't see what happened before that video, we don't know what happened. We do know based on a reporting, that there have been incident to protest here that have turned violent that there's been destructions of building.

[22:44:56]

But so many of these protests including the one happening right here behind me in Portland outside the federal building have been overwhelmingly peaceful. In fact, we heard one of the speakers just say a moment ago that if you are in this crowd and you are seeking to use profanity or seeing to cause some type of violence, they don't want you here. They want people to remain peaceful.

Again, whether this message spreads to this entire movement is yet to be seen. Also, yet to be seen what happens next with law enforcement. We know that the president has continued to make these types of protests, the violent ones a political issue, talking about moving in resources a really heavy-handed approach yet to be seen whether the federal resources will continue to move into the city, or whether this protest is a lot to just complete itself. Don.

LEMON: Yes. Protesting is one thing, but rioting and destructing property the destruction of properties another. But also, I think people deserve some answers. It was very mysterious what happened. People with no insignia going into an unmarked car, yanking someone off the street.

So, thank you for getting to the bottom of it. Stay on top of it, Josh. Thank you. We appreciate it.

We've got a lot more to come on the growing outrage over this story, you are going to hear what Oregon's Governor Kate Brown says. She's next. She wants the feds out of her state.

[22:50:00]

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LEMON: The crackdown on Portland, Oregon protesters is really stunning, video showing unidentified law enforcement officers driving off with the protester in an unmarked van. Customs and Border Protection has since confirmed the officers work for them.

Joining me now is Oregon's Governor, Kate Brown. Governor, thank you so much for joining us. Wow. This is, let's get to the bottom of this. So many people are outraged by this. Unidentified agents detaining a protester in Portland with no explanation, and then driving away with him in an unmarked van. What was your reaction when you saw this?

GOV. KATE BROWN (D-OR): It's absolutely outrageous. Oregonians are appalled and Americans across the country should be as well. But it shouldn't be a surprise that the Trump administration is refusing to engage in de-escalation and in dialogue.

In Oregon, we problem solve by bringing people to a table and working through our issues. Clearly, the Trump administration is more interested in political theater than in public safety.

LEMON: So why are these officers in your state and why are they operating this way, do you know?

BROWN: That's a great question for Acting Secretary Chad Wolf. When I spoke to him on Tuesday, I said please leave, your presence here is escalating an already challenging situation, it's literally like pouring gasoline on a fire. Please go home.

We have Portland police bureau, the state has provided assistance, this is a really difficult time. We have a number of peaceful protesters in the Portland area across the state, asking for an end to racism in this state and in this country.

I join in that Clarion Call for Justice. We obviously have some outliers acting violently and destroying public property. Absolutely unacceptable. Violence answers nothing and solves nothing, and it is a total distraction from the conversation, the really important conversation we need to have to move this country toward justice and equality for all.

LEMON: Many state and local leaders are demanding an investigation into exactly what happened. But what do you make of CBP's explanation that this was someone suspected of assaulting agents or destroying property in a large violent mob force them to drive off with this guy? Did you see a mob anywhere in that video?

BROWN: I see no mob. If it looks like the video shows it's a complete violation of that person civil rights and of course a violation of our Constitution. But that shouldn't be a surprise from these federal authorities. They almost killed a peaceful protester over the weekend. It's absolutely appalling.

LEMON: the acting --

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: We do -- go ahead.

LEMON: Go ahead. Go ahead. I'm sorry, Governor. We have a delay, but go on, please.

BROWN: We certainly need help from the government from a federal government. I believe these federal officers are trying to distract from the challenges that we are facing around COVID-19. I've asked the federal government for assistance in terms of testing supplies and financial support for our families across the state that are reeling from COVID-19. Our request have been rebuffed.

But this is totally a distraction. President Trump is failing to lead a national response on COVID-19, and he's using, he is deploying federal officials to distract from his lack of leadership.

LEMON: Let's talk about the acting Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Chad Wolf. He is in Portland yesterday. He is promoting their presence there on his social media accounts. Do you think this is -- this is deliberate on the part of the administration? And if so, what can you do about it?

BROWN: There is no question in my mind that it is deliberate. And I am using my voice to speak out and I urge Oregonians to do the same. Our federal delegation is certainly calling for an investigation, and both elected officials and leaders throughout the community are saying please go home, you are escalating an already difficult situation, what we need is to de-escalate and to dialogue.

LEMON: Yes. Well, speaking of, federal officers speaking of de- escalation, federal officers have been deploying tear gas, firing non- lethal rounds on protesters including a particularly violent incident where a protester who was shot in the face required emergency reconstructive of surgery.

[22:55:05]

These are just incredibly brutal tactics. Our federal forces escalating the situation? It seems that you said that but I don't know if you have any recourse.

BROWN: Yes, the answer is yes. When I spoke with Secretary Wolf on Tuesday, I asked them to take his troops and go home. And if they refused to do that, I asked them to comply with the same restrictions that the federal courts have imposed on the city of Portland Police Bureau, and that is severely limiting what they can do in terms of use of force.

He refused. They are staying. This is about political opportunity. This is about political theater. This is about scoring points with their base outside the state of Portland, it's absolutely appalling and Americans should be outraged.

LEMON: I wonder what you say directly to the president. Because he has said that Portland was, and I quote, "totally out of control." He has criticized state and local leaders for failing to quiet the protests and say that that's why he had to send in those federal troops. What do you say to him?

BROWN: Well, look, he's been itching to send in federal troops to cities across the United States of America. I was on a call several weeks ago where he said we should be dominating the streets, and calling in the military.

This is unacceptable. We know that the protests in Portland we're starting to calm down, and we know that the presence of federal authorities has substantially aggravated really challenging situation. When I go into a community, I talk to the leaders, I talked to the elected leaders, and I talked to the community leaders, and I ask them. What can I do to help?

Not only did they not talk to us beforehand, they are refusing to listen to us. So that tells me, this is all about scoring points. This is all about political theater, and obviously, not about public safety nor about problem solving.

LEMON: Governor, thank you. Best of luck. Please be safe.

BROWN: Thank you. You stay safe too.

LEMON: We'll be right back.

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