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North Korea: "Very Important Test" Conducted; FBI Identifies Gunman in Pensacola Shooting; U.S. House Judiciary Committee Prepares for Monday's Hearing; Authorized Pro-Democracy March Fills Hong Kong Streets; U.S. and Iran Swap Prisoners; Australia Firenado; Democratic Candidates Seek Union Endorsement; Farmers Hit by Trade War Weigh In. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired December 08, 2019 - 04:00   ET

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

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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): New questions about a mysterious test at a North Korean satellite site. We'll have a live report about that coming up this hour.

Also, new details about the deadly shooting on the U.S. Navy base. The details, they are horrific.

Also new information from U.S. lawmakers about the Trump impeachment inquiry and where it may lead this week.

Coming to you live from Atlanta at 4:00 in the morning. I'm Natalie Allen and this is CNN NEWSROOM.

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ALLEN: Thank you again for joining us. We want to begin with news out of North Korea. State media say a, quote, "very important test" was carried out Saturday at the Sohae satellite launch site. We don't know what was tested.

But North Korean state media say it was a success and will change the strategic position of the country in the near future.

Our Will Ripley has made many trips to North Korea and covered the missile program. He joins us now.

Will, first of all, do we know how significant this test may be?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think it's safe to say, Natalie, this is the most significant test that we have seen so far this year. And we have seen -- this is now the 14th weapons test we have seen this year. They have been shorter range tests up to this point. This was not a launch because we would have detected the launch.

But the way that North Korea is deliberately cryptically kind of -- sorry. I'm putting my earpiece back in here -- leads me to believe that, based on satellite imagery within the last few days, that arms controls experts showed a test of a missile engine test stand, that this was some kind of test of a missile engine, perhaps a solid fuel engine that we know they have been trying to perfect.

Unlike liquid fuel, where they have to roll out a rocket, put it on a launch pad, fuel it up, satellites get a good look at it, the U.S. can have days of advanced notice, with solid fuel, they can hide it in a cave and roll it out and launch it before satellites know what is going to happen.

Strategically, it's a much bigger threat. If this test was successful, it could be the precursor for something far more provocative and dangerous, the launch of a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile.

ALLEN: What signal is Kim Jong-un trying to send?

He promised the United States a Christmas gift.

Would this be it?

RIPLEY: Well, the North Koreans set this year-end deadline for diplomacy. Ever since the summit in Hanoi fell apart, with President Trump walking out, it has been 10 wasted months.

Yes, there was the photo opportunity at the demilitarized zone, where Trump and Kim promised to restart talks. But that really hasn't happened. They are so far apart on this key issue of sanctions and the timing of sanctions relief.

So the North Koreans are frustrated. They're fed up. They're ready to send a much bigger message to the United States. They put this deadline at the end of the year. They have talked about sending America a Christmas gift.

And if this missile engine test leads to the test of the kind of missile that could hit the mainland reliably with a nuclear warhead, that brings us right back to where we were at the end of 2017 before this, before Kim Jong-un imposed this moratorium on long range launches and nuclear tests.

If they deliberately provoke President Trump, President Trump already sensitive, given everything else that's going on and the fact that this is an election year, a lot of Korea watchers very concerned, Natalie, that this could be the beginnings of yet another dangerous period, dangerous cycle, if you will, on the Korean Peninsula.

Or if this itself is the Christmas gift and President Trump reengages and this all dials back, that would be great news. But it seems very unlikely and almost impossible for any sort of deal to be reached by the end of the year deadline that the North Koreans have set.

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RIPLEY: So where we go now is an unknown question. But it certainly doesn't appear to be headed in a good direction.

ALLEN: Sounds accurate there, Will, as always. Thank you, Will.

Authorities now are hunting for a motive after Friday's deadly shooting at a U.S. Navy base in Pensacola, Florida. The FBI says the shooter was 21-year-old Saudi air force lieutenant Mohammed Alshamrani. He was shot dead by law enforcement after killing three sailors.

Authorities have not found apparent ties between the killer and terrorism but the investigation is still in its early stages. One official says concerning materials and online statements have been discovered. They're looking at that.

The U.S. Navy said the sailors killed showed exceptional heroism, running towards danger and saving lives. Ensign Joshua Kaleb Watson was 23, from Coffee County, Alabama. He hoped to fly jets after flight school.

Airman Mohammed Sameh Haitham was 19, from St. Petersburg, Florida. His father says he was an all-star athlete.

Airman Apprentice Cameron Scott Walters was 21, from Richmond Hill, right here in Georgia. We still do not know why the killer went on this rampage. But as CNN's Brynn Gingras reports from the scene, investigators are going to great lengths to find out.

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BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a global investigation. There are FBI attaches in Saudi Arabia, there are investigators here on the ground in Pensacola, Florida, and also communications happening with the FBI in Washington.

We know the Joint Terrorism Task Force is also contributing, among others. One of the big questions that is still outstanding is, what was the motivation of this gunman?

And that is what investigators are really trying to find out now. We are hearing the communications going on between investigators about whether or not to call this a terrorist act.

We know that Defense Secretary Esper says he is not going to say that this was an act of terrorism until investigators can do their work.

Now here in Pensacola, we know that there have been people on the ground for the last two days, really collecting evidence. We know the crime scene is two levels of a classroom building. And they are collecting evidence, both inside and outside, along with other members of the FBI.

As far as FBI Jacksonville, which is the lead investigative authority, they are remaining pretty tight-lipped as to what is going on with the investigation. A little bit more detail, though, of what we are learning from sources.

We know that other Saudi nationals were brought in for questioning. So that is certainly something where they are hoping to glean more answers, again, about the motivation of this act.

And we also learned from "The New York Times," again citing a source familiar with the investigation that this gunman was viewing mass shooting videos at a dinner party the day before the actual shooting on Friday.

Again, all of these little details coming out in this broad investigation that is moving pretty rapidly. This all happening in Pensacola, where this community is honestly grieving.

We talked to a woman not long ago, who basically said that her daughters -- she tugged them closer because she just can't believe that this happened in her community. So certainly people still coming to grips with what actually happened here in Pensacola. I am Brynn Gingras in Pensacola, Florida, CNN.

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ALLEN: President Trump is promising to get to the bottom of the Pensacola shooting. But this isn't the first time the U.S.-Saudi alliance has been put to the test. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more from Hollywood, Florida.

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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Trump is in South Florida to address a pro-Israel group, to address the U.S.- Israel relationship. But on Saturday, as he left the White House for this event in Florida, the president's mind was focused on another crucial military relationship in the Middle East.

That is the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia. That, of course, coming after a Saudi national allegedly killed individuals in Pensacola, Florida, on a military base there. The president has been reiterating time and again now the condolences from the king of Saudi Arabia. Here's the president on Saturday.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I spoke with the king of Saudi Arabia. They are devastated in Saudi Arabia in finding out what took place, whether it's one person or a number of people. And the king will be involved in taking care of family and loved ones.

He feels very strongly. He's very devastated by what happened and what took place. Likewise, the crown prince. They are devastated by what took place in Pensacola. And I think they are going to help out the families very greatly. But right now they said their condolences. As you know, I have said my condolences.

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TRUMP: It's a very shocking thing. We'll find out, we'll get to the bottom very quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP) DIAMOND: The president said he would be carrying out a review of the program that allows foreign nationals to train on U.S. military bases. That is something that even the U.S. senator from Florida, Rick Scott, has called for.

But the president's mind, of course, we can assume, was likely also focused on the broader U.S.-Saudi relationship. As you can see the president, trying to keep Saudi Arabia in a positive light, reiterating the condolences of the king of Saudi Arabia, something he also on Twitter on Friday.

That is because the United States has a large military presence in Saudi Arabia. In October the U.S. sent an additional 1,800 troops to Saudi military bases and currently the United States is considering sending several thousand more troops to the Middle East. Of course, some of those could be going to Saudi Arabia.

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ALLEN: Jeremy Diamond there for us. Let's talk about the situation now with an expert. I'm joined by CNN military analyst Col. Cedric Leighton, a retired U.S. Air Force officer.

Colonel, thank you for speaking with us. Good to see you.

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good to see you, too, Natalie.

ALLEN: I want to get your reaction to hearing about this "New York Times" report, the playing of mass shootings at a dinner party there before the Saudi national began this mass shooting; he had someone apparently filming it and others watching it carry out. All of this on a base where they were serving and where we lost some heroes.

LEIGHTON: Yes. That's a really tough thing to consider, the fact that, if this, as reported, is, in fact, true, that Lt. Alshamrani viewed videos of mass shootings, that is a difficult thing for all of us not only to understand but it's also an indicator that should have been reported if it was noticed by others, should have been reported to authorities.

That's something I think that investigators will have to take a serious look at, to what extent did this Saudi air force lieutenant actually have connection with others in this regard and to what extent he actually acted on his own volition to carry out this act.

ALLEN: OK. So let's look at the bigger picture here.

What does this incident mean to the program that does bring hundreds of foreign military personnel to train in the United States?

First of all, what is its value?

I know it goes back decades.

And will it be reevaluated from this one incident? LEIGHTON: Well, I think from a security standpoint, Natalie, it certainly has to be reevaluated.

How do you actually vet the people that are going to be part of this program?

And you're right, it goes back to decades. I remember interacting with foreign officers at the very beginning of my Air Force career in the U.S. military. And in many cases I maintained friendships with a lot of the foreign officers I met during those years.

So it can have a large value, not only on a personal basis but also on a professional basis for individual U.S. military members.

From a strategic standpoint, this kind of a program, international training program of this type, does open up a lot of these students to the American way of conducting war. It also opens them up to the American way of life. That normally is a very positive thing.

Of course if somebody comes here to the United States and wants to create havoc, that becomes a matter that has to be looked at very carefully. And it also means we're exposed to a great deal of danger if somebody has the intent to carry out an attack of this type.

ALLEN: Yes. And you mentioned the vetting of these foreign military members.

Is that usually done by the countries that are sending them here or is the United States typically involved in that?

LEIGHTON: Well, actually both. So the countries will provide a list of the students that they want to send to the United States for training. So in the case of the Saudi air force lieutenant, he was on the list of people that the Saudi Arabians wanted to train for the F- 15 fighter jet in order to make sure that that kingdom has the ability to not only use the jet in a military sense but also to have the right qualified personnel to do so.

So what we have here is a way of getting these people on a list that that country provides. That list is then verified by the State Department.

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LEIGHTON: The State Department will go to the Defense Department and to law enforcement agencies to make sure that people that are on this list are not on another list, such as the no-fly list, which would, of course, prevent them from coming to the United States.

They also want to make sure there are no other ties that law enforcement or intelligence agencies pick up. If the system works as it is supposed to work, these indicators are actually picked up and people are not allowed to come to the United States.

In this case either the individual decided to act this way once they got here or they had a major plan to do something like this before they arrived here. Either way, it's a very bad situation.

ALLEN: Absolutely. Well, President Trump has beefed up forces in Saudi Arabia and has plans to send more to the Middle East, which means they could be based in Saudi Arabia, a close military ally.

But how should this be viewed or should that decision be reevaluated for now?

LEIGHTON: Well, you have to look at it, I think, Natalie, from the global strategic standpoint. And in this particular case, what we are trying to do is make sure that Saudi Arabia is protected from any possible attacks from Iran, Iran being the primary rival in this particular case.

Of course we have to remember that Saudi oil facilities have recently been attacked and the fact that those Saudi oil facilities were attacked has called for the deployment of U.S. military forces to help protect that kingdom. The kingdom is not able to defend itself on its own without U.S. assistance.

And that has to be part of the strategic calculus that President Trump and the U.S. defense establishment have to include when they make assessments like this.

ALLEN: Quite the case. Much more to come as they figure out why and how this happened. Colonel Cedric Leighton, thank you for your analysis. We appreciate it.

LEIGHTON: Absolutely. Thank you.

ALLEN: The House Judiciary Committee is gearing up for another impeachment hearing Monday. We'll tell you what the committee has been doing this weekend behind closed doors to prepare.

Also, protesters are back on the streets of Hong Kong. We take you there live just a little bit later.

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ALLEN: In the coming hours, U.S. Democrats will once again be on Capitol Hill preparing for Monday's impeachment hearings. House Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler and fellow Democrats held a mock hearing on Saturday.

They also released a report laying out historical arguments for impeachment. The White House is refusing to take part in next week's proceedings. We get more from CNN's Jeremy Herb.

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JEREMY HERB, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Democrats on the Judiciary Committee are returning for a second straight day of prep on Sunday as they gear up for a key impeachment hearing on Monday.

We are learning new details from Democratic aides, who say it will operate like a trial, where they give opening statements and their theory of the case as they lay out the evidence against President Trump. They have brought in a Harvard law professor to give a presentation to lawmakers.

What they are trying to do is make sure they have every detail finely tuned. After the hearing is done, it will set off a frenzied week of activity, where we could see articles of impeachment introduced and voted on in the Judiciary Committee.

It could lead to a vote on the House floor before Christmas to impeach the president.

Now a key question Democrats still have to resolve, what exactly is in the articles of impeachment?

And do they include allegations of obstruction of justice detailed in the Mueller report?

Liberal Democrats want to include them into the articles against the president. Moderates are wary about going beyond the narrow scope of the Ukraine investigation. It's one of the key things Democrats have to resolve as they push forward into this hearing -- Jeremy Herb, CNN, Capitol Hill.

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ALLEN: While the House of Representatives has been investigating the president, Mr. Trump's personal lawyer was in Ukraine, investigating the president's political rivals. On Saturday, Mr. Trump told reporters Rudy Giuliani found plenty of information while in Kiev. Here he is.

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TRUMP: He says he has a lot of good information. I have not spoken to him about that information. But Rudy, as you know, has been one of the great crime fighters of the last 50 years. He has not told me what he has found. But I think he wants to go before Congress to say and also to the attorney general and to the justices, I hear he's found plenty.

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ALLEN: All right. Let's talk about developments. Joining us is Natasha Lindstaedt, a professor of government at University of Essex, from Birmingham, England.

Good to see you. Thanks for coming on, Natasha.

NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: Nice to see you, too.

ALLEN: Let's start with Mr. Giuliani. The fact that this entire impeachment process -- part of it, most of it, we'll see about that -- involves Ukraine, now his personal lawyer is back in Ukraine, saying he's dug up some stuff.

What do you make of this happening during this impeachment phase?

LINDSTAEDT: Right. I just can't figure out if Giuliani, it's incredibly risk acceptance or he's just really naive. I guess one way to look at it, Giuliani and Trump know that Trump is not going to get convicted of impeachment in the Senate. They are eyeing 2020.

They think that if they dig up dirt on his political opponents, that could be a powerful narrative that will resonate with Republican supporters. That's the only explanation for this.

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LINDSTAEDT: Because this to me seems unbelievably brazen and crazy, that, while we have these impeachment proceedings on this very topic of trying to undermine our elections by involving foreign actors, that's exactly what Trump's personal lawyer is doing.

ALLEN: Yes.

LINDSTAEDT: I'm dumbfounded but nothing at this point surprises me.

ALLEN: It boggles. Let's turn back to Washington. House Democrats issued a lengthy report refuting President Trump's criticism of the impeachment proceedings.

And the report refers to the writings of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and others, saying, "Foreign interference in the American political system was among the gravest dangers feared by the founders of the nation and framers of our Constitution."

How important is it they're utilizing historic tools here?

LINDSTAEDT: I think it is important they use the Constitution to make their case that what Trump has done would constitute an impeachable offense. If they go down the line at how history will judge the Democrats, if they did not impeach, the Democrats would look very, very weak.

As one of the academics that testified on Wednesday made very clear, if this is not an impeachable offense, soliciting support from a foreign actor to undermine the election, what is an impeachable offense?

This is a gross abuse of power. As Democrats have mentioned, this is exactly what the founders feared the most. That's why they put in the Constitution the mechanism that you can remove a president through an impeachment process.

And other countries don't have these clear processes to remove presidents and don't have fair elections. And you can see what happens. You have coups taking place.

So impeachment is a fair process. It's something that's rare. But when there is a gross abuse of power, the Democrats, in this particular instance, feel that Trump has gone too far.

ALLEN: Right. Speaking of Mr. Trump, regardless of this report he is sticking to not cooperating, no surprise there. But he claimed this week and the Democrats, here's a quote, "gone absolutely insane. That they have no case and this process is demeaning the country," he said in an email to supporters, "it's us against him."

Is the president wise to continue to debunk and to not cooperate as the Democrats build up this case and show historical context?

LINDSTAEDT: Well, that seems to be working for his supporters. And what we are seeing in this particular impeachment case, in contrast to Nixon, if we were to look at a similar time period, Nixon had less Republican support than Trump does. And Trump seems to have total control over the Republican Party.

If we were to even compare it with the Clinton years of the impeachment, you also see that there are more Democrats that supported the impeachment inquiry and that would probably vote in favor of impeachment compared to Republicans.

I don't think any Republicans are going to switch sides. I think he knows he has control over the party and he feels that his best strategy is to completely delegitimize the whole process. The facts aren't on his side. The facts look terrible for him.

The July 25th phone call was terrible. And why this $400 million in military aid is mysteriously missing and not delivered to the Ukrainians, the facts don't look good. And so what always is the defense in that instance is to pound your fist and say the whole process is unfair. And that's what he's doing.

ALLEN: That was echoed by Richard Nixon as well back in the day. Natasha, thank you for joining us.

LINDSTAEDT: Thanks for having me.

ALLEN: Sure.

Protesters are once again filling the streets of Hong Kong. We're used to this sea of people. When we return, a live report. We'll find out why police are allowing this rally this time.

Also, the U.S. and Iran carry out a prisoner swap despite tensions between these two countries. See who was involved and what is saying about it.

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ALLEN: In the United States and all around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen. Here are our top stories.

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ALLEN: In Hong Kong, a huge number of pro-democracy activists are once again staging a massive march in the city. But unlike many of the recent protests, police have actually signed off on this one.

It comes just weeks after pro-China candidates suffered devastating losses in local elections. Let's go to Hong Kong live. Our Ivan Watson is there watching what's unfolding.

Talk about what's happening there and why police are allowing this one, Ivan.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Natalie, these anti-government protests have been going on some six months. There's been unprecedented violence in the former British colony.

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WATSON: If you thought that was sapping support for the protest movement, I think the demonstration that we have seen in the streets in this part of the city says no. There's still a large number of people that are very unhappy with the policies of the unelected leadership of the city and, by extension, the central government in Beijing.

We have seen people in gridlock here in the heart of the commercial shopping district for hours now; starting to move just a little bit at this point. This is despite 10,000 rounds of tear gas, thousands of arrests and increasingly violent confrontation between some more radical protesters and law enforcement.

What we have seen today is when demonstrators are allowed back into the streets, they come out in force to show their displeasure with the authorities. I have spoken with some of the protesters and very few believe there will be any change in policy as a result of this mass display of defiance.

And we have to recall, at the end of last month, there was a referendum of sorts and a district council election, in which pro- Beijing candidates got absolutely clobbered. Despite that, we're not really seeing signs of compromise six months into this crisis coming on the side of the city's authorities. Natalie, back to you.

ALLEN: Right. And, Ivan, so after the outcome of the vote, which again was very much against the pro-China candidates, if I recall, Carrie Lam, promised to evaluate that.

Has she made any pronouncements? WATSON: No. She recognized that a record number of voters came out to participate in that election and there were a certain message being sent. But we have not heard a dramatic turnaround or recognition that there must be some kind of political solution to this stalemate.

It has driven Hong Kong into economic recession. Tourism and retail sectors have been absolutely battered. Seeing falls of business, some 25 percent, 30 percent. Confidence in the city that had a reputation for efficiency, for law and order as well.

But some of the demonstrators I've talked to said, look, we have to be out here to show we are not afraid of the authorities. But there is a contradiction there. Unlike the last officially authorized protest organized by this main opposition group, the Civil Human Rights Front in August, which I saw in these streets under pouring rain, this time, though you have people of all ages, many more people have their faces covered by masks.

I think that illustrates the distrust that people have for their own government. It is revealed in polls, one that came out this week, that said support for the police, for example, had plummeted almost in half since last May from the 60s to 35 percent.

ALLEN: Ivan Watson, I know you will continue to follow any developments there. Appreciate it. Live in Hong Kong.

Another story here, we are following a horrific fire in India now being treated as a homicide after police say the death toll rose to 43 people. Flames swept a five-story factory in New Delhi a few hours ago.

Fire officials say they had to break through a locked iron door to reach those inside. They say the building's owner had no fire license. They are blaming a short circuit for the fire and asphyxiation caused the deaths.

Police say almost 60 others were evacuated and taken to hospitals. A case of culpable homicide due to rash or negligent behavior has been registered against the owner.

U.S. president Trump has taken the unusual step of thanking Iran. The country released an American graduate student while the U.S. released an Iranian scientist in a prisoner exchange. CNN's Kiley Atwood looks at who was involved and where Washington hopes this will lead.

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KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY ANALYST: Xiyue Wang, an American who was detained in Iran for more than three years, has been released. He is currently in Germany undergoing a series of medical evaluations.

And according to a source familiar with the conditions that he was kept in while he was jailed in Iran, said that it was abhorrent and that the prison guards would often taunt him, saying things like, you think you're going to leave?

You're not going to leave. And other folks who are in that jail often threatened him. But the news, today according to a senior administration official is that Wang is in good health and he is in very good spirits.

Now today, the U.S. also released an Iranian who the U.S. had detained in 2018. This is an Iranian professor. So this was a prisoner exchange and President Trump tweeting just today that this demonstrates that the U.S. and Iran can make a deal, viewing this as a springboard to potentially make the U.S.-Iranian relations better going forward.

Now we should note, however that there are still Americans detained in Iran and a senior administration official said that they hope that the release of Wang creates positive momentum for the release of those other Americans -- Kylie Atwood, CNN, Washington.

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ALLEN: Heavy winds are whipping up the fire scorching Australia. Next, the unusual events spotted from the air, a firenado. Derek will have the latest.

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ALLEN: Right here we have extraordinary aerial pictures to show you what is called a firenado and this one is in Queensland, Australia. The country racked by fires right now.

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ALLEN: All right. Well, as a trade war lingers between the U.S. and China, farmers in the U.S. are feeling the fallout.

Next here, how will that impact their vote in the upcoming presidential election?

We'll talk with them.

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ALLEN: Welcome back.

Endorsements can play a pivotal role in the U.S. presidential election. While Democratic candidates are battling it out in Iowa ahead of the caucuses, they are also vying for the coveted endorsement of one of the largest labor unions in the United States. Here's our Jessica Dean on that.

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JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A handful of 2020 Democratic candidates gathered here in Cedar Rapids on Saturday. They're talking to the Teamsters, one of the largest unions in the country. They are hoping to get their endorsement in this 2020 race.

What are they talking about?

A lot of union-specific issues, things like pensions, the right to work, health care. They affect a lot of people here. They want to hear what Democratic candidates have to say about this.

We don't know yet when an endorsement would come. It could come after the DNC convention later in the summer of 2020. In 2016, the Teamsters ended up endorsing Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. That didn't come until later in that cycle in August of 2016.

But what we do know for sure is that we are well within 100 days here in Iowa. And all the Iowans in the caucuses are looking at all these candidates, taking a second, third, fifth, sixth look at all these candidates, trying to figure out who they will support when the caucuses happen in February -- in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I'm Jessica Dean, CNN.

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ALLEN: Well, we still do not know where U.S.-China trade negotiations are headed. One group hit hard by the impasse: U.S. farmers. They are suffering as tariffs took their toll on the big Chinese market. One question is whether it might affect their vote. CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich reports from Pennsylvania.

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VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Bill Boyd has been farming all his life. He grew up on this dairy farm in Pennsylvania.

(on camera): Is the dairy business profitable?

BILL BOYD, PENNSYLVANIA FARMER: Just like everything else in agriculture right now, barely profitable.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Made more so, he says, by the trade war.

(on camera): What are your thoughts on the trade war? Good idea? Bad idea?

BOYD: Oh, no, it was a bad idea.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Boyd, a Republican, voted for President Trump but doesn't support the president's tactics with China.

(on camera): How big of a hit has that loss of the China market been to you?

BOYD: Cost the farmers here $2 a bushel.

3YURKEVICH: Is that a lot?

BOYD: Yes, that's a -- that's the profit.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Pennsylvania will be a key state in the 2020 election. It helped elect President Trump in 2016, who campaigned here on promises made to farmers like Boyd.

BOYD: I think he's sort of backstabbing the main people who got him into office in the Midwest. All those Midwest states helped to vote him in and also Pennsylvania. And he just let us down.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Will you vote for him again in 2020? BOYD: Unless they come up with a better alternative, I'm going to

vote for him again.

YURKEVICH (voice over): The president still trying to close a phase one trade deal with China, which could restart big buying of U.S. ag products, l3ifting prices.

It's a lifeline for farmers like Jesse Poliskiewicz.

[04:55:00]

JESSE POLISKIEWICZ, PENNSYLVANIA FARMER: There was talks about a month ago that they were -- they were supposed to be opening back up. And I have not seen -- I have seen prices go down. I have not seen prices go up.

YURKEVICH: Poliskiewicz, a Democrat, voted for Obama and then flipped to Trump, just like North Hampton County here in Pennsylvania.

POLISKIEWICZ: Right now, I would not vote for him. I don't know who I'm going to vote for. I don't -- I don't see a good candidate.

YURKEVICH (on camera): On either side?

POLISKIEWICZ: On either side, in my opinion.

YURKEVICH (voice over): In Breinigsville, Kyle Henninger's fields are harvested, but his soybeans sit unsold.

KYLE HENNINGER, PENNSYLVANIA FARMER: The first time I ever had beans in here in my life.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Oh. YURKEVICH (voice over): Henninger voted for President Trump and supports the trade war.

HENNINGER: There's the corn. That's your paycheck right there.

YURKEVICH: Every morning, Henninger checks crop prices.

HENNINGER: Down here is soybeans.

YURKEVICH: Hoping to find a buyer for his beans. 3 (on camera): How long are you willing to be patient and wait out this trade war?

HENNINGER: Other than saying I'm not going to vote for Trump, you know, that would be one way to retaliate personally. But I don't see that happening at this point.

YURKEVICH: Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Natalie Allen. Another hour of news after the break. We leave you with a live look at Hong Kong where activists are protesting in the city. Yes, they march on. More ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM.