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Trump Threatens U.S. Strikes If Iran Retaliates; Interview With Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA); Iraq's Parliament Votes To Expel U.S. Troops; Schiff Says Strike On Soleimani Increases Risk Of War With Iran; Interview With Bill Weld (R), Presidential Candidate; Democrats Question Timing Of U.S. Strike On Iranian Military General; Iran To Continue Uranium Enrichment With No Limitations. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired January 05, 2020 - 14:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:17]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Top of the hour.

I want to welcome our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Thank you so much for joining me this Sunday.

Right now, tensions are intensifying in the Middle East three days after a U.S. drone strike killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. Just moments ago Iran announced that it will continue uranium enrichment with no limitation in an about-face to the Iran nuclear agreement. This is in direct response to that U.S. strike.

And now even Iraq's tolerance of the U.S. seems to be wavering. This morning, Iraq's parliament voted to outline a plan to end the U.S. troop presence in that country.

Iraq's foreign ministry is also complaining to the United Nations, calling on the U.N. Security Council to condemn Thursday's bombings by the U.S. that killed Soleimani and nine others.

Meanwhile, Soleimani's body returned to his home country of Iran today. Thousands of mourners filled the streets. And outrage was also felt in Iran's parliament. Lawmakers were seen chanting "death to America" during a session in Tehran. Iranian officials are telling CNN that they are planning a response to the U.S. against military sites.

This as President Trump is warning against any Iranian retaliation. In a series of tweets, President Trump revealed that the U.S. is prepared to target 52 Iranian sites, some of which hold cultural significance. The warning comes as his administration faces questions here in the U.S. about the timing of the attack on Soleimani and if Trump was planning, or rather, if Soleimani was planning an imminent attack himself which the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not answer completely this morning when he spoke to CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION". (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: If you're an American in the region, days and weeks, this is not something that's relevant. We have to prepare. We have to be ready.

We took a bad guy off the battlefield. We made the right decision. There is less risk today to American forces in the region as a result of that attack.

I'm proud of the effort the President undertook and the execution by our military was phenomenal. And the work that's been done by our diplomats in the region to prepare and to work diplomatically in the region has been powerful, important and effective.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. CNN White House Correspondent, Jeremy Diamond is in south Florida where President Trump is wrapping up his vacation there. Jeremy -- what else is this administration saying about the sequence of events and the justification?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the messenger this morning. He went on all five major Sunday news programs. And he was certainly not walking back President Trump's threat to Iran issued last night in a three-part tweet, including the President's threat to bomb Iranian cultural sites.

Here's the Secretary of State on CNN this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POMPEO: President Trump has been resolute. We will continue to be. We will defend America and the strikes we took over this past week, including killing the terrorist Soleimani. We will continue to take if we need to.

If we need to defend American institutions(ph), we will do so. What President Trump said last night is consistent with what we've said all along.

Iranian proxy forces in Iraq thought that they could act with impunity. And that if they acted we wouldn't take strikes against Iran proper. We've made clear. We've made clear for months to the Iranian regime that that wouldn't be the case. That we were going to hold them responsible to actors, the leaders who took these actions and who orchestrated these actions.

President Trump's tweet last night made clear we will continue to that. And the American people should know we will always defend them and we will do it so in a way that it's consistent with the international rule of law and the American constitution. We've done it before. We will do it again.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Right. With all due respect, because President Trump's threat on Iranian cultural centers of interest -- it would be Iranian culture -- would not be in accordance with international law. So which is it?

POMPEO: I've been with President Trump through the entire strategic planning process related to our entire campaign -- diplomatic, economic and military. We've built out an enormous coalition to push back against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its -- Iran and its kleptocratic regime.

The American people should know that we will not waver. We will be bold in protecting American interest and we will do so in a way that's consistent with the rule of law. We've always done that -- Jake. And President Trump's tweet doesn't deviate from that one iota.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND: Now, Fredricka -- two senior U.S. officials are telling our colleague Jim Sciutto that there is deep opposition within that idea of bombing cultural sites in Iran. And of course, as Jake noted there, it would be a violation of international law that the United States has actually signed on to.

[14:05:05]

DIAMOND: Now, former officials have been speaking out. Former U.S. officials pointing out that the military would not recommend bombing those sites unless there is danger to us at those sites which doesn't appear speaking out, pointing out that the military would never recommend bombing cultural sites unless there was some kind of strategic military value to those sites which doesn't appear to be the case so far.

And you can see there, the Secretary of State certainly not walking back that statement but also not directly addressing the question of whether or not the United States would be willing to target those sites.

Either way, though, these are the President's words. And when we see the President speak out, whether it is on Twitter or in person, he is talking as the commander in chief of the United States. And so you do have to take quite seriously the red line that he is, indeed, setting here when he says that if Iran does attack Americans or American interests in the region that the United States will indeed strike back with a very specific threat here. So we will see whether or not the President enforces that red line if indeed Iran does strike out.

Meanwhile, though, this is already provoking quite a bit of consternation among Democrats on Capitol Hill, especially after the Trump administration formally issued that notification to Congress last night about that strike that took out the Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.

We heard from the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as well as the top Democratic on the Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff. Both of them saying that that notification raised more questions than it answers and really some serious concern about whether or not the threat was imminent in the way that the administration described that required them to take this action against Soleimani. And also, of course, questions about whether or not this action puts the U.S. at more risk and whether it's setting up the U.S. and Iran on the path to war -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Pompeo, while he made his rounds on the Sunday talk shows, said that Congress -- members of Congress would be getting more information about the events that led up to that killing sometime this week.

Jeremy Diamond -- thank you so much.

So what did lead up to all of this? Well, just a little more than a week ago, a rocket attack by an Iran-backed militia killed a U.S. civilian contractor and wounded several U.S. and Iraqi military personnel.

The U.S. retaliated a week ago today, bombing three militia-controlled sites in Iraq. On Tuesday supporters of that militia attacked the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and then on Thursday, President Trump authorized a strike to kill Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. And now here we are.

Joining me right now Congressman Ami Bera. He's a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Congressman -- thanks so much for being here.

REP. AMI BERA (D-CA): Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So the White House continues to say that Americans are safer today with Soleimani eliminated but the White House is also telling Americans to leave Iraq, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, to name a few. So in your view, are Americans safer today?

BERA: You know, I'd really question that statement. If you look at everything that led up to this, you just went through the immediate event.

Pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal hasn't made us safer, Iran enriching uranium as we speak. The Iraqi parliament is now talking about kicking out American troops. That isn't making us safer and it is not helping our interests in that region.

WHITFIELD: Today Susan Rice, former national security adviser under the Obama administration wrote an op-ed in the "New York Times" saying Americans would be wise to brace for war with Iran. She says, I'm quoting now, "In deciding to eliminate General Soleimani, Mr. Trump and his team argue they were acting in self-defense to thwart imminent attacks on Americans in Iraq and the region.

This may be true as General Soleimani was a ruthless murderer and terrorist with much American blood on his hands. Unfortunately, it's hard to place confidence in the representations of an administration that lies almost daily about matters large and small. And even in this critical instance, failed to brief, much less consult, bipartisan leaders in Congress." So, Congressman -- do you worry about the credibility of this White House despite the documented things that we just, you know, laid out -- the things that we know of publicly which led up to Soleimani's death?

BERA: Absolutely. This is a president that's been prone to at best exaggerated statements, misleading statements and oftentimes very false statements. And so he stated that there were imminent threats.

Well, he should expect Congress is going to ask tough questions next week. We want to know what those threats are. We want to know how this decision was made, who was consulted. And it is an incredible breach of protocol that the leadership of Congress -- House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans -- weren't consulted with this.

[04:09:50]

WHITFIELD: When Pompeo was pressed on all networks including CNN about whether eliminating Soleimani eliminates the imminent threat, he would only go far as saying we are prepared to respond to whatever Iran delivers. How do you decipher that?

BERA: Yes. That answer is not going to hold when congressional leadership -- when we bring him in to a classified setting. We're going to want those answers. And they're not going to be able to duck these things.

The President cannot take this country to war. He's got to come to Congress to get that authorization, to get the War Powers Act.

WHITFIELD: Iran has said it will have harsh revenge to the U.S. over this strike that killed Soleimani. In your view, should the U.S. be bracing for a war of some sort?

BERA: We should certainly be preparing to protect our men and women -- our troops that are out there, our assets, individuals and our interests. That said, I would urge the Iranians to proceed with caution.

You know, again, let's look for ways to deescalate this situation that seems to go in the wrong direction.

WHITFIELD: On the issue of U.S. troops presence -- 5,000 troops roughly in Iraq. And Iraq's parliament is making some progress in potentially removing or requesting or demanding the U.S. pull out. What are the dangers you see there? And is it that simple? Can that country just simply invite the U.S. out?

BERA: You know, the agreements that are in place right now allow U.S. troops to stay there. It does seem like the Iraqi government, Iraqi parliament is taking steps to change the terms of those agreements.

I think, again, advice to the Iraqis would be to proceed cautiously. I understand there is some anger towards the United States, but we saw what happened with ISIS and some destabilization within the country in prior years. So again, if everyone can take a step back, let's look for ways to deescalate the situation. Let's think about ways to start a conversation. I'm glad that our European allies are also trying to start this conversation to deescalate tensions.

WHITFIELD: And Congressman -- Secretary of State Pompeo also said, while on the Sunday talk shows, that members of Congress would be briefed this week. As a member of the foreign affairs committee, what do you hope to learn? What questions do you want answered?

BERA: We want to know exactly what the imminent threat was, how this decision was made, who made this decision. And you know, he's not going to be able to duck those questions. President Trump is not going to be able to duck those questions.

WHITFIELD: Congressman Ami Bera -- thank you so much.

BERA: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up -- more than 3,000 military families now facing the impacts of a family member being deployed to the Middle East. Live reaction from Fort Bragg, next.

Plus, breaking news out of Pennsylvania. At least five people dead and 60 injured in a mass pile-up on the Pennsylvania turnpike. We have details.

[14:12:52]

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WHITFIELD: Welcome back.

Iraq's parliament today voting to expel all foreign troops including U.S. soldiers from that country. The vote is non-binding on the Iraqi government, but it is clear a clear rebuke of the U.S. over its killing of Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani at the Baghdad airport on Thursday.

CNN's Arwa Damon is in Baghdad. So Arwa -- how important is today's vote?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fairly significant on many levels -- Fredricka. First of all quorum was achieved in parliament but only by the representation that was there from the country's Shia blocks. The Sunnis and the Kurds sat this one out.

And I think that shows you just how divisive the foreign troop, the U.S. troop presence is in this country, especially in light of the targeted killing of Qasem Soleimani and the Shia paramilitary leader, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Now, the parliament did take this vote. It is non-binding, but this is what the caretaker prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said just before that vote took place. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADEL ABDUL MAHDI, IRAQI CARETAKER PRIME MINISTER (through translator): It will be difficult for foreign forces to protect themselves from strikes that come from inside or outside Iraq. And it will be difficult for Iraqi forces to protect after a recent incident and not to resort to peaceful and political solutions.

Therefore, it is in the interest of both Iraq and the U.S. to end foreign troop presence in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON: A lot of what he's saying there, Fredricka -- goes to the very core of the biggest matter here, and that is Iraq turning into an even bigger, more violent proxy battlefield between the U.S. and Iran.

From the Iraqi government's calculus, it is presumably easier to ask the U.S. and other foreign forces to leave than to try to untangle themselves from Iran's tentacles which extend quite far into the military and political apparatus.

Now, the other big question is, what happens next? Does Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, given that he is a caretaker prime minister, then have the authority to turn around and ask coalition forces to leave? What kind of a timeline would this happen in?

And would there be the possibility of leaving any forces behind and perhaps an even more limited role. And what impact will this have on trying to calm down the tensions and the various threats that current Shia groups are making when it comes to taking it upon themselves to perhaps try to force the Americans out?

This is a very unique situation that this country is in. The government right now trying to navigate it. And we are also trying to better understand it.

WHITFIELD: All right. Arwa Damon -- thank you so much, there out of Baghdad.

All right. Right now, more than 3,000 U.S. servicemembers are deploying to the Middle East, and many of them, they don't know when they'll be back to the U.S. Yesterday multiple aircrafts were seen leaving Fort Bragg in North Carolina as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to escalate.

Natasha Chen joining me from Fort Bragg, the home of the 82nd Airborne. What are you finding from people? What are they saying, thinking and feeling?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred -- this is a very sudden turn of events, and we do want to point out that from what we've heard, a lot of the spouses and family members of those deploying have been encouraged not to post about it on social media or to speak publicly about it for security reasons. But we have been talking to a volunteer organization who is in touch with these families, and what we're hearing is that some of these folks are going through deployments for the first time. And so there is a lot of fear and unknown questions, particularly because, as you said, they don't know how long this is going to last, and while they all know that this is what they signed up for, that they have been prepared, it is something else altogether to get that notice right at the end of the holidays, around New Year's, and to not know what to expect, especially for those first-timers.

So here is my conversation with Sabrina Johannes who is the executive director of a group called Deployed Love. Now, they initially started out as just a group taking holiday pictures for families. And now she's finding herself having to coordinate some social activities to help these families in this moment.

Here's what she said.

[14:19:54]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SABRINA JOHANNES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DEPLOYED LOVE: They're obviously (ph) just reaching out saying, I'm really scared. I don't know what to expect that's coming up.

Obviously they hear something along the way but you never know what to expect when it's a quick turnaround and they're not going to hear from their spouse for a few days while they're in transition. And so a lot of us just was scared and we need someone there to talk to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN: And so you hear her talk a lot about that fear of the unknown for some of those families who have not been through this before, so they are relying heavily on families who have experienced deployments before.

Another interesting observation of hers is that this time around, they're getting contacted by a lot of parents of soldiers -- asking for information, looking for answers to their questions because this has been such a sudden move and because extended family may not be as in the loop for Fort Bragg and exactly what's going on here. They've actually started reaching out to groups like Deployed Love to look for some of those answers, too.

So a lot of families around the country just bracing themselves for what's next -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Lots of uncertainty.

All right. Natasha Chen -- thank you so much at Fort Bragg.

WHITFIELD: All right. Straight ahead, skepticism is mounting over President Trump's justifications in the targeted killing of Iran's top military general. What the chairman of the House Intel Committee, just told CNN.

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WHITFIELD: Skepticism is mounting over President Trump's justifications for the targeted killing of Iran's top military general. Democrats raising doubts claiming that intelligence cited by the White House has failed to definitively link Qasem Soleimani to specific and imminent threats against the U.S.

[14:25:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): There certainly was a lack of detail in terms of the plotting. And I don't think we had sufficient guidance on either its imminence or the nature of the attacks to warrant taking out Soleimani.

I don't think the intelligence supports the conclusion that killing a top Iranian official is going to either stop plotting or improve American security. I do think it's likely to result in strategic losses. I think it's going to result in potentially our being thrown out of Iraq, reducing our ability to fight ISIS, and additional plotting against the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Dianne Gallagher joins me now with more on the intel concerns. What are you hearing?

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred -- those sentiments from Adam Schiff are also echoed from Speaker Pelosi. She released a statement, once Congress received that required notification last night, essentially saying that it created more questions than it did give them answers.

I want to read you a bit of her statement, kind of getting at the heart of their complaint. She said, "The highly unusual decision to classify this document in its entirety compounds our many concerns and suggests that the Congress and the American people are being left in the dark about our national security."

Now, we have been told some details from the national security adviser, from the Joint Chiefs Chairman, simply that in addition to that threat, that imminent threat they keep talking about, that this was compounded by the attack on the base that killed the American contractor at the end of December as well as the escalated situation at the embassy in Baghdad.

But this morning our own Jake Tapper on "STATE OF THE UNION" when pressing Secretary Pompeo about just how imminent these threats from Soleimani were -- were they days, were they weeks -- Pompeo said whether that if you're an American in the region whether it's days or weeks is not relevant. We got a bad guy off the battlefield.

Fred -- we're really getting -- when we should be getting more information we appear to be getting murkier descriptions on just how imminent these plots were from Soleimani, and to that extent, Pompeo could not say whether or not the threat of those plots would even be neutralized with the killing of Soleimani at this point.

WHITFIELD: And then Dianne -- you know, CNN has learned that the American-led coalition fighting ISIS has temporarily stopped its counter-ISIS missions in Iraq and Syria to prioritize force protection in the wake of the threats from Iran. So does the U.S. run the risk now of allowing ISIS to grow, flourish potentially in these newly- created vacuums in the Middle East?

GALLAGHER: And I think that's the key word there Fred -- vacuum. Look this has happened in the past before. The U.S. has done a temporary pause. It is said, as it is doing now, to focus on the protection of the forces and the installations that are there in the region at this point.

But in the past when they have removed, it does create this vacuum of a sort. The militia groups have the opportunity to thrive. And ISIS fills that vacuum at a point.

What Defense officials are going to be watching is what Arwa's talking about before. The decision from the Iraqi government and what that means for the future of the troops and the U.S. interests in Iraq.

At this point right now, the Trump administration has sent, of course, roughly 3,500 servicemembers to the region in preparation for any sort of retaliation there may be because of the killing of Soleimani.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dianne Gallagher in Washington -- thank you so much.

2020 presidential candidates are among the loudest voices questioning President Trump's decision to kill Iran's top military commander.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Qasem Soleimani was a bad figure. He has American blood on his hands. None of us should shed a tear for his death.

But just because he deserved it doesn't mean it was the right strategic move.

SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think the question that we ought to focus on is, why now? You know, why not a month ago? Why not a month from now? And the answer from the administration seems to be they can't keep their story straight on this.

Next week the President of the United States could be facing an impeachment trial in the Senate. We know he's deeply upset about that. And I think people are reasonably asking, why this moment?

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: All right. Joining me now to discuss is Bill Weld -- a Republican challenging President Trump for the 2020 GOP nomination and a former two-term governor of Massachusetts. Good to see you -- Governor.

FMR. GOV. BILL WELD (R-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Nice to see you -- Fredricka.

[14:29:50]

WHITFIELD: All right. So what do you make of Senator Warren's thoughts and suggestions that President Trump ordered the strike on Soleimani to potentially distract from his impending impeachment process?

[14:30:01]

WELD: It is amazing that this is happening at a time when our commander-in-chief is not only has been impeached but is prospectively under trial in the Senate, so that, obviously, you can't rule that out. But I think whether or not you go there, very little thought appears to be given to this matter.

And the problem, I think, is that the president doesn't really have a foreign policy. It's all herky-jerky with him. It's all personal. And that's not how you conduct yourself on the field of international relations. So I think --

WHITFIELD: So what cements your view that very little thought has gone into this, that the president or the White House has given this very little thought before this strike?

WELD: Well, it's how the president always acts. He says, I don't have to listen to my so-called experts, because I know more than anybody else does, I, Donald Trump, and when I want to know what to do, I just consult myself, and that flies in the face of the way American administrations have always acted in the past.

Look at how many people quit, the Defense Department just in the last month, five senior officials. And look how many acting secretaries we have. It's almost as though the president doesn't like to have confirmed cabinet secretaries because he knows then they would have more clout. But he's got acting Homeland Security secretary. Anyone who is acting in Washington, I can tell you, I've spent enough time down there, has no clout. And the president likes it that way because then everything goes back to the Oval Office and it's all about him.

That's not how the United States should make foreign policy, having everything be about the person who is holding the office of president. It shouldn't be about that. It should be about the consequences of our actions and our policy around the globe.

WHITFIELD: So for you, you're seeking that job that will put you at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As president, how would you have responded to the incidents that we know of publicly that the White House has used as justification for that drone strike on Soleimani, and would you be more transparent, or do you feel, you know, that as president, you owe the American people more about intelligence?

WELD: Well, I can definitely see taking out Soleimani, but he did have the government role as well as being a borderline war criminal, and so I think consultation with Congress. That's not something I would shrink from. I do not regard Congress or the press or the court system as the enemy of the president of the United States. They're a part of the substructure of our government that maintains its stability.

The president doesn't understand that. He doesn't understand that we don't want more nuclear powers. He ripped up the treaty with Iran. That was a disaster. Now, we're seeing the consequences. They've declared they're not going to comply with the treaty. He's encouraged Japan and South Korea to develop their own nuclear weapons programs. This man is like a child in international affairs, seriously. He has only a child's understanding of those chess pieces on the board.

WHITFIELD: So do you see the imminent threat that the White House speaks of includes the attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq, includes the killing of an American contractor, and that those things constitute the killing of this general?

WELD: Well, he's done a lot more than that over the years, believe me, and I don't think those are the most serious things that we've seen, and they're not as serious --

WHITFIELD: But either the most recent incidents.

WELD: Yes, they're the most recent, but Soleimani has a rich and varied history and in terms of his -- he's left a trail of terror behind him. The point, I think, is that those three incidents are not as serious as what we're going to see after we put the U.S.-Iran relationship, which was going in the right direction under the 2015 treaty. He's put it on a war footing.

And a president should not put the United States on a war footing without consulting with at least the senior representatives in Congress. We saw what happened when the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a fig leaf so that the Vietnam War build-up could go just the way the president wanted, and it was a disaster.

WHITFIELD: So now Iran has announced today that it will continue uranium enrichment with no limitations. Do you directly blame this White House?

WELD: Oh, absolutely, for ripping up the treaty in the first place. So the overwhelming evidence at the time was they were in compliance, and I think that was the consensus even after Mr. Trump ripped up the treaty. But his actions are just so emotional. They're based on how he feels at the moment.

And I don't know how many treaties he's declared the worst treaty ever negotiated, but everything was done before he got into office seems to be somehow the worst treaty ever negotiated. It's all personal.

WHITFIELD: Is there now no room in your view for the U.S. and Iran to negotiate, whether it'd be on nuclear proliferation or whether it'd be on anything to help stabilize the Middle East region? Do you see that there is no possibility for the U.S. and Iran to ever come to terms or work together?

[14:35:03]

WELD: Yes. I've said publicly many times that If I were president, I would rejoin the JCPOA 2015 treaty without any conditions. In other words, I wouldn't try pretend like I got something out of ripping it up. And that might -- that's not going to completely calm things down right now, but it would be a good start, and then there's always room for diplomacy.

The president has put us in a tough position though, because the Iranians are going to be hard pressed to say to their people, well, he killed our top guy, but he said he would bring us ice in the winter and some pistachio nuts. You know, that's not going to fly. So it's going to have to be a lot that we bring to the table, but, yes, we should get back to the table.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll leave it there. Governor Bill Weld, thank you so much.

WELD: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, a top military Iranian military adviser talks about his country's next move, a CNN exclusive live to Tehran, next.

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WHITFIELD: Iran says it will now continue uranium enrichment with no limits based on the now broken Iran nuclear agreement. That announcement is a direct response to the U.S. strike that killed Iranian Military Commander Qasem Soleimani on Friday in Iraq.

Thousands of mourners turned out for a funeral ceremony for Soleimani earlier today in Iran. Iran is vowing retaliation. And now President Trump is warning that the U.S. is prepared to target Iranian sites if that happens.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen is on the ground in Tehran. So, Fred, you have an exclusive interview with a key Iranian military leader who is being very specific about an Iranian response.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, very specific, Fredricka, and also someone who is extremely high up in the power structure. This is someone who is an adviser, direct military adviser to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. So he's right at the center of decision-making here in this country and they're much involved in that decision-making.

But he actually told me, what he said that there is definitely going to be a reaction, a retaliation from the Iranians. That retaliation, he says, is going to be military, and it's going to be against military targets. But he also said, and he was quite clear about this, Iran does not want a wider war with the United States. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAJ. GEN. HOSSEIN DEHGHAN, SENIOR IRANIAN MILITARY ADVISER: The response for sure will be military and against military sites. Let me tell you one thing. Our leadership has officially announced that we've never been seeking war and we will not be seeking war.

[14:40:01]

It was America that started the war. Therefore, they should accept appropriate reactions to their actions.

The only thing that can end this period of war is for the Americans to receive a blow that is equal to the blow they have inflicted. Afterward, they should not seek a new cycle.

PLEITGEN: What's your response to that, that apparently Iranian culture sites are also now a target of the Trump administration?

DEHGHAN: Basically, he's a veritable gangster and a gambler rather than a politician. He has no mental stability.

Well, the U.N. has a resolution, Number 2347. That resolution says actions against cultural centers are regarded as war crimes.

For sure, no American military staff, no American political center, no American military base, no American vessel in the world will be safe. If he says 52 sites, we say 300, and they are accessible to us.

PLEITGEN: How big a blow to your foreign operations was the assassination of Qasem Soleimani?

DEHGHAN: Today, our will to defend our interests in the region after his martyrdom has increased a thousand times. We don't feel anything. We have a logic, the logic of martyrdom. It says for any commander whose flag falls and has mounted, ten commanders will raise the fallen man's flag. Therefore, we don't feel anything.

PLEITGEN: At the same time, the Trump administration and President Trump himself still says he wants negotiations with Iran. Do you think there is any possibility of that at this point?

DEHGHAN: Look, for several reasons, we didn't want to negotiate with this incumbent U.S. aministration. Now after what's happened to Mr. Soleimani, there is no point for negotiations or relations. It's impossible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN: Some very clear words there from the adviser to the Iranian supreme leader saying that Iran is definitely not deterred and also saying that their capabilities for foreign operations just as high and just as big as they were before Soleimani was killed, Fredricka. WHITFIELD: All right. Fred Pleitgen, excellent for bringing that to us, I appreciate it, from Tehran.

All right, still ahead, an airfield used by U.S. troops in East Africa comes under attack by militant fighters. We'll take you live to Kenya, next.

But first, this week's Wander Musts.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cannon Beach is like this gem on the Oregon Coast. I mean, where else do the mountains and the beach come together in one place?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today, we're going to be doing vinyasa yoga on the beach followed by a (INAUDIBLE).

We have so much nature around us. You can surf all year round. We have eagles, we've got seagulls, we have cliffs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Haystack Rock is part of the Oregon Island's National Wildlife Refuge System. It was formed approximately 16 million years ago. And it's currently 235 feet in high.

See if you can find a sea star.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll take private small groups out foraging. I find wild mushrooms, wild berries, greens. This golden chanterelle is super popular with chefs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who likes chanterelles? Come on, who likes chanterelles?

Well, for the last several years, we have been focused on what our guests call eatertainment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: By demonstrating how you put together these three entrees each night, they go home and try them out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to inspire you. We inspire.

Here's to returning friends, new friends, good food and great conversation. Cheers.

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[14:45:00]

WHITFIELD: All right. To Kenya now where a base used by the U.S. military was attacked by militants aligned with Al Qaeda today. There are conflicting reports on casualties, damage and whether the Al- Shabaab fighters actually got on the base in Lamu County.

CNN's Farai Sevenzo joining us now from the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. Farai, tell us what you know. FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, basically, this was an audacious attack by Al-Shabaab. It's in a camp run usually by Kenyan forces, African troops fighting alongside American counterparts in the U.S.-African Command. It is in Manda Bay itself, rather, Manda Bay Airfield. It's in a place called Lamu County.

So about 5:30 this morning, the Al-Shabaab terrorists apparently hit this place. And, of course, it raises many questions. It is really significant because it is the first time that they have attacked American troops on Kenyan soil.

Now, this rumble and this fight against Al-Shabaab, Fredricka, has been going on, as you know, for many, many years.

And, of course, at the same time, just last week, we were talking about the very same terrorists killing 85 Somalis in Mogadishu in an apparent suicide car bomb.

Now, what we know about today's attack, the Kenyan Defense Forces tell us five terrorist bodies were recovered as well. American and Kenyan Defense Forces are telling us that aircraft was damaged. That's a winged aircraft, as well as a rotary aircraft, mainly helicopters.

There are many questions in the air tonight about how such a group could have been managed to get in such a heavily fortified camp. And, of course, given all the geopolitical tensions surrounding American soldiers, they really need to look at how they had such an access.

Kenyan Defense Forces also tell us that they recovered grenades, rocket-propelled grenades, A.K.-47s and several other weapons.

At the moment, we have no casualty figures from the other side, but we do know that five terrorists were killed, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Farai Sevenzo, thank you so much for bringing that to us from Nairobi.

And this breaking news out of Pennsylvania, at least five people are dead, 60 injured in a mass pile-up on a Pennsylvania Turnpike. We have details.

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WHITFIELD: All right. We're following breaking news out of Pennsylvania where at least five people are dead and 60 are injured after a mass pile-up on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It happened overnight around 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Three tractor- trailers, a tour bus and multiple cars were involved.

Early reports from state police suggest the tour bus slammed into an embankment, setting off a chain reaction. Some witnesses say the weather may have been a factor. Turnpike officials say the highway itself should have been safe for travel.

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RENEE COLBORNE, PUBLIC INFORMATION MANAGER, PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE: The road conditions seemed to be fine in that area. We treat all night long with our maintenance crew. They are here 24/7 to treat the roadway, so we did not have any indication that the roadways were anything but treated.

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WHITFIELD: Of the injured, at least two patients are in critical condition. A large stretch of the Turnpike remains closed as investigators continue to piece together what happened.

In New York, thousands are marching alongside Jewish community leaders in a show of solidarity following a number of recent anti-Semitic attacks there. One of the worst happened a week ago when six people attending a Hanukkah party at a rabbi's house were stabbed.

CNN's Brynn Gingras is in New York. So, Brynn, the march is called No Hate, No Fear. What is the turnout like?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, it's pretty incredibly. You can hear the speaker still talking behind me. It's still going on.

[14:55:01]

It started at 11:00 this morning. And there was an estimated 25,000 people who gathered in Lower Manhattan and then walked across the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn, where we are right now, where we know there has been a drastic rise in anti-Semitic attacks even just within the last month.

As you even pointed out, everyone here says they stand together against hate, against the attacks that happened here in Brooklyn, the incident that happened in Jersey City, and then, like you said, a week ago in Monsey, New York. Everyone said they're together to support each other. It doesn't matter what faith you are or what your background is, they stand together against hate.

And I think the most incredible thing, Fred, is that these aren't just people from New York out here. We have seen people from Canada, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Cleveland. I want you to hear why some of those people got on a plane, got on buses at midnight just to be here.

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DAN ZELMAN, TRAVELED FROM CLEVELAND TO ATTEND MARCH: It's phenomenal and it's not surprising, right? There is a lot of people that are concerned about this, and I think it's a great turnout today, and it hopefully will elevate by places like yours and other news organizations and newspapers and so forth in spreading the word so that people know what's happening and more can be done about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP) GINGRAS: And there's something to be said for the fact that this was organized in response, really, to the Monsey attacks organized just days ago, and what a turnout it really was for everyone is to really, again, stand against these anti-Semitic attacks, but really just stand together in unison. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Brynn Gingras in New York, thank you so much for that.

All right, still ahead, tensions are intensifying in the Middle East three days after a U.S. drone strike killed a top Iranian commander. And today, Iran announcing it will continue uranium enrichment with no limitations in an about-face to the Iran nuclear agreement. We'll have more right after this.

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WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Thank you so much for being with me.

We begin with this breaking news. CNN has just learned that one U.S. service member and two civilian defense contractors were killed in Kenya along the coast when terrorist militants attacked a base used by U.S. forces. This information coming from the U.S. Defense Department just a moment ago. And, of course, when we get more information, we'll bring that to you, and also join a reporter there in Nairobi with any information he may be learning.

Meantime, right now, tensions are ratcheting up in the Middle East three days after a U.S. drone strike killed top Iranian Commander Qasem Soleimani.

Today, Iran announced that it will continue uranium enrichment with no limitation in an about-face to the Iran nuclear agreement, this in direct response to that U.S. strike.

Now, even Iraq's tolerance of the U.S. seems to be wavering this morning.

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