Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Interview With Former CDC Director, Tom Frieden; Interview With Former DHS Secretary, Janet Napolitano; Trump Speaks To Reporters During N.C. Visit Honoring Veterans; Trump Lambasts Pelosi For Hair Appointment That Violated Coronavirus Rules. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired September 02, 2020 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: What does it mean to you when we have coronavirus death toll deniers operating in high, in the highest levels of government?

TOM FRIEDEN, FORMER CDC DIRECTOR: Well, if you look at some of the so- called controversies, I'm made more confident, I have optimism when I see what people are doing.

The vast majority of people are wearing masks when they're near other people. The vast majority of people understand this is a serious pandemic.

And it's not about health verses economy. We have to ignore the pandemic so we can get our jobs back. Just the opposite. We all want to get back to work in person. Our kids back in school.

We can do that by controlling the virus. The virus is not going to respond to spin. It's going to respond to a science-based approach that keeps us all safer.

KEILAR: Dr. Frieden, thanks for being with us.

FRIEDEN: Thank you so much.

KEILAR: And next, a new report suggesting the Trump administration held back its own intel report about Russia spreading misinformation ahead of the election. I'll be asking the former Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano, about that.

Plus, breaking news on a Russian opposition leader. The German government saying today that there's no question that he was poisoned with a chemical nerve agent.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:35:54]

KEILAR: The Department of Homeland Security withheld an intelligence bulletin warning of a Russian plot to spread misinformation. That is according to are a report out today from ABC News. And they say they obtained a draft of the document. The bulletin titled, "Russia Likely to Denigrate the Health of U.S. Candidates to Influence the 2020 Election," warned of attacks on Joe Biden through allegations of poor mental or physical health.

The document was submitted for review July 7th but it was never distributed.

A spokesman for DHS told CNN, while the agency does not normally comment on leaked documents, quote, "This particular draft product lacked the necessary context and evidence for broader dissemination."

Janet Napolitano is joining me now. She is the former secretary of Homeland Security under President Obama. And she is also a Joe Biden surrogate. And she's a former governor of Arizona.

Thank you so much for being with us, Secretary.

According to these emails, obtained by ABC, a senior DHS official intervened, saying not to distribute the information before speaking to the acting secretary, Chad Wolf.

I wonder what your reaction is to that.

JANET NAPOLITANO, FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Well, the leaked document was an assessment about high confidence about this particular form of Russian interference in the campaign for president.

And I must say that the sequence of events kind of reeks of political interference.

These intelligence products are very carefully put together and vetted before they reach the publication stage. It's very rare for an intelligence product to come out with a finding of high confidence. That means they're very sure of what they found.

So to have it delayed by the upper echelons of the department and potentially the White House, to me, is very troublesome.

KEILAR: And so this quote from DHS that this particular draft product lacked the necessary context and evidence for broader dissemination, that doesn't pass the smell test to you?

NAPOLITANO: I would like more specifics. How did it not? What sources were relied upon in the draft? How solid were the sources? Those are the kinds of questions that can get asked.

But just to say, well, it doesn't pass the smell test, that's not adequate, particularly when there's a finding of high confidence.

KEILAR: DHS, of course, is the primary federal agency that's tasked with overseeing election security. And this is a department that hasn't had a confirmed secretary since April of last year. There are several top positions either vacant or filled in an acting capacity.

Do you think they're ready for the 2020 election? NAPOLITANO: I think the individuals they have filling the top roles of

the department in acting capacity are really operationally unqualified for those roles.

And I'm very troubled by the lack of leadership in the department throughout the Trump administration, the kind of floating -- who's the secretary today question. That has impacts throughout this department, which, after all, is the third-largest Department of the federal government.

Now, in terms of election security and the actual nuts and bolts of election security, what I understand is that the career individuals at the department have been doing a pretty good job of getting information out and working with local election officials on election security.

But they need to be able to do that job without political interference.

KEILAR: Secretary Napolitano, thank you so much for being with us. We really appreciate it.

NAPOLITANO: Thank you.

KEILAR: And let's listen in now. Let's go to Battleship North Carolina where President Trump is speaking.

[14:40:03]

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- by the way. That's them saying hello.

In Wilmington, more than 20,000 workers of the North Carolina Ship Building Company poured out every ounce of their strength to build an astonishing 243 ships for the U.S. Navy.

And it was the citizens of Wilmington who came together to save the priceless artifact of American history, the glorious battleship behind me, the "USS North Carolina." And that is some powerful and beautiful ship.

Coming in, we have plenty of televisions on Air Force One and they showed it in primetime in the 40s. And they showed that ship.

And I'll tell you, they don't make -- I shouldn't say this, but they don't make them that way anymore. They really don't. What a beautiful ship.

During World War II, this magnificent ship participated in many major naval offenses and in the Pacific theater itself, including the Marshall Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, earning more battle stars than any other battleship.

We're learning a lot today, right? That's pretty good.

Why are you clapping? You come from West Virginia, huh. He loves West Virginia. So do I. Right? But we're clapping anyway.

Right? You better believe it.

Thank you.

After the war, the people of Wilmington organized the massive campaign to save this beautiful ship from the scrap yard. And they preserved it as a memorial to the gallant deeds of American sailors, a monument to the American workers that built it, and an enduring symbol of American greatness.

Now, more than 200,000 people visit the site each year to learn the history and the heroism that defines our nation.

This afternoon, my administration is formally recognizing the city's exceptional contributions to victory in the Second World War.

It is my tremendous honor to officially designate Wilmington, North Carolina, as our nation's very first World War II heritage city.

That's a big deal. Our nation's very first.

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: Wilmington, congratulations to you all.

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: And God is saluting you up there, I tell you.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: We may have to go a little quicker than I thought, right?

With this designation we proudly declare that, in America, we don't tear down the past. We celebrate our heroes. We cherish our heritage. We preserve history. And we build the future.

This mighty vessel in this magnificent town will forever tell that story with this designation.

So I just want to congratulate North Carolina and Wilmington. That's a fantastic thing.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I want to thank Senator Tillis and Congressman Browser.

Stand up, please. In-between the lightning bolts.

For their work to make this day possible.

Thank you, Thom.

Thank you fellas. Great job.

And let me also thank retired Navy captain, Wilbur Jones, who has championed the cause of World War II heritage cities.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Wilbur, thank you. Thank you, Wilbur.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Great job. Great job.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: So, Wilbur, you know a lot of people wanted this, right? So, you are just the tough cookie. You got it. Number one. Number one in the nation.

I want to thank Wilbur. That's great.

I also want to recognize several of the heroes who saved American freedom. And I've known several since I've been in office. I've seen them.

There they are.

Here today is my good friend, who I just left, and he was in the Oval Office with me at the White House, Woody Williams.

Seventy-five years ago, Woody showed fearless courage, as a marine in the battle of Iwo Jima.

You are amazing.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I promised him I would not tell that he's 97 years old. I promised.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I'll tell you, he's 100 percent sharp.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: He's 100 percent sharp. I know a 78-year-old that's not so sharp and he's 97. And he's 100 percent. Because nothing to do with that. And 78's young. Depends who's 78. That's all.

He's 97. I said, man, you are something. And physically in great shape.

He braved a torrent of hostile fire while destroying 100 enemy machine guns, positioned after one another, knocked them out one after one.

For his daring actions, President Truman -- think of that -- awarded Woody the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest in our land.

Woody, congratulations. You inspire us all. It was great to have you on Air Force One.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I had promised him, maybe two years ago, I said I'll take you on Air Force One. When he came up -- he's very aggressive. He said, I'd like to fly on Air Force One. I said, we'll do it. And today, we did it.

Right? We got it done.

Thanks, Woody. Great job.

(APPLAUSE)

[14:45:04]

TRUMP: Also joining us is Paul Phillips, a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

During the Second World War, Paul proudly served on the "USS North Carolina" in the Pacific theater. At 93, he has returned today to visit the ship, upon which he so nobly served. He's a tremendous man.

Paul, it's our honor to have you with us.

Please, Paul, stand up.

Thank you, Paul. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Perfect.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Thank you, Paul.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Great job, Paul. Appreciate it.

Her as well is Army veteran, Greg Melakian (ph). When Greg was 20 years old, he served as a radio operator in the headquarters of supreme allied commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

I'd love to have heard some of those conversations. Much more interesting than today, right?

And 75 years ago, General Eisenhower directed Greg to broadcast around the world the long-awaited news that Germany had surrendered.

Greg, you're being here is very, very much appreciated. Thank you very much. It was a great honor meeting you before. Thank you very much. (APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Very, very great honor.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Our task today is to pass on to the next generation the blessings of liberty that you fought for and that you bled for. All for security. You wanted to secure our future. You wanted to praise and raise our flag and you did that.

You raise our flag and you stand proud and you stand tall. And we're doing it in our nation, too.

Almost everyone. Every once a while, you see someone not do it. We don't like it when they don't do it, do we? We don't like it.

I want to just thank you. A fantastic job.

American warriors did not defeat fascism and oppression overseas only to watch our freedoms be trampled by violent mobs here at home.

We stopped those violent mobs very easily. All they have to say is, please come in, Mr. President. We'll have it done in one hour.

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: Please come in.

It's one of the great -- to me, just incredible that they don't immediately. As you know, in Portland, the mayor, last night, he was raided. He was home was raided. He was thrown out of his home. And then he'll stand up and fight for these people.

These people only know one thing and that's strength. That's all they know, strength. And we have strength.

For the sake of all Americans, we must uphold the rule of law and defend the American dream for every child in our land. We must teach our children that America is the land of heroes.

Like you. You're heroes.

You know that, right, Woody?

You're heroes. You're great, great men.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Great men. Better believe it.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: We're not ashamed in America. We're not ashamed of anything.

I signed a very important edict recently. Three months ago, they were ripping down statues. I said you can rip them down but you're going to serve 10 years in jail. And as soon as I did that, incredibly, you haven't heard of statues coming down, have you?

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Statues and monuments.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: But we're not ashamed of our country. We're proud of our country. Prouder than we are of anything else.

Our country is great. And we're going to keep it that way. We're going to keep our country great.

Together, we'll remember America's towering victories. We will recognize America's outstanding virtues. And we will pay tribute the heroes who keep us safe, strong, proud and free.

And I also, in addition to our wonderful, brilliant military, I want to thank law enforcement because the law enforcement, without them, we're not here today very well.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: They've done an incredible job. Really an incredible job.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: And thank you again to the World War II veterans in attendance today.

This is such a great tribute to North Carolina.

We will never forget what you did for us. Your legacy is etched forever in the hearts and soul of a grateful nation.

And this spot is right now one of the most important military spots anywhere in the world.

Congratulations to everybody. And thank you for making it come true.

Thank you all very much. God bless you. God bless North Carolina. And God bless America.

Thank you all very much.

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: Thank you.

(CHEERING)

KEILAR: President Trump there speaking in Wilmington North Carolina in front of battleship, "North Carolina," with kind of a speech with some contradictions in it. Let's say that. He's in front of a World War II battleship that was key, especially at

the beginning of the war. And he is there honoring the legacy of World War II veterans and the efforts during that war.

But he also talked about tearing down statues. And that would be Civil War-era statues. This city was key in the Civil War.

[14:50:00]

Wilmington, North Carolina, was the last port city of the Confederacy. And when it fell, this was actually -- the writing was on the wall. This was leading to the end of the Confederacy.

So the president there trying to honor, it appeared, the Confederate history of that city, which certainly, it would have been a very different story had the Confederacy not lost that port city of theirs.

But nonetheless, let's talk about what is ahead here.

Nancy Pelosi under fire after video surfaces of her at a hair appointment inside of a salon, which is in violation of current pandemic rules in San Francisco, the city where this took place. We'll have her response.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: President Trump today on Twitter blasting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for getting her hair done in apparent violation of San Francisco's coronavirus safety regulations.

CNN's senior congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, is tracking this controversy -- Manu?

[14:55:01]

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Brianna. Now Speaker Pelosi's office is acknowledging that they basically misinterpreted the rules based on what someone in the salon told them was OK.

Under the San Francisco rules, it said no one could get an appointment indoors. It has to be outdoors to get a hair appointment at a beauty salon. And she was indoors on Monday because someone at salon told her it is OK to come in and get her hair done.

The footage, the security footage of her actually walking around without a mask indoors, her office said that only happened for a very brief moment after she got her hair done -- her hair washed. Typically, she had her mask on for the rest of that appointment.

Now President Trump, of course, seizing on this, criticizing Pelosi, accusing her of being hypocritical.

The White House itself has violated social distancing guidelines through the course of this pandemic.

But Pelosi's office responding that she simply was operating under how the rules were presented to her staff at the time -- Brianna?

KEILAR: All right, Manu, thank you.

And just in, Iowa State reversing course, now saying it will not allow fans at its football season opener. The university had decided to allow 25,000 fans into the stadium next week. Of course, they are seeing many cases of coronavirus in the state right now. We'll have much more on this ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:04]

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Hi, there. I'm Brooke Baldwin. You're watching CNN. Thank you for being here.

We start with new concerns about the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic with a long holiday weekend and the start of flu season just around the corner.