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U.S. President Biden Faces Growing Crises Ahead of U.N. Speech; France Fumes Over Defence deal and Scrapping of Sub Contract; Moderates and Progressives at Odds Over Spending; China's Evergrande Debt Crisis Rattles U.S. Markets; Member of CIA Chief's Team Reported "Havana Syndrome"; 911 Caller Reports Dispute Between Petito and Laundrie; Video Appears to show Officers Confronting Migrants. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired September 21, 2021 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:00]
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world, I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.
Joe Biden's presidential debut at the U.N. General Assembly amid tensions with an ally, a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and a global pandemic.
Outrage of a video that shows U.S. border agents on horseback charging into crowds of Haitian refugees. Homeland Security now vowing to investigate.
Plus, new audio from a 911 call reveals a violent altercation just days before the disappearance of Gabby Petito.
Good to have you with us. Well, world leaders are converging on New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly which kicks off later today. U.S. President Joe Biden is one of the first Speakers and he is set to lay out his foreign policy vision.
But as CNN's Jeff Zeleny reports the president's growing political crisis may complicate and even over shadow his general assembly speech.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Biden delivering his debut address today before the United Nation General Assembly facing a skeptical global audience suddenly brimming with criticism of the United States three months after basking in glowing accolades on his first presidential trip abroad.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America is back.
ZELENY (voice-over): That familiar pledge is ringing hallow with some allies. Even as several long time American partners are taking a decidedly mixed early view of Biden's foreign policy doctrine. BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We'll have a lot of pledges,
lots of positive noises. Let's see where we get to. We're not counting our chickens.
ZELENY: At U.N. headquarters on Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson raising questions about the depth of the U.S. commitment to climate change. From climate to Afghanistan, to the worldwide fight against COVID-19 and a rising China. The challenges are mounting for Biden as the biggest test of his young presidency. Arriving in New York for an opening meeting Monday night with the U.N. Secretary General, Biden was upbeat.
The honeymoon phase of Biden's presidency may be over. But the White House believes his speech to the U.N. offers a chance to reassert his leadership for a global response to a myriad of challenges and to show his interest in working to strengthen alliances.
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president is going to lay out the case for why the next decade will determine our future, not just for the United States but for the global community.
ZELENY (voice-over): On the pandemic, Biden is set to give even more vaccines to other countries even as questions about his administration push for a third dose for all Americans remain controversial. On Afghanistan, the controversy over the chaotic withdrawal of forces still lingers, as does the errored Trump strike that killed 10 civilians. Urgent questions also remained about the global refugee crisis and the formation of a Taliban government.
BIDEN: I was not going to extend this forever war.
ZELENY (voice-over): Today, Biden will hail this decision to end the war in Afghanistan, a top administration official tells CNN, opening a chapter of intensive diplomacy, around the major challenges of our times. The president also dealing with the diplomatic dust up with France over a new strategic alliance with Australia and Great Britain. Where France was left behind after Australia canceled a multibillion- dollar submarine contract to partner with the U.S.
This week marks the 76th session of the U.N. General Assembly. But the first in-person meeting since COVID. Leaders were asked to participate virtually, but at least 100 heads of state and government are expected to travel to New York.
LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: We need to take all measures to ensure that it does not become a super spreader event.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Well, President Biden is hoping to speak with the French president soon and trying to smooth over these submarine debacle. But there's no sign France is going to forgive and forget. The spat is raising questions in Europe about whether the U.S. can be trusted. So, let's cross now to Cyril Vanier. He joins us live from Paris. Good to see you, Cyril. So, how badly has President Biden damage this U.S. French relationship and in turn the one the U.S. has with Europe and how can he put this right?
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, how badly has he damage the relationship, here's a measure of that.
[04:05:00]
For the last few days, the French have been saying that the Biden foreign policy is similar to the Trump foreign policy minus the tweets, Rosemary. Listen to the French foreign minister just yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEAN-YVES LE DRIAN, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER: The unilateralism, the unpredictability, the lack of consultations between allies that we have seen displayed in the decision taken by Australia and the United States is the persistence of reflections of an era that we hoped was over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VANIER: So, from the French perspective, Rosemary, this is further confirmation that where U.S. strategic interests are at play the White House will not hesitate to ride roughshod over strategic interests of its allies -- in this case France. But more widely France is making the case to its European allies that, well, the U.S. can do the same to them. And that therefore the European Union needs to back up its soft power, economic power and values with hard power. That is to say develop a joint defense force, further military integration.
Now we are a long way away from that, but France has been telling its allies there is a pattern here. And you need to wake up and look at the pattern. Just a few weeks ago, the U.S. decided on a unilateral pull out of Afghanistan that caused untold trouble for many of us who are still trying to pull Afghans out of there, who still had to pull resources out of the country, and we all fell victim to this accelerated U.S. timeline in Afghanistan.
Now the U.S. is doing this, lying to us because that's what the French are saying the U.S. did. Lying to us about this deal that -- the supply deal they put in place with the U.K. and Australia. So, wake up Europe, you need to put some military clout behind your diplomacy. That's the message that France has been putting forward -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right, our many thanks to Cyril Vanier joining us live from Paris.
Well, now to Washington where the divide between Democrats is growing ahead of key votes on President Biden's economic agenda. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the next 48 hours will be crucial with decisions coming on taxes and healthcare as part of a $3.5 trillion plan. And then there's the trillion dollars bipartisan infrastructure pill. Progressive Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she will vote no on infrastructure if the house and Senate don't pass the larger bill. Moderates including Senate Democrat Joe Manchin continue to push for a pause. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: September 27th is coming next week. Also, can this bill passed by then?
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): The deadline, I've said this before, if it had been the right format and develop (INAUDIBLE) whatever you do to collect. And if there's not enough clarity, then you need to get clarity.
RAJU: But you wanted to wait until next year, right?
No, even when I said this, let's wait and see. Whatever we need and we have the idea.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Manchin has said he supports a smaller spending bill between $1 and $1.5 trillion.
Well, the crisis at Chinese real estate giant Evergrande is rattling U.S. financial markets. The company is struggling to manage its $300 billion in debt. And Beijing may have to step in. Markets in Shanghai, Seoul and Taiwan are on holiday. Tokyo lost more than 2 percent today. And Hong Kong has been in and out of positive territory. In the U.S., the Dow finished more than 600 points lower on Monday for its worst day since July. European markets which opened last hour are trading higher. So, CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is following developments. She joins us now live from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Kristie. So, what's Evergrande saying about this? And how likely is it that Beijing will step in and provide some guidance?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in a statement released earlier today, the chairman of Evergrande said, quote, we will walk out of the darkness, unquote. But concerns are deepening for the for the fate of the Chinese property giant in the spillover risk it poses to the greater economy. That was evident on Monday when we saw global markets skid.
A performance by the S&P and the Nasdaq logging their worst performance since May. The Dow logging its worst performance since July. It prompted the White House to issue a statement on Monday saying that they were monitoring the markets and insisting that Evergrande's business were overwhelmingly based in China.
Now more on that statement that was released in the last few hours by Evergrande, this by the company's chairman, it was an internal memo to employees this day on the mid-autumn festival. And let's bring up this statement for you and it just says --
At present, the company has encountered unprecedent difficulties. I firmly believe that through joint efforts and hard work of all managers and staff, Evergrande will definitely walk out of darkness and fully resume operations as soon as possible.
[04:10:00] That really -- that has done little to pacify investors. Now the Hong Kong listed Evergrande is saddled with $300 billion in debts that it has been struggling to pay off. But analysts we've been talking to who are based here in the greater China and Asia Pacific region, do believe and they say that they believe Beijing will step in, will intervene. Not to bail out Evergrande but work out a way to soften the blow. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY WU, CHINA ECONOMIST, OXFORD ECONOMICS: I still anticipate Beijing to step in even though without a direct intervention or a bail out but at least they will engineer some sort of restructuring so that it will look like -- more like a soft landing for the Evergrande saga.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: But Chinese authorities have yet to provide any public assurances about a plan to resolve the Evergrande debt crisis and that continues to spook investors -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right, Kristie Lu Stout, many thanks. Joining us live from Hong Kong.
Well, the U.S. has hit another staggering milestone in the coronavirus pandemic. More than 675,000 people have now died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. And for some perspective on that, that is greater than the entire population of Las Vegas. And it surpasses the country's estimated death toll from the 1918 flu pandemic.
Meantime, some encouraging news from Pfizer which says trial data shows its vaccine is safe and effective for kids as young as five. It plans to ask the U.S. and European officials for authorization as soon as possible. Dr. Anthony Fauci tells CNN is welcome news for millions of anxious parents.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, U.S. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Parents are very concerned about children of that age group, particularly those who are going into elementary school age range. We want to make sure we thoroughly protecting them. Before we were protecting them by surrounding them with people who are vaccinated. Now they themselves if the FDA gives the approval can be protected by their own vaccination.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: U.S. officials are on edge after possible case of the mysterious illness known as Havana Syndrome. Sources familiar with the matter tells CNN a member of the CIA directors team reported symptoms on a recent trip to India. CNN's Kylie Atwood has the details from New York.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: When CIA director Bill Burns traveled to India earlier this month, a member of his team on that trip reported symptoms consistent with Havana Syndrome. And I'm told that that set off alarm bells within the U.S. government. The CIA director himself said to be fuming with anger over this situation, according to a source familiar.
And a CIA spokesperson said they don't comment on specific incidents or on specific officers but did say that there are protocols in place for when this incidents are reported and including medical attention. I'm told in this case that this person did receive medical attention.
But there are some very severe implications potentially at play here. And that's because the CIA director's schedule is never widely shared. It's tightly held very closely among only a few U.S. government officials. So, there are questions within the U.S. government about how people would have known that the CIA director was traveling to India and how the perpetrator could have plan this aggression.
Now we should note that the U.S. government has not yet said what they believe is behind these mysterious incidents, these mysterious illnesses or how they believe that they are being carried out. But both of those things are being investigated by intelligence officials, led by the Biden administration at this time.
Kylie Atwood, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And just into CNN, and apparent military coup attempt in Sudan has been foiled according to several sources from the Sudanese government. We are told about 40 officers were arrested after they tried to take over the state broadcaster TV buildings and the military general command. A statement from the military is expected later today and we will keep you updated with any new developments that come in to us.
Well, up next, here on CNN NEWSROOM. New 911 audio from the investigation into the death of 22-year-old Gabby Petito as police continue this search for her fiancee.
Plus, the U.S. is sending hundreds of Haitian asylum seekers home. But they are still thousands waiting to be processed in Texas. Details on the migrant crisis at the U.S./Mexico border. That's just ahead.
[04:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will remain in power following Monday's snap election. His Liberal Party will form the next government. But Mr. Trudeau failed to win a majority in Parliament. He called the early vote last month hoping to capitalize on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Trudeau insists he won a clear mandate to govern.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: The moment we face demands real important change. And you have given this Parliament and this government clear direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Erin O'Toole's Conservative Party won the second most seats in parliament even though they won the most votes nationwide.
We are learning new details in the investigation into the death of the Gabby Petito and also the search for her fiancee. New 911 audio shed some light of what may have led up to this moment of what you see here from last month. The couple were on a road trip through Utah when they were stopped by police. In the 911 recording prior to this moment, a call that tells the operator he witnessed a troubling incident between the young couple.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[04:20:00]
CALLER: I'm calling, I'm right on the corner of Main Street by Moonflower and we're driving by and I'd like to report a domestic dispute from Florida with a white van, Florida license plate, white van.
OPERATOR: What were they doing?
CALLER: We drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl.
OPERATOR: He was slapping her?
CALLER: Yes, and then we stopped, they ran up and down the sidewalk, he proceeded to hit her. Hopped in the car and they drove off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Police later let the couple go without charges. Now investigators are combing over new potential clues and tips as they keep searching for Petito's fiancee, Brian Laundrie whose whereabouts are unknown. CNN's Athena jones has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A massive search for the fiancee of Gabby Petito. FBI agents and local police surrounding the North Port, Florida home of Brian Laundrie, carrying out a search warrant. And questioning Laundrie's parents who said they have not seen him since Tuesday, when he left with a backpack saying he was going to the nearby Carlton Nature Reserve.
Meanwhile, authorities in Wyoming plan to conduct an autopsy of the body found over the weekend believe to be Petito, a 22-year-old from New York who went missing weeks ago while on a cross country road trip with Laundrie. CHARLES JONES, SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT, FBI DENVER: Human remains were discovered, consistent with the description of Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito. Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100 percent that we found Gabby, but her family has been notified of this discovery.
JONES (voice over): Petito's father tweeting this picture of his daughter with the message, she touched the world. On Sunday --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we came across a white van that had Florida plates.
JONES (voice over): YouTube bloggers posting new video of what appears to be the White Ford van with Florida plates that Petito and Laundrie were traveling in. They say they saw it on August 27th while searching for a camping spot in Bridger-Teton National Forest. The same area where the body was found.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The van was completely dark. There was nobody there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The van looked like it was pretty much kind of abandoned.
JONES (voice over): Laundrie returned alone to the home he and Petito shared with his family on September 1st in the white van. Petito's family reported her missing 10 days later. Laundrie has not talked to investigators.
JOSH TAYLOR, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, NORTH PORT FLORIDA POLICE DEPARTMENT: And there's an enormous amount of pressure, I'm sure, on him to provide answers on what's going on here.
JONES (voice over): And with the likely discovery of Petito's body, more questions now surround the couple's August 12th encounter with police in Moab, Utah captured on body camera and prompted by this 911 call.
CALLER: We're driving by and I'd like to report a domestic dispute. Florida with a white van -- Florida license plates, white van.
JONES (voice over): Police say the pair were engaged in an altercation.
GABBY PETITO: We've just been fighting this morning, going through some personal issues. And he wouldn't let me in the car before.
JONES (voice over): No charges were filed. Law enforcement so far not saying what, if anything, they believe the incident has to do with Petito's ultimate fate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Athena Jones reporting there.
A Texas doctor claims to violated the state's six-week abortion ban is now facing two lawsuits. The men who filed the lawsuit say they actually opposed the new law with one saying he wants the judge to rule on its constitutionality. The attorney for Dr. Alan Braid says her clients feel he had been called to challenge the law which went into effect this month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY NORTHUP, TEXAS DOCTOR'S ATTORNEY: With the Texas law in place, he's having to turn most of his patients away. The options that he has for them are untenable. You are needing to travel out of state which many can't do even if there are the means for them to leave the state financially. And so, he feels as a doctor who's been providing care for years that it's important to challenge this blatantly unconstitutional law that's creating havoc on reproductive healthcare in Texas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
The U.S. Homeland Security Department is working to process migrants and speed up repatriations after thousands arrived at the US-Mexico border, many from Haiti. Officials say around 3,000 migrants were moved from Del Rio, Texas, to other processing locations on Monday. And up to three repatriation flights back to Haiti will be organized daily. But there are still more than 10,000 migrants under the Del Rio International Bridge.
Meantime new video appears to show U.S. border agents on horseback aggressively confronting some of those migrants. The homeless security chief calls the footage extremely troubling and says the issues will be investigated. CNN's Rosa Flores has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[04:25:00]
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Questions tonight about this video appearing to show Border Patrol agents confronting refugees aggressively on the Rio Grande.
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I don't think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate.
FLORES (voice-over): The conditions under the International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas, a border town 150 miles west of San Antonio also raising eyebrows.
FLORES: Have you have seen anything like this before?
LT. CHRISTOPHER OLIVAREZ, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: No, no this is a first.
FLORES (voice-over): Thousands of migrants living in make shift huts, sleeping in the dirt, waiting their turn to get processed by U.S. immigration authorities. A sight DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas witnessed today. ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: If you come to the United States illegally, you will be returned. Your journey will not succeed and you will be endangering your life and your family's lives.
OLIVAREZ: So, right now, we're going down to the international bridge here in Del Rio.
FLORES (voice-over): CNN rode along with Lieutenant Christopher Olivares with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
OLIVAREZ: So right now, we're here at one of -- this is the area, this is the main area that they were crossing.
FLORES (voice-over): Our first stop, an area where from the air, CNN cameras have captured migrants crossing freely just days earlier.
FLORES: They were crossing to and from the U.S. via this dam. Just take a look, that's Mexico. You can see the flag flying.
FLORES (voice-over): And now, the flow has stopped. Olivarez says this sea of Texas state troopers helps secure the river.
OLIVAREZ: Just be careful.
FLORES (voice-over): And moments later, we see the shocking scene under the Del Rio International Bridge. Thousands of migrants mostly Haitians say officials living in squalor like James Entillis (ph) who says he left his home country for Chile in 2015, with his wife and two children.
FLORES: He says that someone assaulted him in Haiti and someone shot at his aunt.
FLORES (voice-over): And two months ago, they started the trek to the United States.
FLORES: They say that the route is open to enter the United States. What does that mean, family friends, he says?
The border is open?
FLORES (voice-over): Entillis (ph) voice breaks as he talks about his family.
FLORES: But why is it so painful?
Because you're suffering.
FLORES (voice-over): He says food is hard to come by and the weather is tough to bear.
FLORES: If you look closely, you'll see that these are men, women, children. I see pregnant women, infants.
FLORES (voice-over): Border Patrol's top cop announcing this weekend a surge of 600 agents, officers, and other personnel. FLORES: Why Del Rio? Why now? What does your intelligence tell you?
RAUL ORTIZ, CHIEF, U.S. BORDER PATROL: Traditionally, it's because of word of mouth. Certainly, what happened this time is that number doubled and then tripled relatively quickly.
FLORES (voice-over): And to expedite processing, removal flights to Haiti have increased, says border patrol. And word about this is spreading quickly under the bridge.
FLORES: You don't want to return to Haiti? It's too difficult, you say.
FLORES (voice-over): Were the immigration waiting room into the U.S. is quickly turning into a gate back to Haiti.
FLORES: I talked to the CEO of the local hospital who says that the hospital is at the brink of being overwhelmed. She said that the EMS calls coming under the bridge are constant. I've seen the ambulances. We have videos of them. According to the CEO, most of the patients are suffering from dehydration or are pregnant. And she says that since Thursday, ten babies have been delivered.
Rosa Flores, CNN, Del Rio Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Still ahead, after more than a year the U.S. is set to ease restrictions on foreign travelers, we will look at the new rules visitors will have to follow. Back in in a moment.
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