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DeSantis Takes Jab At Trump Over Hush Money Payments; At Least One Killed, 34 Injured In Zaporizhzhia Strikes; Zelenskyy Pays Surprise Visit To Troops In Eastern Ukraine; Prince William Visits Troops Near Ukrainian-Polish Border; Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesters In Beirut; French Unions Calling For Nationwide Strike Today; Boris Johnson: I Did Not Lie About Lockdown-Era Parties; Judge To Decide If Lawsuit Against Fox News Will Go To Trial; 3D-Printed Lifts Off, But Fails To Reach Orbit; Star Midfielder Bids Goodbye To Professional Football. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired March 23, 2023 - 04:30   ET

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

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CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Christina Macfarlane. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with our top stories this hour.

In the coming hours, the CEO of TikTok will testify before a House committee that data of more than 150 million active users in the U.S. is secure. The hearing comes as the U.S. considers banning TikTok.

Plus, a New York grand jury is expected to meet in the case of Donald Trump's alleged hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Sources tell CNN prosecutors are considering calling more witnesses, and it's unlikely they'll hand down any indictments today.

As legal problems continue mounting for Donald Trump, one of his top rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination is striking back at the former president. It's a notable change for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who until now has generally avoided criticizing Trump by name.

CNN's Brian Todd has our report.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Florida's governor now taking stronger but still subtle swipes at Donald Trump. Ron DeSantis, in an interview with Piers Morgan for his talk show that streams on Fox Nation, had some fun with Trump's nicknames for him.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ron DeSantis. Did anybody hear of DeSantis, DeSanctimonious?

PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN UNCENSORED": What's your favorite nickname that Trump's given you so far? GOV. RON DESANTIS (R), FLORIDA: I can't -- I don't know how to spell DeSanctimonious. I don't really know what it means, but I, you know, I kind of like it's long. It's got a lot of vowels. I mean, so we'd go with that. That's fine. You know, you can call me whatever you want. I mean, just as long as you, you know, also call me a winner.

TODD (voice-over): But DeSantis also got serious with a jab at the former president when Morgan asked him about the differences between him and Trump.

DESANTIS: And obviously, you know, the approach to COVID was different. I mean, you know, I would have fired somebody like Fauci. So the way we run the government, I think, is no daily drama, focus on the big picture and put points on the board.

Analysts say the potential presidential candidates framing of himself as a leader who'd have less drama in an administration and as a winner seems to be a recent calculation to go after Trump in an understated way.

RHONDA COLVIN, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE WASHINGTON POST: It does seem that there's been an evolution this week where in this interview you're seeing him come out harder. He's especially going after Trump's character.

TODD (voice-over): Like the moment at a news conference this week when DeSantis seemed to take advantage of Trump's legal jeopardy, specifically the possibility that the former president could be indicted soon in the Stormy Daniels case. DeSantis attacked the prosecutor investigating Trump, saying he's pursuing a political agenda and weaponizing his office, but also said --

DESANTIS: I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. I just -- I can't speak to that.

TODD (voice-over): Donald Trump not about to let DeSantis' remarks this week go unanswered. Posted on his platform, Truth Social, "Ron DeSanctimonious is not working for the people of Florida as he should be. He is too busy chatting with a Ratings Challenged TV Host from England." How risky is it for DeSantis to attack Trump?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: One thing he knows is, whatever he does, whether he tries to ignore Donald Trump or whether he confronts Donald Trump, Donald Trump is going to be in his face. Donald Trump is going to follow the Mike Tyson strategy, that everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.

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TODD: And it's not just Trump himself who's striking back at Ron DeSantis. Trump's allies are getting in on it. Longtime Trump adviser Jason Miller, responding to the Piers Morgan interview, tweeted that DeSantis has, quote, "Finally shown his true colors. An establishment never Trumper, who despises the MAGA base and was faking it the entire time, end quote. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

MACFARLANE: A senior Ukrainian official is accusing Russia of a deliberate strike on civilians after a missile slammed into residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia. The disturbing moment was caught on camera. Ukraine says this was one of six missiles fired at the city on Wednesday.

At least one person was killed and dozens injured in those attacks, while nine others were killed in strikes on the Kyiv region. Ukraine's President is promising a response to what he calls Russian savagery.

[04:35:00]

Well CNN's Clare Sebastian joining me now to talk about this. This was, Clare, a callous attack on civilian life. What more have we been learning about the aftermath of these attacks, not just in Zaporizhzhia, of course, but in Kyiv, the Kyiv region as well.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wednesday was a pretty deadly day for civilians overall. That attack in both cases in the Kyiv region and in Zaporizhzhia. The rescue efforts have now finished, we're hearing in Zaporizhzhia, according to the emergency services, they are quoting the national police as saying that they believe this was from the Smerch rocket launcher system. That's a multiple launch rocket system that Russia uses, that that was responsible for those six missiles that were levied at the city of Zaporizhzhia.

The death toll there stands at 132 injured, including three children. Over in the Kyiv region, that was a drone strike. This was part of a barrage of drones that were launched at Ukraine overnight, Tuesday into Wednesday. Five of them evaded air defenses, and one of them hit this sort of training school, a professional training school with dormitory buildings. Nine people now confirmed dead there.

President Zelenskyy, meanwhile, turned up on the eastern front line near Bakhmut, and he had this to say about those attacks.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): We will certainly respond to every blow of the occupiers on our cities. Today's Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia, the nightly attack on the Kyiv region, all Russian strikes will receive a military, political, and legal response.

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SEBASTIAN: That visit presumably designed to boost morale in the city where they've been continuing that bloody defense. Meanwhile, this morning, a Ukrainian top general saying that he expects that Ukraine might be able to go on the offensive in Bakhmut soon because, he says, Russian forces are depleted.

MACFARLANE: Yes, I mean, that visit also stark contrast to what we saw from President Putin earlier this week in Mariupol under the cover of darkness. Clare, thanks very much.

Well, speaking of surprise visits, Prince William has made a rare, unannounced trip to Poland. He met with troops stationed near the Polish-Ukrainian border on Wednesday and thanked them for, quote, defending our freedoms.

CNN's Max Foster is live in Warsaw. Max, good to see. Even though we know the royal family technically can't and don't get involved in politics, they have been very vocal in their support of Ukraine. So how was this trip by the Prince of Wales? How's it been received in Poland?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's about to come here, as you say, when he was out there in the east of the country, he was visiting troops, British and Polish troops, and he was talking about their support for the freedom of the people of Ukraine and how they were protecting all of our freedoms in many ways.

That was all, you know, a secret visit, if you like. There was a blackout around that because of the area and the sensitivities around the security there. But then he came here to Warsaw, and he's got a series of events today. Lots of cameras here, so that's no secret.

He's coming to the wreath here at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Then he goes to meet President Duda, where he will express, he says, his gratitude to the people of Poland. And it's a big message, really. He's talking about the protection that this country is offering to freedom, to the west, to the world in many ways.

As you say, some would see it as a political message, but the family have very much got behind the Ukrainians throughout this since the beginning of the war. So it'd be interesting to see how he does that. He was playing table tennis yesterday, last night, when he arrived here in Warsaw. That was at an accommodation center.

The other message he wants to get across is that 1.5 million Ukrainians have settled here. They continue to be supported by the Polish, full access to public services. Many have been taken into people's homes here, others are in these accommodation centers. He really wants to highlight the continued work that Poland is giving, really, to the Ukrainians.

And in terms of freedom, really, that he says, is something that we all benefit from. So he's going to be reflecting that again today.

MACFARLANE: Yes. Good to see the Prince bringing some cheer to young people there in Warsaw. Max, thanks very much.

Now, more mass protests are planned today in France over radical changes to the country's pension system. A live report just ahead from Paris.

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[04:42:19] MACFARLANE: Frustration and anger over Lebanon's spiraling economy boiled over on Wednesday. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside parliament in Beirut, furious over the deteriorating economic and political situation. And security forces fired tear gas to clear the crowd.

Customers are demanding banks release their withheld savings. And retired military personnel are livid over the dwindling value of their pension. Lebanon's national currency hit a record low on Tuesday. The crash taking place as the Central Bank's governor is under investigation in Lebanon and Europe for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars in public funds.

Meantime, protesters in Israel plan to kick off what they call the Day of Shutdown. They've been rallying against a proposed judicial reform for weeks, saying it will derail Israel's democracy. The rallies will continue as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to fly to London today.

His coalition is facing international pressure to find middle ground. On Wednesday, the White House urged Israeli leaders to find a compromise as soon as possible.

Now, thousands of police have been mobilized across France today as that country braces for another nationwide strike. A new law aims to raise France's retirement age from 62 to 64 and has set off weeks of angry protests. One of the most visible signs of unrest is the tons of uncollected garbage on the streets of Paris.

President Emmanuel Macron says he understands the public's frustration, but insists that raising the retirement age is necessary to preserve France's pension system.

Well, CNN's Melissa Bell is standing by for us in Paris with the latest. And Melissa, Macron defiant here, standing firm. But a deal on the pension reform still has some way to go. So what has to happen for that bill to become law?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's getting pretty close now, Christina. All that's going to happen is that the Constitutional Council will, over the course of the next few weeks, rule on the question of whether this law is constitutional or not as it does every time after a law leaves parliament. There has been a movement by some MPs to have it struck down by the Constitutional Council.

But it will be up to that body to rule on its constitutionality and barring a massive reversal, it then means that that will become law. And I think this is really what's going to incense the protesters that you're going to see out on the streets of France today. Already, Christina, we've been seeing in the last few hours, people, protesters blocking oil refineries, incinerators beginning to gather at key points.

We expect fairly big strikes today across transport networks, cities, air traffic controllers that will be affected, trains, Metros. We're hearing that one of the terminals at Charles De Gaulle is being blocked by protesters.

[04:45:10]

Even now, they will take to the streets of Paris and other French cities from 02:00 p.m. and we expect it to be a fairly large turnout. Because, of course, of the controversy surrounding not just the fact of this law, the raising of the age from 62 to 65 -- 64 when French people can retire.

But of course, the manner in which it's been pushed through without a vote in parliament, that has really finished to wind up. Not just the trade unions at this point, Christina but I think it's important to point out also that amongst the broader public, there is not a great deal of support. In fact, it is more than 70 percent of French people who are against the raising of the retirement age. So we expect today another big turnout against it, Christina.

MACFARLANE: Yes, clearly, the standoff set to last for many weeks to come. Melissa Bell, thanks there for the latest from Paris.

Now, the hangover from Boris Johnson's Partygate scandal has put his political future in peril. Three hours Wednesday, British lawmakers grilled the former Prime Minister over the alcohol fuel parties held during COVID lockdowns under his watch. It's one of many scandals that led to his ouster last year. And at the hearing, Johnson tried his best to defend his actions.

Well, CNN's Nic Robertson has been following proceedings, joins me here live. Nic, this was a hearing that could really spell the end of Boris Johnson's political career. So how well did he do in defending himself? And did he convince the House that his actions were not deliberate?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: I'm not sure that he convinced the room that he was in with a committee there. The seven MPs who were in there, they really seemed to be going after him on the detail of his argument. And his argument was, I didn't mislead Parliament intentionally or recklessly, because that's the accusation.

He did accept that it misled them, but he said it was because his advisers had told him what to say. And he shared their understanding that these gatherings, these parties were the sort of following the guidelines of, you know, of COVID policy at the time. And he was questioning, he was -- well, OK, in that room, where were the mitigating circumstances that were called for in the guidance for a workplace?

He said, well, you know, like partitions. He said where they were in the next room. And there was another point that was, I thought, very, very telling where it was another gathering and Boris Johnson's wife and his interior designer -- because his apartment was being redone at that time -- were both in the room.

And the question from the MP was, well, if this is a workplace function and you're putting in these best mitigations that you can, because you've said that it's an old building, it's a small building, you know, we're doing the best we can, why at this gathering would you have your wife and an interior designer who are not connected to the running of the government?

And really, I think when he was pressed on points like that, despite the fact he was assertive, despite the fact that he was at times defensive, I don't think he won that room. It's not looking good, but we still have to hear what the committee has to say.

MACFARLANE: And the British public, of course, who are watching on there. Nic, we'll wait and see. Thanks very much.

Now, still ahead, a judge is deciding whether a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News will go to trial. And some of the top boss at Fox may be compelled to testify. That story and more when we return. Stay with us.

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MACFARLANE: Welcome back. Lawyers for Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News Channel are waiting to find out if Dominion's $1. 6 billion defamation lawsuit will go to trial. The judge signaled on Wednesday that he's interested to hear more about the duty that Fox executives like Rupert Murdoch might have to stop known liars from going on air.

CNN's Jessica Schneider has the latest now from Washington.

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: A ruling in this high stakes defamation case could come at any time from this Delaware judge. He's State Court Judge Eric Davis. He was appointed by a Democratic governor in 2010. He's deciding whether the facts that have been presented so far, both in his courtroom and in court filings, whether those facts are sufficient for him to rule in favor of either Dominion or Fox News without this case going to trial.

Now, that is a very high bar. And the likelihood here is that this case will go to trial unless Fox and Dominion settle before then. And in a hearing on Wednesday morning, there were also questions about how a trial would proceed. Judge Davis actually said he could possibly compel Fox Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch to testify at any trial.

And that's because, as Judge Davis put it, Rupert Murdoch has a special role at Fox Corporation. And he was aware of the guests appearing on Fox News's air. In fact, Rupert Murdoch even acknowledged in his deposition that he could have stopped Trump's legal team from appearing on the network's air.

Fox News attorneys, though, were saying that any compelled appearance by Rupert Murdoch on the witness stand would just create an undue burden, also a media circus. And in response to that, the judge did say that he'd consider bringing in high profile witnesses via Zoom or some other teleconferencing platform. But the stakes in this case are very high. Dominion is demanding $1.6 billion in this defamation case, even though Fox News is saying that those numbers are inflated. But Dominion, at the core of this is arguing that since Fox News executives and its hosts knew that they were putting on guests who were promoting false election fraud theories, they say Fox should be held accountable here and liable for defamation.

Fox, on the other hand, is arguing that they are fully protected under the First Amendment. So no matter which way you slice it, this is a high stakes case, and we'll see if it goes to trial.

Jessica Schneider, CNN, Washington.

MACFARLANE: Now trending this hour, what's believed to be the world's first 3D-printed rocket launched today towards space Wednesday night.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lift off.

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[04:55:04]

MACFARLANE: Terran 1 blasted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida, powered by super chilled methane and oxygen. But engine failure shortly after launch meant the vehicle failed to reach orbit. Still, the company behind the rocket said the launch was a milestone.

The James Webb Telescope is once again proving to be powerful tool for NASA researchers. These are images of a planet that's about 40 light years away from Earth. The far off planet orbits not one but two stars over a 10,000 year period and has a 22 hours day.

Scientists say observation of the planet revealed churning clouds of silicate dust and the presence of water, methane and other molecules. These features haven't been found on planets outside the solar system before, but they are usually found one at a time.

Now, Germany's star midfielder is bidding goodbye to professional football. Mesut Ozil says he was retiring from the sport after playing professionally for 17 years. He was once considered one of the best midfielders in the game, playing for Real Madrid and Arsenal among other teams.

Ozil also took part in three World Cups as Germany, including in 2014 when they clinched the title. But Ozil says he feels it's time to hang up the cleats, partly because of injuries.

Now in the NBA, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant returned to the court Wednesday night following an eight game suspension. He scored 17 points and had five assists and four rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench. After the game, the 23 year old thanked the fans and the team for their support.

Morant was suspended earlier this month after brandishing a gun in a video on Instagram. His return helped the Grizzlies beat the Houston Rockets, 130 to 125. With the win, the Grizzlies clinched the Southeast Division for the second year in a row.

And with that, that'll do it for this hour with me, Christina Macfarlane in London. Our coverage is continuing though. Early Start with Christine Romans is up next. Stay with us.

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