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White House Attacks Trump Comments As Echoing Fascist Rhetoric; Austin To Press Israeli Defense Officials To Define War Milestones; English Premier League Player Hospitalized After Suffering A Cardiac Arrest On The Field. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired December 17, 2023 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:53]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Happening right now, more anti-immigration rhetoric from former President Donald Trump causing reverberations today. The White House calling the comments "fascist" after the former president said this in New Hampshire, Saturday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're poisoning the blood of our country. That's what they've done, they poisoned -- mental institutions and prisons all over the world, not just in South America, not just the three or four countries that we think about, but all over the world. They are coming into our country from Africa, from Asia, all over the world, they are pouring into our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The Biden campaign saying Trump's comments parroted Adolf Hitler. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is in Washington.

Priscilla, this is a pretty strong rebuke from the White House. What else is it, and the president saying?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, Fred.

And the invoking of Adolf Hitler was the Biden campaign saying that the rhetoric from the president is very similar to other authoritarian regimes, but the White House also slamming the former president for his comments on immigration yesterday.

And in a statement this morning, a White House spokesperson saying, "Echoing the grotesque rhetoric of fascist and violent White supremacist and threatening to oppress those who disagree with the government are dangerous attacks on the dignity and rights of all Americans on our democracy and on public safety. It is the opposite of everything we stand for as Americans." That has been the resounding message from the White House and from the Biden campaign.

And in marking the stark contrast between President Biden and his predecessor, former President Donald Trump on the issue of immigration, of course, this is all very delicate as border security and immigration have been liabilities for President Biden going into the 2024 presidential election, but in opportunities like this one, the White House making clear that what the president -- that what the former president is saying here is dangerous.

And the president, Biden had actually recently this month put out a statement through his campaign, through his re-election campaign on a travel ban proposal. This is something that former President Donald Trump did in the first days of his administration. It's something that he's proposed doing, again, that being -- reinstating and expanding a travel ban on people from predominantly Muslim countries, and the president took the opportunity then to issue, for the first time, a statement through his re-election campaign, calling it "cruel."

So clearly, this is something that's top of mind for President Biden, and for that campaign in condemning his predecessor on his proposals when it comes to immigration.

WHITFIELD: And Priscilla, all of this is happening while those high stakes talks on Capitol Hill continue in order to try to reach some sort of border deal, and sources are telling CNN, senior White House officials are calling on lawmakers to try to get this across the finish line, but there are key sticking points that remain. What are they?

ALVAREZ: That's right, and all of these are very complicated issues. These sticking points I'm told include, for example, mandatory detention of migrants, as well as what would trigger expulsion authority, that essentially would allow for authorities to expel migrants at the US southern border, not give them the chance to seek asylum, as well as curbing the use of parole, which allows migrants to temporarily live in the US on a case by case basis.

Again, all of these are very complicated issues, but I'm told that senior White House officials have been spending the weekend making calls to lawmakers to try to reach some consensus. And the reason for this, Fred is because Republicans have made clear that they will not move forward on this critical Ukraine and Israel aid until they see some change on the US-Mexico border and that is forcing Democrats and Republicans to come to the table to try to find some border policy changes that they can all agree with.

But, this, of course is an issue that has vexed Congress for decades. There hasn't been immigration reform for decades. It has been difficult for them to see eye-to-eye on what changes make sense, what changes they can all agree to.

So this is a very tall ask.

[15:05:16]

It's one that congressional aides are very skeptical about whether they can see it through the finish line, but what has been clear from the White House and from the president himself, is that it is critical for aid to get to Ukraine at a critical juncture in their war against Russia, as well as to get aid to Israel, and all of that is going to be up to Republicans and Democrats for now to reach some consensus on these border policy changes.

WHITFIELD: All right, Priscilla Alvarez, thank you so much, in Washington.

All right, new today, Israel Defense Forces say they have uncovered the biggest Hamas tunnel under Gaza to date. The IDF says it is large enough to drive a vehicle through and also has electricity and communications. Officials say the tunnel ends less than a quarter of a mile from the border with Israel, and that discovery comes as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is planning to meet with Israeli officials tomorrow in Israel.

The White House is looking for Israel to define milestones for its war against Hamas as civilian casualties continue to mount.

And today, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and his German counterpart called for peace writing in "The Sunday Times," quoting now, "We must do all we can to pave the way to a sustainable ceasefire, leading to a sustainable peace. The sooner it comes, the better -- the need is urgent." -- from that article.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv for us, so Jeremy, what more are you learning about Secretary Austin's trip?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, there is no question that Secretary Austin's trip comes at a critical moment in Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza and also at a critical juncture in the US efforts to pressure Israel, to ramp down the current intense phase of fighting to something less intense and less deadly for civilians in Gaza.

The Secretary of Defense is expected to be joined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C.Q. Brown in a sign of the seriousness of this visit, and during their meetings with Israel's defense establishment, the Secretary of Defense will be pressing the Israeli War Cabinet for specific updates on their progress in their war against Hamas, how far they think they have to go still to destroy Hamas' military infrastructure, and also specific milestones that they are looking at before they can transition to the next phase of the fighting.

And what the Secretary of Defense is really going to be pressing for is exactly when they can start to transition to that next phase.

US officials have been envisioning a transition to a less intense phase of fighting that's going to be focused much more on special operations, raids, intelligence driven, much less bombing campaigns than what we have seen currently in Gaza, and we saw that last week as the National Security adviser, Jake Sullivan was meeting with his counterparts also making this very same point.

All of this, of course, is against the backdrop of mounting civilian casualties in Gaza and growing international pressure not only from the United States, of course, but from other countries who are either calling for Israel to conduct more targeted operations, or calling for a ceasefire altogether.

The US certainly does not fall in the latter camp, but these are very serious, very intense conversations, and it is very clear, as we saw last week from President Biden's comments that there is a lot of daylight between the US and Israel in how they see the next phases of this war, and this visit will be crucial to trying to bridge that gap.

WHITFIELD: And then before we came to you, we showed the pictures of what the IDF says was the biggest Hamas tunnel under Gaza that they've discovered, what more are military officials willing to share about that?

DIAMOND: Yes, Fred, typically when we see these tunnels that Hamas has built under Gaza, which there are hundreds of miles of them, according to Hamas' own leaders, you typically see tunnels that can fit one person at a time, single file going through it. This one is far, far bigger; big enough to drive a large vehicle through it according to the Israeli military.

It reaches up to 50 meters underground, and it is fully equipped with electricity, ventilation, and communication systems, according to the Israeli military.

Now, interestingly, they actually discovered this tunnel and secured it weeks ago, but they only decided to share it with the media and with the public in recent days. We understand that this tunnel is very close to the Erez Crossing, which we know was one of the sites that Hamas attacked as it carried out its attacks on October 7th. It is not clear whether this tunnel was actually used during the day of that attack.

But this is a discovery that adds to the dozens of other tunnels that the Israeli military has discovered in Gaza. They are going after these tunnels in part because they present a significant threat to troops. A lot of soldiers have been ambushed because of Hamas' use of these tunnels and so, they are going after them one by one, but this one according to the Israeli military, the biggest they have discovered so far.

[15:10:05]

WHITFIELD: All right, Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much.

All right, let's talk more about all of this with CNN political and national security analyst, David Sanger; also CNN senior national security analyst, Juliette Kayyem.

Good to see both of you this Sunday.

So David, you first. Secretary Austin's trip coming just days after National Security adviser, Jake Sullivan met with Israeli officials. A lot of meetings involving higher up US officials in a very short span of time. What is the message that is being sent to Israel and globally as a result of these trips?

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, the message, Fredricka, is they have to find a way to do this that greatly diminishes the civilian casualties in Gaza and that means many more precision strikes and moving to a campaign that really is all about special forces, precision targeting, but not this general bombing that has so far killed, we think 15,000 or more of the people of Gaza.

getting from here to there is the hard part. The Israelis say that over time, they want to go do this. And quietly, they are saying they think this phase of the operation only lasts two or three more weeks, but they will not say that in public.

You heard Jake Sullivan, when he was in Israel, talk about the different phases of these operations, and made it sound as if there wasn't a huge rift, but we know that behind the scenes, there is great concern, and that is only accentuated now by the fact that the British and French Foreign Ministers have published an open letter that has basically said we need to get to a ceasefire. That's not a position the US takes, so we are now seeing a gap between the US and its two biggest and most important European allies.

WHITFIELD: So I wonder for how long might even the US, because of its big allies, the UK, Germany, and so many others who are saying there needs to be a ceasefire. We saw during the UN Security Council, the US was the only one that used its veto power and did not support a ceasefire, but for how long can the US even afford to take that posture? Because isn't it difficult to even see value in precision strikes now, especially after reporting of the dumb bombs -- you know so much, I mean, the disparity of casualties.

So the US, in other words, David, seems to be in a really difficult position here.

SANGER: They are, and you know, they've provided these bombs to Israel, and of course, the big unspoken issue is do we put conditionality on the use of American weapons, and the use of that future aid? Remember, part of the bill is now making its way through on the border, on Ukraine, and on Israel would provide $14 billion in additional aid to Israel.

So far, the administration has said it does not plan to put conditions on that. Well, there are conditions on the Ukraine aid, right? It cannot use American weapons to strike inside Russia.

WHITFIELD: Right.

SANGER: So that's a big issue I think they're going to have to go deal with.

WHITFIELD: Okay. I wonder, too, you know, Juliette, the discovery of this tunnel. I mean, there have been lots of discoveries, but this particular, the images of the latest one is very unique. It's pretty sizable.

The IDF says it's the largest one that they've uncovered, so what does this say about both the military strategy of locating it and what does it say about Hamas' of sophistication in building a tunnel this big?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yes, well, the tunnel system even its breadth and depth was well known even before October. This is certainly how Hamas organized and how it probably trained for the October attack against the terrorist attack against Israel, and so when Israel comes out with pictures like this, it's not dissimilar to what you sometimes see nations that are trying to sort of push look, we're getting to a win. Look, we have some wins. This comes in the midst of that tragedy of which we learned that the IDF shot three Israeli hostages, so they are looking for narratives that help them in a war that is fractious throughout all of the world.

And the challenge now for Israel, and certainly the United States, you were talking to David about sort of the sustainability, so I come from the counterterrorism world, right, so nobody -- and I'm just telling you -- nobody in counterterrorism believes that Israel's methods are effective, proportionate, and ultimately targeted use of Israeli of a counterterrorism strategy, which is ultimately what this is against Hamas.

[15:15:12]

And the challenge for the United States knowing this, which we clearly see them sort of hinting this, this is not working, this is not a sustainable solution, given the number of deaths that you have, and I should add, the lack of high target Hamas leaders who have been killed. We don't -- that's not mentioned, but they keep saying they're getting people. We don't have any of the high ranking Hamas leaders.

WHITFIELD: Should they be producing? Should they be producing some evidence of that? Names? I mean, to convince people --

KAYYEM: Yes, I think they have --

WHITFIELD: And maybe those are part of the milestones that Secretary Austin is expecting.

KAYYEM: Yes.

WHITFIELD: I mean, in the form of how do you know you're taking out high-ranking operatives of Hamas if that's the goal?

KAYYEM: If that's the goal -- you know, offset by the number of civilian deaths. I mean, this is the proportionality argument that you're starting to hear. It's not -- you know, it's not, oh, lefties or human rights activists. It's actually military doctrine. What is the proportion?

How does Israel justify the proportionality argument if it can't say, we've gotten these people? And the challenge for the United States is the day after as David and Jake Sullivan and others are talking, so what happens after? Is Netanyahu -- and you're starting to hear this talked about out loud -- is he the prime minister able to do that for 20 years? I think that's the challenge. The challenge of the United States is that we're stuck with Netanyahu. Netanyahu, in my lifetime has never budged. I mean, I don't -- so you don't see them. I think that's the challenge. I think that's why you see this sort of contradictory approach by the Biden administration is, is that gap between a strategy that's not working and is causing lots of harm and Israeli leadership that is not likely to look for a long-term solution for the Palestinians.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll leave it there. Thank you so much to both of you.

Juliette Kayyem, David Sanger, thank you.

SANGER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, still to come, the Cardinal at the center of the Vatican's trial of the century has been sentenced for financial fraud. Details of the historic verdict, next.

Plus, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is leaving Congress in just a matter of days. What he said about a potential role he could play for Donald Trump in the future.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:21:45]

WHITFIELD: In a stunning fall from grace, an Italian Cardinal who once had the clout to see the Pope unannounced is now facing prison time.

The former chief-of-staff to Pope Francis has become the first Cardinal to be sentenced in a historic Vatican criminal fraud trial.

CNN's Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: A Vatican court has sentenced Cardinal Angelo Becciu, once one of the most powerful figures in the Vatican to five-and-a-half years in prison after convicting him of numerous financial crimes.

Cardinal Becciu was a papal chief-of-staff who had huge influence in the Vatican, but he was convicted of numerous counts of embezzlement.

Cardinal Becciu was center of a disastrous Vatican property deal in London's Chelsea neighborhood that lost the church millions of dollars.

The Cardinal also was found to have misappropriated funds when he sent hundreds of thousands of euros to a self-described property consultant, Cecilia Marogna, who claimed she could free a kidnapped nun in Africa. But instead, according to Vatican prosecutors, she used the money on personal expenditure, including on high-end fashion brands. The Cardinal was also found to have sent funds wrongly to his brother who ran a charity in Sardinia. Now, Cardinal Becciu has always maintained his innocence and is going to appeal the verdict. He was one of 10 defendants to stand trial, a trial which lasted two-and-a-half years in the Vatican. All the defendants pleaded not guilty.

Now this trial is seen as part of Pope Francis' long running attempts to bring transparency and accountability to the Vatican's notoriously murky finances.

This trial was a vital step in that process. It shows that the Pope has made significant steps and made significant progress, but given Cardinal Becciu's highly influential and important role in the Vatican, it does show there is still much more to do.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, with the Iowa caucuses in this country less than a month away. We'll take a look at why some female voters in the state say they won't vote for the former president this time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:28:33]

WHITFIELD: All right, in just a few hours from now, former President Donald Trump will hold a campaign rally in Nevada, as he looks to solidify support in another early voting state, and it comes just one day after he ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric at a rally in New Hampshire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They're poisoning the blood of our country, that's what they've done. They've poisoned -- mental institutions and prisons all over the world, not just in South America, not just the three or four countries that we think about, but all over the world. They are coming into our country from Africa, from Asia, all over the world, they're pouring into our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Alayna Treene is in Reno for us where Trump is about to hold his campaign rally. So Alayna, that's just one of the controversial comments Trump made at that rally.

What more can you tell us about what he is saying and whether his supporters are lapping it up? Or if they're raising an eyebrow or two?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Yes, well, look, Fred, I mean, Donald Trump received a lot of criticism for repeating that language that he made yesterday, that anti-immigration rhetoric language that has often been associated with White supremacist language. But Donald Trump also made some very interesting remarks yesterday. He invoked Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to argue that the four criminal indictments that he is facing are part of political retribution.

He also quoted Putin directly in order to undercut the argument that America is a good example of democracy Take a listen.

[15:30:10]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Vladimir Putin of Russia says that Bidens -- and this is a quote, "...politically motivated persecution of his political rival is very good for Russia because it shows the rottenness of the American political system, which cannot pretend to teach others about democracy."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: Now, Fred, of course, we should point out that there is no evidence that the White House or President Biden has been directly involved in any of the indictments that Donald Trump is facing. But in addition to invoking Putin, Donald Trump also praised other authoritarian leaders, including the prime minister of Hungary, and North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, and the White House and the Biden campaign were both very quick to jump on these remarks.

The Biden campaign, in a statement said, "Tonight, Donald Trump channeled his role models as he parroted Adolf Hitler, praised Kim Jong-un quoted Vladimir Putin while running for president on a promise to rule as a dictator and threaten American democracy."

And, Fred, I think it's important to point out the context of these remarks that Trump made in New Hampshire yesterday. This comes as Donald Trump is increasingly facing criticism about his second potential second term, about if he would be an authoritarian leader himself, if he were to be re-elected in 2024.

And of course, as there's been a lot of reporting from our outlet and others about what exactly he would do if he were to reclaim the White House again.

WHITFIELD: And then Alayna, how are Republicans responding to this language?

TREENE: Yes, well look, Fred, we haven't heard a lot from Republicans in the last 24 hours after Donald Trump had made these comments, but I will say Donald Trump a couple of weeks ago was talking about -- or joking about being a dictator on day one in order to build a wall and to drill, and we heard from a lot of Republicans then really dismiss some of this rhetoric, calling it not serious, that Donald Trump was joking, and they've kind of played it off.

And then I also just want to point out something that we heard from former House Speaker, Kevin McCarthy yesterday during an interview with Fox News. He defended Donald Trump and he said that he would potentially serve in a second Trump administration. Take a listen to what McCarthy said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN KILMEADE, FOX NEWS CHANNEL HOST: Will you support him?

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): Yes.

KILMEADE: And you're willing to serve in his administration?

MCCARTHY: Yes, any -- I will help, whether I'm in it or whether I'm out. I want the country to be successful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: Now, Fred, very interesting remarks from the former speaker, who also announced recently that he is resigning from Congress, at the end of the year, after being ousted and replaced by the new speaker, Mike Johnson.

And look, I mean, one of the things that McCarthy had been criticized while speaker was that he wasn't willing to endorse Donald Trump. But now after him being out of the speakership position, you are hearing him still support Donald Trump, offer his praise of Donald Trump. And as you just saw right there, even potentially willing to serve in another Trump administration -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Okay, Alayna Treene, thanks so much.

All right, new CBS polling out today shows Donald Trump is leading the Republican primary in both New Hampshire and Iowa, and while the former president has a dominant lead over his opponents, a key group of voters in Iowa say it's time for a change.

CNN's John King has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Low rolling hills of Southwest Iowa, Shanen Ebersole's happy place.

SHANEN EBERSOLE, IOWA REPUBLICAN VOTER: I'll just sit out here with my cows and take a breath and everything goes back to the way that it should be.

KING (voice over): A family cattle farmer for 25 years. A two-time Donald Trump voter.

EBERSOLE: I love what he did for small businesses. I love what he did for agriculture. I wish he could have done it a little bit quieter.

KING (voice over): The loud part is why Ebersole is shopping.

EBERSOLE: Because he wasn't as respectful as they think our president should be, because he didn't bring us together. KING (voice over): Shopping for a conservative who doesn't scare her liberal friends.

EBERSOLE: I would lean towards Haley. I think that in the face of people calling names, in the face of people yelling and screaming in front of her, she held her composure. I think that she has the demeanor and the life experience that is more connected to actual Americans.

KING (voice over): Trump's support is deep here, especially in rural counties like Ringgold. But if there is to be an Iowa surprise, Republican women will power it.

This is Priscilla Forsythe making Christmas crafts with friends in Sioux City. Five months ago when we first spoke, she was leaning Vivek Ramaswamy.

PRISCILLA FORSYTH, IOWA REPUBLICAN VOTER: I really got the feeling he is brilliant, he's got energy, he's young.

KING (voice over): Now she urges friends to vote Haley.

FORSYTH: Usually to me the debates don't make a big difference, but they kind of did this time.

KING (voice over): Forsyth caucused for Trump when he won Sioux City back in 2016. Now, she sees something else taking shape.

[15:35:10]

FORSYTH: I think they're underestimating the people who don't want the chaos anymore.

KING (voice over): There's a lot of that in the Des Moines suburbs.

BETSY SARCONE, IOWA REPUBLICAN VOTER: We want to turn a chapter. We want to go to something new.

KING (voice over): Betsy Sarcone hopes Iowa uses its first in the nation vote to elevate one strong Trump alternative. This is what she told us back in August.

SARCONE: I do find -- I am pulled towards DeSantis.

KING (voice over): And this is now.

SARCONE: I am likely a Nikki Haley caucuser.

KING (voice over): Sarcone says her brother and parents are also leaning Haley, but she is not final just yet.

SARCONE: If people were going to consolidate, I would go with DeSantis. That's not what I'm seeing so far. These suburbs out here you're likely going to see a lot -- it's going to be DeSantis-Haley.

KING (on camera): But if it's DeSantis-Haley, Trump wins, doesn't he? SARCONE: He does. I mean, that's the question, right? How do you get people to consolidate?

KING (voice over): Jaclyn Taylor is another mom and entrepreneur who hopes the suburbs send a message.

JACLYN TAYLOR, IOWA REPUBLICAN VOTER: I see Nikki Haley helping us identify back with what our culture is, what our vision is and what our mission is, as a united States, not a divided States.

KING (voice over): But as Taylor tries to recruit friends, there's a lesson about Trump's resilience.

TAYLOR: And they say, oh, I really like Nikki Haley. I really like Ron DeSantis, but when it comes down to the voting in the primary, I'll probably just vote for Trump because he's going to get it anyways, and that just really frustrated me.

The influence of the louder voices is how having an impact on people.

KING (voice over): This is Chris Mudd's big change. Midwest Solar is growing and needed a new office. Same candidate though, same confidence.

CHRIS MUDD, IOWA REPUBLICAN VOTER: You know, you got to have thick skin to be for Trump today. And so I think those people that say they are for him are going to show up.

KING (on camera): When you hear DeSantis say, you know, we've got to stop losing or Haley say, no drama, no chaos, time for a new generation of leadership. You say?

MUDD: They are thirty, thirty-five, forty points behind Trump, I would say that they're the chaos and that they should stand down and support Trump.

KING (voice over): Mudd doesn't care about polls showing Haley run stronger against President Biden. He doesn't care Trump could be both the Republican nominee and a convicted felon by summer.

MUDD: I think Trump has been pushed into a corner. I think he's got lots of targets on him. And I think he's doing a great job of deflecting every one of them.

KING (voice over): Dozens see January 6 as disqualifying to the contrary.

MUDD: You know, why didn't Nancy Pelosi have the National Guard there?

KING (on camera): That's a separate question, though, isn't it?

MUDD: No, it's not.

KING (on camera): That's a legitimate -- it's a legitimate question. But just because there weren't enough cops there, does that give people the right to blow through those barricades to beat those -- in some cases beat those officers?

MUDD: No, it doesn't. But the people that were there were negligent from stopping it from happening. They wanted it to happen because they wanted Trump to not be eligible to run again. I think it was set up to end Trump.

KING (voice over): There is zero evidence to support that and it is talk like that, that is a big reason Shanen Ebersole says enough.

EBERSOLE: Inflammatory acts did not happen by President Trump, but he inflamed a lot of people to do a lot of crazy things that I don't think Americans -- I don't think that's really who we are.

KING (voice over): The cows are still here because the freeze is late, but they will soon have to move and Ebersole knows that means time is running short for Republicans like her who hope Iowa sends a message -- it is time to move on.

John King, CNN, Kellerton, Iowa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Still to come, a Canadian man has been charged with murder for allegedly selling suicide kits online. Details of the sprawling international investigation, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:43:07]

WHITFIELD: All right, a global investigation is underway after a Canadian man is charged with murder accused of selling suicide kits online.

CNN anchor and correspondent, Paula Newton has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROGER PARFETT, FATHER OF VICTIM: He was such a gifted kid.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They are fathers an ocean apart.

DAVID RAMIREZ, FATHER OF VICTIM: Such a light of bravery and freedom.

NEWTON (voice over): Share a bond of anguish and outrage over their children's suicides, deaths they say would have never happened if someone had not allegedly marketed and sold them so-called suicide kits online.

Tom Parfett died in 2021 in England, Noelle Ramirez in 2022 in Colorado -- both died from using a substance legally found in smaller doses as a meat preservative, but can be fatal if used in larger quantities.

Canadian, Kenneth Law is now charged in Ontario with 14 counts each of second-degree murder and counseling and aiding suicide. Police say all 14 alleged victims are in Canada, but the investigation continues right around the world.

SIMON JAMES, YORK REGIONAL POLICE INSPECTOR: We are collaborating with law enforcement agencies on a daily basis globally from countries all over the world.

NEWTON (voice over): Inspector James says Law may have sold more than 1,200 toxic packages online intended for self-harm to people in more than 40 countries.

JAMES: We ask that the public continue to be cautious and vigilant of their online activities.

NEWTON (voice over): In a statement to CNN, Law's lawyer says he will be pleading not guilty to all charges and that those charges will be "vigorously contested in court."

While the investigation continues so far without any charges filed outside of Canada, both fathers believe more can and should be done.

[15:45:06]

PARFETT: Within two to three months I'd actually ordered poison from Ken Law. At the time, I did not know that it was the exact same path as my son had taken, but it really demonstrated how easy it was. It has actually cost lives and there was an opportunity there for police, for authorities to close this down and close this down quickly.

RAMIREZ: You can't buy a bomb online and have it delivered. This chemical is deadly.

NEWTON (voice over): A bipartisan group of US lawmakers is trying to pass legislation that would ban the sale of the substance in higher concentrations. But for now, it remains available online in the US and many countries.

The British National Crime Agency tells CNN it believes at least 89 people have died in the UK alone in the recent two-year period after purchasing the toxic packages online.

RAMIREZ: Well, even if just for 14, you know, there in Ontario, I know that it should mean that, hopefully, he'll never be able to hurt anyone else. But again, there's just so many other families who have been impacted and who are hurting that I hope that they can feel some justice as well.

NEWTON (voice over): Tom and Noelle's family share an unrelenting belief that were it not for the poison their children bought online, they'd be alive today.

PARFETT: Without any doubt.

RAMIREZ: I believe with my whole heart that my daughter would be here. She was a good person. We kept her safe. We kept her safe. We couldn't -- I guess, we couldn't keep her safe from everything. (END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON (on camera): You know, Fred, that's what has been so devastating about this story. Those families are convinced that had their young people, who were getting support for their mental health challenges at the time, didn't find not just the means to commit suicide on these toxic suicide kits, but also perhaps online, people encouraging them to do it.

As I said, this continues to be a sprawling investigation. Think about it, Fred, 40 countries, over 1,200 kits police say that were mailed out.

I mean, it is just devastating for everyone involved here. The investigation continues. And in the meantime, Kenneth Law will appear in court this week in Canada. Again, he is going to plead not guilty, but he remains in custody.

WHITFIELD: It's an extraordinary number. Do investigators say the suspect, Law, anything about the motivation? And is the motivation just simply money making? Or something else?

NEWTON: Yes. it is a really good question. You know, of course, according to the parents that we spoke to, they do believe it was profit oriented. He has not spoken since he was charged. He did indicate to Canadian media months and months ago that the substance was legal, therefore, I wasn't doing anything illegal. That's not what the families believe here.

They do believe that it was twofold. One to make profit, and the other because he felt as if he was alleviating people's pain. Again, police not saying what other evidence they have. But Fred, these are second- degree murder charges. Clearly, police believe that he had a hand in actually killing these people. That's a very serious charge.

WHITFIELD: Very serious. All right, Paula Newton, thanks so much.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or suicide, having suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the US, text or call 988. We'll be right back

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[15:53:08]

WHITFIELD: Shocking and frightening scenes this weekend when an English soccer player suffered a heart attack and collapsed right on the pitch during the game.

CNN World Sport anchor, Don Riddell is joining me now with more on this. I mean, that's frightening, but then this has happened before with him.

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT HOST: So this is Tom Lockyer who plays for Luton Town. They're a new team in the Premier League. They got promoted last year. They were playing at Bournemouth and this was in the second half.

And as you saw, he just went down.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

RIDDELL: You know, every -- I mean, you saw some of the players rushing to him immediately because they knew this was the second time something like this had happened to him this year.

It was actually in May in the playoff final where he went down really, really early in the game. And on that occasion, he was diagnosed with basically abnormal heart rhythms and he underwent surgery, he was in hospital for five days, came back got the all clear in the Premier League this season, and then this happens.

And so he is in hospital. The good news is he's alert and responsive and stable. But given that this has happened to him twice in such a short period of time, there must be great concern for a 29-year-old man.

WHITFIELD: Sure.

RIDDELL: And of course, for everybody who was at that game yesterday, just absolutely terrible.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yes, you can see the folks from the audience. I mean, they're -- you know, hands on their mouths. They're just gasping.

RIDDELL: Absolutely, so --

WHITFIELD: Yes.

RIDDELL: The game was abandoned. They'll have to figure out what to do with the game at a later date. But at this point, just everybody so grateful that he seems to be okay.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Glad he's okay. But yes, when you say it's the second time, people are immediately -- and everyone in this camp, I'm sure is starting to think, wait a minute, you know --

RIDDELL: There we saw this with Christian Eriksen.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

RIDDELL: At the Euros. He came back and he is playing. He's great. But it happened to Fabrice Muamba about a decade ago. He never played football again.

Something kind of similar with Damar Hamlin last year or earlier this year, actually. I mean, he is --

WHITFIELD: Yes, in terms of it happening for all to see.

RIDDELL: I mean, he got hit really hard.

WHITFIELD: Sure.

RIDDELL: Again, just terrifying for everybody there, getting abandoned, but yes, I mean this sport is you know --

WHITFIELD: We are going to hope the best for him. Yes.

RIDDELL: It is tough. It is tough.

[15:55:10]

WHITFIELD: And it is tough and surprising because you're thinking these elite athletes, they are just the picture of health, and so it is hard for people to understand or grasp that something like this could happen, but it does happen more than you know folks could possibly anticipate.

RIDDELL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right, meantime, there's another great athlete and great face but nobody knew that he had kind of the chops for singing at least he seems to think so. Did you see this?

Former Patriots tight end, Rob Gronkowski entertained the LA Bowl crowd there on Saturday with this rather unique rendition of the national anthem. Take a listen.

[VIDEO CLIP PLAYS]

WHITFIELD: Oh no. Oh my gosh. Don't hit the high notes, but you know, that's a hard song for anyone to sing.

RIDDELL: I don't want to hear anymore.

WHITFIELD: It really is a hard song to sing anyway for anybody. Hey, at least he tried. At least he got the words as far as we know. Right?

RIDDELL: I think so.

WHITFIELD: I didn't hear the whole thing, but from what I heard right there, he got the words, he got the lyrics.

RIDDELL: Tone deaf doesn't really -- thank you to our Jesus for only showing --

WHITFIELD: A portion.

RIDDELL: And you know, we just listened the last little bit of it because I can't imagine the rest of it was much better.

WHITFIELD: He's retired from the NFL and surely he has no career in singing after the fact, but you never know. Strange things have happened.

We'll see. RIDDELL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much. Good to see you.

RIDDELL: All right, yes.

WHITFIELD: All right, we will have much more right after this.

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