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Slovakian Prime Minister Shot Multiple Times, Hospitalized In Life-Threatening Condition; New: Trump Calls For More Debates With Biden After Agreeing To June 27 CNN Showdown; Sources: Chinese & Iranian Operatives Created Deepfake Content Aimed At Influencing U.S. Voters In 2020 Election. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired May 15, 2024 - 11:30   ET

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

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[11:31:04]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: All right. This is just into CNN. The prime minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, has been shot multiple times. Right now, we're told he's in the hospital in the life-threatening conditions. Here's a photo of him being carried away on a gurney just a short time ago. The latest reports say the shooting happened after a government meeting earlier today. Slovakian officials say the suspect was detained at the scene.

A manhunt, meanwhile, is underway in France after gunmen ambushed a prison van, killing two guards and freeing a notorious inmate. Three other guards were wounded in the attack. Interpol has put out a red notice for the fugitive.

And in Ukraine right now, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's postponing all foreign engagements, at least for now, as Russia makes gains in the eastern city of Kharkiv. Take a look at this. A powerful Russian aerial weapon known as a glide bomb hit this apartment building. The U.S. is hoping a financial infusion of military aid can stem the losses. The Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, announcing an additional two billion dollars in military financing for Ukraine.

CNN's Chief International Security Correspondent Nick Payton Walsh is near Kharkiv. Nick, how critical is this moment for Ukraine?

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: All right. It's a deep, deep grave situation north of Ukraine's second- largest city, Kharkiv. And it's getting worse, frankly, day by day. We're now five or six days on from when the Russians first crossed the border again and what some dubbed a third invasion heading from their territory into parts of Ukraine.

They'd been kicked out nearly two years ago now. And in fact, it's depressing to be here, not far from Vovchansk. And just remember how two years ago this was a frontline area, and then we saw the Russians pushed out because their supply lines essentially had crumbled. Now, they have their act together it seems, and have on mass crossover. We're talking double digits, possibly a village as they claim to have seized. Vovchansk, the key town north of Kharkiv, on the border, that's really the focus of the fighting.

Ukraine's military making an admission that they had to "execute some kind of tax call withdrawal," but saying they put their forces in better positions around it. Essentially, suggesting the Russians have pushed them back a little. And a police chief inside the town has been reporting today hearing extensive sounds of gunfire in and around the town there. So, a lot moving around Vovchansk. Russia clearly coming at this with extensive resources.

Ukraine is struggling to respond in kind. Remember, that the lay of the $61 billion of U.S. aid for about six months has already had an impact across the frontlines in the east. And now, we're seeing it more acutely where they're being frankly outgunned by Moscow. Without the artillery, they can't stop advancing forces. Desperate need too for F-16s in the air here as well.

The situation is so grave that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has canceled his forthcoming trip abroad. There were hints he was going to Europe. Remember, so much of his job still is going around his allies shopping for aid, making the case for continued and better support for Ukraine.

That is now not going to happen for the days ahead because things are so acutely bad here. Clearly, Russia has in its sights, the second biggest city Kharkiv. Still pretty far out but its guns might soon be in range.

And remember too, all of this distracts forces from frontlines that have already seen Russian advances over the past days or weeks, in some cases too, a new phase of the war here utterly desperate. And one, frankly, that the slowdown in U.S. military aid is significantly to blame for. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Staryi Saltiv, just north of Kharkiv, Ukraine.

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BLITZER: All right. Nick, thank you very much and stay safe over there. Appreciate it very much.

Turning now to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says for months, he's been looking for a solution over who will govern Gaza once the war over there is over. But first, he says Hamas must be eliminated. Meanwhile, the IDF, the Israeli Defense Forces, says it has intensified the military operation in Rafah. More than a million Palestinians have taken refuge there since the war began.

[11:35:07]

Let's bring in CNN's Political and Global Affairs Analyst Barak Ravid. He's also the politics and foreign policy reporter for Axios. Barak, you cover this so well for us. We've learned that President Biden is not proceeding with the one-billion-dollar arms package to Israel just days after blocking a shipment of some 2000-pound bombs to Israel over fears that could be used in Rafah and kill innocent civilians. Does that send an inconsistent message to Israel right now?

BARAK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL & GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: I'm not sure, Wolf. First, because this arms package is not something that is going to be delivered anytime soon. According to what I hear from U.S. officials, the earliest that some of those weapons might be delivered is several months from now.

Some of them will take even three years before they'll be delivered. Most of it hasn't even been produced yet by the industry in the U.S. So, I don't think that this specific package is really connected to Rafah.

BLITZER: Interesting. Israel, as you know, is still refusing to back down from its military operations in Rafah in Southern Gaza, is Prime Minister Netanyahu calling Biden's bluff in regards to this weapons ultimatum that was issued?

RAVID: I'm not sure because at least for now, there was an understanding between the Israeli government, between Netanyahu and his aides, and the White House that Israel is not going to expand this operation, at least until National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan comes to Israel on Sunday. And I even suspect that this will be prolonged or extended until an Israeli delegation will arrive in Washington the week after for in-person talks about Rafah. Most of the operation in Rafah right now is still on the outskirts of the city and still pretty, you know, relatively targeted, at least that's what I hear from both Israeli and U.S. officials. So, at least for now, Biden's red line hasn't been crossed by the Israelis.

BLITZER: So, Jake Sullivan, the president's national security adviser is heading to Israel in the coming days. What's his goal? What's the goal of this visit in the short term?

RAVID: Well, I think it's a -- it's a very good question because he's going to go to Saudi Arabia first and then to Israel. The Biden administration is still trying this, I don't know, Hail Mary effort to get some sort of a mega deal with Saudi Arabia that might include a normalization agreement with Israel. And I think that Sullivan's message to Netanyahu is going to be, listen, you have two choices here.

You can go to Rafah which will be a -- maybe a tactical victory, but also maybe a strategic defeat. And you can say I'm going the other way. I'm -- you know, not going to extend -- expand this war, but I'm going to go for a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia that could be a strategic victory for Israel.

BLITZER: So, you think the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia is potentially still on the table? Is that what I'm hearing?

RAVID: I -- it's definitely on the table. And I hear it from everyone I talk to. The Saudis want it, the Biden administration wants it, and a lot of members of the Israeli war cabinet want it, but it comes with a price. There needs to be an end for the war. And Netanyahu needs to commit to a path towards a Palestinian state. Not tomorrow morning, but sometime in the future. At least for now, Netanyahu refuses both of those demands.

BLITZER: Quickly, Barak, before I let you go. How worried are you about a deterioration? It seems like it's happening in the Israeli- Egyptian relationship.

RAVID: Yes. I think that this is a -- we saw this over the last week. Israel didn't really coordinate well enough with the Egyptians, this operation in Rafah. The Egyptians stopped sending aid trucks through Israel as a result.

There was a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Southern Gaza. And in the -- an Israeli security and intelligence delegation went to Cairo today to try and solve this crisis to get some understanding. It is not clear yet whether it was a success -- it was successful or not.

BLITZER: Well, let's hope they can repair that relationship. Barak Ravid, as usual, thanks for your excellent, excellent reporting.

RAVID: Thank you.

BLITZER: And we're following other breaking news as well. As President Biden and Donald Trump agreed to debate right here on CNN, the Trump campaign asking for two additional debates. We have new information. We'll share that with you when we come back.

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[11:44:00]

BLITZER: There's breaking news we're following in the 2024 presidential election here in the United States. President Biden and former President Trump agreeing to debate at CNN's Atlanta studios on June 27. In just a few weeks. That's the earliest televised presidential debate in American history.

But while Trump agreed to Biden's terms, including that there'll be no audience, this is what's new. He's calling up President Biden to face him not twice, but four times, saying "there should be more than just two opportunities for the American people to hear more from the candidates themselves." Earlier this hour, President Biden's principal deputy campaign manager told me that's off the table at this time, saying the president did not mince words when he said two debates.

CNN's Alayna Treene has more details for us. She's working the story. Alayna, what more can you tell us?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Well, Wolf, I think it's clear, and you just saw that the president -- the former president's campaign is calling for four debates. They want to debate Biden as much as possible. That's what they're telling me.

[11:45:09]

And I think it's really interesting because what I've been told from Donald Trump's campaign, including this is an indication from his co- campaign managers, Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles is that they think that having Biden on the debate stage with Donald Trump will show that Biden is the weaker candidate. Remember back in 2020, we saw Donald Trump and Joe Biden face off on a debate stage, and Donald Trump was very aggressive. He barely let Joe Biden get a word in. And he actually fell in the polls after that appearance.

However, his campaign argues they think it'd be totally different this election cycle. And then having Trump on stage with Biden will show that Biden is feeble and that he's a weaker candidate than he was back in 2020. And so, we'll see how that pans out.

The other thing I just want to point your attention to is all of this attention on them both accepting the terms to the CNN debate and calling for other debates comes after some backchanneling between the two campaigns. From what we're told is both Joe Biden's campaign and Donald Trump's campaign want to go around the Commission on Presidential Debates. They want earlier debates. Both of them have called for that. They want -- they argue that because of early voting that they need to have these debates earlier.

And they also, as we see, have been very open to having a network host these debates rather than having it go through the Commission on Presidential Debates. There are questions, of course. So, because when you go through the CPD, they're televised on every network.

This will just be for the first one on CNN. And so, I think there are still some details that are being worked out. But it's very clear that they're ready to circumvent the traditional process.

BLITZER: (INAUDIBLE) Why did they don't like the Commission on Presidential Debates, both campaigns?

TREENE: Well, I think there's a few things. One is I think, from the Biden campaign's side, we're seeing that they have different terms they want to agree to including having no audience for this first CNN debate. The Trump campaign has been very frustrated behind the scenes with how the Commission on Presidential Debates has been running. That's what they've been telling me.

And part of it is because -- is that they want as many debates as possible, as I said. And they want these to be earlier. They think that if they wait too long until they get up to the election, that many voters will already be casting their votes via early voting that the debates won't matter as much.

BLITZER: Interesting. Alayna Treen, excellent reporting, as usual. Thank you very, very much.

REENE: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. We're learning that foreign operatives have AI- generated deepfakes to try and influence the 2020 election here in the United States. What that could mean for 2024? We have exclusive new CNN reporting. That's next.

But first, on this week's "CHASING LIFE," CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta shares tips on what foods to eat and what to avoid to have a well- nourished brain.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, host of CNN's "CHASING LIFE" podcast. You are what you eat.

GUPTA (voiceover): We all know the foods that we eat every day affect how our bodies function. But it also turns out food is deeply connected to how well our brains function as well. Look, we're all unique, but there are some rules that can help lead to a more well- nourished brain.

Omega Three-rich foods, like fatty fish and almonds, that can be helpful for cognition. High fiber and folate-rich foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, probiotics and fermented foods, and yogurts, they can help reduce anxiety and depression. Also, the serotonin and foods like bananas and the tryptophan and salmon or pineapple can make us feel happy and calm. On the other hand, some foods can hurt our moods. The risk for depression and anxiety can actually increase with ultra-processed and sugary foods like donuts and candies or fast food.

GUPTA: The key is this. Enjoy the food you like, but healthy versions of them. And remember, not all calories are equal. It's the food you get them from that matters the most.

GUPTA (voiceover): And you can hear more about how to optimize your health and chase life wherever you get your podcast.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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[11:53:32]

BLITZER: And now to some exclusive new CNN reporting. U.S. officials tell CNN that operatives working for the Chinese and Iranian governments created AI-generated content to influence the 2020 presidential election. CNN National Security Reporter Zach Cohen has details for us. Zach, what can you tell us about this foreign disinformation campaign?

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, Wolf, we're told by multiple sources that both China and Iran had developed -- prepared these fake AI-generated content that was intended to target U.S. American voters in the closing weeks of the 2020 election. That was based on intelligence collected by the U.S. National Security Agency. And it's interesting because we did see in that timeframe Iran and China both take part in various misinformation -- disinformation efforts, but we're told that these fake AI-generated content neither audio nor video were deployed by either country. So, it's an interesting question as to why neither China nor Iran did ultimately used this AI content in 2020. But it's also the underpinning concern of why we're hearing so much from U.S. lawmakers and hearing so much from U.S. officials now, four years later, about their concerns that technologies improved so much that both countries and Russia and other foreign adversaries could use this kind of fake content to try to influence the 2024 presidential election.

There's a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing this afternoon that is going to cover threats foreign -- of foreign interference in the 2024 election. Mark Warner, the chairman of that committee told our John Berman earlier today that he expects to bring up this issue of deepfakes, this issue of fake AI-generated content because that is a prevailing concern and a tool that we hadn't seen foreign adversaries have before.

[11:55:12]

BLITZER: Yes, it's a really -- it's a worrisome development indeed. Excellent reporting, Zach. Thank you very, very much. Zach Cohen reporting for us.

And to our viewers. Thanks very much for joining me here in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. I'll, of course, be back later tonight 6:00 p.m. Eastern in "THE SITUATION ROOM." Stay with us. "INSIDE POLITICS" with Dana Bash starts after a short break.

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