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Ultimatum to Netanyahu; Biden's Important Atlanta Visit; Police Say, No Body Camera Video Available. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 19, 2024 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

A key member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet threatens to resign. What it could mean for Netanyahu's hold on power.

Concerns over President Joe Biden's commencement address at historically black Morehouse College in Atlanta as he tries to court an important group of voters. How will his views on the Israel-Hamas War play into the trip?

And there is no body camera video available of the arrest of pro golfer Scottie Scheffler, but police are saying about why.

With the Israeli military now fighting in parts of Gaza they previously cleared and ceasefire negotiations stalled, Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a new problem. A key member of his war cabinet has delivered an ultimatum. Benny Gantz says he will quit the war cabinet if Netanyahu doesn't lay out a plan to get the hostages back, establish a post-war government in Gaza and normalize relations with Saudi Arabia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENNY GANTZ, ISRAELI WAR CABINET MEMBER: Now we are at the crucial crossroads. The leadership must see the big picture. Identify risks. Identify opportunities and formulate an updated national strategy. So, that we can fight shoulder to shoulder, the War Cabinet must formulate and approve by the 8th of June an action plan that will lead to the realization of six strategic goals of national importance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: In Gaza, signs of desperation as trucks filled with aid drove away from the U.S. floating pier. People climbed on board and took boxes of food. One man says they did it because of widespread hunger.

Journalist Elliott Gotkine is live in Tel Aviv. So, Elliot, I want to get to the question of aid, but, first, let's start with the big political story. So, take us through Gantz's ultimatum, Netanyahu's response, and what it might mean for the fragile coalition and for the war.

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: There are just three members of Israel's war cabinet, the prime minister, then you've got Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and then you've got Benny Gantz, a former defense minister and Netanyahu's chief political rival.

Now just on Wednesday, we had Yoav Gallant come out and criticize Netanyahu for dithering in the war and for failing to come up with a coherent plan for the day after the war. And now you've got Benny Gantz coming out with this press conference laying into Prime Minister Netanyahu for failing to achieve the aims of the war, namely to get the hostages back, to eliminate Hamas militarily and to demilitarize the Gaza Strip and also to think about what's going to happen to get a plan in place for the day after, in terms of civilian administration of Gaza, and also to get the tens of thousands of people displaced from the northern part of the country, which has come under daily attack from Iran back to militia of Hezbollah, and also to make progress towards normalization with Saudi Arabia.

These are all the things that Gantz says Netanyahu needs to come up with a plan for by June the 8th, or he will leave the government. He also says that the government right now as is, is heading in his words for the rocks. So, what Gantz I think is trying to do is, A, to give himself an out so that he doesn't go down with the ship when it does hit the rocks, and also to position himself politically for when there are elections, to position himself as a kind of prime minister in waiting. Because opinion polls will suggest that if elections were to be held tomorrow, Gantz would not only beat Netanyahu but he would trounce him.

That said, Netanyahu issued a stinging rebuke to Gantz following his press conference, saying that they were washed up words and that if he were to do what Gantz was saying, that this would effectively be handing victory to Hamas and at the same time abandoning Israel's hostages who are still being held in captivity in Gaza after being abducted on October the 7th.

The, the facts though is, Kim, that no matter what Gantz says or does, Benjamin Netanyahu still has the numbers in Israel's parliament, the Knesset. Even if Ganz leaves the war cabinet and takes his members of the Knesset with him, Netanyahu still has the numbers and does not have to face the electorate until October 2026.

And so as long as he can keep his ministers in the fold, especially those far right ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, in the fold as part of his government, then it really won't have any practical impact on the political landscape just yet.

[03:05:15]

But certainly it adds to some of the pressure on Netanyahu, not just from Benny Gantz, not just from Yoav Gallant, who's in his own party, but also of course the international pressure that Netanyahu has been facing over the way that he's been handling this war with Hamas. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Yes, pressure from all sides there. And then, Elliot, on the aid from the U.S. floating pier, we saw sad scenes of desperately hungry people in Gaza, which just illustrates the need for more aid.

GOTKINE: Absolutely. Not only would we not be seeing those scenes if enough aid were getting in, but you wouldn't need this $320 million floating pier that the U.S. has built and financed in the first place. And so you do have these scenes of people boarding, moving trucks, endangering their own lives just to get hold of some food. And I suppose at the same time, it couldn't have come at a more urgent time, because after Israel took control of the crossing between Rafah and Egypt, no more aid trucks have been going through what was the primary conduit for humanitarian aid to get into the Gaza Strip.

Egypt says that with Israeli forces there, they cannot guarantee the safety of humanitarian aid deliveries because Hamas may attack Israeli forces there, as they have done at other Israeli crossings, such as Kerem Shalom, where four Israeli soldiers were killed the other week. So, you've got less aid getting through than was getting through beforehand after it was ramping up due to U.S. pressure on Israel.

And so although this pier, the U.S. says that it plans to deliver 500 tons of aid every day, that still isn't enough. Most aid can get through it over land. And that aid is simply not getting through primarily now because of the Rafah crossing being closed between Gaza and Egypt. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: I really appreciate that. Elliott Gotkine in Tel Aviv, thank you so much.

Well, some criticize his policies towards Israel and Gaza, U.S. President Joe Biden will make what's considered a key speech in the coming days. He's under pressure in the opinion polls ahead of the election in November and with protests over the war in Gaza happening at college campuses across the U.S. There are concerns that what should be a day of celebration at Morehouse College could turn ugly.

Arlette Saenz has more.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Biden will deliver the commencement address at Morehouse College, an all-male historically black college here in Atlanta, Georgia. The event is meant to celebrate the graduating seniors, but it has come with a dose of controversy as some faculty and students have expressed frustration with President Biden's handling of the conflict in Gaza. That is an issue that has been of key concern to many young voters.

The White House dispatched a senior official just last week to Morehouse College to meet with a small group of faculty and students. That meeting lasted a little over two hours, and I'm told that about half of it focused specifically on the issue of Gaza.

But President Biden will face a very delicate balancing act as he gives his remarks on Sunday. One, there is the potential for possible protest due to his support for Israel in its war against Hamas, but then also the president is trying to navigate shoring up support among black voters, including young black men, black voters comprised a core part of Biden's constituency and coalition back in 2020 that sent him to the White House. But recent polling has shown some lagging support from that group.

Now, President Biden stopped to meet with some black voters, supporters at a restaurant here in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday and talked about the accomplishments of his administration, but also warned the threat that Trump could pose if he's re-elected. President Biden also took a bit of a swipe at his rival. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: The fact is that this election, lots at stake, lots at stake. It's not about me. It's about the alternative as well. You know, I think it's fair to say I won't use the exact phrase I'd use if I was still playing ball, but my opponent is not a good loser. But he is a loser.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: This is all part of a weekend-long push by Biden to court black voters. After he speaks at Morehouse College, the president will then travel on to Detroit, Michigan, another key battleground state. He will speak at the NAACP dinner there to offer another message to black voters as Biden and his advisers are very aware that they need to keep that constituency together if Biden wants to secure another four years in the White House.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, traveling with the president in Atlanta, Georgia.

BRUNHUBER: So, what kind of behavior might we expect to see at Sunday's graduation ceremony? Our Victor Blackwell spoke with David Thomas, the president of Morehouse College, about what he will and will not permit when it comes to protesting President Biden and his policies.

[03:10:03]

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID A. THOMAS, PRESIDENT, MOREHOUSE COLLEGE: What we won't allow is disruptive behavior that prevents the ceremony or services from proceeding in a manner that those in attendance can partake and enjoy, so, for example, prolonged shouting down of the President as he is speaking.

I have also made a decision that we will also not ask police to take individuals out of commencement in zip ties. If faced with the choice, I will cease the ceremonies on the spot if we were to reach that position. We will allow silent, non-disruptive protests. I had students ask me about it. What if we turned our backs on the president or turned our chairs. And I said to them, I'll be embarrassed, but that's not your problem.

You want to walk across the stage in a piece of garment that identifies your moral connection to either side of this conflict, you can do that. Signs, we will look at that sign and if that sign is seen as being hate speech, you cannot bring it in.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: What's the line for you on hate speech?

THOMAS: Anything that calls for violence against another group or individual, genocide the Jews, ethnic cleansing for the Palestinians in Gaza.

BLACKWELL: River to the sea?

THOMAS: River to the sea? I don't think that river to the sea would qualify as hate speech as opposed to a political view.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Joining me now is Gevin Reynolds, contributor to The Root and a former speech writer for Vice President Kamala Harris. Thank you so much for being with us at this hour.

I want to get to some of the wider issues from President Biden's visit. First, let's start with what we were just hearing there, concerns over protests. I mean, you just visited Morehouse. Give me the temperature of the campus or are you expecting any protests or disruptions during his speech?

GEVIN REYNOLDS, CONTRIBUTOR, THE ROOT: Well, Kim, first of all, thank you so much for having me back on your show. It's a pleasure to join you even though it's 3:00 in the morning on the East Coast.

But, Kim, you're right. I spent some time in Morehouse the other day to take the temperature for a piece that I was working on for The Root, in which I shared some thoughts on what I, what I think the president should talk about during his commencement address. What I heard from students is that largely, Kim, a lot of the graduates were actually worried that their ceremony would be disrupted by protesters. I think a lot of these graduates came, as you can imagine, have been working hard for the past four years, including during the pandemic they've worked hard to walk across the stage later today, I guess it is, Kim.

And so most of the students I talked to were sort of more ambivalent around the broader politics, which we might get to in a minute, versus on the issue of what's going on in the Middle East. A lot of the graduates I talked to were really hoping for a for an eventful ceremony in that respect.

BRUNHUBER: All right. So, let's get to the broader politics. As you mentioned, you spoke to some grads and talked to them in detail. What did they make of the attention of this presidential visit? Are they seeing it as the president of Morehouse College framed it the other day, it shows that they matter, or are they seeing it more as a cynical, political ploy?

REYNOLDS: So, I think it's important, Kim you know, I don't want to paint in broad brushstrokes, but what I heard was certainly the concern that perhaps the visit was political pandering. In large part, I think it's an incredible opportunity for the president to visit Morehouse College and to address a university, which the president knows has been on the forefront of helping to push, you know, our nation forward for so long. He knows the legacy and the rich history of Morehouse College. I think many of the students there recognize that the president recognizes that.

But based on the conversation that I had, there were some that expressed some hesitance with, you know, the president coming and sort of wondered if their special day would turn into more of a campaign visit.

BRUNHUBER: You wrote that many young black voters, especially young black men, are feeling, I'll quote you here, unloved, unheard, and unsupported by the Democratic Party. So, why is that? And can a speech change any of that?

REYNOLDS: Well, Kim, I think it's important to think about this from a historical perspective. So, we know that in 1964, President Johnson, Lyndon B. Johnson, a Democrat, signed the Civil Rights Act into law, and he did so against a lot of protests from Southern Democrats, who at the time were the racist party. And when he signed that bill, all those Democrats defected from the party and became Republicans.

[03:15:04]

And I think from then on, over the decades that followed, it was pretty clear which party stood for, what, the Democratic Party was perceived to be the party for civil rights, expanding civil rights for black folks, whereas the Republican Party was viewed as being the antithesis of that.

I think now that we're decades beyond that, I think what you're seeing is that a lot of younger black voters just aren't seeing it that way anymore. They're not giving the Democratic Party that same benefit of the doubt, that older black voters perhaps are.

And so despite the fact that I think the president has amassed an incredible record of accomplishments and has delivered an incredible amount of policy wins for the black community, including, you know, younger black voters, when you talk about creating jobs and investing in HBCUs, investing in black-owned small businesses, expanding health care access, canceling billions and billions of dollars in student debt. I think what we're seeing is that a lot of young black voters just haven't felt that quite yet.

And so it's important for the president, I think, during his speech to really lean into his record, but before doing that, to address the frustrations and the concerns that a lot of younger black voters are feeling right now with the Democratic Party.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Listen, we only have about a minute left, but since you and I are both in Atlanta, I want to sound you out here, President Biden flipped Georgia in 2020. You're here. Things do seem different this time around. Trump leads in the polls. The state has passed voting restrictions. Democratic strategists don't like to hear it, but polls show black support for Trump is growing. And, again, Georgia could make all the difference. So compare it to the last election. What are you seeing here in Georgia this time around?

REYNOLDS: Well, you're right, Kim. You know, I think what you pointed out, I think it will come down to -- the election will come down to Georgia again. And as a proud Georgian, I think that's pretty cool.

Look, I think, We're obviously not in a pandemic right now, the same way we were four years ago. So, it certainly feels very different in that respect. I think it's important to emphasize that President Biden's support among black voters is very solid and President Trump's support among black voters is abysmal.

I don't think we're going to see a defection in mass of black voters from President Biden to former President Trump. I think what we could see, you know, in a state like Georgia is perhaps some of the younger black voters staying home. And so I think it's important, it's imperative that the Biden campaign make up that enthusiasm gap, because we know on the other side, President Trump's base is ready to come out.

And so I think we're seeing the Biden campaign, especially in Georgia, recognize the opportunity that they have. You know, we're seeing a multimillion dollar ad spend among younger voters, among black voters. And a lot of that will be targeted, you know, in states like Georgia, in crucial swing states. We've seen the vice president, Vice President Harris, launch her economic opportunity tour. And where did she kick that off? Right here in Atlanta.

So, I believe that the campaign recognizes what they have to do in putting the money and putting the time in finding the local voices, the trusted voices in the communities here in Georgia to deliver this election. I think we're seeing them do that between now and November. It's important to continue to do that. And I think we will see that.

BRUNHUBER: All right. In the meantime, we'll see what President Biden has to say and the reaction from Morehouse later today. Gevin Reynolds, thank you so much for being here with us. I really appreciate it.

REYNOLDS: Kim, thanks for having me on.

BRUNHUBER: Former U.S. President Donald Trump says gun owners are under siege and he's urging them to get more involved in the coming election. The Republican frontrunner for president appeared Saturday at a meeting of the National Rifle Association as its political arm endorsed him.

The NRA strongly supports the U.S. right to bear arms. Trump boasted he didn't cave into political pressure to implement new gun restrictions while he was president. He also urged gun owners to show up at the polls in November. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We've got to get gun owners to vote. Because, you know what, I don't know what it is. Perhaps it's a form of rebellion because you're rebellious people, aren't you?

But gun owners don't vote. What is that all about? I've heard that. I heard it a few weeks ago. If gun owners voted, we would swamp them at levels that nobody has ever seen before. So, I think you're a rebellious bunch. But let's be rebellious and vote this time, okay?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Trump's appearance comes after a series of financial misconduct scandals at the NRA. The organization is facing questions about its relevance and financial stability heading into the 2024 election cycle.

Well, Alice Stewart, a CNN political commentator and veteran Republican adviser, has died. She was 58 years old. Police believe she suffered a medical emergency outside her home in Northern Virginia early Saturday morning. Stewart served as the communications director for several Republican presidential candidates, most recently for Texas Senator Ted Cruz. She was hired at CNN ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

CNN anchors and correspondents remember Stewart as someone who, quote, told it straight and always conducted herself with civility and kindness. Our sympathies go to her family. And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:20:00]

BRUNHUBER: Some Ukrainians are still struggling to get out of the Kharkiv region, where heavy fighting with Russian forces continues. Officials say about 100 people are still in the embattled town of Vovchansk. Ukraine's emergency services say explosions are moving closer, and the situation is getting worse every minute.

At least three people were killed and seven others injured over the last 24 hours, according to police. The head of Kharkiv's defense forces says the overall situation in the region is difficult. The Ukrainian troops are gradually stabilizing it.

And joining us now is CNN's Barbie Nadeau in Rome. So, first, Barbie, on the fighting in the Kharkiv region, what is the latest?

BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Yes. You know, we're hearing that there is continued fighting this morning. The situation, as you mentioned, very, very difficult. There are only about 100 civilians left in that town and they're trying to do as much as they can to protect those while the evacuations that we saw earlier in the week or last week, I should say, were quite immense. They've really removed most of the civilians from that area.

There's damage to infrastructure, damage to a retirement home there. And you know, it's a, it's a difficult situation as the -- it's harkens back, let's say, to sort of the beginning of the invasion by Russia into Ukraine, when you've seen these massive evacuations from these residential areas, Kim. [03:25:06]

BRUNHUBER: Yes. And then Barbara, you, part of the problem is Ukraine is outgunned and outmanned and to try to remedy the latter part of that, a new mobilization order takes effect. So, what more can you tell us about that?

NADEAU: Yes. You know, they're calling on males between the ages of 18 and 60 to register. Now, they won't be called up until they're 25 years old, but there will be obviously training and things like that that has to take place to prepare them. And there's no end to the service. You know, there's no sort of, let's say, we don't know how long they'll have to serve. They don't know how long so it could be as long as the war continues.

But President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had this to say to thank those who were signing up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: I think all of our warriors who showed sufficient resilience and managed to gain more confidence, especially in the Kharkiv direction this week, the occupiers losing its infantry and equipment, a tangible loss, even though, just as in 2022, it was counting on a quick advance on our land.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NADEAU: And, you know, Kim, when you listen to him, it's really about keeping morale up. You're calling up these young people who obviously, I hoped, something different for their country by now. This war as it goes on is obviously very, very difficult. And, you know, Ukraine continuing to call for help from the rest of the world and hoping that that continues. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right, I appreciate that. Barbie Nadeau in Rome, thanks so much.

Georgia's President Salome Zourabichvili says she has vetoed the so called foreign agents bill that sparked widespread protests across the country. Now, it would require organizations receiving more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents or face fines. Critics say it's modeled after Russian laws meant to snuff out opposition. And Zourabichvili says the bill could jeopardize Georgia's chances of joining the European Union. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SALOME ZOURABICHVILI, GEORGIAN PRESIDENT: Today, I vetoed the Russian law. This law is Russian in its essence and its spirit. It contradicts our Constitution and all European standards, therefore it represents an obstacle to our European path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: A simple majority in Georgia's parliament could still overrule the president's veto. 84 lawmakers voted to approve the bill on Tuesday, with only 30 voting against it.

The lone wolf gunman charged with trying to assassinate Slovakia's prime minister will remain in custody. The Slovakian court fears the 71-year-old suspect could escape and continue to commit crimes if released from detention. He can still appeal the decision to the country's Supreme Court.

Hundreds showed their support for Prime Minister Robert Fico on Saturday, gathering outside the hospital where he's being treated. Fico is said to be conscious and able to speak, but still is in very serious condition. The country's deputy prime minister says doctors will have a better idea of how Fico is recovering in the coming days.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a new crisis in his war cabinet. An expert explains what it means for the war and for Netanyahu's political future next.

And rapper Sean Diddy Combs is unlikely to face charges for a videotaped assault on his then girlfriend. Why time is on his side, that's next on CNN.

Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

The war in Gaza appears to be taking a toll on Benjamin Netanyahu's strained coalition government. A key member of his war cabinet delivered an ultimatum on Saturday. Benny Gantz says he will quit the war cabinet if Netanyahu doesn't lay out a plan to get the hostages back, establish a post-war government in Gaza, and normalize relations with Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu's office says those conditions would be, quote, a defeat for Israel.

Miri Eisin is the director of the International Institute for Counterterrorism at Reichman University and she's also a retired IDF colonel. Thank you so much for being here with us again.

So, obviously, the cracks have been there for a long time, but are you surprised how quickly things have turned now?

MIRI EISIN, DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR COUNTERTERRORISM, REICHMAN UNIVERSITY: In its own way, I'd say you say how quickly and I'm saying how slow. As an Israeli, as somebody who's been here in the last seven months or so, seven over seven months of war, the fact that for the first time after joining into the war cabinet, we have a party head, Benny Gantz, standing up and saying, you know what, I'm in the war cabinet, and this war cabinet is not defining a strategy.

It's something that we've said from the outside as advisers from the outside for so many months, and it's taken a very long time for somebody from within to stand up and say that and he did the ultimatum in a way that he said he would up and leave. Sadly, that does not necessarily mean that this war cabinet or the government itself would actually fall.

BRUNHUBER: So, the timing, why now do you think?

EISIN: Because we're after a series of both holidays in Israel, memorial days. I remind everybody last year -- last week was Israel's 76th anniversary. What can I tell you? Our 75th year as an Israeli, not something I'm going to write home about. And here we are on the eve of a new year in its own way, it's a timetable of looking and saying there aren't religious holidays.

This isn't about our inner (INAUDIBLE). This is about we're dealing both with the international community, and especially that in the fighting itself, specifically in the Gaza Strip, because there's the fighting up north against Hezbollah that attacks us every day from up north. But in the Gaza Strip, it's repetitive. I would even say the same thing up north against Hezbollah. There is no clear cut aim. And it just takes a long time until you say, wait a second. Why are we not getting something done?

And as I said, I think that this is something that could have been said months ago. But here it is now. Let's get that ball rolling.

BRUNHUBER: Why do you think Prime Minister Netanyahu has been so dead set against articulating a post-war plan?

EISIN: I want to hope that it's because he thinks that there is no good plan. I'm going to be nice for a moment and say, to be clear, Kim, there is no nice, easy, happily ever after. I'm sitting here inside Israel. For me, Hamas, Palestinian Islam and Jihad, especially Hamas, that didn't just perpetrate the attack on October 7th, it planned it with all of the atrocities.

[03:35:04]

It wants to repeat it. It continues to fight. I want them to be destroyed.

And there is no easy way. And I think that until now trying to balance it out where you think that the military can destroy these terror capabilities, but you cannot do so in an easy way, in a nice way. There is no nice war. And I think that it's because of that that you keep trying the military action without the additional diplomatic action. That's why it's a balance.

But I also think that it's domestic politics, that the reason he's not willing to do what I think needs to be done in the diplomatic front in cooperation with other countries is because of his domestic politics of the kind of coalition government that he's based on, where you have very far right elements, both within his party, but especially in the coalition partners. And if he does do the diplomacy, then some of those coalition partners will leave, and he will not be able to keep this government in standing. BRUNHUBER: Yes. Obviously politics and the war intertwined, but if we just kind of try and put the politics aside in a way, I mean, these cracks in the, in the government, if he were to leave, what do you think would happen with the war itself? What effect do you think it would have?

EISIN: Kim, it's such an important question because people don't realize that at the end, it won't necessarily change the war, meaning the military physical action against Hamas terror capabilities that are embedded and built into both the Gaza Strip and also there's, I mean, Hamas in Lebanon, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and also in the West Bank, that actually won't change.

What would change is the composition of a government that would, I want to hope, be much more willing to work hand in hand with international partners. It's not just the United States, it's also the regional partners, and together to talk about the day after on the Gaza Strip, meaning the military action would continue. But there would be much more concrete steps to what can be done to rule the Gaza Strip in the day after and together with the military operation.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. On that, on the U.S. and the international partners, the U.S. national security adviser met with the Saudi Crown Prince. He'll be visiting Israel with Israel's coalition unraveling. Does that make a negotiated solution more or less likely, do you think?

EISIN: when I look at the coalition government inside Israel right now with the war cabinet and who's sitting there, it's not just like that there's a majority. The main voices their very much do not look at the cooperation both with the Mossad sods and with the United States as being the most important part, the voices of what they say is about the destruction of Hamas. To me, they stand hand in hand.

So, I am not an optimist. And I think, in that sense that at the end, Benny Gantz put an ultimatum. But even when he leaves, because, to me, it's a question of time until he leaves this war cabinet, the prime minister will still have a majority that will keep together his coalition government and the voices from there are sadly, as far as I'm concerned, more extreme, not cooperative. That does not make me happy.

BRUNHUBER: Excellent analysis, as always. Miri Eisin, I really appreciate having you on. Thank you so much.

EISIN: Thank you, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: A federal judge has ordered that the sentencing case against David DePape should be reopened. He's the man convicted of assaulting the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The sentence is being reconsidered because the presiding judge didn't give DePape a chance to speak before she imposed 30 years in federal prison.

Prosecutors had earlier raised concerns about how DePape's case was handled. The court will reopen sentencing for his case on May 28th. His lawyers have appealed the entire sentence. Authorities in Los Angeles are responding to a video obtained exclusively by CNN showing Sean Diddy Combs shoving, kicking, and dragging his then-girlfriend during a 2016 altercation in a hotel. Now despite the disturbing images, it seems unlikely the singer will be charged for the assault.

CNN's Veronica Miracle has details.

VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has issued a statement saying they have seen the video, they are aware of it, and that it is extremely difficult to watch, and very disturbing. They go on to say in a statement that if the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, unfortunately, we would be unable to charge, as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted.

As of today, they also say that law enforcement has not filed a case with the district attorney's office. We reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department. They too say they are aware of the video, but they also say there is not an open investigation with the LAPD against Mr. Combs at this time.

[03:40:03]

Now, we pressed and asked if any kind of report was filed after the assault and they have not responded to our question. Sean Combs nor his team have not responded to the video.

Veronica Miracle, CNN, Los Angeles.

BRUNHUBER: Nearly 400, 000 homes and businesses in Southeast Texas are still without power after that complex of storms slammed across the area on Thursday. The city of Houston says the hurricane-like conditions and widespread power outages led to the spillage of more than 100,000 gallons of sanitary sewage but officials assure residents the city's drinking water remains safe. At least seven people died in the Houston area as a result of the storms.

So, as authorities in Houston scramble to restore power amid climbing temperatures and humidity, millions across the central plains are now under severe weather threat.

CNN Meteorologist Elisa Raffa has that.

ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Some pretty powerful storms packed winds up to 100 miles per hour Thursday night in Houston and that knocked out power. You could see people in the dark here in a Costco. Now, officials are saying that the power could stay out a couple of days, maybe even weeks in spots because of the way some of the transmitters were hit.

This could be a problem as heat starts to build this weekend going into early next week. We'll find temperatures in the middle 90s, but that could feel even hotter than that once you factor in some of the humidity. Look at the heat index values approaching 100 to 105 from Brownsville, Texas, up near 100 in Corpus Christi. Heat index values in the middle 90s in Houston. Again, without power and air conditioning, this could pose a little bit more of a risk, so be careful to take breaks as you're cleaning up some of that damage.

That heat builds in the south as another storm system develops there in the Rockies, and that's going to pose our next severe threat in the plains by Sunday and Monday. We're looking at a couple of round of storms with damaging winds, large hail and maybe some tornadoes possible, so we'll need to stay weather aware.

You can see the storms are starting to fire up late on Sunday, especially across parts of Kentucky. Kansas going into Nebraska, and we'll have that front slowly start to work its way into the rest of the Midwest as we go into Monday with that continued storm threat.

So, for Omaha, you're looking at temperatures above average before that front, with highs in the 80s and showers and storms roll through as we start out the work week, and those temperatures do get back closer to average with highs in the middle 70s.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Coming up every single week in the U.S., 25,000 people begin taking the weight loss drug, like Wegovy or Ozempic. Now, scientists are looking into whether there are other health benefits too. We'll hear what they've found next.

Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Scientists are analyzing a significant clinical trial of Wegovy, a diabetes medication that a growing number of Americans are using as a weight loss drug. Researchers want answers about their all the drug's effects beyond just helping patients drop some pounds.

We have details from CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: The study is called the Select trial, and so far it's found that taking a dose of a semaglutide each week was associated with a 20 percent reduced risk of a cardiovascular event, like heart attack or stroke in people with cardiovascular disease.

But is that reduced risk a result of people simply losing weight or is something else happening in the body? That's the question researchers are trying to answer because this reduced risk was seen across all groups in the study, even people who may not have lost as much weight as others.

And as far as side effects go, the study didn't uncover any new safety concerns outside of side effects we already know about, like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. But watching the long term effects of these drugs is so important because at least 25,000 people in the U.S. start a semaglutide each week. That number is more than the capacity at Madison Square Garden, which holds about 19,500 people.

And as these drugs become more popular, lawmakers are worried about costs. A new Senate committee report this week, led by Senator Bernie Sanders, says, quote, the outrageously high prices of these drugs have the potential to bankrupt our entire health care system.

Now, according to the report, Wegovy costs about more than $1,000 a month here in the United States, but it can be purchased for less in Europe at around $137 in Germany and about $92 in the United Kingdom. And there are so many reasons why different medications may cost more here in the United States than other places, but when it comes to semaglutides, these costs are getting a lot of attention right now. And tension is brewing between lawmakers and drug makers around this. Back to you.

BRUNHUBER: All right. After the break, the men's top golfer struggles at the PGA Championship after his run in with police. We'll have more on that next. Please stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: The breakaway Republic of Somaliland commemorated its 33rd Independence Day Saturday. Have a look. Citizens held a colorful parade in the capital, Hargeisa. This annual celebration of heritage and culture included units of Somaliland's Armed Forces marching in review for top dignitaries. The former British protectorate located in the Horn of Africa declared its independence from Somalia 1991. Somaliland has been self-governing since then but has yet to gain international recognition as an independent state.

Well, there will be no Triple Crown winner in the U.S. horse racing this year. Seize the Geay upset Kentucky Derby winner and favorite Mystik Dan on a muddy track at the 149th Preakness Stakes in Maryland. Mystik Dan challenged Seize the Grey on the home stretch but couldn't catch up.

An underdog, Seize the Grey, entered the race facing 9-1 odds. Triple Crown's third and final leg will be held on June 8th at the Belmont Stakes in New York.

The mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, tells CNN there is no police body camera video available of pro-golfer Scotty Scheffler's arrest, but he says officials are still reviewing other camera angles of Friday's incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRAIG GREENBERG, LOUISVILLE MAYOR: The officer did not have a body cam footage turned on during the incident. We will release footage that we have. We do not have any -- to my knowledge, we have not yet have discovered any video of the initial contact between Mr. Gillis and Mr. -- Officer Gillis and Mr. Scheffler. There is some footage from across the street of a fixed camera when Mr. Scheffler was being arrested, and we will release that footage in the coming days. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, it's not clear if the officer who stopped Scheffler was wearing a body camera, and if he did wear it, it's not clear why it failed to record, which is a police requirement.

Scheffler is charged with assaulting a police officer who was directing traffic at the scene of a fatal crash. It happened just before the second round of the PGA Championship. Scheffler calls it a big misunderstanding. Louisville Police didn't respond to questions about whether department policies were violated.

Now, despite an impressive showing at the tournament on Friday, mere hours after his arrest, Scottie Scheffler plunged down the leader board in the third round on Saturday.

CNN's Patrick Snell has more.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: It has been an extremely challenging last 48 hours, to say the least, for Scottie Scheffler. After his really impressive 5 on the par 66 on Friday in the hours after his arrest on Saturday, an altogether different experience, after his 2 over par 73, saw his remarkable par or better streak that had dated back to August of last year, finally ended.

[03:55:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER, MEN'S WORLD NO.1: I was definitely did not feel like my myself today for sure. But, you know, yesterday happened and I did my best to recover from it and come out here and compete today. And, you know, I did a great job yesterday coming out and competing, riding the adrenaline. And, yes, this morning was definitely not my usual routine for around, if that makes sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: We are all set for a thrilling finish on Sunday, a stacked leaderboard with six players within two shots of the lead, a lead shared by a two-time major winner and an Olympic champion as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

XANDER SCHAUFFELE, MEN'S WORLD NO. 3: Yes, it would mean a lot. At the end of the day, I mean, it's just a result. Winning a tournament is just a result. So, all I can focus on are good golf shots and, and striking good putts. And so at the end of the day, you know, wherever the cards fall, but yes, it would mean a lot, obviously.

COLLIN MORIKAWA, MEN'S WORLD NO. 13: I'm going to tap into the just that kind of mental state that I've been in not only in those two, but other tournaments that I've played well in looking back at a month ago at Augusta. I felt sharp and everything, but I feel like I could have, you know, had a little bit of self talk before I went out on that first tee and really just not got ahead of myself. You know, tomorrow is just going to put everything I have out there and see how it plays out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: You know, 12 of the last 13 PGA championships have been won either by a player who was leading or a player who was within two shots of the lead through three rounds. Buckle up and get ready for a highly dramatic Sunday afternoon in store.

Patrick Snell, CNN, Louisville, Kentucky.

BRUNHUBER: American Gymnast Simone Biles won the all round at the Core Hydration Classic on Saturday, edging out fellow U.S. gymnast Shilese Jones. Victory by the legendary Olympian is the first step towards qualification for this summer's Olympics in Paris.

Biles score was her best all round total since returning to competition last year. And you'll remember, Biles withdrew from several events at the Tokyo Olympics after suffering from what she called the twisties. It's a mental block causing a gymnast to lose track of their position in midair.

All right, that wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back in just a moment with more news. Please do stay with us.

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