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CNN International: U.S.-made Munitions Used in Rafah Attack; Jury Deliberations to Begin in Hush Money Trial; Blinken Visits Moldova Ahead of NATO Meeting in Prague; France, Germany Says Ukraine Should Be Allowed to Strike Russia; Putin Says Allowing Kyiv to Strike Inside Russia Could Lead to Global Conflict; Voters Head to the Polls in Pivotal Election in South Africa; North Korea Sends Balloons Carrying Trash to the South Korea; Biden to Court Black Voters in Philadelphia; Storms Batter Storm-weary Texas, 450k+ Without Power; U.S. Feds May Be Seeking to Indict Sean "Diddy" Combs; Colombian Congress Approves Nationwide Ban on Bullfights. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired May 29, 2024 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:15]
AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWSROOM": Hi, everyone, and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I am Amara Walker. This is "CNN Newsroom." Just ahead, as Israel deepens it's assault on Gaza's southern city of Rafah, we will bring you a new CNN Analysis showing the munitions used in that deadly attack on a displacement camp where U.S. made.
Then an exclusive CNN report from eastern Ukraine, how the U.S. supplied Abrams tanks are coming up short as the Ukrainian army finds itself losing ground along the frontline. And we are just a few hours away from the beginning of jury deliberations in Donald Trump's hush money trial. We will have a live report outside the courthouse.
We begin with the aftermath of that deadly Israeli strike on a displacement camp in Rafah, which has sparked protests and condemnation from around the world. A CNN Analysis of video from the scene and a review by weapons experts finds that U.S.-made munitions we're used in Sunday's strike. Gaza's ministry of health says at least 45 people we're killed and more than 200 injured.
Now, the IDF says it's strike targeting senior Hamas officials may have set off weapons stored in a nearby compound, causing a large fire after. The Palestinian health ministry says Israeli military operations in Gaza left 75 people dead over the past 24 hours. And for the first time in the war, witnesses report seeing Israeli tanks in the center of Rafah. Let's bring in CNN's Nada Bashir, who has been tracking the developments from London.
Nada, let's start with the CNN Analysis showing that the weapons used in the attack there at that camp in Rafah we're U.S.-made. What are you learning?
NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Amara, CNN has geo-located footage appearing to be from this particular camp that was targeted on Sunday evening, identifying the tail of a U.S.-made small diameter bomb. Now, we've been speaking to weapons experts who have reviewed and identified the bomb in this footage.
We've heard from explosives expert Chris Cobb-Smith, who has said that this was indeed a high-precision munition manufactured by Boeing, again, a U.S.-made bomb, that this was appearing to be used in the strike on Sunday, that this was consistent or rather the properties of this bomb were consistent with claims and descriptions put forward by Israeli military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, who spoke on Tuesday.
Now, the weapons experts have acknowledged that while this was indeed a high-precision bomb, the use of any munitions in densely-populated areas carried significant risk, particularly of course, when it comes to the civilian population. As we know, this particular area of Rafah, which came under attack on Sunday evening, was filled with thousands of tents sheltering displaced Palestinian civilians. Now, we have heard from the Biden Administration previously telling CNN that if Israel were to go into Rafah, the U.S. would not be supplying weapons for that sort of offensive.
Clearly though, American weapons are already in the hands of the Israeli military. And in response to this particular incident, the White House has said that they do not believe that Israel has crossed the Biden Administration's red line, that they would be against a major ground offensive and that they have not seen such an offensive at this stage.
But as you mentioned, Amara, we've been hearing from eyewitnesses on the ground who have told CNN that they have seen Israeli tanks and armored vehicles in central parts of the city and important to remember, of course, that in the last 24 hours, we have seen further strikes on the southern city of Rafah in the early hours of Tuesday morning, targeting the Tal as-Sultan neighborhood once again, a particular area that was targeted on Sunday evening, but also targeting the Al Mawasi coastal region which is designated as a humanitarian safe zone.
It is an area that the Israeli military had earlier this month told civilians to evacuate to. And while the Israeli military has denied targeting a humanitarian zone on the coastal region, we have seen graphic and disturbing video emerging from the scene, showing the bloodied bodies of the victims of this latest strike.
WALKER: And Nada, in the meantime, Algeria has proposed a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and of course, the unconditional release of hostages. But as you know, and as we've been watching all that's been happening at the U.N. Security Council level, there have been similar resolutions like this which the U.S. has vetoed multiple times. Where do we expect this proposed resolution to go?
BASHIR: Well, all eyes will certainly be on the U.S. response to this proposed resolution. There has been growing outrage and outcry from members of the international community and members of the U.N. Security Council, particularly after Sunday's attack on the southern city of Rafah.
[08:05:00] There is growing concern around the safety and security of civilians and the Biden Administration has been very vocal in its opposition to a full-scale ground operation in Rafah. And given the signs that we are seeing on the ground, it appears that that is only pushing further ahead with regards to the Israeli military. Now this proposal, according to a U.N. Diplomat that is set to put forward by Algeria not only calling for a full ceasefire, and of course, for the full return of hostages, but it is partially calling for an end to offensive plans in Rafah.
We've heard from the French ambassador to the United Nations say, it is high time members of the U.N. Security Council take action. So certainly, growing outrage there, but it remains to be seen how the U.S. will respond to this particular resolution, and of course, this comes less than a week after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its military operations in Rafah.
WALKER: All right. Nada Bashir, appreciate your reporting, as always, from London. Thank you so much. So, Israel's bombardment of Gaza since October 7th is having a dire effect on health care the enclave, as we have been reporting. Many hospitals have been forced to shut down, others are barely functioning. CNN's Paula Hancocks takes a look at the crisis and this warning for you, her report contains some graphic images.
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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Another residential building reduced to rubble by an Israeli airstrike. This time, in Gaza's Jabalia neighborhood, killing at least four people on Sunday according to medics on the scene, adding to the more than 36,000 Palestinians killed since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7th. But even the survivors may not stand a chance.
The U.N.'s humanitarian agency says there are no functioning hospitals in the area after the two remaining facilities in northern Gaza came under siege last week, prompting this panic to escape.
(Inaudible) one hospital's director claiming the Israeli military deliberately targeted the emergency room and reception area, forcing doctors out onto the streets with their most vulnerable patients.
This was deliberate, Dr. Abu Safiya (ph) says. Those here are medical staff providing medical and humanitarian services. They targeted us with the first missile, then the second, then the third. They want to force us out of this hospital.
CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment. But in a statement of Reuters, it said the IDF is looking into the source of the hit and is reviewing the possibility that it was IDF's straight fire that was not directed at the hospital.
It was a similar scene outside the nearby Al-Awda Hospital the next day. The Director of the World Health Organization says the Israeli military forced most of the staff and patients to evacuate. We were shocked today, says Dr. Abu Jassa (ph), after four days of suffocating siege Al-Awda, that the military has reached us and the tanks positioned outside the hospital gate. Airstrikes, power outages, and supply shortages have pushed dozens of health facilities in the Strip out of service. The Israeli military has accused Hamas of using hospitals to launch attacks from, making them legitimate targets. The U.N. says they are protected under international law.
On Monday, yet another health center forced to close, Rafah's Kuwaiti Hospital, after a drone strike killed two members of staff and just outside the gates according to the ministry of health. The devastating result of a health system under attack means injuries sustained by innocent Palestinians, or even childbirth or dialysis can quickly become a death sentence.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: After six weeks of sitting and listening, the jury are about to have their moment. We are just a few hours from deliberations beginning in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial. In about two hours, the judge will instruct the jury, explaining to them the law in this case and what they are tasked with deciding and weighing before they come out with their verdict.
After that, the seven men and five women will retire to a private room where they will debate Trump's guilt or innocence on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Let's go right to CNN's Brynn Gingras, who has been covering this from the very beginning. She is outside the courthouse at lower Manhattan. Good to see you again, Brynn. I mean, it was a long day of closing arguments yesterday. Walk us through what is going to happen today.
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. I mean, really a marathon yesterday, Amara. Today, they got a little bit later start because they finished so late yesterday.
[08:10:00]
The judge allowing jurors to come in about 10 o'clock this morning. And as you said, that is when he is going to begin jury instructions. Remember, this is going to take about an hour. This is the roadmap that these jurors are going to be able to use. How to interpret the law and then apply it to all the evidence that they have heard in the testimony that they have heard over the last several weeks.
Remember, also, we have not heard these jury instructions last week, lawyers on both sides, the prosecution and the defense, they debated what those jury instructions should sound like, almost down to some words, and the judge making his final decision, giving the draft to those lawyers before they can make those closing arguments. So that is how those closing arguments were fomented around those jury instructions. This is a pivotal part of the case, and that is what it's going to happen at 10 o'clock this morning. Then as you said, those jurors, though seven men, five women are going to deliberate behind closed doors. During that time, Donald Trump and his defense team will stay inside the courthouse, just in case there are any notes that are actually going to be given by the jurors as they interpret all of that evidence. We're told. As of now, there are no notes allowed during the lunch hour. So, it's not clear of jurors will continue deliberating during those hours or if they'll take a break and have their lunch and stop their work until it resumes again after the lunch hour. But that is what we know right now.
But this is obviously a big moment in this case, finally winding down. The fate of Donald Trump on these 34 charges, the only criminal trial that he will likely face behind this -- before this election rather, starts today, the deliberations.
WALKER: Just quickly, Brynn, before we let you go. I mean, given that this is historical and unprecedented, I mean, have you seen a change in the security posture around the courthouse? Given the nature of how polarizing this case has been.
GINGRAS: Yeah. Look, we continue to see sort of the same security presence that we have seen this entire trial. Certainly, there is a lot of security that we don't even know about because of the secret service attention to the former president. Our understanding though, Amara, is that once a verdict is in, there will be some communication between the NYPD, the court staff here, so that likely there'll be more personnel that will come to this area, just in case there are any sort of protests that do breakout.
I will say there was a pretty robust crowd of Trump supporters that for here yesterday. We know his children were here. Donald Trump's children were here inside the courtroom for closing arguments. So, we'll see how that shows up today. Haven't seen much yet, but it's pretty early in the morning.
WALKER: It sure is. Really appreciate you being out there. CNN's Brynn Gingras, thank you so much. Good to see you.
America's top diplomat is in Moldova at this hour, ahead of a two-day NATO meeting in Prague. Ukraine is expected to dominate the agenda. The Czech government is leading a drive to speed up ammunition deliveries to Kyiv. The leaders of France and Germany, meanwhile say Ukraine should be able to defend itself fully from Russian attacks, even if that means using weapons supplied by its allies against targets inside Russia. Moscow warns that could lead to a global conflict. Lots to discuss here. Let's get right to CNN's Melissa Bell in Paris. Melissa, I mean, how could tomorrow's meeting lay down the basis for the NATO General Summit in Washington in July?
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this trip of Secretary Blinked, Amara, is very much designed to that. In fact, by the time he gets to the Czech Republic or Czechia, as it's now being referred to following the lead of its leaders, it is -- it will be a proper exploratory planning meeting ahead of that Washington Summit in July, that big NATO Summit in D.C. But, this Moldova stop is, of course, an important part of bolstering western support in the face of Russian aggression. Remember that this particular country, which is a member -- it's wanting to join the European Union. It is a candidate country for EU membership. It is, of course, neutral with regard to NATO, but it has made sounds in the past about possibly wanting to look at closer coordination with NATO.
Now, its particular geography, its particular history mean that this is one of those countries that fits right into Moscow's potential playbook. It has its very own Russian -- pro-Russian separatist breakaway region, Transnistria, in which 1,500 Russian troops are positioned even now. And if you look at what Moscow has done over the last few years when it came to Georgia, when it came to Ukraine, there are fears that Moldova could be next. In fact, the pro-European prime minister of Moldova who is standing for election in October has consistently said that she is seeing Russian meddling in their democratic process.
What we expect Secretary Blinken to announce, amongst other things, is a package of measures to help Moldova withstand that sort of meddling. And of course, by its geography, Amara, it is exactly the kind of country that by turning up there, Secretary Blinken is likely to make an important statement about his support to the West because it has -- its breakaway republic is a border -- is on the border with Ukraine, but it is also likely to send a strong message to Moscow and not likely to go down well, Amara.
[08:15:18]
WALKER: You know, it's also been fascinating to watch the evolution of some countries like Germany in their support for Ukraine. And we've heard, as we said earlier, that France and Germany is now saying that Ukraine should be allowed to use their weapons against targets inside Russia. What has the Russian reaction been to those comments?
BELL: Fascinating to hear from Vladimir Putin himself. He was speaking in Uzbekistan and just for the context to that, we heard, as you say, Olaf Scholtz and President Macron speak at the end of that three-day state visit yesterday, backing from the point of view of (inaudible), what Jens Stoltenberg has been saying very forcefully several days now, which is that some NATO allies don't have restrictions on how the weapons can be used by Ukraine once they arrive, most do. He feels, the NATO secretary general, very strongly that it is time they remove those restrictions. And what we heard yesterday was a forceful backing of that position.
Now, from Uzbekistan, we heard from Vladimir Putin speaking directly to that, saying to the West, look, that would mark a direct escalation, be very careful, if these sorts of long-range weapons were used from Ukraine onto Russian soil, this would involve, and I'm quoting here the Russian president, Western Intelligence. It would likely involve Western military operatives even if they weren't on the ground. This, therefore, would be seen as a direct attack by NATO on Russia. And he warned that NATO allies need to be very careful about what our response would be, specifically some of the most smallest countries with large populations, speaking specifically there without naming names to, for instance, the Baltic States, NATO eastern flex.
So, a very direct threat of what would happen should this policy be pursued. But I think it's important to remember, Amara, that for the time being, it certainly divides NATO members, European allies. There is far from consensus so far as to whether these restrictions should be lifted globally.
WALKER: Right. Well, we appreciate you following this, Melissa Bell. Thank you very much. Live for us there in Paris.
Staying with Ukraine now and CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has sent this exclusive report from the eastern front where he says he is hearing first-hand how U.S.-supplied Abrams tanks are coming up short.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They hide feverishly as they are a prime target for Russian missiles. But if Moscow knew the trouble these U.S.-supplied Abrams tanks are causing Ukraine, they might not bother. Let them keep them.
The M1 Abrams, America's main battle tank, a veteran of fighting Saddam in Iraq and desert insurgence, but muddy Ukrainian fields and $500 attack drones, not so much.
PATON WALSH: That was such a fast around (ph) whether Ukraine would get these. But for the moment the decision was made, yes, through the training, through the time it took to get to the frontline, the war has enormously changed.
PATON WALSH (voice-over): All 31 America gave are now in one area in the east where Ukraine is losing ground. Training in Germany, the interior in Ukrainian, and while there is gratitude for all U.S. help, they can't pretend this is working.
DNIPRO, UKRAINIAN 47TH MECHANIZED BRIGADE (through translator): Its armor is not sufficient for this era. It doesn't protect the crew.
JOKER, UKRAINIAN 47TH MECHANIZED BRIGADE (through translator): For real, today, it's a war of drones. So now, when the tank rolls out, they always try to hit it.
DNIPRO (through translator): Number one target.
JOKER (through translator): Number one target.
DNIPRO (through translator): On the battle field, without defense, the crew doesn't survive.
PATON WALSH (voice-over): They've learned the hardest way here in the pitched battle for the city of Avdiivka, one of their drivers lost a leg recently. Off-camera, they show us how they're adding active armor plates on themselves then there are the shells, not enough, of the wrong type for the wrong sort of fight. JOKER (through translator): We have ammunition for direct tank to tank battle. Much more often we work artillery. We take apart a tree line or a building. Once we fired 17 rounds into a house and it was still standing.
PATON WALSH (voice-over): Better than Soviet tanks, they still say, even though this one, fresh from Poland, is already broken down. Condensation can fry the electrics, they also say, really, this is a solid gold wrench of a gift. This is a tank for a kind of war NATO would only fight backed by huge artillery and airpower. They're being asked to do things NATO never would.
JOKER (through translator): They would never do it. Aviation, artillery, then the tanks enter, and infantry. Call the aviation, call the artillery. We have no aviation and artillery. We have only tank. And it's the problem.
[08:20:00]
PATON WALSH (voice-over): One Abrams was captured and paraded in Red Square recently. The crew here joke, at least the Russians managed to tow it away. They have been struggling because these are so heavy. This threadbare army losing ground, perhaps wish they got a gift receipt.
PATON WALSH: If you could ask the Americans for one thing now, what would you ask for?
JOKER (through translator): I only have one question. Why is this taking so long and why it comes partially? We are losing time. It's death to us.
PATON WALSH (voice-over): Machines built at the peak of American hyper-power decades ago, sent half-heartedly it seems, to hold back a fast-changing world.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, eastern Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: Nick Paton Walsh, thank you for that. It is Election Day in South Africa, one of the most pivotal votes since the end of apartheid 30 years ago. The African National Congress has been in power since Nelson Mandela led it to victory in 1994. However, recent polls have shown the party may not get the 50 percent of the vote it needs to keep control. That could mean the ANC has to form a coalition government for the first time. David McKenzie is joining us now from Johannesburg.
David, first off, what is the mood like there at the polls?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The mood is pretty good. We've been here most of the day, Amara, at this very large polling station, right in downtown Johannesburg and you get the sense of enthusiasm and determination. They were some early kinks in the system, as you might expect, but things are running smoothly now. We've spoken to a lot of people in the line over the last few hours, more than seven hours now since the polls opened here in South Africa, and there is a sense from many people, at least here, that they want change.
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MCKENZIE: Why do you think this election in particular is a very important one, since 1994?
SYDNEY RADEBE, SOUTH AFRICAN VOTER: Visible (ph) competition now is very tight. And when it is tight, we are definitely saw that we are going to see what do we want to see, the change because nothing has been happening. You know, these guys are relaxing. They're not doing anything for us.
MCKENZIE: Some of your friends don't want to vote today you told me.
NEWTON UGBOH, SOUTH AFRICAN VOTER: Yeah.
MCKENZIE: Why do you think that is?
UGBOH: They've seen what is happening and they don't like it. So, they thinking (inaudible) change at all, but then I don't believe that. So that's why I came here to vote.
ROSELYNE TSWAKE, SOUTH AFRICAN VOTER: No, it's not my first time, it's not my second, it is not my (inaudible). I have been voting since but no change. We don't see any change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE (on camera): Since Nelson Mandela came into power, I think this is the most significant election this country has seen, Amara. And you mentioned that the ANC could face a coalition government. Now, that might not sound that dramatic to those who don't follow South African politics, but it would be a cataclysmic moment or at least a major moment in South Africa for the prospective of the ruling party because they have been politics in South Africa in many ways since the dawn of democracy.
Still the votes need to come through for several more hours. They need to be counted. In the next few days, we will know whether the ANC slips below that 50 percent, whether they have to form a coalition government. It's uncharted territory for South African politics. Amara?
WALKER: It will be an extremely consequential election and we heard there from the voters you spoke with, they just want to see some change. You had a piece yesterday that showed the ANC had a pretty strong ground game. What is the ANC doing to try to hold onto power?
MCKENZIE: Well, they have an excessively good ground game because of the years of organization. I mean, the party was started in the early 1900s. This is the oldest party on the African continent. And they have gotten out today, mobilizing people, using their networks. In some cases, individual volunteers who know specific voters that they want to make sure they get out to the polls because turnouts, like in any democratic election, is incredibly important for the ANC.
Right here, it is a stronghold, I must say, in downtown Johannesburg of various opposition groups. In the more rural areas and also amongst the older generation that remember directly the impact of the ANC when it came to the transition to democracy, the ANC will likely do better. So certainly, don't count them out yet. The president said that he is confident when he voted earlier today in Soweto, just to my south. But at least two people here that I've spoken to you, about a dozen or more of them, say they want something different for this country that is struggling through economic stagnation, massive unemployment, and gross inequalities amongst the population.
WALKER: David McKenzie in Johannesburg, appreciate your reporting. Thanks so much, David.
Well, you usually see balloons at festive occasions like birthday parties, right?
[08:25:00]
But, these balloons are not bringing presents. Details of some not so special deliveries in South Korea. Also, severe storms rock Texas, leaving nearly half-a-million people in the dark, a look at some of the damage ahead.
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WALKER: South Korea is left wondering if the North's latest move is an act of aggression or an act of annoyance, more than 260 giant balloons carrying bags of trash have landed in South Korea. The country's military says the bags have spilled scraps of plastic, sheets of paper, and what appears to be dirt. The military says it's analyzing the filth and the garbage. CNN's Will Ripley has more.
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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This seems to be a new strategy by North Korea, sending so far hundreds of these trash filled balloons into South Korea. Local residents have actually been getting warnings to avoid outdoor activities because authorities just don't know exactly what is inside these things. Photos show plastic bags with garbage and filth, as South Korea described it, scraps, paper, dirt, that sort of thing. North Korea says this is a response to South Korean activists sending prohibited materials.
For a long time now, South Koreans, a lot of NGOs, sometimes former North Korean defectors that are now living in South Korea, they send into the North, sometimes using balloons, leaflets, food, medicine, even media like Korean dramas or K-pop, music that is forbidden for North Koreans to listen to, programs that are forbidden for North Koreans to watch. But they send them from South Korea anyway, as part of this propaganda push to try to convince the North that there is a better way of life in the South. This has been going on for a long time.
North Korea has long accused the South of psychological warfare and has promised retaliation. So now, by sending these hundreds of trash filled balloons, they want South Korean authorities to experience the headache of cleaning up and locating all of this, just like they say they've been dealing with for a long time. But for North Koreans who receive content, particularly from South Korea, the penalties can be extremely severe. Remember, we showed you rare footage of those North Korean teenagers apparently sentenced to hard labor for viewing and distributing South Korean content.
There was a time 2017, 2018, when there we're some brief periods of cultural exchange between the North and South, part of that diplomatic deton (ph). And at that time, North Koreans were allowed to legally get a glimpse of South Korean culture. But those days seem like a distant memory now with information controls arguably tighter than ever inside North Korea. And now, these trash balloons being sent to the South, part of this tit-for-tat, back-and-forth, and just yet another sign of the escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
WALKER: Still to come, with the jury set to start deliberations in Donald Trump's hush money trial today, we will recap the dramatic closing arguments they heard on Tuesday.
[08:30:00]
Also, President Joe Biden's support in the U.S. black community seems to be fading. What he is doing to get those voters back on his side?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALKER: Donald Trump's fate is about to be placed in the hands of 12 New Yorkers. Jury deliberations in his hush money trial begin in just a couple of hours from now. The seven men and five women will weigh everything they've heard over 21 days of evidence and nearly two dozen witnesses.
CNN's Paula Reid has details of the closing arguments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is a dark day in America. We have a rigged court case that should have never been brought.
PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump's hush money trial entering its final phase with closing arguments. Trump attorney Todd Blanche telling the jury, the district attorney has not met their burden of proof, period, maintaining Trump's innocence saying it's a paper case, not about an encounter with Stormy Daniels 18 years ago that Trump has unequivocally and repeatedly denied. Blanche saying the hush money payments were not illegal and Trump was unaware. There is no evidence at all, not even a little bit of evidence that President Trump knew anything about these false filings. Zeroing in on the prosecution's key witness, Michael Cohen, sharply saying Cohen lied to you. He's literally like an MVP of liars, Blanche remarked, telling the jury he liked to you, make no mistake about it.
And later, calling Cohen the GLOAT, greatest liar of all time. Blanche claiming Cohen was the human embodiment of reasonable doubt and that the jury should not convict based on his testimony. Blanche concluded his argument by telling the jury, you cannot send someone to prison, you cannot convict somebody based on the words of Michael Cohen. But that comment angered Judge Juan Merchan, who immediately admonished that comment as outrageous and highly inappropriate.
Later instructing the jury to disregard it, saying they could not discuss, consider, or even speculate as to matters related to his sentence or punishment. That is a job for the judge. Then, prosecutors kicked off their closing arguments, playing clean up. We didn't choose Michael Cohen to be our witness. We didn't pick him up at the witness store, Joshua Steinglass told the jury. Mr. Trump chose Mr. Cohen for the same qualities that his attorneys now urge you to reject his testimony, insisting it's a deflection for the defense to make the case about Cohen.
[08:35:00]
Steinglass explained Cohen's role was just to be a tour guide through the physical evidence, but those documents don't lie and they don't forget. The prosecution then accused Trump and the publisher of "The National Enquirer" of trying to pull the wool over voters' eyes in a coordinated fashion. They didn't use the term catch-and-kill, but that's exactly what it was Steinglass said and that's the illegal part, because once money starts changing hands on behalf of the campaign, that's federal election campaign finance violations. This is not normal legitimate press function, Steinglass remarked, calling it overt election fraud.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
REID (on camera): The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Wednesday and former President Trump is actually required to be inside the courthouse during those deliberations. He can't leave. Now, this is something that will likely make him unhappy as he has made it clear he does not like this courthouse and of course, he does not like this case. It's unclear though how long it will take the jury to reach their verdict.
Paula Reid, CNN, New York.
WALKER: All right. A verdict on Donald Trump, so this is the moment. And to help us sort through everything the jury heard and what they will do once deliberations begin, I'm joined now by Trial Attorney and Legal Analyst, Misty Marris. Good morning to you. Thanks so much for being with us this morning.
Let's talk about the jury instructions because that's where the judge will start this morning, right? There was disagreement between both sides last week, when they're talking about the jury instructions, the jurors will get. Tell us why that's important and what they will likely hear from the judge? MISTY MARRIS, TRIAL ATTORNEY: Absolutely. The jury instructions are of critical importance and the reason that that is the case is because it sets forth what the prosecution's burden is to establish every element of this case beyond a reasonable doubt. So in most cases, jury instructions in New York, in an every state, there is what is called pattern instructions. So, it's pretty well known what the instructions are ultimately going to say by both the defense and the prosecution.
But in this case, because of the way that this case is actually stacked, you have the falsification of business documents in furtherance of another crime. You have the New York State election law statute that also requires an unlawful act, and then we have campaign finance violations. These jury instructions are going to be quite complicated. So the first thing that will happen today is the judge will read the instructions to the jury. He will go through each of those elements and explain how -- what the jury needs to find in order to find Trump guilty or to determine that the prosecutors fulfilled their burden.
There was an all-out fight between the sides as to what these instructions would say. And today, it will be revealed which side actually might have come out with some slight lead as far as what those jury instructions actually are going to tell the jury.
WALKER: Well, can you help us understand what some of those disagreements were, like what the defense did not want as a part of the jury instructions versus the prosecution?
MARRIS: Absolutely. And there are some critical things to listen for today, as these jury instructions are unveiled. Number one, the prosecution wanted in the jury instructions for it to say that a retainer agreement is necessary in order to commence legal representation. This would be directly at odds with the defense argument that retainer agreement was accurate, even though it was not reduced to writing, it existed verbally and therefore was sufficient. The defense does not want that instruction in the arguments, so they can argue that these documents were actually not falsified.
Another area that was contested, the intent to defraud, what does that jury instruction look like? Prosecutors want a very broad definition while defense attorneys want to show that actually the intent to defraud has to relate to a pecuniary or property interest, not just a general intent to defraud with respect to the election. Another area, what does in furtherance of another crime mean? Intent to commit that other crime. So all of these different areas, including the federal election law violations, will have to be set forth and there we're strong disagreements about the language. Of course, prosecutors want it more broad, defense wants it more narrow wow.
WALKER: Wow. OK. I'm trying to wrap my head around all of this. I mean, it seems like it's going to be really tough few days or hours for the jury, including the jury instructions because there has been so many hours of testimony. There is also evidence. I mean, is it going to be simple, which I'm sure it's not, as it coming down to whether or not they believe the dueling narratives versus the paper trail in front of them? MARRIS: I actually think they're going to grapple with these jury instructions.
WALKER: Yeah.
MARRIS: That's been my opinion, as an attorney, even hearing the arguments that were set forth, they are unique and they are quite complicated to understand how they apply.
[08:40:00]
And you know, there is two lawyers on the jury who might really be leaders in that jury room. But look, if there is a juror who is going to scrap Michael Cohen's testimony. And again, the jury instructions will say, if you believe a witness lied about something material, you can disregard their testimony in total.
WALKER: Wow.
MARRIS: You don't have to take it into consideration. That could certainly impact the case.
WALKER: Yeah, it sure can. And especially because we had that dramatic moment with Michael Cohen on the stand and regarding that October 2016 call. We're going to leave it that there. This was fascinating, Misty Marris, thank you so much for your time.
MARRIS: Absolutely.
WALKER: So while jury deliberations get underway in New York, President Joe Biden will be in Philadelphia. He is working to build enthusiasm among black voters amid polls showing a decline in support for him, particularly among black men. He will be joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and several black elected officials. In addition to touting his own accomplishments, he will also warn voters about what he calls Donald Trump's racist and toxic agenda.
Priscilla Alvarez joining us now from the White House with more. Hi there, Priscilla. So, what is the president's strategy here?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the goal here is to revive a part of his coalition that, as you laid out there, there has been waning enthusiasm. Of course, black voters propelled him in 2020 and the president is trying to coalesce that support now, looking ahead to November, knowing that it's going to be a tight race. And up until this point, polls have shown that some black voters just aren't as enthusiastic, some are shifting toward his Republican rival, Donald Trump, and the biggest concern is that they don't show up to the polls at all. And so, the president is going to Philadelphia, his third time in the city this year, to try to court those voters.
Now of course, this also comes on the heels of multiple efforts that have been ongoing over the course of the month. In fact, earlier this month, the president also had a multi-day stretch here at the White House commemorating Brown v. Board of Education. He also delivered a commencement address at Morehouse and has had campaign stops in Atlanta, Georgia. Taken together, you can see how the campaign is really trying to make inroads with this block, this voter block.
Now, of course this also comes on the heels of the campaign taking a more aggressive strategy on the Trump trial. Just yesterday, we saw the Biden campaign outside of the courthouse where those closing arguments were happening in the Trump hush money trial case with also Robert De Niro. This was a pretty dramatic shift from where the campaign has been, but it describing that decision earlier this morning, Biden campaign comms spokesperson said that this is essentially them trying to seize opportunity. The media was there. This is an opportunity for them to draw that stark contrast between President Biden and Donald Trump.
And so, we anticipate seeing perhaps more of that as they try to drive home the message that Donald Trump poses a threat to democracy. More of that today in Philadelphia.
WALKER: All right, we'll be watching for it with you. Priscilla Alvarez at the White House, thank you very much.
Turning now to Texas where utilities say some 450,000 customers are without power after severe weather battered an already storm-weary state. Heavy rain turned roadways, look at that, into rivers, leaving drivers stranded. Just so much water there. The storms unleashed hurricane-force winds. You can see this plane was blown away from its gate at Dallas Airport just from those gusts. And a teenager was killed when heavy winds caused the house he was working on to collapse.
CNN's Ed Lavandera joining us now from Garland, Texas. I mean, it's just astounding to see the damage and the impact. What are you seeing?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it has been relentless. So the line of storms that blew through north Texas, all the way down into Houston, just wreaking havoc everywhere. This line of power lines was put up overnight after it has been knocked over. So here in the Dallas County area, we still have about 200,000 customers without power. The number statewide is just under 450,000 now, but seems like this is kind of playing out everywhere.
But you still have the confusion and the chaos that's caused by intersections with power out and that's causing delays on the roadways all over the area as well. So, it's something that people are still dealing with. And officials here are saying that even though the peak of people with -- the customers without power is like about over 1 million at one point yesterday. So that number has significantly dropped, but it still could be quite some time before everyone is brought back online.
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CLAY JENKINS, DALLAS COUNTY JUDGE: This unfortunately will be a multi- day power outage situation.
[08:45:00]
That does not mean if your power is out right now that it will be out for multiple days. It certainly could be out for multiple days.
GRANT CRUISE, SPOKESPERSON, ONCOR ELECTRIC DELIVERY: We did have a significant number of downed lines. Because of this weather event, in many cases, it's not going to be simple repairs. We're looking at complete reconstruction for parts of our area.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: And the severe weather over the last few days has just been incredibly dramatic here in Texas. So, we've had deadly tornadoes, flooding. We've had hailstorms, as well as even dust storms, Amara, so even forecasters are also saying that there is the possibility for more severe weather later today in parts of the state as well. So, it just seems like it's never ending at this point.
WALKER: It does. I mean, Texas has had more than enough at this point. Ed Lavandera, thank you for your reporting.
All right. Still to come, a U.S. federal grand jury may soon hear from Sean Diddy Comb' accusers. The story after the break.
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WALKER: Legal troubles continue to mount for U.S. music mogul, Sean "Diddy" Combs. Sources tell CNN federal investigators are preparing to put accusers of Combs before a federal grand jury. That's a clear sign the Department of Justice could bring an indictment. CNN has also learned that the majority of people who have filed civil suits against Combs have already been interviewed by federal investigators. Now, Combs has repeatedly denied many of the claims against him, but has not responded to all of the allegations just yet.
CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has been following this story from the very beginning. OK. Bringing us up to speed on the latest developments, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, this is a significant escalation in the investigation. We all remember back in March when Diddy's homes, both in Miami and Los Angeles, were raided by homeland security. And now, we are hearing from two sources that these federal investigators have notified potential witnesses that they may bring them in front of a federal grand jury in New York City to testify.
Now, sources do caution that the investigation where it stands right now, is still in the information gathering stage. So, nobody has been prepped on testimony yet. But as you said, we have heard that the majority of these accusers who have filed civil lawsuits against Sean "Diddy" Combs have been called in and have spoken to these federal investigators.
Now, we also hear that video footage that comes from Combs' residences is in the possession of these federal investigators. It's unclear whether this video footage was seized or whether this video came from sources that they have called in for questioning. But we do hear that there are people on these tapes who they are calling in for questioning.
[08:50:00]
So, it's not just the accusers who have filed these lawsuits, it's also people that they have spotted on those tapes. It's also corroborating witnesses. We hear that questioning is still ongoing. They have called in some people and some of these accusers numerous times, and that one individual who was spotted on those tapes is a male sex worker who was brought in for questioning with these federal investigators.
Now at the time, Amara, that the raids happened in March, a law enforcement source told us that this was based on sex trafficking and that Diddy was the target. Now, we are hearing that the scope has widened to include everything that has been alleged in these civil suits. Sean "Diddy" Combs faces seven suits directly accusing him of sexual assault and beyond sex trafficking, there is also accusations of money laundering and of drugging. Six of these seven sexual assault accusers have said that Sean "Diddy" Combs drug them and we hear that that is also what the investigation is looking into.
WALKER: All right. A lot going on, Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you. I'm going to take a quick break. Back after this.
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WALKER: Colombia's Congress has approved a nationwide ban on bullfighting in a significant victory for animal rights activists. The bill will now be sent to Colombian President Gustavo Petro to be signed into law. Stefano Pozzebon has the details from Bogota.
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: Colombia has become the latest country in the world to effectively ban bullfights, marking a significant victory for animal rights activists and progressives in the Andean Nation. The bill was passed by the Colombian Chamber of Representatives on Tuesday evening with 93 votes in favor and two against. According to (inaudible), bullfights will still be allowed until 2027 as a transition period for the bullfighting industry. Nevertheless, the supporters of the ban celebrating the results which came after years of failed votes in Congress.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEJANDRO GARCIA, COLOMBIAN CONGRESSMAN (through translator): To the country, we say we are prioritizing the protection and welfare of animals, and to the world, that Colombia is going through a cultural transformation where all beings are treated with dignity.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Until now, Colombia was one of only eight countries around the world to still allow the practice of bullfights, which is known as corridas (ph) in Spanish. Spain and Mexico are the countries that see most of corridas (ph) or bullfights around the world these days. The bill will now pass to the Colombian President Gustavo Petro to be signed into law, and Petro himself has long been a supporter of the ban. He took on (ph) X, formerly known as Twitter, to celebrate the results in Congress on Tuesday, saying, congratulations to those who managed that death will no longer be a show.
For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Bogota.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: And that is our time. Thank you so much for joining me here on "CNN Newsroom." I'm Amara Walker. "Connect The World" with Eleni Giokos and Erica Hill is up next.
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[08:59:50]
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR OF "CONNECT THE WORLD": This is the scene in New York where in just under an hour, court will resume in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial. Jury deliberations set to get underway today. It is 9 a.m. in Manhattan. It is 5 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I am Eleni Giokos. This is "Connect The World."
