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CNN International: Biden Campaign Chaos Overshadows NATO Summit; Biden To Hold News Conference Amid Pressure To Exit Race; Trump & Allies Try To Distance Campaign From Project 2025. Aired 11a- 12p ET

Aired July 11, 2024 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": Hello, and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Ahead in the CNN Newsroom, all eyes are on Washington today, with President Biden taking the stage at the NATO summit to give his first press conference since his disastrous debate. CNN has a team of reporters across the platform. And will Mr. Biden's unscripted, no prompter press conference be enough to quell the fears from Democrats, donors and voters? I'll discuss with my panel. Plus, prosecutors calling more witnesses to the stand in Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial, after saying in opening statements, Baldwin played a dangerous game of make-believe on the movie set.

All right. With the world watching, will U.S. President Joe Biden meet the moment on what might be the most critical day in his half century in public office? In just a few hours, Mr. Biden will hold his first news conference since his disastrous debate performance, it's safe to say. It'll be the most highly scrutinized presidential news conference in history, one that could make or break his reelection bid. This as pressure for Biden to drop out of the race reaches a new level of intensity from within his own party. Mr. Biden is taking part in another working session on the final day of the NATO summit. The chaos surrounding the Biden campaign has cast a long shadow over what was supposed to be a celebration of NATO's 75th anniversary.

Mr. Biden will also meet later with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine a day after NATO leaders declared that Kyiv is on an irreversible path to membership.

Our International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is standing by for us in London. But first, let's go to CNN National Security Correspondent Natasha Bertrand at the summit. Natasha, what are you hearing about this highly-anticipated moment?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Biden is obviously going to be under a lot of scrutiny, just to see how well he performs in this press conference, whether he can speak clearly and confidently and coherently about the achievements that were done here at the NATO summit over the last several days, importantly, the plan he is going to lay out for continued support for Ukraine, and of course, his conversations with other NATO leaders here at the summit over the last several days.

But, just in terms of the atmosphere here, it is true that questions over Biden's future are lingering, really, over the entirety of this summit. But, several world leaders have actually already come out and said that they believe that President Biden can do the job, that they are confident that he has been participating in these meetings in a very constructive way, and that he has shown that he has the strength and the capacity to continue to lead the alliance in this very, very difficult time, when you have the war in Ukraine, of course, and China's continued support of Russia and the fact that they are fueling that war.

And so, according to officials that we have spoken to here, look, it is obviously on everyone's mind, particularly when it comes to what is going to happen in November with the election because former President Trump has indicated that he might even be willing to pull out of NATO or at least significantly reduce the support that the U.S. provides to the alliance. And so, when presented kind of with the alternative here, world leaders say that they obviously are supportive of any leader of the United States who continues to provide the kind of support that NATO needs in terms of leadership.

At the same time, though, everyone here is very aware of the stakes. And they are all watching very closely to see what happens today at that press conference and see if Biden can really articulate a clear vision, not only for the next several months, but ideally over the next several years, if he is reelected.

WHITFIELD: All right. Natasha Bertrand, thank you so much. Keep us posted.

All right. Nic Robertson, to you now. So, Natasha said some of the NATO members, they're feeling still very confident about the President. What will they be looking for, listening for, paying closest attention to?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: I think it's all out there in the communique. Obviously, everyone is going to be paying sort of micro attention to the minutiae and the minutes of President Biden's press conference, absolute scrutiny, and it will mean as much to the leaders there as it will to everyone else, because they know thereby rides the possibility or not of a U.S. President who is antithetical, to say the least, to NATO's existence.

[11:05:00]

But, I think what they will have heard at this summit. And look, you really have to stand back from these NATO summits because they're the sum of a lot of things. For NATO to make a decision, all 32 countries have to agree. It is slow going. Look back at the transition and the progress and the language that's come from NATO over the past four years. And it is absolutely clear in this communique of how polarized the world is becoming, and this is going to be a big takeaway for these leaders. They know that, and this is what they have to sell to their publics when they get home because it means more defense spending.

And you hear that in the language, when you talk about China being a decisive enabler for Russia, allowing it to become a greater military threat around the world. When you hear it in the language that the European within Europe, they are improving and coordinating the defense industries, in essence. This is something countries have been trying to do for a long time. But now, it's in motion. And all of these things are because of the war in Ukraine, and it is polarizing the world, and that's what we're seeing. So that, I think, will be the takeaway.

There is all the deliverables that are going to happen for Ukraine. They've been talked about. They've been worked out behind the scenes. But, I think the big takeaway here has to be where the trajectory of where the world and the militaries are going, and the spending and the military reorganizations that are happening across all NATO allies, as they are in China, supported by North Korea, supported by Iran, all supporting Russia.

WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson, thank you so much.

All right. Well, certainly a lot of pressure and anticipation ahead of President Biden's press conference later on today.

Let's go to White House Correspondent Arlette Saenz. So, this press conference later on this evening, after a pretty full day there, wrapping up this NATO summit, how is the President preparing for this highly anticipated moment?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, President Biden is facing a key test as he holds his first solo news conference of the year, trying to keep his presidential campaign and the 2024 race alive. Now, the President will stand before reporters. He is expected to take multiple questions at a time when press conferences in the Biden administration have really been a rarity. The President has only held 15 solo news conferences and held about a little over 30 other press conferences as well. This will be the first time that he has held one in this year and the first that he has held since November.

Now, just to compare what this looks like compared to other presidents, the President at this point in his presidency stands at a little bit below what former President Donald Trump and George W. Bush held, when it pertains specifically to solo press conferences. But, he is lagging far behind overall press conferences compared to Trump, Obama and Bush. And so, aides here at the White House and at the campaign are well aware of the high stakes President Biden is facing at this moment. So, they know that many people will be watching, not just voters, but also concerned Democrats wanting to hear what President Biden says, but also how he says it and how he delivers it.

The performance here will be key a following that halting debate performance from President Biden last month, which prompted many concerns within the party about his ability to run an effective campaign against Trump. Now, the President's ultimate goal here is trying to convince American voters that he is up for a second term in office, but he is also trying to keep any further Democratic dissent at bay. You have seen a growing chorus of Democrats either publicly calling for President Biden to step aside or expressing some doubts and concerns about how President Biden could run this campaign and whether it would impact Democrats who are also running in this election in November.

Now, the President does have some vocal backers up on Capitol Hill, but he has seen some defections from Democratic lawmakers. It was so far 10 people going public, saying he needs to step aside in this moment. House -- former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also seem to open the door to the possibility that the President could change his mind about the 2024 race when the President and the campaign thought that conversation was shut after Biden earlier in the week insisted he is staying in this race.

So, the President is trying to navigate a lot of the concerns within the Democratic Party, among top officials, among donors, but also trying to sell his message to American voters, ultimately believing that they will be the ones who decide whether he should have a second term in office.

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This press conference will be a key part of that outreach at a time when allies have encouraged him to hold more press conferences, hold more town halls, interviews to try to face tough questions, and show voters that he is prepared for impromptu and unscripted moments in this campaign.

WHITFIELD: All right. Arlette Saenz from the White House, thank you so much.

I want to bring in now former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor. He is joining us now from Washington, D.C. Ambassador, great to see you. I will ask you less about the President's upcoming press conference and more about, I guess, the successes and maybe near misses at the NATO summit. So, in your view, what is the most encouraging development or promise that has come from this summit in Washington, D.C.?

WILLIAM TAYLOR, FMR. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE, & VICE PRESIDENT, RUSSIA AND EUROPE, USIP: Well, Fredricka, probably the most encouraging one is the support that's going to come to Ukraine on air defense. Air defense is the key capability that they need most of right now. President Putin actually helped make that point when he attacked this children's hospital, children's hospital, children's cancer hospital in downtown Kyiv, on Monday, just at the beginning of this NATO summit. So, Putin made the point that he is ruthless, that he will attack civilians, children, and that the Ukrainians need air defense.

So, the biggest thing for me so far coming out of this NATO summit is a good response by the NATO alliance, the Americans, but others as well, to provide Patriots and other systems to defend themselves against this attack from Russia.

WHITFIELD: And now, what about any misses? Do you see that there were any missed opportunities at this summit?

TAYLOR: I've got to say that there was the possibility at some point and the NATO allies have been thinking about what -- how to make it clear to the Ukrainians, but even more important, how to make it clear to the Russians that Ukraine will be in NATO at some point, that this is irreversible. So, they did get to the irreversible language that this is a bridge to the membership for Ukraine. It's an irreversible -- it is one-way bridge to membership.

They could have taken another step, like the European Union did, frankly. European Union said, you're going to be a member of the European Union, and we're going to start the negotiations with you on the specific detailed aspects of being a member. NATO could have done that. NATO thought about that. There were a lot of conversations about that. Those conversations, those negotiations between Ukraine and NATO will come, they will come soon, because the alliance was clear. The summit communique is clear that this bridge is to NATO membership, and it's one way and they're going in that direction. It will happen. They could have taken the step toward negotiations, and maybe that will come soon.

WHITFIELD: OK. And now, I do want to ask you about the President of the United States because he is center -- the centerpiece of this summit in that photo op that we're just looking at, and as the host of this summit here, as it celebrates 75 years, and at the same time, in the middle of this political battle. What do you think NATO leaders might be taking note of? What do you suppose they perhaps were even evaluating in Biden, given that the headlines have really been about whether he'll continue to be a viable candidate come November?

TAYLOR: Right. So, they're certainly watching closely. The world is watching closely. The Americans are watching closely. The Ukrainians are watching closely. It means a lot. However, it's also important to point out that there are two candidates for President, or there are going to be two, we don't know exactly which ones, but there are going to be two, and the one policy on the one side that is on the President Biden or that side is strong support for NATO, because American people support NATO. American people support providing this assistance to Ukraine.

On the other side, on former President Trump, it's less clear exactly what the policy will be. It could be OK. It could be from NATO's standpoint. It could be OK from Ukraine's standpoint. There has been bipartisan support for Ukraine going into this campaign with the blessing, the bipartisan support for this $61 billion package with the blessing or at least implicit blessing of former President Trump. So, it's not entirely clear what that side is. What they -- what the NATO allies and leaders are watching is how this plays out.

WHITFIELD: Sure. All right. Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor, great to see you, as always.

TAYLOR: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. And as we've been reporting, President Biden is expected to hold a news conference after spending the day at the NATO summit.

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It is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and of course you can watch it right here on CNN.

All right. Coming up, adamant and divided, as opposition grows for President Biden's reelection campaign, he'll face a new major test today at the NATO summit. These details straight ahead. Plus, nothing to do with it. Donald Trump aims to distance himself from Project 2025 despite its connection to people who worked in his administration. Our panel will discuss Project 2025's controversial proposals, next.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Tonight, all eyes will be on President Joe Biden's unscripted news conference. This comes as his reelection bid faces tough opposition. A growing number of congressional Democrats and Hollywood stars are calling for the President to step aside. Mr. Biden remains adamant that he will not pass the torch to another candidate. But, some major factors that could change his mind include fracturing support within his own party, funds drying up, and disappointing poll results. Still, some Democrats on Capitol Hill appear unwavering in their support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): He is the only person to ever beat Trump's ass an election. I'm proud to stand with Joe Biden. And I'm showing up tomorrow with brass knuckles.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): At this point, I think he has a strong campaign and a strong message to deliver. And I believe he is going to move forward. I'm going to support him.

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): He is going to be our nominee at the convention. He is going to be our candidate for President in the fall. He is going to be our next President of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's bring in CNN's political commentators to discuss. Joining us right now from Washington, D.C., Democratic Strategist Paul Begala, and Republican Strategist S.E. Cupp, host of "Battleground", joining us from Connecticut. Good to see you both.

All right. Paul, you first.

PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, & DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Hi Fred.

WHITFIELD: I mean --

S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER, & REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Hi.

WHITFIELD: -- those elected leaders seem unshakeable. Even President Biden, through his letter to Capitol Hill, seemed determined. How do you think he is feeling today ahead of that press conference, when every word or wobble will be magnified?

BEGALA: Yeah. If it were me, I'd be nervous as a hooker in church. Man, it is a high wire act.

WHITFIELD: Interesting.

BEGALA: He is really good at this. Right? He is the leader of the free world. He has vast experience in foreign policy. He is with his fellow world leaders, standing astride the global stage. But again, it means that the bar is very high. For the debate, the bar was so low. And yet, he couldn't clear it. The bar tonight is very, very high. I love Joe Biden. I voted for him. I support him. But, there is just no margin for error here. His party, much less the independents he needs to win this election, are going to demand that he prove that he is up to it in a way that he failed to in the debate.

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WHITFIELD: I mean, S.E., I mean, it's no laughing matter. Are you still with me? OK. Hooker in a church. But, how are you going to top that one? How do you see President Biden prepare?

CUPP: I can't try.

WHITFIELD: OK. Very good. We won't try. How do you see President Biden preparing himself for the scrutiny that will happen today?

CUPP: I don't know, Fred. Does he have a time machine? How do you prepare --

WHITFIELD: Yeah.

CUPP: -- for one of these very high-profile moments that he is clearly not been up to? He is not getting younger. That would help. But, that's not possible. Listen, it pains me to talk about the President. Like, is this a President I voted for? But, I'm angry. I'm angry at Joe Biden and I'm angry at Democrats. I gave him my first democratic vote ever in my lifetime with the understanding that he would do what he said, which was be a bridge, a transitional President, not a transformational one, and then pass the torch.

I did it to get Trump out of office. I still want to keep Trump from the White House. Joe Biden can't do that anymore. And he needs to start putting his country before himself and before his party. It is denial and delusional to think that he is up to the task of running this country for another four years. I'm worried about him running it for another four months. But, it's really crazy to think, with all the polling we see and all the defections we see that he can actually beat Donald Trump.

He needs an intact coalition, which was fraying before the debate. He was already losing Black and Hispanic voters. A lot of independents and moderates were wavering. Young voters, who are mad about Gaza, are going to stay home. That was all before the debate. And now, he has got people like me saying I might stay home rather than vote for Joe Biden or Donald Trump. That's a big problem.

WHITFIELD: So, when you say you're angry, S.E., not just with Biden, but the whole party, I mean, where was the -- I mean, where was the grooming? Right? If not Biden, then --

CUPP: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: -- as a bridge, a President to help bridge into the next generation --

CUPP: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: -- where has been the grooming of whoever would succeed him if he wasn't going to run this term?

CUPP: I mean --

WHITFIELD: I mean, what happened?

CUPP: Yeah. That's such an important question, Fred, and Paul is going to love this, because I'm going to say great things about Democrats right now. There are so many great young Democrats, Eric Swalwell, Seth Moulton, Tim Ryan, I mean, Brendan Boyle. I can go down a list of young Democrats, some from Rust Belt states, some who are really, really compelling and talented, and no one has bothered to groom these people. In fact, when Tim Ryan raised his hand and tried to take Nancy Pelosi's place so that younger blood could get in, he was sort of patted on the head and said -- told it's not your turn. You got to wait. These people have been marginalized so that no one in the Democratic Party, including Democratic voters, are ready for someone new. They haven't put in the work to condition an environment in which anyone else would be acceptable.

So, they have done this to themselves. And look, Republicans are guilty of this too, sometimes. But, in this instance, they have really done this to themselves, and it's up to them to get out of it, and they don't seem willing to do that.

WHITFIELD: So then, Paul, isn't that what the Vice President -- I mean, the position of the Vice President is supposed to be, kind of the heir apparent? If not the President, then the Vice President would be in a position to run. But, how come I'm not hearing anybody, if not throw at her name? I don't hear any names. If not Biden, then who, four months ago?

BEGALA: I'll actually, the Democrat -- the Democrats have a terrific bench. It starts with the Vice President. And you're right. That is the job, right? Eat right, exercise, and inquire about the President's health. That's your job, and go to some foreign dictators. That's the job. And by the way, she -- look, she lost her footing in the first year. So, I don't think she met the moment at the beginning. She really has, since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, she has been the Democrat who has best articulated the pro-choice women's rights message that gets the Democrats a lot of these independents and younger voters that S.E. was talking about. So, I actually think she has performed very well, and I think she

would whip Trump. If you don't pick her, you can -- there is a host of governors, in addition, those really able members of Congress that S.E. named, a host of governors. Democrats have a great bench. By the way, the --

WHITFIELD: Four months.

BEGALA: -- Republicans have a great bench. Why aren't they running Chris Christie? Why aren't they running Nikki Haley? Why aren't they running Marco Rubio? Why aren't they running any of the young talents that they have?

WHITFIELD: Well, they didn't survive the primary. So, we know why they're not.

BEGALA: Right.

CUPP: Yeah. We did that.

(CROSSTALK)

CUPP: We didn't have a poll for the primary, but the Democrats did.

WHITFIELD: Yeah.

CUPP: We ran those people.

[11:25:00]

WHITFIELD: Yeah. Right. They were tested and here we are. OK. So, S.E., let me now focus on Biden's opponent, Trump. I mean, he is denying any knowledge --

CUPP: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: -- or involvement in this Project 2025, which is an outline of what's to come if Trump wins. Some 140 people who worked in his administration, who were part of his orbit, are part of it, including Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows, former advisor Steve Miller. So, what do you see going on here?

CUPP: Right. It's hard to believe he didn't know anything about it. However, it's easy to believe he didn't know everything about it because he is not very plugged in and he doesn't have a mind for those kinds of details, his granular stuff. But --

WHITFIELD: Surely, all of them talk.

CUPP: -- I will say, the team Trump has around him now, these are not novices. These are very smart political people. They're running a really smart operation. I mean, I'm not voting for Trump this -- but I'm telling you honestly, Chris LaCivita and the folks around him running his campaign are smart. They're smart enough to tell him to shut his mouth during this great news cycle for him, this bad news cycle for Joe Biden. Just shut up and let the news cycle happen. And they're probably smart enough to tell him, distance yourself from this thing. This 2025 Project is not popular. It's not going to be a good look for you. So, don't talk about it. Pretend you don't know about it. So, I could see that happening more than actually Trump not knowing anything about it.

WHITFIELD: Paul, this along with the Democratic infighting, have the Democrats just handed Trump a win?

BEGALA: Oh, no. We're still 100 -- I got -- look, 116 days away. There is a lot that can happen. And look, I watched the debate. We all did. 51 million people did. That CNN debate, Joe Biden did a belly flop into an empty pool. And for the two weeks after that, he has had just a terrible, terrible, the worst, I think, face of any presidential campaign in memory. And yet, in today's ABC News/ Washington Post poll, they're tied. Why? Because there is a solid majority of this country, like S.E., who are anti-Trump, they're not pro-Biden. OK? I'm sorry. I do love Biden. But, most Americans are simply anti-Trump and they want to be delivered from Donald Trump.

The Democrats need to give them that. And this Project 2025 thing does give them an opening. It calls for -- the audience knows, it calls for outlawing and banning the abortion pill in every state. So, even if you live in a pro-choice state like New York, you will have no access to that pill. It calls for banning pornography, which -- if there is one thing I thought Trump might like, he seemed to have a bit of a relationship with a porn star. I mean, come on. Like, is that like a payback for Stormy Daniels? It calls for politicizing the entire civil service so that the rocket scientists at NASA will have to be MAGA extremists. The cancer researchers at the National Institutes of Health will have to be election deniers.

I mean, this is bonkers stuff. And that's why he is running away from it, but he is going to enact it because those are all his people.

WHITFIELD: You've both said a lot of memorable things, but belly flop in the pool and hooker in church, that's right up there for me today.

CUPP: It's all Paul.

BEGALA: Forgive me, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Paul, thank you.

BEGALA: It's all in the text, and you know this comes out.

WHITFIELD: OK. I love it. All right. Paul Begala, S.E. Cupp, great to see you both. Thank you.

BEGALA: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, some insight into the high-stakes news conference President Biden holds in just a few hours and what it means for his reelection bid. Plus, Alec Baldwin is back at a New Mexico courtroom. We'll have the latest with what's expected in today's testimony.

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[11:30:00]

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WHITFIELD: Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, and you're watching the CNN Newsroom.

Back to our top story. All eyes are on Washington, as U.S. President Biden prepares for his first solo news conference since his disastrous debate performance right here on CNN. That as his Democratic reelection support wanes and the chorus grows for him to drop out of the race. Mr. Biden is facing the most high-stakes press briefing of his political career. And when the President holds that news conference, the world will be watching. During the day, President Biden is attending working sessions at the NATO summit. He is meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, as the security alliance continues to drum up support for the war against Russia.

CNN's Stephen Collinson is calling the upcoming Biden event "the most high-pressure presidential news conference in modern history", and this is his cnn.com headline, "Biden's political position is rapidly deteriorating as critical news conference looms." Stephen, great to see you. I mean, how does this President stay in the race and lead while doing so?

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, what he has to do is something very difficult. He has to restore confidence among Democrats, especially those in Congress who are hearing from their constituents that he is the best person to beat Donald Trump in November.

What is happening right now is there is an increasing focus, not so much on the debate, which was after all exactly two weeks ago, but on the possibility that the Republicans could not just win back the White House, keep the House and also win the Senate at the same time, as there is a very robust conservative majority on the Supreme Court. What that would mean for Trump's authoritarian impulses in a second term is what's keeping many Democrats up at night. And those lawmakers that you've seen come out and raise questions about Biden continuing the race, they're worried that not just their own jobs are at stake, but the democracy that President Biden has said he is running to protect could be at stake.

So, these are exceedingly difficult tasks that the President has to restore confidence, because what voters saw in that news -- in that debate two weeks ago, the picture of an aging and diminished President is something that's going to be very difficult for voters to forget.

WHITFIELD: And then, I wonder -- I mean, Stephen, I mean, audiences are not expecting to see a different Biden this evening during the press conference, right? I mean, isn't it more an issue of, will this simply be more fodder for more scrutiny, allow those who are critical of him to have yet a new list of things in which should be critical of?

COLLINSON: I think that's exactly right.

WHITFIELD: (Inaudible) no win.

COLLINSON: Yeah. I think you're exactly right that it is a no-win situation, because if the President does well, I don't think he is going to be able to address the issues that a lot of people now perceive about his candidacy. If there is a moment of confusion, if he doesn't appear well or robust, that's going to be viewed through the prism of the picture that everyone saw the debate and is going to raise questions really about whether in four years' time he can be President, not necessarily whether he is up to doing the job, and the grave national security decisions that come with it right now.

So, I think you're exactly -- you put your finger on it. It's almost impossible for the President to improve his situation. But, after a terrible 24 hours, I think it's very possible for him to make it even worse.

WHITFIELD: All right. Stephen Collinson in Washington, thank you so much.

[11:35:00]

Of course --

COLLINSON: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: -- we'll all be watching and you can too. President Biden expected to hold that news conference after spending the day at the NATO summit. It's scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and of course, you can watch it right here on CNN.

All right. The federal corruption trial of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez will soon be in a jury's hands. He and his co-defendants are accused of participating in a years-long bribery scheme. Closing arguments are expected to wrap up today. Prosecutors call it a classic case of corruption on a massive scale, saying Menendez took bribes to influence policy. The Senator did not take the stand at trial. But, a defense attorney says the case is rotten to its core, insisting Menendez was just doing his job.

Let's get the latest now from Kara Scannell. She is outside the courthouse. All right. So, bring us up to date. What's the feeling?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Fred. I mean, it's been four days of closing arguments now, and the prosecutor is giving their rebuttal, saying that what the jury has heard over the past three days from the defense lawyers, he said that they are asking the jury to believe the unbelievable.

And as you said, part of Menendez and the other two defendants in this case, they've been charged with being involved in a bribery scheme and then discharged with acting as a foreign agent for the government of Egypt, also for interfering in criminal investigations to benefit these two businessmen. And in exchange, prosecutors say he received gold bars, nearly half a million dollars in cash that was found when the FBI searched his home in envelopes, including an envelope with his fingerprints on it, all part of this alleged bribery scheme that prosecutors say was a massive corruption scheme.

What the prosecutors are honing in on now are some of the arguments advanced by Menendez and the other defense lawyers that Menendez, the work that he was doing, when he made calls about these criminal investigations, when he was taking steps to aid Egypt, they were arguing that these steps were all done part of Menendez's job. They were routine. They were normal.

There were things that Menendez was doing to help some of his constituents, that the prosecutor pinpointing some of those examples raised by the defense, saying in fact reaching out to one of the prosecutors investigating one of the businessman's associates, arguing to the jury that that was not an instance of helping a constituent. It was about getting a car. It was the only time Menendez had ever reached out to this office for -- at any point in his career to try to influence an investigation.

So, the back and forth between the prosecution and the defense will be coming to a close, and the prosecutor has about another hour to go. Then the judge will instruct the jury on the law. And once that happens, then deliberations will get underway. Certainly, a lot at stake for the Senator. He is still the Senator from New Jersey and still on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. A lot at stake indeed. Kara Scannell, thanks so much.

All right. A crime scene technician is back on the stand today in the Alec Baldwin involuntary manslaughter trial. Yesterday, Marissa Poppell said she took dummy rounds and blank ammunition from the set as part of her investigation. She also explained to the jury how to tell the difference between the two. Alec Baldwin is accused of culpability in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. She was killed by a live round on the set of the movie "Rust" in 2021.

Joining us right now from Los Angeles with the latest, Elizabeth Wagmeister. All right. Well, what's the demeanor of Alec Baldwin today, and where are we with this trial and testimony?

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: The demeanor is rather somber. Our Josh Campbell, who is inside the courtroom, he said that that is really the only way to describe it. Of course, this case revolves around a terrible tragedy and an accident. So, his demeanor has been quite somber. Now, as you mentioned, Fred, there is a crime scene technician who was on the stand right now. She returned from yesterday. This is the fourth witness in the case. So far, the witnesses that have been questioned, it's all fairly technical, all, of course, relating to this gun.

Now, something interesting that did come out of her testimony this morning is that she did confirm that live ammunition was found at the prop house which supplied "Rust". Now, of course, the big question is, how and why did live ammunition get on that set? Of course, the prosecution's case here, they are saying that Alec Baldwin acted reckless and negligent for disregarding all safety on the set of "Rust", whereas his defense is saying it wasn't his job to keep the gun safe. He is an actor. Of course, what is coming into play is that exact argument, and what his defense is saying is that it actually shouldn't really matter.

And let's take a look at something that came up actually yesterday in opening arguments, when they were discussing whether or not Baldwin pulled the trigger, because we all remember that infamous interview where he said "I did not pull the trigger".

[11:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERLINDA JOHNSON, PROSECUTOR: The evidence will show that, meanwhile, after the shooting, the defendant began to claim he didn't pull the trigger. The evidence will show, ladies and gentlemen, that's not possible.

ALEX SPIRO, ALEX BALDWIN'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Even if he intentionally pulled the trigger, like the prosecutor just demonstrated, that doesn't make you guilty of homicide. He did not know or have any reason to know that gun was loaded with a live bullet. That's the kid.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WAGMEISTER: Now, what's interesting about what Baldwin's attorney said right there is this is actually the first time that they have conceded in any way that it is possible that Baldwin did pull the trigger. Again, we all remember that interview where he said, I did not pull the trigger. But now, his defense is mainly trying to skirt that issue a bit, knowing that it will come up time and time again in this trial, saying even if he did, why should that matter? This was an accident. He should not be held criminally liable. Of course, the prosecution saying the exact opposite, that just because that is an accident, that does not absolve him.

WHITFIELD: All right. Elizabeth Wagmeister, keep us posted. Thank you so much.

This is a sad news and hard to believe, actress Shelley Duvall has passed away. She was perhaps best known for her role as Wendy Torrance in "The Shining" but had a critically acclaimed career before and after, especially in the films of Robert Altman. She won the Best Actress Award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival for her role in Altman's "3 Women", and works for children like "Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme", and "Faerie Tale Theatre" were big hits with young millennials and their baby boomer parents. Shelley Duvall was 75-years-old.

We'll be right back.

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WHITFIELD: The UN is condemning Israel's sweeping evacuation orders for Gaza City, saying it's fueling mass suffering for Palestinian families and is forcing humanitarian groups to reset their aid operations over and over again. Tens of 1000s thousands people are fleeing Gaza City but some remain trapped by the fighting. Others say they are tired of running with nowhere safe to go. Gaza's Civil Defense says dozens of people have been killed. Israel's military released this video of its operations in Gaza City. It's pressing ahead with the assault despite renewed ceasefire efforts in Doha.

The officer -- the office, rather, of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just gave an update on those talks, saying Israel's negotiating team has now returned home. It says another delegation is heading for Cairo tonight. Two Sources tell CNN, progress was made in securing a ceasefire and hostage release deal, but there is quote "still a long time to go".

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Let's bring in now Jeremy Diamond for more on all this. He is live for it in Jerusalem. Boy, there is a lot going on at once, but little toward any kind of progress toward peace.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Indeed, Fred. I mean, we are seeing that there is some progress, according to multiple sources in these discussions, but so far, no clear indication of exactly where that progress is, what the remaining obstacles are. What is clear, though, is that these are very, very thorny discussions, especially as we are now in that critical phase of detailed negotiations. It seems that both parties are more or less on board with a framework for a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal, one that could see a months-long ceasefire in Gaza, the release of dozens of hostages, and hundreds, if not thousands, of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in exchange.

But, now they're getting into this very detailed phase. And so, that Israeli delegation returned. They met with the Israeli Prime Minister today, and the Prime Minister now dispatching the chief of the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, to Cairo to pursue negotiations over there. But, as all of this is happening, the Israeli military doesn't appear to be slowing down in its military campaign in Gaza. We have watched as over the course of this past week, we've seen Israeli military operations in all parts of the Gaza Strip, several notable strikes in southern Gaza, and now Israeli troops appearing to extend and amplify ground operations in Gaza City, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Earlier this week, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for parts of that city, and yesterday, now extending that evacuation order to include the whole of Gaza City. At least 250,000 people are expected to be impacted by these evacuation orders. And it just needs to be said that the Palestinian population in Gaza is being squeezed into a smaller and smaller part of the Gaza Strip, with very little where to go in terms of a safe place for these displaced Palestinians.

And in addition to that, we are seeing as the -- these people who are being displaced are being displaced time and time again, and they are heading to areas that appear to be under-resourced in terms of infrastructure, like running water, for example, and also just basic humanitarian resources. But, the Israeli military now says that Gaza City is an active combat zone. They say they've opened two roads up for safe passage for civilians to be able to leave that city unchecked, and be able to head south towards that what the Israeli military has described as a safer humanitarian zone of Al Mawasi.

But again, the fighting seems to be intensifying, and the Israeli Prime Minister, even as these negotiations are ongoing, he is vowing once again to carry forward this war effort until victory, making clear that he is not going to drop certain conditions in order to get a ceasefire deal. So, very, very delicate times and very difficult times for the population in Gaza. Fred.

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

All right. Tributes are happening for the victims of an alleged crossbow attack in Britain. The wife of a BBC commentator and their two daughters died Wednesday, and a 26-year-old suspect was captured in connection with their killings. There are new details in the case but still no motive. Police have said it was a targeted attack and the suspect may have been known to the victims.

CNN's Nada Bashir is following developments on this story, and joins us now from London. Tell us more.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: We are getting more details now from officials with regards to the 26-year-old suspect Kyle Clifford. Police today saying that he is still in a serious condition in a London hospital, that they haven't been able to carry out questioning just yet. But, we did hear from police yesterday, saying that the suspect may have been known to the three victims. And we've been seeing in UK media reporting today is the potential connection between the 26-year-old suspect and one of the three victims in this attack, two of these were Hunt's quarters daughters, Hannah Hunt is, of course, 28, and Louise 25-years-old, both young woman. UK media reporting that he may have been in a relationship with one of the victims. Some outlets suggesting that he may have been in a relationship with the youngest of the daughters.

And of course, we have been hearing around the social media that has been put out by the youngest of the victims of tweets re-shared by her account earlier, previously before she was of course attacked in this tragic and fatal incident, re-sharing a post, praising women who leave toxic relationships. One post saying "I admire women who leave".

[11:50:00]

Now, Hertfordshire Police have so far declined to comment on the possible relationship between the two, who, of course, as you mentioned, do not have a motive just yet. But, there have been tributes pouring in from across the country. Take a listen to this tribute paid by BBC Radio 5 Live Sport earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF MARK CHAPMAN, BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORT PRESENTER: This has been a heartbreaking day. John Hunt is our colleague, and our friend. Not just to the current 5 Live sport team, but to all those who have worked here with him over the past 20 years, and also to all of you who have enjoyed his superb commentaries. So, on behalf of everybody connected to 5 Live Sport, our love and thoughts and support are with John and his family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: And there has also been a statement from the BBC, the British broadcaster, saying the news about John Hunt's family is utterly devastating. Our thoughts are with John and his family at this incredibly difficult time, and we will provide him with all the support we can. That police investigation is, of course, still ongoing with questioning yet to take place. Kyle Clifford still said to be in a serious condition in hospital.

WHITFIELD: Nada Bashir, thank you so much for that update.

All right. We're also tracking a major political shakeup in Kenya. President William Ruto has fired almost his entire cabinet, bowing to pressure from protesters. So far, only the Deputy President and prime cabinet secretary are keeping their jobs. This after weeks of unrest over proposed tax hikes. That tax bill ended up being withdrawn, but not before demonstrations paralyzed the capital of Nairobi. Security forces sought to crack down on protesters and people accused of looting, and the ensuing clashes killed dozens of people. Mr. Ruto came into power pitching himself as a reformer, but a cost of living crisis and a troop deployment to Haiti have drawn intense criticism.

All right. Still ahead, there is a royal controversy brewing at ESPY sports award. Why some people oppose honoring the UK's Prince Harry at the event?

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WHITFIELD: All right. A big win and advancement for England in the Euro's soccer tournament. The English beat the Netherlands 2-1 in Dortmund, Germany. On Wednesday, England overcame a quick and early lead by the Dutch and swiftly leveled the score with a penalty shot. And there weren't as many chances in the second half. In one minute of added time, substitute Ollie Watkins stunned the Dutch and thrilled English fans with his goal. England will now face Spain for the championship on Sunday.

And Colombia will fight for the title in the Copa America final after coming out on top in the semis against Uruguay. The Colombian team sealed the spot, thanks to this header in the 39th minute, which gave it a 1-0 victory on Wednesday. That's some excitement. Colombia will play Argentina for the trophy in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Sunday. But, the semifinal game was testy, with some players from Uruguay getting into a scuffle with fans. After the game, the team's captain claims the players were defending their family members from Colombian fans.

[11:55:00]

And before we go, one more thing. The 2024 ESPY Awards will be held tonight at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. This star-studded ceremony will be hosted by tennis great Serena Williams. While the ESPY celebrate the best in sports and athletes in those sports, and Prince Harry, well, he is set to receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service. It's to honor his work and creating the Invictus Games. However, there is some objection over a royal receiving the award. Among those objecting, the mother of Tillman, a former NFL player who turned Army Ranger, who was killed in Afghanistan, who said in an interview, the mom did, that she would prefer the award go to someone less privileged.

All right. Thank you so much for spending part of your day with me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Stick with CNN. One World is up next.

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