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House Speaker Calls On Secret Service Director To Resign; Haley And DeSantis Endorse Trump, Call For Unity; Mayor Swims In River Seine To Dispel Pollution Fears. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired July 17, 2024 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning. House Speaker Mike Johnson is now calling for the Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheadle to resign. And we have also learned that the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General has opened an investigation into the Secret Service and the lapse that led to Donald Trump being wounded by a sniper's bullet. The FBI is also investigating the assassination attempt.

Also, news sources tell CNN that U.S. intelligence learned that Iran was plotting to assassinate Trump and that the Secret Service beeped up -- beefed up his protection as a result. That's raising even more intense criticism over the sniper being able to climb a roof just about 130 yards from the former president.

With me now a former Secret Service Agent Joseph Funk. He served on the protection details for presidents H. -- George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Also, with us is former Secret Service Special Agent Cheryl Tyler. She is the first black woman assigned to the presidential protective division. Thank you both for being with us. It's really -- it's terrific to be with both of you.

Cheryl, let me start with you first. The Department of Homeland Security Inspector General has opened an investigation into the Secret Service. I mean, that's pretty typical, I suppose, after something like this occurring. What's been your reaction to the breakdown in security that we saw this past weekend?

CHERYL TYLER, FORMER SECRET SERVICE SPECIAL AGENT: First to answer your question, yes, that is a normal process and procedure that will take place --

ACOSTA: Yes.

TYLER: When any situation like this or -- occurs. There will be thorough investigations. Breakdown in communication is what I see right now whatever took place in the beginning and the initial planning and preparing for the arrival for an outdoor event. An outdoor event is very different than an inside venue. You have more challenges with an outdoor event.

Where the breakdown came? I can't answer that. I am no longer there.

ACOSTA: Yes.

[11:35:00]

TYLER: However, it appears that there was a breakdown in the communication as to who was to be where. Were contacts -- were calls made? How quickly were they made? You're looking at a two-minute window that everything kind of fell apart.

ACOSTA: Yes. Joseph, what do you think? I mean, apparently, the shooter was noticed around the magnetometers carrying a rangefinder. I mean, perhaps that's not all that unusual when you're in gun country. People might bring something like that to an event like this.

But, you know, the other question that I -- that just I keep coming back to is how is he able to get up on that roof? I -- 130 -- 140 yards from the former president. That just see -- I mean, it is a large building, and we're showing it on our screens to our viewers right now. But I still can't get over that one.

JOSEPH FUNK, FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENT: Good morning, Jim. Thank you for having me.

ACOSTA: Yes.

FUNK: I want to echo Cheryl's assessment. I believe there was a definite breakdown in communications. When you have events like this in rural areas, you're relying on the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies.

I'm sure Butler police called in some assistance from surrounding towns. You probably had the county sheriff and the Pennsylvania State Police all operating on different radio systems. The breakdown was in the ability or inability to communicate to the Secret Service a person of interest in a timely manner.

Secondly, the building in question. Whether it's inside the perimeter or outside the perimeter, that's semantics at this point. That building should have been posted in such a way that there was an officer on that building for an observation standpoint. I would have viewed that building as a great location for an observation point.

ACOSTA: Yes.

FUNK: You don't want to put a counter-sniper on it. But you want to have an officer on that that can serve two purposes. One, secure the building, but also grants you a good visibility vantage point for the crowd.

ACOSTA: Yes. And, Cheryl, I mean, there's also -- we just don't know enough about the shooter at this point to draw any kind of conclusion as to what his motive was. Has that been puzzling to you looking back on all of this here? Here we are several days since the shooting occurred. We just don't know much about this -- the shooter at all.

TYLER: My understanding, and I want to step back one to add on to what Joe said.

ACOSTA: Sure.

TYLER: The other thing I would have done was I would have barricaded off or roped off or corridored off that building also with police tape or something so that people would know that was a no-entry area as well.

ACOSTA: Yes.

TYLER: As far as it goes on, knowing about the shooter, that may be due to whatever is taking place with the investigation. The last I heard regarding the shooter was that they could not get into his phone. They may have gotten into his phone at this point by now. I'm not sure.

ACOSTA: Yes.

TYLER: Once they do put all the pieces of the puzzle together, then you will have a real factual answer in the investigation. To piece mill it, doesn't do anybody any good. You need all the facts that -- at one time so that they can be disseminated and looked at together.

ACOSTA: And, Joseph, I don't have a whole lot of time. Maybe you can answer fairly quickly. Do you think these out -- these types of outdoor rallies are safe?

FUNK: Well, I think they bring with them a lot of inherent problems that you don't have with an indoor rally or a small group of VIPs. However, it's the Secret Service's job and obligation to allow the president, former presidents, to conduct their rallies as they see fit.

ACOSTA: Yes.

FUNK: And it's our obligation to secure them.

ACOSTA: All right. Joseph, and Cheryl, thank you very much for your time and all the service you gave to this country. Really appreciate your time. And thank you for your service. Thank you. Former --

TYLER: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Thank you. Former Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley came out in strong support for her rival Donald Trump despite months of fierce criticism. Much more on all of that straight ahead.

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[11:43:55]

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR & SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back from Milwaukee. Last night, right here, we saw a stunning display of Donald Trump's rock-solid grip on the Republican Party. His former adversaries and now allies took to the convention stage to lavish praise on him and to pledge their support for his candidacy. That is, of course, a stark contrast from 2016.

In that convention when Trump's primary opponent Ted Cruz refused to back him, he was booed. He almost led a rebellion right here on the convention floor. Now, it's a much different story. Trump's most recent rivals both endorsed him. One of them, Nikki Haley, once called him unhinged, among other things.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump has my strong endorsement, period.

I feel no need to kiss the ring. He is not qualified to be the President of the United States. He is just going to become more unhinged. Kristen, hold on, it is going to get worse. And he is just toxic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:45:01]

PHILLIP: Let's discuss all of this with former Trump Administration Official Matt Mowers. And also, with me here is CNN Political Commentator Karen Finney. Matt, let me start with you.

You listened to Nikki Haley's speech last night. She said it pretty clearly, you don't have to like Donald Trump or all of his policies, but you should vote for him. This was after she said -- actually, she said that she thought he would lose. Do you think that she did what she needed to do last night to both make Trump happy and also make the case to her supporters who may still be holding out?

MATT MOWERS, FORMER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I think she did. And if -- you know I was -- I was there in the Fiserv last night when she was there. I was listening intently to see what would the reaction be from attendees. I mean, these are Trump delegates. These are the most hardcore supporters of Donald Trump. How would they welcome Nikki Haley, given you know -- you just played some of them, some really tough words between two of them during the primary?

I thought she did extraordinarily well. She not only was well received by delegates who, afterwards I was talking to were you know, very enthused by her remarks. I mean, they really feel like, especially in light of everything on Saturday that there's a chance now to really unite not just the Republican Party, but really much of America around Donald Trump.

They think he's got a second opportunity now to reach out to those voters in the middle. Those voters who may not have been with them in the primary. Those 15 to 20 percent of Republicans in most states. You know, Nikki Haley clearly did better in you know New Hampshire and where I'm from, in Virginia and a few other states.

But I think her message really reached out to those voters who are those -- let's call them reluctant Trump supporters. Maybe even some of those folks who don't like Donald Trump or Joe Biden. Her message was tailor-made for them.

I think, given who she is as an, you know, truly historic public leader within the Republican Party was able to uniquely reach out to them. I thought she did very well last night.

PHILLIP: So, Karen, look --

KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes.

PHILLIP: You know, in the primary, we saw Nikki Haley drawing, as Matt was saying, about 20 percent in some states.

FINNEY: Yes.

PHILLIP: Even after she dropped out of the Republican race. And I was hearing from so many Democrats, well -- first of all, that is a warning sign for Donald Trump. This is an opportunity for Joe Biden.

But honestly, being here in Milwaukee, the Republican Party seems to really be rock-solid behind Donald Trump. And what's more, what happened this weekend seems to be drawing in people who don't like Trump at all but think that --

FINNEY: Sure.

PHILLIP: He's -- the inevitability.

FINNEY: Sure. But two things. Number one, that's what the convention is supposed to do. The convention -- and particularly because we couldn't be together in 2020. So, people I would imagine, at the Republican Convention, I know I'm looking forward to the Democratic Convention, just the opportunity to be together is exciting.

And look, people are united behind Trump, but those are the people who are here. And if you are someone who voted for Nikki Haley -- I mean her goal last night was to try to create a bridge for that 20 percent to say, you know what, I was not for Donald Trump, but now I am right? To sort of create that permission structure if you will.

But what Democrats are going to continue to do is to say, actually, you don't. You have a choice. And if you still care about issues like reproductive freedom or if you care about our role in the world and supporting Ukraine, other -- you know other key issues that she was campaigning on, or if you still have concerns about Donald Trump's leadership, you have another choice. And the last thing I would just say on this is, it's July.

PHILLIP: Yes.

FINNEY: And we've got a lot of time between now even next week, given the way things have been going. So --

PHILLIP: Yes. You don't have to tell me.

FINNEY: So, you know -- yes.

PHILLIP: It's been a very, very long couple of days. I mean, Matt --

FINNEY: That's right.

PHILLIP: Speaking of which, it's been long enough that it seems like the calls for unity are starting to wear off from Donald Trump. He put up at Truth Social this morning. That is a picture of him you know, after the incident -- the assassination attempt, Trump versus Bullet. And then at the bottom, it says Biden versus Stairs. Showing President Biden tripping upstairs. I mean, how is that unity? I mean, is this -- are we already at the point where that's out the window?

MOWERS: Well, I -- you know, I think the big tell will be tomorrow night. I mean, that's when millions of Americans are going to tune in to watch to see, you know, how has this changed Donald Trump. I mean, you're going to have millions of Americans tune in anyway because so many who maybe are reluctant Trump supporters or are undecided but are giving him a chance because they feel dispirited about the economy, the ability for President Biden to perform his abilities, to form his job, all those things.

They're tuning in anyway. And then after Saturday, they're really watching to see it. So, I think instead of Truth Social, which, look, we're all going to follow, his court base is going to follow, it's really going to be a tell to see how does he change the speech tomorrow night to try to unify Americans.

And I'll just add one thing. You know, the convention so far has actually, in many ways, tried to do this. And I've been to every convention since 2004 -- every Republican convention, by the way, since 2004.

[11:50:01]

This is definitely the most racially diverse lineup. This is the most blue-collar lineup of speakers we've seen. The number of everyday Americans speaking in prime time. I think really is telling about who Donald -- what Donald Trump wants this party to be, and what he -- the message he wants to get to Americans as well.

FINNEY: Yes. But you can't -- you know, you can't say one thing and do another, right? You can't say the words we're going to take -- I think we should take down the temperature. And then, you know, use social media to pedal those kinds of messages that are divisive.

And you know, remember the pivot that never came? I mean, we spent four years waiting for Donald Trump to pivot as a -- and become presidential --

PHILLIP: Yes.

FINNEY: And it never happened. So, I think many of us are skeptical. We certainly hope he's sincere, but things like that --

PHILLIP: Yes.

FINNEY: Certainly, don't bode well. PHILLIP: The personal -- I call them personal attacks. They seem to be almost too tempting for Trump to avoid. Matt Mowers, and Karen Finney, thank you both very much. And we'll be right back.

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[11:55:13]

ACOSTA: Just nine days until the Summer Olympics begin in Paris, will the city's iconic River Seine be cleaned enough for the swimming events? Mayor Anne Hidalgo is hoping to assuage any fear. She took a dip in the murky water herself. And she's not the only one. CNN's Melissa Bell jumped in too.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's taken huge amounts of money. Huge amounts of time. Even a month ago, it wasn't clear whether this event here today where the Paris Mayor and I and a bunch of other Parisians have been able to jump into the Seine.

And until about a month ago, this would have seemed completely impossible. What's changed, according to specialists who talked to us about the water quality, is the fact that they've managed to complete one huge infrastructure project upstream that collects a lot of the sewage and the rainwater that used to pollute the Seine so much bringing E. coli levels dangerously high. This would have been impossible to come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Thank you, Melissa Bell for that timeline cleanser we desperately needed it, reporting from Paris for us. Thanks so much.

Thank you for joining me in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta. Stay with CNN. "INSIDE POLITICS" with Dana Bash starts after a short break. Have a great day.

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