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E.U. Leaders Meet For Summit on Ukraine, Defense; Trump Pauses Canada, Mexico Auto Tariffs for One Month; Growing Calls For Target Boycott Amid DEI Program Changes. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired March 06, 2025 - 05:30   ET

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

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[05:31:46]

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York. And here are some of the stories we are watching for you today. The Vatican says that Pope Francis spent another tranquil night in hospital and is resting. They describe his condition as stable but complex. The 88-year-old pontiff has been in a Rome hospital now for three weeks, getting treatment for complications due to double pneumonia.

European leaders are set to meet in Brussels in the coming hours to discuss the future of Ukraine and European security. This is as the U.S. suspends military aid to Ukraine and stops sharing intelligence even as Ukraine's war with Russia continues on. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend the meeting.

And finally, you can now become a citizen of Nauru for just $105,000. The tiny island nation says that the money it raises by selling golden passports will be used to protect its people from the impact of climate change. Now, the government does not expect golden passport holders to actually live on the island, but the passport does offer visa-free access to 89 countries.

President Trump is granting a one-month exemption to Canada and Mexico on auto tariffs. He says that he doesn't want to hurt U.S. automakers financially. The White House says that companies should take that time to start shifting production back to the U.S. where they won't pay tariffs. The President's supporters in Congress say that the tariffs are a valuable way to negotiate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN ZINKE, U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN: One thing about tariffs with President Trump, he views them as a personal negotiation tool. And he puts a wide umbrella out first, and then you see him begin to narrow it as they get closer. So I think the hope is that tariffs are short- lived and produce an objective.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: More now from CNN's Sherrell Hubbard. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's a trade war brewing. Canada is resorting to retaliatory measures a day after President Donald Trump doubled a tariff on Chinese goods to 20% and enacted a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico.

WAB KINEW, MANITOBA PREMIER: Pulling American booze off the Liquor Mart shelves.

HUBBARD: Canada is also responding by imposing a 25% tariff on some U.S. goods, with plans to include more later. Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wednesday morning for almost an hour on the issue.

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He said that he was not pleased, as you said. He said it's not good enough.

HUBBARD: The White House said the decision to pause auto tariffs is so that U.S. automakers are not at an economic disadvantage. But Tariff News has sent stocks sinking and consumer confidence plunging this week.

ERASMUS KERSTING, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS CHAIR, VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY: They are just going to raise prices. There is a lot of cross-border traffic involved with the production of every single automobile.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of our wholesalers are letting us know, hey, the prices are going to go up.

HUBBARD: Although U.S. companies and consumers will ultimately be responsible for paying the tariffs, in his address to Congress Tuesday night, Trump spent several minutes doubling down on his tariff agenda.

DONALD TRUMP (R), U.S. PRESIDENT: There'll be a little disturbance, but we're OK with that.

HUBBARD: I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[05:35:04]

SOLOMON: OK, apparently an important reminder for people coming into the U.S. right now, leave the eggs behind. High prices may make bringing them in from Mexico or Canada seem like a good deal or a good idea. But Customs and Border Patrol agents are on the lookout for them. Egg seizures are up about 30% at all ports of entry. Now, usually it's just U.S. tourists bringing back a few eggs that maybe they had forgotten. Bringing in illegal eggs, whether on purpose or by accident, carries a $300 fine.

Earlier today, Chinese tech giant Alibaba unveiled its latest A.I. model that it says is up there with open A.I. and DeepSeek. Now, DeepSeek stunned the tech world when it unveiled an A.I. model that costs far less, it said, to train than its rivals from the West. It also signaled China's growing strength in developing industry-leading A.I. Well, the news, as you might imagine, sent Alibaba shares soaring. It closed 8% higher in Hong Kong.

And taking a look at the markets now, U.S. Futures, well, this has become a common sight this week, at least are solidly lower. It is early. We'll see what the day brings. But at this point, Dow, Nasdaq and S&P Futures look set to close lower.

An Atlanta-based church is spearheading a boycott of Target, and it's quickly growing and gaining traction online. The boycott is expected to last throughout Lent. In response to the shopping chain's -- changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Our Ryan Young spoke with a senior pastor at that church about the movement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REV. JAMAL BRYANT, SENIOR PASTOR, NEW BIRTH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH: There's never a revolution without inconvenience.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are calling it a spiritual act of resistance. Prominent Atlanta area megachurch pastor Jamal Bryant calling for at least a 40-day boycott of Target during Lent.

BRYANT: It is not over in 40 days. That is a benchmark for us.

This is being driven by the church. The Montgomery bus boycott was effective not just because of its strategy, but because of its spiritual underpinning.

YOUNG (on camera): What do you want people to do?

BRYANT: We're asking people to divest from Target because they have turned their back on our community. Black people spend upwards of $12 million a day, and so we would expect some loyalty.

YOUNG (voice-over): Customer visits to Target have slowed since they announced it was eliminating hiring goals for minority employees days into the Trump presidency.

BRYANT: Target made overtures to meet with me on last week, and I told them I'm only going to meet with the CEO. I need a decision maker. I don't need a photo op.

YOUNG: And Dr. Bryant is not the only pastor calling for the Target fast.

FATHER MICHAEL PFLEGER, SAINT SABINA CHURCH: If we do this strong and we come on strong and we weaken Target and flex our muscle and let these other corporations know we are going to respond.

YOUNG: In a note from targets chief equity officer, they say they are still committed to inclusivity and offers a wide range of products and services, including items from vendors that are Black and minority owned.

The company has declined to comment to CNN further about the boycott.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: FAFO stage.

YOUNG: As strong reactions by supporters continue online.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't believe in DEI, so I don't believe in giving you money.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do not shop at Target. We are boycotting them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have hit up Target's official page and they are getting torn up.

YOUNG: The CEO of one of the largest Black-owned makeup companies carried in Target says they are disappointed about Target's rollback of DEI policies.

MELISSA BUTLER, CEO, THE LIP BAR: It's a really (bleep) situation to be in.

YOUNG: But emphasizes concerns with the realities of a long-term boycott.

BUTLER: By not shopping in these stores, you are also impacting the hundreds of Black owned businesses.

YOUNG (on camera): The idea now that the pullback is going to affect that customer base, what do you think about those businesses?

BRYANT: Yeah, there are over 1,000 black vendors who have their wares in Targets across the country. We've reached out to all of them to shift their focus to online.

YOUNG (voice-over): Some Target shoppers we met were supportive of the boycott.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm all for it.

YOUNG: Yet skeptical.

(On camera): You see benefit in people standing together.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do, but I'm not sure if this is the only vehicle to get the word out and to unite us as a country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's where I get my prescriptions. And so no, I'm not going to do no total block on Target.

BRYANT: It is what makes America a Democratic space is that people have the space to disagree.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So this is about reforming the --

YOUNG (voice-over): Bryant says he wants the show the White House they have a responsibility to all Americans, not just MAGA supporters.

BRYANT: I think we're getting ready to see a revival of the civil rights movement, much akin to what we saw in the 1960s.

[05:40:00]

YOUNG (on camera): Yeah, it's still the early days of the fast, so we'll have to see how it plays out economically for Target. But we know the retailers already facing headwinds, especially with the downturn they've been reporting as of recently. We'll have to see how this all plays out. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: Our thanks to Ryan Young there. Well, if you are in Times Square today, you likely won't miss Kim Kardashian. No, not the real one, but a 60-foot inflatable of the reality TV star and businesswoman. Now it's there to promote her company's new swimwear collection and reactions from tourists and locals. Well, they're mixed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RENS GRAVEMAKER, TOURIST FROM AMSTERDAM: Funny, yeah, because I feel like it can only be like this in America, because everything in America is really big. So that's why I find it really funny.

EVA GRAVEMAKER, TOURIST FROM AMSTERDAM: Yeah, I think it's something that can only happen in America.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why do you say that?

E. GRAVEMAKER: Yeah, it's just funny. It's so big and some people seem to care and a lot of people don't, like they just walk past. And I think it's very funny.

JOEL PERELMUTH, NEW YORK RESIDENT: Well, it's typical of Times Square because they like to do things on a very big scale. And it's Kim Kardashian, of course, and her Kim Kardashian's rear end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: All right. And the balloon popped up in Times Square on Tuesday and quickly became a tourist attraction. If the idea was certainly to be seen and to get people talking, well, Kim Kardashian succeeded. People are talking about skims.

All right, still ahead for us, keeping kids safe online. Utah wants Apple and Google to verify the age of users on their app stores, plus tariffs, a trade war and an immigration crackdown. Why the U.S. Vice President believes that Trump policies are actually doing Mexico a favor. We'll be right back.

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[05:46:27]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance touting President Donald Trump's approach to immigration as he went to the Mexican border yesterday. Vance traveled to Eagle Pass, Texas and held a roundtable with Governor Greg Abbott.

The Vice President said that President Trump has empowered the entire government, not just Homeland Security, to deal with border control. He also claimed that Trump's policies are helping Mexico.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE (R), U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Look, the President obviously cares deeply about the American people. He serves the American people first. I actually think he's doing a huge favor to the people of Mexico, because if they don't get control of these cartels, the people of Mexico are going to wake up in a narco state where the cartels have more power than their own government. President Trump is trying to help. The Mexican government needs to take this issue of immigration enforcement seriously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Vance said that illegal border crossings dropped 39% in January from the month before, but they had been sharply declining for months before Mr. Trump took office.

The U.S. could soon see its first execution by firing squad in 15 years. Brad Sigmon, a prisoner on South Carolina's death row, is scheduled to die by firing squad on Friday, unless the governor decides to commute his sentence to life in prison.

Sigman received the death penalty for the 2001 double murder of his ex-girlfriend's parents. His lawyer says that Sigmon chose the firing squad because he was afraid that the state's usual execution methods, the electric chair and lethal injection, would not result in his immediate death.

And death by firing squad could become the primary method of execution in the state of Idaho. That's if the governor signs a bill that the state Senate passed on Wednesday. It would take effect next year. Firing squad execution has been the backup to legal or lethal injections in Idaho since 2023. The bill's sponsors suggesting that shooting someone was more effective and humane than other execution methods.

To Alaska now, where three skiers are believed to be buried under an avalanche. They had been taken by helicopter to a mountain ski area near the city of Anchorage, only for the avalanche to overwhelm them. This happened Tuesday afternoon, their time. A local official says that it is not believed that any of them have survived after being covered by as much as 100 feet of snow. A fourth person was with the group but was not caught in the avalanche.

Utah has become the first U.S. state to pass legislation that will require app stores to verify the age of users and require parental permission for children to download apps. It's part of a fight pitting various tech companies against one another to establish who should be responsible for keeping children safe online. Leading app store operators, including Apple and Google, want social media platforms to be the one that verify their users' age, while social media companies say it's the responsibility of app stores. If Utah's bill is signed into law, it will take effect on May 7th.

Still ahead for us, ahead of the World Cup coming to North America next year, FIFA is taking a page from the Super Bowl playbook. We'll have that story and more when we return.

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[05:54:08]

SOLOMON: A little Coldplay for you. On a Thursday morning, we are now hearing that the British rock band has been recruited to help with a pretty big gig. When the FIFA World Cup final is played in the U.S. next year in July, it will draw inspiration from the NFL's Super Bowl and have a halftime show. FIFA's President says that it's a first for world soccer. And he adds that Coldplay will help decide which musical acts should perform. Remember that Coldplay gave the concert at the Super Bowl in 2016? I think that was a show with Beyonce. It was a very good show, if I'm not mistaken, but unclear if they will actually play at the World Cup next year.

The U.S., Canada, and Mexico are co-hosting. Yes, it was with Beyonce, are co-hosting next year's tournament. Should be a lot of fun.

And now I want to actually head to Brussels, where we are seeing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appear at this E.U. summit.

[05:55:00]

Let's pause for a minute to see if we actually get any comments from him, or if he is just walking in for this summit.

No comment just at the moment as he sort of hugs and greets the E.U. Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.

Let me bring in my colleague, Nic Robertson, who is in Brussels. Nic, we've been talking about this summit all morning long. Give us a sense of what Zelenskyy is hoping to accomplish here with this meeting of E.U. leaders?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, I mean, I think what we're going to see in a couple of minutes, maybe less than, is Zelenskyy walk up the red carpet here, and perhaps what you can't see out of eyesight over there, about 50 yards away from where he is now, a group of journalists, large group of journalists, and they'll all be asking him questions. That's the expectation. This meeting, though, is being led by Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, you see there talking to Zelenskyy.

It's -- in essence, what has happened here is von der Leyen has put forward a proposal, and Costa, if you like, as President of the Council, is hosting the 27 leaders to look at that proposal. And the proposal is about how you raise the money, 800 billion euros they're talking about approximately, to increase defense spending in Europe. And of course, the reason they're doing that is because there are shortfalls for Ukraine. And also, Europe is now really concerned that the U.S. is not going to step up and provide the security backing that traditionally it did.

So there's a lot of pressure on this meeting. And while, you know, this sort of red-carpet pre-conversation is underway, I think it gives you a sense that nothing here is sort of as it would be previous at the E.U., where everyone wait to get in the room and have a meeting and have a discussion.

There are events and conversations that will have happened while Zelenskyy's been in transit since he's arrived here. He's met already with the Belgian Prime Minister. That was the expectation this morning.

And so Costa and von der Leyen, they're huddling with him, a sort of a pre-meeting to give him the lay of the land from their latest conversations. There is momentum here. What you don't get a sense of is perhaps the speed that decisions are made inside the White House, where it's a tiny core group, President Trump, his advisors, et cetera, that can make decisions.

Here, it takes getting together the 27 European Union leaders today, deciding how to raise the money to spend it on weapons before they decide how they're going to spend it on weapons, where they're going to purchase those weapons, where they might ramp up production, which countries in the European Union might mostly predominantly benefit from that, where the money can be dispersed, and also the controls on raising that money.

So there's a lot of technicalities that take time to work out. But the core of those discussions, Zelenskyy, von der Leyen and Costa there, the European Council President hosting the meeting today, the European Commission President von der Leyen, who's bringing in the proposal about how to raise the money, and the prime beneficiary, if you will, the Ukrainian President, Vladimir Zelenskyy, in this huddle of a conversation.

I've already seen a lot of the leaders coming in, and we're expecting those leaders coming in to be inside a session that could last all afternoon, and it could go on into the evening, and we know that there are potential outliers in those 27 to not wanting to give Ukraine the support, not wanting the E.U. to spend the money.

So here they come. Antonio Costa on the left of your picture, von der Leyen on the right, in the white jacket, of course, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his traditional military-type attire, meeting with all these diplomats who are all in suits, but he is wearing his traditional attire, and you will see him, as he's worn through the last three years of the war, you will see him in a moment appear on another camera in that direction, where he is expected to give comments, and we can get to hear how he is going to explain his mission here today.

We know that just yesterday, or even early this morning, he's already talked with four different European leaders to kind of bring them up to speed with where Ukraine is, with Ukraine's readiness to work with the United States, readiness he's talked about to sign this minerals deal. But what he is most keen to look for, of course, is how Europe can fill the security gaps that are emerging because the United States is withdrawing itself from the fulsome support that has given Ukraine previously, witnessed just yesterday, the intelligence support, intelligence support that alerts Ukrainians to the potential of attack on front lines, on cities, all of that.

[06:00:05]

And we've heard today reports that President Macron of France is offering some intelligence that can help Zelenskyy.

So again, you know, he's been in the building now 10 minutes. He was expected to walk directly up to the cameras. Again, I'll underscore the fact that he is in conversation with the European Commission president, the European Council president is an indication of just.