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Trump Officials Discussed War Plans On Encrypted App; U.S. And Russian Officials Meet For Talks In Riyadh; Israel Planning New Ground Offensive In Gaza; Court Hears Arguments Over Alien Enemies Act Deportations; Greece's Santorini Welcomes First Cruise Ship After Quakes. Aired 12-12:45a ET
Aired March 25, 2025 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: The White House has a classified information problem all of its own making, coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Nobody was texting war plans. And that's all I have to say about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Oh, yes, you were, Mr. Defense Secretary, and Mr. Vice President, and National Security adviser, and Secretary of State, and Director of Intelligence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're talking about territory right now. We're talking about lines of demarcation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The U.S. president talking up progress in partial ceasefire talks with Russia and Ukraine. The Kremlin, though not as optimistic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
USHA VANCE, SECOND LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm particularly thrilled to visit during your National Dog Sled Race, which our country is proud to support as a sponsor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And Greenland seems almost as thrilled for the U.S. second lady and the U.S. National Security adviser to be there.
ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.
VAUSE: Note to White House officials, to keep information like military operations classified, best not to include the editor-in- chief of a major news publication in a group chat on an open source, free messaging app called Signal. Also, don't use non-government unauthorized apps in the first place.
That may seem obvious, but a small group of senior administration officials, including the Defense secretary, vice president, secretary of State, National Security adviser, and a whole lot of others added a reporter from "The Atlantic" magazine to the group discussion on active plans for a major military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Defense secretary denies anyone was texting war plans, but the administration has admitted the messages appear to be authentic. While Signal is an encrypted messaging app, it's used by many journalists and government officials, it's not authorized for sharing highly classified U.S. information because of security concerns and possible leaks.
According to "The Atlantic," the text revealed information on Houthi targets in Yemen, which U.S. weapon systems would be deployed, and the sequence of U.S. attacks. "Atlantic" editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg initially thought the group was fake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFFREY GOLDBERG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE ATLANTIC: I didn't know what it was or who it was, but what I did know was that the obvious answer was that this is a real conversation of the National Security leadership of the United States. Seemed improbable to me because why would they do it on Signal? Why would they do this on a messaging app? And why would they invite the editor-in-chief of "The Atlantic" to watch?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: More details now from CNN's Jeff Zeleny reporting in from the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: President Trump saying he has the utmost confidence in his National Security adviser, Mike Waltz, after a daylong series of recriminations and revelations about the National Security advisers here at the White House having a discussion about military planning for the bombing of Yemen with a reporter from "The Atlantic" magazine who was invited into this group chat.
On Monday, the president said this.
TRUMP: I don't know anything about it. I'm not a big fan of "The Atlantic." It's -- to me, it's a magazine that's going out of business. I think it's not much of a magazine, but I know nothing about it.
ZELENY: But whether the president knew it or not is not the central question here, because White House officials are reviewing the use of this encrypted app, that these conversations were taking place. Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill raising questions about how highly sensitive, perhaps even classified information could be discussed in this manner, with so many administration officials, including the vice president, who raised questions about the attack in Yemen, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the CIA director, the director of National Intelligence.
Tuesday on Capitol Hill, senators will be questioning the CIA director and the DNI director asking them about this and other worldwide threats. Now, there is no question this is one of the biggest security breaches we have seen, at least in modern technological times here when the editor of "The Atlantic" was invited into this group chat. He removed himself from that and did not disclose the security information.
Now the White House has launched some attacks against him. He's long been a top critic of this president, but there is no doubt this is just the beginning of this conversation. Certainly extraordinary day in Washington.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Juliette Kayyem is a CNN senior national security analyst, a Harvard professor and former assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
It's good to see you. Welcome back.
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Thank you for having me.
VAUSE: OK, so Jeffrey Goldberg's experience illustrates why a free, open source, non-government messaging app isn't ideal for sharing classified information. But isn't it like some kind of security briefing or something, you know, for these incredibly high-ranking government officials? Do they get a brochure, maybe a book? You know, communicating top secret information for dummies? What happens in a normal White House?
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KAYYEM: In a normal White House, even a slightly sloppy White House, none of this behavior would have occurred. Remember, this is an unapproved, unauthorized app on government phones or however each individual person was accessing them. The sheer sloppiness of it is bad. The illegality is probable. And the dangerousness is very high.
They added someone -- I mean, in other words, like, they're sort of lucky it was Jeffrey Goldberg who sort of has standards and knows what to do, and knows what his responsibility is to his nation. They could have added anyone. It took them -- they didn't even realize they had this random person in this group text exchange until he identifies himself. I mean, it's not just sloppiness, it's arrogance. It's this, you know, these emojis.
I'm trying to figure out which part I sort of am disgusted with the most, but like, these, like, you know, the fist emojis with the American flag. It's children at this stage. And Hegseth is like the leader of that group.
VAUSE: Goldberg refers to a number of messages from the Secretary of Defense, Hegseth, which he does not quote directly for the article because of his own concerns over national security. But he does add this. "What I will say, in order to illustrate the shocking recklessness of this Signal conversation, is the Hegseth post contain operational details of forthcoming strikes on Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing."
So just in terms of an operational leak, just how bad could this have been and what laws have been violated during this chat?
KAYYEM: Here's the thing that no one is talking about or not enough people are talking about. Because I use Signal because we're both in the space. There's detailed plans presumably on a secure computer that really don't need to be shared with that group. That's a large group. It includes the chief of staff. It includes the deputy chief of staff, people who don't need to know the operational details.
Somehow it gets from a, you know, what we call a high side classified computer into Signal. Now, you can't do that many ways. It either means that he e-mailed it to himself or he downloaded it. So I think one of the reasons why you're seeing Hegseth come on so strong, even denying things that the White House has already confirmed that, in fact, the conversation did take place, is because of these really egregious classified material breaches.
VAUSE: I want you to listen to the reaction from Hegseth when -- to this report, this article in "The Atlantic" magazine. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEGSETH: You're talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so- called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again to include the, I don't know, the hoaxes of Russia, Russia, Russia, or the fine people on both sides hoax, or suckers and losers hoax. So this is a guy that peddles in garbage. This is what he does.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Well, the U.S. president reposted a tweet from Elon Musk, which was mocking "The Atlantic" magazine. He wrote, "The best place to hide a dead body is on page two of 'The Atlantic,' because no one ever goes there." Musk actually lifted that from someone else.
It seems neither the president nor the Defense secretary is addressing the real problem here.
KAYYEM: No, it's not. I mean, they, look, they're on offense. Remember, this is a group of people who have allegiance to Trump, but not to each other. And we've seen it before in the Trump administration. The knives are out amongst themselves. This is not going to be fun to watch. It is not -- it's not pretty. But that's what happens when you put exceptionally lazy, unqualified and sloppy people in these high positions.
VAUSE: I want you to listen to the Trump apologists over at FOX.
KAYYEM: Yes.
VAUSE: Here we are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL CAIN, FOX NEWS HOST: What you will see is dialogue between Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, National Security adviser Mike Waltz, Stephen Miller, Tulsi Gabbard, and many more in a very collaborative, open, honest, team-based attempt to come to the right decision after years of secrecy and incompetence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Oh, please. You know, two words here. Hillary's e-mails.
KAYYEM: Yes, I don't even need to bring them up. I mean, it's so apples and oranges.
VAUSE: Well, we'll see what happens with the Defense secretary and the others on that call for that matter, or Signal conversation, I should say.
KAYYEM: Yes.
VAUSE: Juliette, thank you for being with us and explaining how things should work in a proper White House.
KAYYEM: Yes.
VAUSE: Well, a partial temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine appears to be inching closer after two days of talks in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
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American and Russian officials met for 12 hours Monday. A day earlier, the U.S. held separate talks with the Ukrainian delegation. The White House says progress is being made on a maritime truce in the Black Sea, and a positive announcement should be coming soon.
President Trump also says a deal over access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals is almost done. But any diplomatic progress, though, seems to be overshadowed by a surge in military strikes by both sides.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen is following all developers now reporting in from Moscow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Despite unrelenting fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces on various fronts and Moscow saying its troops continue to make headway, President Trump's special negotiator saying he trusts Russian President Vladimir Putin has no further ambitions in Europe beyond Ukraine.
STEVE WITKOFF, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST: I just don't see that he wants to take all of Europe. This is a much different situation than it was in World War II. In World War II, there was no NATO. So I just, you have countries that are armed there. To me it just -- I take him at his word in this sense.
PLEITGEN: But the Ukrainians say Russia is continuing an aerial blitz with drones and missiles, a strike in the northern Sumy region, leaving dozens injured, Kyiv says. And Moscow accuses Ukraine of stepping up attacks on Russian energy installations, despite an agreement with the Trump administration not to do so, even though Kyiv denies the allegations.
The Kremlin seemingly pushing the brakes on talk of a possible imminent full ceasefire.
Of course, there are still many different aspects related to the settlement that need to be worked out, the Kremlin spokesman said.
As U.S. and Russian negotiators met in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, to try and hammer out some of those details, Steve Witkoff says the last time he met Putin, he saw a special relationship between the Russian leader and President Trump, developing Witkoff told Tucker Carlson.
WITKOFF: You know, it got personal. The president, President Putin had commissioned a beautiful portrait of President Trump from the leading Russian artist and actually gave it to me and asked me to take it home to President Trump, which I brought home and delivered to him. It's been reported in the paper, but it was such a gracious moment and told me a story, Tucker, about how when the president was shot he went to his local church and met with his priest and prayed for the president, not because he was the president of the -- he could become the president of the United States but because he had a friendship with him and he was praying for his friend.
PLEITGEN: Those words reverberating on the streets of Moscow.
He said that President Putin had ordered a portrait of Donald Trump. What did you think about that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. It's maybe a symbol of growing relationships. I don't know what to think about that.
PLEITGEN: Do you think they're friends? Witkoff said that he was praying for a friend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes, he said so, but I don't know. Maybe. Maybe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe they have a quite good relationship between them. So I believe that everything will be fine. PLEITGEN (voice-over): The Trump administration also says they believe
things will be worked out, even as the Kremlin cautions many tough issues still need to be solved to end the fighting in Ukraine.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Israel is planning a massive new ground offensive in Gaza. Ahead, details of the potential scenarios being considered by the Israelis.
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VAUSE: The United Nations is withdrawing about a third of its international workforce in Gaza after a deadly Israeli strike on a U.N. compound last week. Almost a week since Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas and sources tell CNN this renewed military offensive could soon escalate, with the IDF considering a massive new ground offensive.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond has the very latest now from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, as the war in Gaza renews once again, Israel is making plans for a potential major ground offensive in the strip. This plan, which is currently being crafted, could involve sending tens of thousands of Israeli troops into Gaza to clear and then occupy large swaths of land. This is according to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the matter.
It is important to note that this is just one possible scenario currently being considered. And in fact one of the sources told me that this information is currently being leaked in order to try and pressure Hamas further at the negotiating table as the mediators try and revive the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
But this is a real plan that Israel is considering. It would involve as many as five divisions of Israeli troops or about 50,000 soldiers as part of this offensive. Unlike previously when Israel has carried out ground offensives and cleared certain areas of Hamas, only to then retreat from those areas, Hamas reemerged because of a lack of an alternative governance, the lack of Israeli troops in the area as well, and that then resulted in Israeli troops going back into Gaza, back into those very same areas that they had previously cleared of Hamas militants.
And so this time, Israeli officials are envisioning a long term occupation of some of those areas, which could, according to military experts, bog down the Israeli military in a month's long or even years long fight against insurgencies and a long term occupation of large swaths of the Gaza Strip.
[00:20:19]
It's not clear that the Israeli public has an appetite for such a large scale return to war, though. In fact, numerous polls have showed that a majority of Israelis would prefer to see a hostage deal that also ends the war in Gaza rather than a return to this kind of an all- out war. But the Israeli prime minister's priorities may be in a different place. His right-wing governing coalition, key figures in it, have been pushing for exactly this kind of a large scale ground offensive in Gaza, long term occupation of the Gaza Strip as well.
But even before any kind of large scale ground offensive happens, we've watched as Israeli troops have begun to carry out some ground operations in both northern and southern Gaza, and also those airstrikes very much still continuing. Two Palestinian journalists were in fact killed by Israeli strikes on Monday according to several Gaza journalist unions.
This is the latest attack on journalists that we have seen play out in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military previously claimed that Hossam Shabat, one of those journalists, was affiliated with Hamas but provided no verifiable evidence that he was actively involved with the group. CNN has reached out to the Israeli Military for additional comment.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: The family of Elkana Bohbot, an Israeli man held hostage in Gaza for about a year and a half, are now begging Israeli and U.S. leaders to imagine, this is your son, and secure his immediate release. All of this comes after Hamas released a video showing Bohbot under duress, pleading for a ceasefire. The video showed him with Yosef Haim Ohana, another hostage. The families of both hostages say they fear for their loved ones, who appear to be starved and in poor physical condition.
An Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker was brutally beaten by Israeli settlers outside his home in the West Bank on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't do that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence were there and took this video of the assault. Co-workers and eyewitnesses say Hamdan Ballal was then taken away by the Israeli Military. The activists say more than a dozen settlers attacked the West Bank village of Susya after a dispute involving a settler shepherding near a Palestinian home. Ballal co-directed the film "No Other Land," which won an Oscar for
Best Documentary last month. The film shows the eviction of Palestinians from their homes in the occupied West Bank.
In a moment here on CNN, a U.S. appeals court hears arguments over whether Venezuelan migrants should have been deported under an 18th century wartime law. The very latest from Washington in a moment.
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VAUSE: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Let's check today's top stories.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claims nobody was texting war plans in a commercial messaging chatgroup. "The Atlantic" magazine's editor-in-chief, who was mistakenly included, says Hegseth revealed plans for a U.S. attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier this month.
The White House says there's progress on a potential temporary maritime truce between Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea following two days of talks in Saudi Arabia. American and Russian officials met for 12 hours Monday in Riyadh, a day after the U.S. held separate talks with Ukraine.
Israel is making plans for a potential major ground offensive in Gaza, according to sources. The operation could see the deployment of 50,000 troops to clear and occupy large swaths of territory in the enclave. It's just one of several possible scenarios Israel is contemplating since the ceasefire in Gaza was shattered by Israel.
Tempers flare during a federal appeals court hearing in Washington over the use of an obscure, centuries old wartime law, which was used by the White House to deport more than 200 Venezuelan migrants. Attorneys for the Justice Department argued those who were deported were violent gang members who had no right to advance notice. But the American Civil Liberties Union and others say the law just isn't applicable because the United States is not at war with Venezuela.
CNN's Katelyn Polantz has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This hearing today on these flights of Venezuelan migrants out of the country, the Justice Department came out swinging. They said immediately this is about the power of the presidency and his use of the Alien Enemies Act to make a decision such as, like in times of war. And the way the D.C. Circuit responded was almost immediate questioning, hold on, really? Is that what we're talking about here?
Judge Patricia Millett of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, she had the first question at these arguments, and she said, you know, this isn't about the president giving an order to move a ship in war from one place to another. This is about the rights of individuals and whether they can have the ability to go before a judge and even argue that they are not someone who could even be subject to this act, the Alien Enemies Act. People who would be arguing that, in this case, potentially, that they're not from the gang, Tren de Aragua.
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So, this is --
POLANTZ: -- where the arguments are going. It is continuing on here at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, a very important test, early test, for the Trump administration as they try and preserve --
POLANTZ (voice-over): -- all of the abilities that Donald Trump wants to have to handle migration and immigration in the United States, and to remove people from the country.
The courts currently looking at the role they may play.
We're not expecting a decision from the bench --
POLANTZ: -- during this hearing, but listening to what questions these judges are asking is very important.
POLANTZ (voice-over): It is a judge that is an Obama appointee. Thats Judge Millett, who was leading the questions at the start of the hearing. But then Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee himself, he had some very similar questions just a few minutes in, as well.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: U.S. President Donald Trump playing down an upcoming visit to Greenland by the U.S. second lady and national security advisor, describing it as friendliness, not provocation.
Greenland's prime minister, though, disagrees, saying it's highly aggressive, after Trump expressed interest in annexing the autonomous Danish territory.
Second lady Usha Vance will be part of the cultural visit, and President Trump believes Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be traveling there, as well.
A source familiar with the trip earlier said national security advisor Mike Waltz will be also in the delegation.
Turkey's President Erdogan is calling outgoing [SIC] protests -- ongoing protests, rather, in the country evil and a movement of violence.
Thousands of protesters have been detained after -- after the jailing of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. The Ministry of Justice says more than 120 police officers have been injured in clashes.
This is how the president characterized the situation. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): What we have witnessed in the last five days has shown us the truth again. A country like Turkey has a main opposition party that is too small, too primitive, and too weak in terms of foresight, vision, and quality.
It has become apparent, once again, that they could not be trusted to run a country, let alone local governments or even a buffet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The leader of the opposition Republican People's Party says protesters only wish to, quote, "defend democracy and protect their rights."
Well, a series of earthquakes brought the Greek island of Santorini to a standstill. When we come back, a sign this tourism hot spot could be bouncing back.
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VAUSE: The sexual assault trial of French actor Gerard Depardieu resumes in the hours ahead, after a first day which saw lawyers sparring over legal procedures.
Depardieu is accused of a number of sexual assaults on the film -- on film sets. The 76-year-old has denied all accusations against him.
The trial was postponed from October because of his poor health. Now, it takes place with France's MeToo movement revitalized in the aftermath of the Pelicot mass rape trial.
Depardieu faces up to five years in prison if found guilty.
The first cruise ship of the season arrived at the Greek island of Santorini over the weekend, just weeks after a series of earthquakes prompted a state of emergency.
CNN's Lynda Kinkade has details on this late start to the local tourism season.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR (voice-over): The popular Greek island of Santorini experienced waves of earthquakes in January and February, causing tourists and many residents to evacuate.
But just over a month later, the first cruise ship of the season arrived at the island. It's a sign of hope that tourism could bounce back after the earthquakes triggered a state of emergency that lasted until March 3.
DEBORAH TERRY, TOURIST: Its exciting, yes, to know that the island is open again and we get to visit first. It's safe.
KINKADE (voice-over): The picturesque island sits near the boundary of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. Because of its proximity to the geographic fault lines, Santorini often experiences seismic activity. But the most recent wave of earthquakes was not typical.
Data from the National Observatory of Athens indicated that over 1,200 earthquakes, ranging from 1 to 5.2 in magnitude, occurred over a two- week period. Schools closed and construction work was halted.
But now that the quakes have died down, tourists express excitement about returning to Santorini after the government's safety assurances.
JULIE EBERLY, TOURIST: We love being the first cruise ship that got the chance to come to Santorini. We feel really blessed.
We trust the tourism board here. And so, if they said it was safe to come, we came with open arms.
KINKADE (voice-over): The island, which attracts around 3.4 million visitors each year, is also home to around 200,000 residents. And tourism makes up a large majority of the island's income.
TASSOS KONTOS, SHOP OWNER (through translator): We all hope that things will return to normal, that people will come back. The cloud seems to be lifting, so things should improve for everyone. At least that's what we hope.
KINKADE (voice-over): Lynda Kinkade, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. I'll be back with more news at the top of the hour. In the meantime, WORLD SPORT starts after a short break.
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