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Trump Plans To Impose Sweeping New Tariffs This Week; Trump Threatens Secondary Tariffs On Russian Oil If No Deal On Ukraine; Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Passes 1,700 As Rescuers Race To Find Survivors; Verdict Expected For French Far Right Leader Marine Le Pen; Prince Harry Accused Of Harassment And Bullying By Charity Chairwoman; Rescuers Race To Find Quake Survivors In Myanmar; Hamas Agrees To Egyptian Ceasefire Proposal, Israel Counters; Trump: U.S. Will Buy "Badly Needed" Icebreakers From Finland; Using A.I. Drones To Detect Wildfires Sooner Than Ever. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired March 31, 2025 - 01:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:24]

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to all of our viewers watching from around the world. I'm Isabel Rosales. Ahead on CNN Newsroom, Donald Trump set to shake up the global economy as his so called Liberation Day approaches. We'll take a look at the president's plans to impose reciprocal tariffs and who it may affect.

As rescue workers in Myanmar race against the clock to locate survivors, we'll discuss the long road to recovery for people facing devastating loss.

Plus, Prince Harry accused of harassment and bullying after his exit from the charity he co-founded.

U.S. President Donald Trump is gearing up for what he's calling Liberation Day on Wednesday. That is when he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on countries all over the world and includes a 25 percent tariff on imported cars and car parts as well as reciprocal tariffs.

Earlier, the president told reporters on board Air Force One the tariffs will target all countries.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: The tariffs will be far more generous than those countries were to us, meaning they will be kinder than those countries were to the United States of America over the decades. They ripped us off like no country has ever been ripped off in history. And we're going to be much nicer than they were to us. But it's substantial money for the country nevertheless.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: And here's how the markets are faring as we start the week. Right now, they are down across the board in Asia. You can see red, red there. Anything, by the way, above 1 percent is a notable drop. You can see Japan, the Nikkei right there, almost four times that amount. All of this happening amid worries of a growing trade war.

As for the U.S. futures, the Dow, Nasdaq and the S and P 500, all of them also in the red, just eight and a half hours till the open of Wall Street. CNN's Betsy Klein has the latest details on President Trump's tariff plan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Well, President Trump has long viewed tariffs and particularly the threat of tariffs as a key negotiating tactic. And we should expect all of that to play out on April 2 when the President imposes those promised 25 percent tariffs on autos and auto parts. So even if you're not shopping for a new car, it could become more expensive to fix your existing car.

And when the president said in an interview with NBC News that he, quote, couldn't care less, end quote, if car prices go up because of tariffs. His goal here is twofold. Number one, he wants Americans buying more American made cars. And two, he wants to pressure automakers to make more cars and car parts here in the US. Of course, we should note that even American automakers use Canada and Mexico to manufacture certain parts of cars.

We should also note that after that NBC News interview, an aide to President Trump clarified that the president was referring specifically to foreign car prices. Now, more broadly, the president is planning sweeping reciprocal tariffs starting April 2.

And Americans won't necessarily feel the effects of those tariffs right away, but the import taxes could raise prices on just about everything. Over 40 percent of the goods America imported in the last year came from some of the countries that the president is targeting here.

I want you to listen now to remarks from Peter Navarro, the president's tariff adviser, when asked about concerns from Americans about rising prices, trusted Trump.

PETER NAVARRO, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR COUNSELOR FOR TRADE AND MANUFACTURING: We have the example from the first term. We know that we imposed historically high tariffs on China. We imposed aluminum and steel tariffs. We imposed on washing machines, on solar. All we got out of that was prosperity and price stability. And the reason why we're not going to see inflation is because the foreigners are going to eat most of it. They have to.

ROSALES: Trust in Trump, of course, may be cold comfort amid that significant market volatility and so much uncertainty for investors, businesses and American consumers. Betsy Klein, CNN, traveling with the president in West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROSALES: President Trump says he's, quote, pissed off at Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is threatening to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil unless Putin agrees to a deal that would end the war in Ukraine.

In a phone interview with NBC News, the U.S. President said he was angry about Putin's comments suggesting that there should be new leadership in Ukraine. But Trump has also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself and has called for elections in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Trump is mulling ways he could pursue a third term as president. He told NBC News there are methods to make it happen. He's repeatedly teased the idea, even though it would violate the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution. But he says he's not joking and talked about it again Sunday night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm not looking at that. But I'll tell you, I have had more people ask me to have a third term, which is in a way, a fourth term because the other election, the 2020 election, was total rigged. So it's actually sort of a fourth term in a certain way. I just don't want the credit for the second because Biden was so bad, he did such a bad job.

I don't want to talk about a third term now because no matter how you look at it, we got a long time to go. We have a long time, you know, we have almost four years to go, and that's a long time. But despite that, so many people are saying you've got to run again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: Larry Sabato is the director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics and editor of "A Return to Normalcy? The 2020 Election That Almost Broke America." He joins us now from Charlottesville, Virginia.

Larry, great to see you. Let's first talk about that NBC interview where Trump said there are methods for seeking a third term. And then he added that he's not joking. This topic of a third term has come up before with him. At a January rally in Nevada, he said the following. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: It will be the greatest honor of my life to serve not once but twice or three times or four times now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: Now, to be clear, that would be unconstitutional, Larry but could it happen?

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Theoretically, it could happen. It's hard to see how Trump would be able to get away with it. When you really look at the options, a constitutional amendment would be the way to do it, and that is an impossibility. You have to have both parties coming together to agree to change the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two elective terms. That isn't going to happen. There isn't the Democrat out there who would support that.

But there are ways for Trump to do it. And as he said, he's not joking. And one way, I'm sorry to say, is simply to ignore the Constitution. All he really needs is for the Republican Party to nominate him for president again and then he would maneuver to win the general election. There are ways for him to do that as well.

And the Constitution may say one thing, but he may determine that he's going to get a third term regardless. Now, I don't think it's very likely, but we learn to take him seriously when he repeats things like this over and over. And his key supporters are also talking about it.

ROSALES: All right. And there's so much to talk about here. Let's move on to tariffs if we can, because Trump cast April 2nd as, quote, Liberation Day, promising reciprocal tariffs on an unspecified number of countries as well as 25 percent tariffs on automobiles and car parts.

And he said this about the possibility of auto tariffs raising prices. He said, I couldn't care less. I hope they raise their prices because if they do, people are going to buy American made cars and we have plenty.

Now, to be clear, an aide later clarified that he was speaking specifically to the cost of foreign cars. But Larry Trump promised to lower prices day one. What's the payoff here?

SABATO: Well, the payoff may be for Democrats, frankly, because Trump seems bound and determined to use tariffs and to make them relatively high and in such a way that Americans will end up paying a great deal more for many different goods and services.

So inevitably, people are going to feel pain. And when they feel pain, they blame the incumbent president. Now, he blames Biden for everything. But I think we're coming to the end of the period when that sells unless to his hardcore.

But beyond the hardcore, most people aren't going to take that as legitimate. So I think he will suffer for it. I think Americans will suffer for it. Or maybe he'll rewrite the whole book on tariffs. Maybe he knows something no one else does.

ROSALES: Well, let's move on to Putin because it was pretty notable and remarkable, the tone that Trump struck regarding Putin, saying that he was pissed off at Putin for going after Ukraine's president, his credibility for calling for new leadership in Ukraine.

[01:10:10]

Trump is also considering new tariffs on Russian oil. But, Larry, the U.S. has not imported any Russian energy since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. So how does this make any sense? SABATO: I think what Trump is doing is sending Putin a message that

Putin is also in his crosshairs. It isn't just Zelenskyy in Ukraine. Now, whether he follows through on this threat or any other threat against Russia is another question. He certainly hasn't been anything but friendly to Putin to this point.

Maybe this rhetorically is to balance things and maybe it's to get Zelenskyy to see that he's serious about making Russia comply with his ideas as well. But we'll all believe it when we see it, because so far it seems that it's been much more difficult for Zelenskyy and Ukraine than it has been for Russia and Putin.

SABATO: Right, let's shift to Wisconsin now, a battleground state where there is this high stakes state Supreme Court race there that is just smashing fundraising records. And many believe that the results of this race could actually be a referendum on Elon Musk's influence on American politics and even perhaps on Trump's second term. How do you see it?

SABATO: Well, if you ever wanted an argument against judicial elections, this is it. A lot of us feel it is absurd to be electing judges. They should be appointed by governors, ratified by legislatures, much as they are at the national level.

But essentially, this one seat in Wisconsin is the swing seat. It will determine whether liberals or conservatives control the Wisconsin Supreme Court. And Wisconsin, of course, is the fulcrum state. It's the key swing state.

So it's very important, which is why, according to some reports, Elon Musk is spending somewhere around $20 million just on the election. Plus, he's offering million dollar gifts to a couple of people who back his petition to have this kind of election. But we'll see what the public thinks about this.

They may be turned off by this massive amount of money that Elon Musk is contributing and that others are contributing on the other side. It's really quite obscene.

ROSALES: Yes. When it comes to Wisconsin, it's also important to note that back in 2020, Trump laws said by a very thin margin, he filed four lawsuits contesting the election results, and all four of them ended up at the state Supreme Court. Larry Sabato, really appreciate your time. Thank you.

SABATO: Yes. Thank you, Isabel.

ROSALES: Time is running out for rescuers to find more survivors. Nearly three days after that catastrophic earthquake hit Myanmar, at least 1,700 people are confirmed dead and the true death toll could take weeks to emerge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIN MIN THEIN, DIRECTOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL WELFARE, RELIEF NAD RESOURCES: The fire safety department, and also the military personnel, and also other representatives from different ministries, are working together to save the lives of the victims as much as we can. It is a very chaotic condition at this moment.

However, we are trying to manage as much as we can, and also these fire safety departments are working 24 hours, these days to catch up the golden hours, 72 hours.

And also, we are also arranging for the emergency shelter and also food and water assistance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: Yes, the need is great. Dozens have been rescued across the region at the heart of the quake. But the road to recovery will be long for thousands of survivors who have lost their homes amid this epic devastation. CNN's Mike Valerio is live in Seoul. Mike, good to see you.

Last hour we focus on the active search and rescue operation happening at that collapse high rise in Bangkok. And you have new reporting on that front. What happened?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. We want to talk about a new total unfortunately resales (ph). We're now at 11 people who have died because of the collapse of that 33 skyscraper very close to the heart of town in Bangkok.

So our latest reporting that we have from our CNN team across the region stands at 10 people who were found dead at the site. One person who unfortunately lost their life at the hospital. But in terms of what we're seeing right now, these pictures there is an all-out effort. We're talk about heat seeking, heat detecting machinery, Isabel, dogs sniffing throughout that pile of rubble because in about an hour we are going to be at that 72-hour mark, three days which is sort of the golden window to find people alive. You're talking about Surfside, Florida. You're reporting last hour when were together.

That is exactly what is happening here. The three-day window of the best opportunity to find people alive with no medical attention, no food or water is going to close in about an hour and 15 minutes. So we're following that storyline as the search really intensifies. So those are the stakes in Bangkok.

[01:15:06]

But as we move across the border to Myanmar, the death toll there right now stands at about 1700. It's very difficult to get facts and figures -- verified facts and figures from that part of the world because of the civil war that is ongoing in that country since February 2021.

And Isabel, we have new reporting also that's here and on CNN.com that conveys it according to the U.S. Geological Survey, you know, they do modeling on catastrophes like this all the time. And the USGS thinks that the death toll could eventually top around 10,000 people in Myanmar. So right now we're at 1,700. So that is what we are dealing with right here in terms of getting help to where it is most needed.

We are hearing stories of a Chinese rescue team that were able to pull a woman out of rubble 60 hours after the earthquake in Mandalay. So there is still hope, but there is desperation that is setting in. That is the main storyline to watch here as these rescue efforts continue now that we're on day three of this earthquake. Isabel.

ROSALES: Yes. And I remember from my time in Surfside how complex, precarious these sorts of search and rescue operations are. And yet the urgency as we get so close to that 72 hour window. Mike Valerio. Thanks a lot. thank you.

VALERIO: Right.

ROSALES: Well, still to come, Donald Trump is threatening to take over Greenland and is demanding more of a presence in the Arctic. We ask an expert what is behind that push.

Plus, Egypt proposes a new cease fire deal between Israel and Hamas, but only one side has accepted it.

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[01:21:15]

ROSALES: A crowd of thousands marched through Dallas, Texas on Sunday to protest Donald Trump's immigration policies. They demanded the release of several students who have been detained across the country while also calling for bipartisan immigration reform.

The march emphasized a patriotic theme with protesters carrying American flags, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the national anthem.

A plane carrying deportees from the U.S. landed in Venezuela on Sunday. It is a third of its kind since both countries agreed to resume the flights earlier this month. The plane took off from Texas with 175 people aboard, but it is the first to fly directly to Venezuela since the new agreement.

The others had to stop in Honduras first, a requirement the White House previously said was necessary because of a lack of diplomatic relations.

CNN has reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for more information.

In just a few hours, a court in France will deliver a verdict that could derail the political career of a far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, and potentially impact the country's next presidential election.

Prosecutors say Le Pen and other officials from the populist National Rally Party embezzled money from the European Parliament and used it to pay for staff in France. Le Pen denies any wrongdoing and says the funds were used legitimately.

The three time presidential candidate could be in prison, fined and even barred from holding public office for five years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARINE LE PEN, NATIONAL RALLY PARLIAMENTARY LEADER (through translator): I've said that this is a trial made by politicians, for politicians and even for politics. I think this has been put to light clearly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: Experts warn that banning her from office could anger some voters and rally support behind Le Pen and her party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN-YVES CAMUS, FRENCH POLITICAL RESEARCHER (through translator): It's something very serious to tell someone who could potentially win 40 something percent of votes in the second round based on the last election, you cannot run the next time. That will not be the death of the party because as I said, they can still have another candidate.

But it is a very heavy sentence which risks evoking among the supporters of the National Rally a perception of a very political verdict.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: Now, if Le Pen is barred from office, she's likely to be replaced by current National Rally Party leader Jordan Bardella.

The chairperson of an HIV-AIDS charity co-founded by the UK's Prince Harry says his public exit last week was an example of the, quote, harassment and bullying that she has experienced while working for the organization. CNN's Clare Sebastian shares her side of the story as well as the fallout from the prince's announcement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the public spat has now escalated between Prince Harry and the chairwoman of Sentebale, the HIV and AIDS charity he co-founded. Sophie Chandauka gave a wide ranging interview to Britain's Sky News Sunday, claiming that the Duke of Sussex had tried to oust her for months as chairwoman of the board, accusing him of bullying and harassment, something a source close to the former trustees of the charity told Sky News was, quote, completely baseless.

Chandauka also claimed that donors had pulled out of the charity after the Duke left the U.K. and stepped down from royal duties in 2020. But no one at the charity, she said, felt able to talk to him about the risk his reputation was posing to the organization.

Last week, Prince Harry and his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, announced they were quitting until further notice because their relationship with Ms. Chandauka had broken down, quote, beyond repair.

[01:25:00]

Ms. Chandauka said Sunday, she had no prior warning of this announcement.

SOPHIE CHANDAUKA, SENTEBALE CHARITY CHAIR: At some point on Tuesday, Prince Harry authorized the release of a damaging piece of news to the outside world without informing me or my country directors or my executive director. And can you imagine what that attack has done for me on me and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale and their family? That is an example of harassment and bullying at scale.

SEBASTIAN: Neither the Duke of Sussex nor Sentebale have commented on this interview, but a source close to the trustees and patrons of the charity told CNN on Sunday they, quote, fully expected this publicity stunt and look forward to the adjudication of the truth.

A source familiar with events also denied Chandauka's assertion that the press had been informed about the departures before the charity made the announce last week, saying they sent her a resignation letter on March 10th.

Well, as for the charity that Prince Harry, of course set up in 2006 to continue his mother Princess Diana's legacy and help children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana living with HIV and AIDS almost, Chandauka said its work will continue. Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.

ROSALES: Still ahead, we'll take a closer look at how Myanmar civil war is making recovery from that deadly earthquake even more difficult. More on that, next.

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[01:31:42]

ROSALES: We return to one of our top stories.

Devastation has gripped Myanmar after a deadly earthquake tore through Southeast Asia. Officials say 1,700 people have been killed, but that number is unfortunately expected to rise much higher.

CNN's Will Ripley has more from Bangkok.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: If hell had a name, it might be Sagaing, ground zero of Myanmar's worst earthquake in more than a hundred years.

Stories and images are just now beginning to trickle out. The destruction, as awful as we imagined, maybe worse.

The heroes are everyday people, like Popo, a kindergarten teacher. She was with her students when the massive earthquake hit.

POPO, KINDERGARTEN TEACHER: On that day of the accident, we were able to evacuate all the children. Many children and teachers in some schools lost their lives due to the earthquake.

RIPLEY: Popo's school is in Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city. Her home is across the river in Sagaing, a historic city known for ancient pagodas and monasteries, many of them now in ruins.

She says 80 percent of the city is gone. The old Sagaing bridge collapsed, cutting off aid, leaving survivors to fend for themselves.

Even first responders are powerless. The fire station flattened, trucks crushed beneath the rubble.

About 200 miles away, Myanmar's famed Inle Lake, almost unrecognizable. Entire villages submerged. So many iconic homes on stilts collapsed into the water. Some here wonder if the world has forgotten them.

In Mandalay, near the quake's epicenter, a moment of hope. "Big brother, we are coming for you," he says. "We found you. Your heroes are here. After this, we will sit and sip tea." Against all odds, one life saved. Not everyone is so lucky.

Minutes later, another powerful aftershock. The remaining structure gave way. Just like that, gone.

In the capital, Naypyidaw, a small miracle.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.

RIPLEY: 44 hours after the quake, rescuers from Singapore pull a survivor from the rubble.

A rare bright spot in the grim search for any sign of life. Hope of finding more buried survivors all but gone.

Back near ground zero, Popo says no rescues are happening. Sagaing is almost totally cut off. Survivors are desperate for food, clean water, medical supplies. Every passing hour brings more uncertainty, more heartbreak.

So much pain being felt right now in Myanmar and here, hundreds of miles away in Bangkok, where the around the clock search through that pile of rubble continues.

[01:34:49]

RIPLEY: People are here holding out hope that maybe, just maybe, they'll find somebody who's still alive in all of that. Even though as each hour passes, that becomes less and less likely.

Will Ripley, CNN -- Bangkok.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROSALES: Well, the road to recovery is an uphill battle on multiple fronts, as Myanmar grapples with that civil war between a military junta that seized power several years ago and pro-democracy fighters. The conflict has ravaged much needed communication networks and health infrastructure.

Joining us now is Richard Horsey. He is the senior adviser on Myanmar for the International Crisis Group. Richard, so good to see you. Thank you for your time.

Let's talk about even before the powerful quake hit, Myanmar was in a tough spot. More than 3 million people displaced. So many people cut off from much needed food and health programs.

Talk about the hardship that civilians have been facing there as a result of this ongoing civil war.

RICHARD HORSEY, SENIOR ADVISER ON MYANMAR, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: Well, you know, this is really important. The fact that there was such a level of need before this crisis. The economy was devastated by the coup. The armed conflict has led, as you said, to mass displacement, 3 -- 3.5 million people displaced. And they were receiving only a fraction of the aid that they desperately needed before this earthquake.

So you know, with the economic devastation, with the -- with the lack of support that was there before, families, communities, local response organizations have very little left, very little resources left they can -- they can tap into.

And so that's what makes an international relief effort just really so important at this time.

ROSALES: Yes, just monumental challenges there. Do you see this disaster response as having any sort of impact on the regime itself, on Min Aung Hlaing?

HORSEY: Absolutely.

You know Min Aung Hlaing had just returned from a red carpet visit to Moscow and to Minsk, where he was literally embraced by Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko. He came back. He was really buoyant. He held the annual Armed Forces Day parade, and then the day afterwards, this massive, unprecedented earthquake hit.

Myanmar is a -- is a quite superstitious place. But Min Aung Hlaing is known to be particularly superstitious. So I think, you know, he will be very worried about the sense that this is some kind of karmic retribution, and he'll be worried that those in his inner circle and around him might be viewing the situation like that.

So I think for the regime, there's not much upside here. There's not much advantage to be had from this. You know, they're really in a difficult spot. He doesn't know exactly what this will mean for him and his regime.

But, you know, he knows that this is a moment of extreme jeopardy, I think. ROSAELS: Yes. And I think it will take time to see how this all plays

out when it comes to the political implications for the regime.

Now, there's been a lot of worry and talk that the military junta might confiscate supplies. First, what do you think is the likelihood of that happening? And do you think the delivery of aid will be equitable even, considering the bloody and economically destructive military government in place?

HORNEY: You know what keeps me awake at night is not worries that the regime will steal baby formula or high energy biscuits. You know, I think there is a risk that they will misdirect aid efforts and try to prevent aid from reaching some of their opponents. But stealing of aid, I think, is quite unlikely.

My real worry is that the international community will not respond in the scale that is needed. You know, there are so many other competing priorities.

And I think, you know, the concerns that have been raised are very valid. It's extremely important that any aid being delivered is delivered in the right way, in an equitable way to those who really need it. But any reputable aid organization will endeavor to do that.

The question of whether the regime will let that to happen is not a theoretical question. It's a very practical question. And we'll find out.

And the only way we'll find out is by trying to deliver that aid. And if, you know, blockages are put in the way, then we will learn whether the regime is really serious.

And I think we shouldn't assume in advance that it's not going to be possible to deliver aid. You know, the millions of people in desperate need right now of clean water, of food, of shelter. They deserve better than a sort of academic argument or a theoretical argument.

You really have to test the regime's willingness to allow this.

ROSALES: Well, let me talk about the American side. The U.S. government froze foreign aid recently, and we saw the massive cuts that have essentially eviscerated USAID, signed off by President Donald Trump.

[01:39:51]

ROSALES: How is that impacting response efforts? And just a quick answer on this, if we can, Richard. Not a lot of time left, unfortunately.

HORSEY: You know, that sucked an awful lot of money out of the humanitarian system globally. No other country has the resources to step in and quickly fill that gap.

So that is really, really being felt. That loss of USAID money, together with the huge competing disasters in Gaza and Ukraine, means it's very hard to mobilize resources right now.

ROSALES: Richard Horsey, really appreciate your time. Thank you.

In southern Gaza, deadly start to the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Israeli airstrikes killed at least ten people, including five children, on Sunday. The strikes are said to have hit a tent and a home housing displaced people. One official warns the death toll will likely rise.

Meanwhile, Hamas says its agreed to a new Egyptian ceasefire proposal. A Hamas source tells CNN that under the agreement, the group would release five hostages.

A senior Israeli official tells CNN that Israel wants more than that and wants Hamas to release 11 living hostages and half of the deceased hostages. And in return, Israel would agree to a 40-day ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he plans to continue military action in Gaza until there's an agreement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Military pressure is working. It works because it operates simultaneously.

On one hand it crushes the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas. And on the other hand, it creates the conditions for the release of our hostages. This is exactly what we are doing.

Last night, the cabinet convened and decided to intensify the pressure which was already high in order to further crush Hamas and create the best possible conditions for the release of our hostages.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: We'll be right back. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

[01:41:48]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSALES: Donald Trump is trying to project U.S. Power in the Arctic. In the past few days, he's escalated his threats to take over Greenland for economic reasons and for national security.

Part of his plan buying what he calls, quote, "badly-needed" icebreakers from Finland, the world's leading producer of icebreaker vessels.

On Saturday, President Trump met with the Finnish president in Florida. He later announced his desire to purchase a large number of the icebreakers.

Dr. Rebecca Pincus is the director of the Polar Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. She joins us now from Hartford, Connecticut.

Doctor, really appreciate your time. Thank you for speaking to us.

DR. REBECCA PINCUS, DIRECTOR, POLAR INSTITUTE, WILSON CENTER: Thank you so much.

ROSALES: Well, it's clear that when we're talking about the Arctic, it's no longer just about a bunch of icebergs floating around. This is at the forefront of a geopolitical competition between the great powers of China, Russia and the United States.

Can you talk about the stakes that are at play here? But first, how would you rate the current state of the U.S. icebreaker fleet?

DR. PINCUS: The U.S. Icebreaker fleet is maybe at its lowest point in history. I mean, it's really, incredibly weak. There are two active- duty ships right now, the Polar Star which is over 50 years old, and the Healy, which is almost 30. The Storis, which was a recent commercial acquisition has not yet been fully operationalized.

And that stands in marked contrast to earlier decades, when the Coast Guard had a significant fleet of icebreakers. And it's really the result of decades of underinvestment and lack of attention.

And it is really a problem. The U.S. is -- does desperately need to strengthen our icebreaker fleet in the Arctic and in Antarctica.

ROSALES: And you're saying there's two. Two icebreakers for the United States in comparison to how many from China and Russia?

DR. PINCUS: So, you know, I think looking at the comparison gets a little bit tricky. China has more icebreakers than the United States, admittedly. It's got, I think, four in service right now, but they are smaller and not as powerful. They're mostly research icebreakers.

Russia does have a very large icebreaker fleet, absolutely. However, most Russian icebreakers are dedicated to commercial missions, to supporting shipping across Russia's northern sea route, across its Arctic waters.

So I think the apples-to-apples comparison, you know, is not quite as useful metric. And, you know, that's not how the U.S. measures our fleet strength, right?

We need more icebreakers to suit our missions and our needs in the Arctic. We're not going to build more because other countries have more. That's not the yardstick.

It's an internal yardstick. And we don't have enough icebreakers for our own needs.

ROSALES: And it makes sense that Russia has so much interest in the Arctic, considering half of its coastline is there.

But as -- we have a graphic here, as we look at the number of bases that it has there, it just blows NATO out of the water. So why is it that the U.S. military footprint is so small there in comparison?

[01:49:54]

DR. PINCUS: You know, again, I think -- I think it's important to put it in context. So, you know, if you look at a map, you can see that Russia controls about half of the Arctic coastline.

And you know, Russia is a petro state and most of its remaining natural resources lie in the Arctic. And also, you know, the bulk of its nuclear strike capabilities are concentrated in the Arctic, in the Kola Peninsula. That's a key part of its nuclear triad.

So the Arctic is incredibly important to Russia, and it has an enormous amount of coastline there.

The United States is an Arctic power by virtue of Alaska. And I want to point out that there are more advanced fighter aircraft in Alaska than anywhere else in the world. It is a -- you know, Fortress Alaska is a very, powerful part of the U.S. military.

So while I think there are gaps, you know, I would put icebreakers in that gap, I would say that there's some modernization and there's some communication and other, you know, response capabilities that we need to increase, we don't need to panic.

The U.S. military is the strongest military in the world, and we have a lot of great options for responding at the time and place of our choosing in the Arctic.

ROSALES: Yes, close the gap but don't panic because the military is mighty and vast in the United States, in and of itself outside of these icebreakers that are still important and necessary.

Let's talk about the elephant in the room. And that's Greenland. Thanks to a treaty that happened in 1951 between Denmark and the United States, the U.S. has the ability to expand its military presence in Greenland.

Do you think it should reopen military bases there that it had previously closed down? Would that help?

DR. PINCUS: You know, I think I would ask to what purpose? You know, what is the real threat? When we think about the U.S. security challenge vis-a-vis Greenland, and why the U.S. has had a base there for so long?

The first piece of that is missile defense. Greenland is a forward location, and we have had radar systems there pointing north over the Arctic since the early days of the Cold War. Since the first dawning of the era of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Because missiles shot towards the United States across Eurasia will travel over the Arctic. And so it's important for us to have missile detection capabilities, big radar systems as far away as we can.

And northern Greenland is a great location. So we've had radar systems up there for a long time, and we need to modernize those radars.

ROSALES: Dr. Rebecca Pincus, I have certainly learned a lot, and I know that our audience has too. Really appreciate your time.

DR. PINCUS: Thank you so much.

ROSALES: Thank you.

The climate crisis is creating more dangerous wildfires all over the world. Coming up, how one company is using A.I. and drones to detect wildfires earlier than ever, something that could give firefighters a crucial edge.

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ROSALES: As wildfires sparked devastation around the globe, a German company is developing an A.I. drone system to help firefighters stay one step ahead of them.

CNN's Nick Valencia explains this new wildfire detection project.

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NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Over the past two decades, extreme wildfires have become more frequent, more intense, and larger according to NASA.

Now a wildfire detection company in Germany is developing a drone that uses artificial intelligence to help firefighters suppress wildfires in their early stages.

This week, Dryad successfully demonstrated its first fully-functional prototype called Silvaguard. The drone system detected a controlled fires location and size using A.I.

CARSTEN BRINKSCHULTE, CEO, DRYAD NETWORKS: It provides ultra early detection of wildfires within minutes from ignition using A.I.-driven sensors that are electronic noses, and they can detect fires much faster than cameras or satellites.

VALENCIA: The idea is to allow firefighters to respond before flames spread. The drone can capture infrared imagery and provide an overhead view for firefighters.

BRINKSCHULTE: The importance of Silvaguard is that it is the first autonomous end-to-end system that detects fires using artificial intelligence, and then uses autonomous drones to fly to the location of a fire without a pilot being involved and delivering precise information about the size and threat of a fire.

VALENCIA: Dryad's new technology, if used widely, could also have an impact on carbon emissions. From 2001 to 2023, wildfires caused a loss of more than 138 million hectares of tree cover worldwide, according to Global Forest Watch. That's larger than the country of Peru. Researchers found that carbon emissions from forest fires increased by

60 percent globally during that time. Dryad hopes its efforts will help prevent 1.1 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions by 2030. The European union is co-funding the Silvaguard project with 3.8 million euros, or $4.1 million.

The projects next step will be to add fire suppression capabilities and eventually real-world deployment.

BRINKSCHULTE: What we actually need to achieve is we need to detect and extinguish fires within ten minutes from ignition. That's our mission, that's our vision. And Silvaguard demonstrated here today is a big milestone towards that vision.

VALENCIA: Nick Valencia, CNN.

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ROSALES: Using A.I. for good. That's neat.

Well, thank you for joining us. I'm Isabel Rosales.

CNN NEWSROOM continues with Rosemary Church next.

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