Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Trump Makes New Tariff U-Turn Exempting Electronics Made in China; Taiwan On Edge As Trump And Xi Intensify Standoff over Trade; Interview With Former Ohio Governor, John Kasich; Gabbard Voted In Hawaii After Declaring Herself A Texas Resident; DOJ Confirms Man Mistakenly Deported To El Salvador Prison "Is Alive And Secure"; Tonight: Trump To Attend UFC Fight In Miami; Black Pilots Respond To Trump's Anti-DEI Message. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired April 12, 2025 - 17:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:00:12]

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Thanks for joining me in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Erica Hill in New York, in tonight for Jessica Dean.

We do begin this hour with another tariff U-turn from President Trump, this time an announcement that there are new exemptions today for certain electronic products, including smartphones and computers.

All of this, of course, coming amid this full-blown trade war with China, which has led many Americans rushing to buy big ticket items amid fears of rising prices, and also wondering about what is next to come.

Let's go straight to CNN's senior White House reporter Kevin Liptak. He is in West Palm Beach, Florida, this hour. So the president is golfing in Florida today. What more is the White House saying about this latest change or reversal when it comes to these tariffs?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, and this happened I should note late last night and it wasn't in any kind of big public announcement. It came in a message to shippers from CBP who is responsible for collecting these tariffs.

Now what you hear from White House officials today is that not all tariffs are being lifted on these products because, you remember, President Trump has essentially been layering these tariffs on China on top of each other for the last several weeks.

And so these products will now not be subject to the 145 percent reciprocal tariff that the president had announced, but they will still be subject to the 20 percent tariff that he had applied when it comes to the fentanyl crisis, which I know is complicated, but I think it sort of gives you a sense of how these tariffs have been adding up over time.

The products that will be exempted from that larger tariff include smart phones, laptop, computers, transistors, flat panel monitors, hard drives, semiconductors, all products that, for the most part, are not made in the United States.

And it really does reflect the first instance of President Trump easing off on China in some ways, when it comes to this tit for tat tariff trade war that he has been engaging in. And I think this could provide some relief for consumers who have been worried about higher prices on some of these goods.

It's also a boon for some of the companies, like Apple, Samsung, and Nvidia, Dell -- companies that had, you know, warned that this could potentially raise prices on their goods, and companies that as well, I should mention, have been cozying up to President Trump really for the last several months or so.

Now, the question going forward, I think, is just how long this reprieve might last, because when you talk to officials, they do note that the president has said previously that he wants products like these to have more specific tariffs applied to them.

Essentially, looking at industries and being a little more targeted in his approach, raising the prospect that there could be a lower tariff rate going on these at some point.

I'm also told by a White House official that the president will begin a national security study of semiconductors, which are those you know, tiny microprocessors that are in so many of these products. Oftentimes those studies will result in tariffs down the line.

Now, what the White House is saying officially -- and this is a statement from Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary. She says that President Trump has made clear America cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones and laptops. That's why the president has secured trillions of dollars in U.S. investments from the largest tech companies in the world, including Apple, TSMC which is a Taiwan-based chip maker, and Nvidia, at the direction of the president.

These companies are hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible. But of course, that term "as soon as possible" is all relative. It could potentially take decades for these companies to a-plant (ph) their supply chains in Asia and move them to the United States. This is a very long-term prospect.

And I think this all just kind of goes to show the uncertainty that is still sort of hanging over all of the president's trade agenda this weekend.

HILL: Yes, there is certainly a lot of that.

Kevin, I also wanted to ask you about another story we're following this weekend. The first talks with Iranian negotiators over these nuclear talks. They wrapped up in Oman earlier today. What did we learn about that meeting?

LIPTAK: Yes. And the talks didn't last for very long, only a matter of hours. But coming out, both sides used the same word to describe them, which was "constructive", which gives you a sense that these two sides will continue to work forward in these talks, which are intended to end Iran's ambitions towards a nuclear weapon.

[17:04:53]

LIPTAK: Now, heading into these talks, one of the questions was whether they would be direct, whether the two sides would be talking to each other face to face, or whether they would be indirect, passing messages through a mediator.

President Trump had wanted the direct talks. The Iranians had advocated for the indirect talks. It appears as if it was something of both. For most of the meeting, they were passing messages, but at the end, the two sides came together.

And Steve Witkoff, the president's foreign envoy, spoke directly to Iran's foreign minister and what the White House said that he underscored that he had come to Oman with instructions from Trump to resolve the two nations' differences through dialog and diplomacy if that is possible.

Of course, if it is not possible, the president has continued to keep on the table this option of a military strike on some of Iran's nuclear facilities, potentially alongside Israel.

But for now, it does seem as if the diplomacy will continue. The two sides agreed to meet one week from today on next Saturday, Erica.

HILL: All right. Kevin, appreciate it. Thank you.

Well, as the U.S. and China face off in this escalating trade war, a top U.S. military official is sounding the alarm, warning now that China has its eyes set on much more than just the economic gains.

The head of U.S.-Indo Pacific command says it is likely a when, not an if, that China invades Taiwan.

Here's CNN's Will Ripley in Taipei with more on the looming threat.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On China's tightly-controlled social media, censors are letting nationalist voices grow louder.

"If China can keep the 125 percent tariff for three months, then we won't have any issues taking back Taiwan."

"Since China and the U.S. have already severed economic and trade relations, why not take this opportunity to recover Taiwan?"

"We need a civil war to divert attention. Recovering Taiwan cannot be delayed any longer."

JIA WEN-JI, FORMER TAIWANESE DIPLOMAT, TV INFLUENCER: At this time. China is confronting the United States and has seized the best opportunity. RIPLEY: Nationalist influencers are framing democratic, self-governing

Taiwan as leverage even though Chinas communist leaders have never controlled it. Fuel for China's escalating trade war with the U.S.

And China feels emboldened. Its top electric vehicle maker, BYD, is now outselling Tesla and doesn't even bother selling passenger cars to the U.S., a sign Beijing doesn't fear economic isolation.

Some in China even see this trade war as a dress rehearsal, testing how resilient the country's economy might be if there ever were a real war for Taiwan.

YUAN JUZHENG, PROFESSOR, NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY: China is united from top to bottom. Politically speaking, this system is very superior.

R2; This week, China's foreign ministry posted a quote from former Chinese leader Mao Zedong from the Korean War era, the last time China and the U.S. clashed directly on the battlefield.

Back then, Mao made his position clear, China would not bend to American pressure.

Today, Chinese President Xi Jinping also wants to project strength to Washington and his own people.

For Beijing, this isn't just about pride. It's about power. And Taiwan's chip industry may be the prize.

Behind these walls some of the world's most advanced, highly secretive technology. It's so secret you have to check your phone, your laptop, anything that emits a signal just to walk through the door.

I visited Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company last year. TSMC makes most of the world's advanced microchips.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As you know, Taiwan pretty much has a monopoly on that market.

RIPLEY: Last month, TSMC announced a $165 billion U.S. investment, a political win for U.S. President Donald Trump. But in Taiwan, it triggered alarm for some.

TAMMY CHAO, RETIREE: Trump is flipping the whole world upside down. And TSMC is Taiwan's treasure. I don't feel it's safe. He's a businessman. So he'll deal Taiwan.

RIPLEY: Right now both leaders are playing hardball. Trump says he's ready to talk, but only if Xi makes the first move.

But Beijing reacts differently. No call initiated, no compromise made -- a dangerous standoff where protocol and pride are getting in the way of diplomacy.

And as the world's two biggest economies wait each other out, ordinary people here in Taiwan worry what might get traded away in a deal made by two powerful men, each too proud to pick up the phone.

Will Ripley, CNN -- Taipei.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: Joining us now, CNN's senior military analyst, former NATO supreme allied commander, Admiral James Stavridis. It's great to have you with us, as always, sir. You're also, of course, a partner at the Carlyle Group, a global investment firm and the author of "The Admiral's Bookshelf".

[17:09:45]

HILL: Coming off of what we just saw from Will there, are you concerned or should I say, how concerned are you that China is, in fact, more emboldened in this moment?

ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS, CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST: I'm very concerned. I've always said what we want to do with this U.S.-China relationship, Erica, we kind of want to bend it. We want to get a better sense of trade. We want to get them to back off on cyber security intrusions. We don't want them to invade Taiwan. We don't want them to claim the South China Sea. We want to bend that relationship.

I think were dangerously close to really breaking it. And if we break it and we decouple economically, exactly as you saw in that last set of tape, China will start to feel, well, we don't have anything really to lose here.

And then Taiwan does come into play. So I think it is time for both sides to kind of de-escalate.

And I don't think it really matters who picks up the phone first. Let's kind of set that aside. What we want to avoid is a breakout of real hostilities, either over Taiwan or in the South China Sea, and the events of the last couple of weeks, the tariff war are getting us closer.

HILL: Well, to that point, I was also struck this week when we learned that the U.S. had actually shifted a Patriot battalion from the Indo- Pacific to the Middle East because it raises questions, frankly, about what American priorities are toward Taiwan and the region. What do you make of that?

STAVRIDIS: Well, first and foremost, our navy, our pacific fleet, and you showed Admiral Paparo a few moments ago the commander of that, as well as other joint forces, has enormous capability. So I'm not overly concerned about a single Patriot battery going or a destroyer going back and forth. I think the U.S. has been quite clear that the Pacific is the zone in which we are very focused going forward.

There will be some tactical shifts back and forth, Erica, but here's what you want to watch. You want to watch whether or not those carrier strike groups get bogged down in the Middle East as they are at the moment attacking the Houthis. That provides an opening for China. That's worrisome. Don't worry about a Patriot battery. Watch those carrier strike

groups.

HILL: So if China were to move on Taiwan, what do you think the U.S. response would be at this point?

STAVRIDIS: Well, our stated policy is something called strategic ambiguity, which means that we may come to the defense of Taiwan or we may not. It kind of depends on the decision that comes out of the White House.

A key factor will be TSMC will be the global microchip factories that are so important. Those Fabs as they're called, they're terrific that ultimately they'll build them here in the U.S. That's going to be a decade long project.

I think ultimately we would fight to defend Taiwan. But of course that's a decision for the president.

HILL: Ukrainian intelligence this week says that they identified more than 150 Chinese citizens who were fighting for Russia. Russia today calls those claims a, quote, "complete untruth".

China, for its part, has suggested that the citizens were there fighting in their private capacity. China isn't exactly a neutral party, though when we look at this.

STAVRIDIS: China is drawing closer and closer to Russia, day by day, month by month, year by year. Now, having said that, it's North Korea that is flooding their troops. Officially 12,000 15,000 troops have been sent there.

As I read those stories and see a handful of Chinese citizens captured, maybe it is 150. I suspect those are in fact some level of mercenaries. Probably a few special forces of China mixed in who are there observing the conflict, learning about it, potentially preparing to participate.

I'm more concerned about North Korean troops who are there in the thousands than I am at the moment for a handful of Chinese.

When we look at where things stand in terms of the war in Ukraine, you had U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff back in Russia on Friday where he met with Vladimir Putin. The two met behind closed doors for more than four hours, that's according to Russian state media.

What do you read into that? What do you think Ukraine should take away from that?

STAVRIDIS: I think that special envoy Witkoff, who by the way, is also leading the negotiations with Iran -- this is a man with a pretty big portfolio, I wish him well in these missions. I think that he is taking the president's guidance to try and convince Russia to accept a ceasefire.

[17:14:51] Thus far, the Ukrainians have accepted the rough outline of a ceasefire that the U.S. has put forward. Putin, not so much. Putin is kind of playing rope-a-dope with us.

I hope that Steve Witkoff can continue to put pressure on Russia, because if we can't pressure Russia to the table, we are not going to get to a ceasefire this year.

HILL: As you note, Steve Witkoff, a very busy man. We had -- did have those indirect talks and negotiations today in Oman between Iran and the U.S. Another meeting set for next week. How are you feeling about these negotiations in this moment?

STAVRIDIS: I'm feeling good as follows. You know, life is compared to what? And compared to, six, eight months ago when we were talking about could we end up in a regional war between Iran and Israel. That almost certainly would have dragged the United States into it.

We're in a much better place now because the Israelis have crushed the Iranian proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, as well as the Iranian -- and this is key -- the Iranian air defense systems.

So Iran is in a very weak negotiating position. That's why they're willing to come to the table. I think that, as Winston Churchill said roughly, talk, talk, talk is better than war, war, war. I think that's kind of where we are right now.

And I take it as a positive that Steve Witkoff, who is racking up the frequent flier miles, will be going evidently back to Oman. I sure hope -- this is a serious comment -- I sure hope he is being well staffed by professional diplomats, senior military officers.

These are crucial negotiations he's undertaking. You need real expertise to do that. The administration needs to staff him up very seriously in all of these interactions.

HILL: Yes, absolutely. You would certainly need that if you were handling one, which is a lot on your plate. But when you're dealing with multiple at the same time, even more important.

Admiral, always appreciate your insight and your expertise. Thank you.

STAVRIDIS: Thanks, Erica.

HILL: Just ahead here in the CNN NEWSROOM, former Republican presidential candidate John Kasich joining us to talk President Trump's tariffs, efforts by Congress to rein in those tariff powers, and the impact on the American people.

[17:17:17]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: The final bell to a very, very long week on Wall Street. The markets rallying Friday after that volatile week. The Dow up 619 points following some drastic swings after Thursday's plunge of more than 1,000 points.

The uncertainty though, is continuing to really drive market concerns amid President Trump's tariffs.

This week, of course, we also got some more signs about how Americans are feeling. They're growing sort of sour on the economy, according to new data from the University of Michigan, which shows consumer sentiment plunged 11 percent just this month alone.

It's now down more than 30 percent since December. And in fact, lower than in anything seen during the great recession.

Joining me now to discuss former Republican presidential candidate, the former governor of Ohio, John Kasich. He's also the author of the new book, "Heaven Help Us: How Faith Communities Inspire Hope, Strengthen Neighborhoods and Build the Future".

Governor, nice to talk to you. It has been a minute. So happy to have you with us this afternoon.

JOHN KASICH, FORMER GOVERNOR OF OHIO: Thank you Erica.

HILL: It's been a rough week. I'm curious, from where you sit now, how would you characterize the week and where the United States stands in this moment?

KASICH: Well, it was a terrible week. And, you know, I'm glad that they've kind of backed off, at least for 90 days on most of the countries. You know, Jessica, it is -- or Erica, I'm sorry -- it was like we shot ourselves in the foot. I mean, it didn't make any sense at all.

And the markets reacted. I mean, you think about the selloff of the bonds. That's really kind of scary, because that's a very good analysis or identification of how people view the strength of the economy. If they're dropping bonds, it means they have -- they have real questions.

And in addition to that, the other problem that we have is it's created a sense of distrust among our friends.

What they say is, who the heck is America? I mean, we thought they were for, you know, they were for defending freedom, like with Ukraine. And now they're we don't know what they're doing with that. And now we've got these tariffs and we don't know.

And creating a sense of, of a lack of trust or a lack of faith in who we are has profound implications.

And so this is something that we're going to have to deal with. And we got to get these, these tariff negotiations done as quickly as we can, deal with China in an effective way. That doesn't mean we didn't have trade imbalances and things that could have been fixed.

But the sledgehammer effect, well, we see what happened. And now you're beginning to see a question in the minds of consumers about whether they really believe in the strength of this economy going forward. It's all -- it's all up there. And I think its unforced errors, as they like to say in sports.

[17:24:45]

HILL: Yes. It's interesting we heard as much from Janet Yellen earlier this week here on CNN as well. I'm curious, to that point, do you believe it can be turned around?

KASICH: Well, I think that -- I think the president can get these things moving and get these negotiations going. But what I'm concerned about Erica, over time is, are the countries around the world going to say, well, then America is going to change with each presidential election? How do we know what we're getting? How do we exactly know what America is for?

And remember, we've kept the peace and provided, you know, global prosperity over the last 80 years. And now we're kind of walking away from it.

And so restoring trust. I mean, hey, this is -- countries are no different than people. If you if you broke a trust with somebody, how long would it take you to repair it? But you would hopefully know we need to go and we need to repair it and get on with that.

HILL: You know, to that point, some of the questions are really just in the basic functioning, too, of this country and of the government.

I spoke last hour with Republican Congressman Jeff Hurd of Colorado. So he is co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill, a group of lawmakers introducing a bill that would limit the president's power on tariffs.

Now, he's very clear. He says this is not political. This is simply about the constitution and making sure that really everybody stays in their lane.

Do you think that the president overstepped here with these tariffs?

KASICH: Well, I don't agree with the tariffs. I mean, I've been a Republican all of my lifetime. It's my vehicle, not my master. But I never saw a Republican orthodoxy adopting something like tariffs.

But here's the problem. The Congress of the United States, not just in, you know, in the last couple of months, they have abdicated their authority over a period of time. The executives have been able to get so much more power. The legislative branch has given away their power.

And remember, America is set up with legislative, judicial, executive. But now, when the legislature gives up their power, the executive gets more power and it all gets out of balance.

Let me say one other thing to you. We worry about tariffs, let me tell you what a real concern is. If we don't begin to deal with -- on a bipartisan basis to deal with this national debt, were going to get to a point where people will not buy our debt. They will not help us finance our debt. And if that happens, you either have to offer enormous payments to them in order to -- in order to buy our debt.

And secondly, you could have a situation where we'd have to run a printing press. And you think we had trouble in the last week? You just wait.

So they got to get to it. I commend the congressman for that legislation. Take back a little bit of power. This is not against Trump. This is just for the legislative branch reducing executive power.

HILL: To your point about, you know, bipartisanship, working together. You know, this as a former governor. Listen, the party in power in the executive branch is not always the same party as you may have when running a state.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer got a lot of flak this week. She was at the White House. She was there to meet with President Trump. She was there about federal aid following ice storms in the state. She was also there to talk about an Air National Guard base. And she was ushered into the Oval Office at one point for a bit of a photo op.

Here's how she talked about that moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER, MICHIGAN: I was going in for a meeting, and they walked me into a press conference. It was not where I wanted to be or planned to be, or would have liked to have been.

I disagreed with a lot of the stuff that was said and the actions that were taken. But I stayed in the room because I needed to make the case for Michigan, and that's my job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: She is far from the first Democratic governor to reach out to President Trump, or to meet with him at the White House.

KASICH: Get off of her back.

HILL: There we go.

KASICH: Get off of her back. That is just stupid. You know, look, she's a governor of an important state. She also expressed some concerns about the loss of manufacturing which is legitimate.

She showed a little bit of sympathy towards the tariffs, which is fine. You know, look, I am a referee now in my life. I'm -- I try to call, you know, like I see them and let me suggest if the Democratic Party doesn't, doesn't get back to their normal orthodoxy and not be hanging way out here to the left, they're not going to win. They're not going to be competitive.

I believe in a strong two-party system and have one party basically, you know, like has no power at all, no influence is a mistake for our country. She was trying to move us back a little bit toward -- the Democrats

back a little bit more to the middle. She should be proud of what she's done. And when she's together tonight with her family, have a drink and have a good laugh.

HILL: You have in your new book, part of this is about people coming together, right? What inspired you to write this book in this moment? And what would you like people to take away from it?

KASICH: Well, first of all, it is about the power of our faith institutions -- synagogues, mosques and churches. And it gives people a sense of how they can find their purpose.

What is your purpose? What is it that you feel strongly about? You go in the institution, you get some material support. You get psychological support. You get people helping you. And at the same time you're strengthening community.

[17:29:54]

KASICH: If there's anything we need amid all the fighting and arguing and a polarization, its coming together to solve problems for the homeless, for people who are aging, who are autistic. What do we do with them?

What about -- what about the whole issue of -- of literacy? What do we do about people who are hungry, who are homeless? This is what we need to be doing.

And instead of worrying about everything going on up here at the top, why don't we be a little bit more concerned about what we can do at the community level?

And if you read the book, you're going to see examples of people who have been on fire by going into their institution and saying, I've got a solution to this problem. Help me. Work with me. Let's fix the community, and I will be inspired. And you will be inspired and will help our country.

(CROSSTALK)

HILL: It's also inspiring to people to -- to be able to see that change. And it is -- it is absolutely at the local level where you can really see and effectuate often some of the most impactful change.

The book, again, is "Heaven Help Us."

John Kasich, nice to have you here today. Thank you.

KASICH: OK, Erica. God bless you. You're -- you're -- I love you. Thank you.

HILL: Oh, you're too kind. Thank you, my friend.

Just ahead here, why National Intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard, is facing new concerns and also legal questions about how she voted last year.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:35:35]

HILL: There are new questions about director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, about her residence, and not only her residence, but where she actually voted in the 2024 general election.

That's because months before Gabbard cast her ballot in Hawaii, she and her husband had declared under oath their residency in Texas after they bought a home in the Lone Star State and also claiming a homestead tax break.

Here's CNN's senior investigative reporter, Kyung Lah, with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(APPLAUSE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Months before Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as the director of National Intelligence, in the midst of her transformation from independent to Trump supporter.

TULSI GABBARD, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE & FORMER DNC VICE- CHAIRMAN: Thank you.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Congratulations.

(APPLAUSE)

LAH: In March 2024, she bought a home in the politically red state of Texas. Soon after, the background on some of her frequent Fox News appearances changed from the slope of Oahu's Diamond Head Crater --

GABBARD: You see them out pushing the so-called woke agenda.

LAH: -- to a view of the Texas state capitol.

GABBARD: This is personal for me, this endorsement of President Trump.

LAH: A CNN investigation found that Gabbard declared herself a Texas resident but voted in Hawaii in the presidential election last November. Experts say that raises questions about whether she voted improperly.

GABBARD: Voter integrity is a serious concern and a serious issue.

LAH: On the campaign trail for Donald Trump last year, Gabbard talked about election security on stage.

GABBARD: We need to be able to have trust and confidence in the fact that when we cast our vote, that our ballot will be counted in the way that we have cast it. LAH (on camera): It's where Gabbard cast her ballot that's the issue

here. Gabbard rents a home in Hawaii. She's lived in Aloha State for many years.

In March 2024, Gabbard bought a home in a suburb of Austin, Texas. In June 2024, she and her husband declared under oath that we are residents of the state of Texas.

And their Texas home was designated as the family homestead. And she also claimed a homestead tax exemption on the house.

But in the 2024 general election, Gabbard cast her ballot in Hawaii. And that's potentially a problem.

Under Hawaiian election rules, an individual can only have one residence for voting purposes. And if the voter has more than one home, there is a presumption that the property that gets the tax exemption is the person's residence.

And remember, Gabbard designated her Texas home as a family homestead months before the general election.

What is the problem here?

JUSTIN LEVITT, PROFESSOR, LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL: The problem appears to be that Ms. Gabbard is claiming that she's a resident of Hawaii, that she is eligible to vote on Hawaii races in Hawaii because that's where she lives. And she's also at the same time claiming that she's a resident of Texas.

LAH (voice-over): Gabbard's office tells CNN that she took the Texas homestead exemption as a first step to hiding her address because of security concerns.

In a letter to CNN, her attorney said, "Director Gabbard was, is and intends to remain a Hawaii resident. That is where she lives, pays taxes and, of course, votes.

"Any suggestion that she is no longer a resident because she took the advice of local officials to register at a homestead exemption to protect her and her family's privacy is flat wrong, factually and legally."

LEVITT: Sometimes there are these disconnects between where you're laying your head most of the time and where you're registered to vote.

But it's very different to claim a tax exemption on a primary residence. That's an indication that that's where you really live and therefore that's where you should be registered.

LAH (on camera): So what's the bottom line here for Gabbard?

Well, we spoke with a Hawaiian election lawyer who's handled multiple election residency cases. And he says, theoretically, she could face a challenge to her Hawaiian voter registration. But someone would have to file that challenge with Hawaii officials. Kyung Lah, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: Still to come here, from the Oval to the Octagon. President Trump heading to a UFC fight later tonight. We're in Miami with more on the presidents appearance.

[17:39:40]

Stay with us here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: Breaking news just into us at CNN. The Justice Department just confirming the status of the Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.

CNN's senior White House producer, Betsy Klein, joins me now with more.

So they've confirmed the status, but have they confirmed the location, Betsy, of Kilmar Abrego Garcia?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: That's exactly right. We are learning these new details from a Justice Department filing just moments ago, Erica, that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, that Maryland father who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, is alive and secure, according to this filing. And he is in that El Salvador mega prison.

[17:45:08]

A senior Justice Department official says in a statement, quote, "It is my understanding, based on official reporting from our embassy in San Salvador, that Abrego Garcia is currently being held in the terrorism confinement center in El Salvador."

"He is alive and secure in that facility," the senior Justice Department official goes on to say.

Now this comes just after the Supreme Court ruled earlier this week that the Trump administration must facilitate a Abrego Garcia's return to the United States. No details, of course, on efforts to bring him home at this stage.

It also comes just one day after the president himself suggested that if the Supreme Court required him to return this Maryland father to the U.S., he would do so, expressing some openness there -- Erica?

HILL: All right, so an important update there.

Betsy, also wanted to -- folks may be wondering, we're talking about this here in Miami. You are in Miami right now ahead of President Trump's arrival. He will be there tonight for this UFC match.

What else can we expect from the evening? KLEIN: Yes, we're expecting the president to trade the Oval Office for

the UFC's famous Octagon just a few hours from now here in Miami.

His attendance at this mixed martial arts event is really notable for a couple of reasons. One, it really underscores his transformation and reemergence in American popular culture in the mainstream as a figure.

The president has really done very minimal domestic travel in his second term since taking office, of course, with the exception of those weekend trips to his Mar-a-Lago resort.

But he has made trips to the Superbowl, to an NCAA wrestling tournament, as well as the Daytona 500. This marking his fourth use of the Air Force One trappings of office to attend a major American sporting event.

The president really had been a pariah in pop culture, really now enjoying some of the status that he enjoyed during those "Apprentice" years.

His spokesperson, Steven Cheung, telling CNN in a statement, quote, "President Trump and the UFC are cultural icons. He is a fan of the sport and the elite competitive spirit of all the athletes who step into the Octagon."

It's also notable for his personal ties to Dana White, the CEO of the UFC, who emerged as really a key surrogate for the president. He introduced him at the RNC back in July.

He was also on stage among the president's nearest and dearest on election night, as the president made that victory speech. So the two of them have very close ties dating back decades.

Back in the early 2000, when White couldn't find venues that would hold his UFC events, and Trump stepped in and offered the Trump Taj Mahal -- Erica?

HILL: Betsy, really appreciate it. Thank you.

And stay with us. Much more to come here in the CNN NEWSROOM on the other side of this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:52:37]

HILL: A Mississippi flight school, founded by the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals could be key to fixing a pilot shortage.

CNN's Pete Muntean went to find out how students and their teachers are handling the growing effort by the Trump administration to get rid of diversity initiatives.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: You're witnessing something pretty special here. The pilot of that airplane makes up a very small sliver of aviation.

But here at this flight school outside of Memphis, they're on the cutting edge of changing that.

(voice-over): They are training black pilot after black pilot. It is so critical to fixing a shortage of pilots nationwide.

(on camera): Hey, that looked pretty good.

(LAUGHTER)

MUNTEAN: How's that feel?

TEE FRISBY, STUDENT, LUKE WEATHERS FLIGHT ACADEMY: It felt great.

MUNTEAN: Yes?

FRISBY: It always feels great. I like flying.

(LAUGHTER)

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Tee Frisby is a flight attendant, now training at Luke Weathers Flight Academy to become a commercial pilot.

FRISBY: I had to go out there and find my community. You have to get a support system and meet people and have mentors, and that's made all the difference.

MUNTEAN (on camera): Did you know anybody coming up who was a pilot already, but beyond like meeting people at the airline? Like, did you -- did you -- did you see anybody like you?

FRISBY: No, no, didn't see anyone like me. Had never seen a black female pilot for, you know, well into my adulthood.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Nationwide, less than five percent of professional pilots are black, in a workforce that's dominated by white men.

This flight school was created by the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, founded nearly 50 years ago to promote diversity in aviation.

Yet, DEI has been under attack by the second Trump administration from day one.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, to be clear, are you saying race or gender played a role in this tragedy?

TRUMP: It may have. I don't know.

MUNTEAN (on camera): What went through your head when President Trump said after the midair collision near national airport that that was the direct result of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts at the FAA? How did that make you feel? TENNESSEE GARVEY, BOARD CHAIR, ORGANIZATION OF BLACK AEROSPACE PROFESSIONALS: It gives people the perception that DEI initiatives or DEI programs are compromised in aviation safety, when the reality is they are not, because that's not what DEI is.

[17:54:59]

DEI is all about allowing people access to certain opportunities. And right now, DEI has been weaponized. And, you know, anything that you know looks or feels or even smells like Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, it's under attack.

MUNTEAN: Do Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts on hiring at the airlines, does that change anything when it comes to qualifications?

GARVEY: There is no changing of the standard. The training program for anyone, irrespective of your skin color, your background, complexion, your creed, everyone has to go through the same training process. For --

(CROSSTALK)

MUNTEAN: And the airplane doesn't know the difference?

GARVEY: And the airplane definitely does not know the difference.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Sixty-three people are enrolled in this flight school that's turning out pilots. Since it opened six years ago, students have earned a total of 170 pilot certificates, all new workers bound for an industry facing a critical shortage of pilots.

ALBERT GLENN, CO-DIRECTOR, LUKE WEATHERS FLIGHT ACADEMY: The business community needs it, whether they say it out loud or not. They need a diverse workforce, because that's where the market is going to come from. It can't be just left to, I hope they show up.

They've decided they want to be airline pilots or military pilots or air traffic control. You don't want them to lose it because they hear that people are not wanting to work with them.

That DEI is an issue, that under qualified and poor performance and all these things. And they just want a fair opportunity to be able to get a job and live their life, and that's the way we teach them.

FRISBY: I took that first discovery flight. I felt that feeling in my gut like I was in tears. I called my dad. I was like, I'm in love. And he's like, who did you meet? I was like, no, with flying. I've got to fly planes now.

And, yes, I didn't really think about it, but it's -- I'm noticing how impactful my journey is because, yes, there is not a lot of representation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: And our thanks again to Pete Muntean for that story. Just ahead here, we'll speak with someone who's covered tech stocks on

Wall Street for 25 years. What is the actual impact of today's latest tariff exemptions now for electronics? We'll take a closer look as President Trump's trade war smolders.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)