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Tariffs On Imported Auto Parts Now In Effect; Trump Says Economy Would Be "OK" If There's Short-Term Recession; Trump Proposes $1T In Defense Spending & $163B In Cuts From Non-Defense, Domestic Spending; Trump Ousts Waltz As National Adviser, Taps Him To Be U.N. Ambassador; Australia's PM Retains Power In A Test Of Anti-Trump Sentiment; Ukraine: At Least 47 Injured In Russian Drone Strike On Kharkiv; U.S. And Ukraine Sign Critical Minerals Deal; Jury Selection Starts Monday In Sean "Diddy" Combs Trial. Jury Selection Begins Monday in Sean "Diddy" Combs Criminal Trial; Severe Storms Hammer the Eastern U.S. this Weekend; Prince Harry Opens Up About His Rift with King Charles; Polls Open: Voters Decide on Creation of Starbase, Texas. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired May 03, 2025 - 13:00   ET

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

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[13:01:02]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right, another round of Trump auto tariffs are in effect. The new tax hikes, which kicked in just after midnight, could sharply raise the price of every car made, sold, and repaired in the U.S. This one involves a 25 percent tariff on imported auto parts, which are used in every car made in the U.S., and could upend the auto industry.

The CEO of General Motors told CNN the tariffs would cost the company between $4 to $5 billion this year. While consumers may not see any price hikes in the short term, experts estimate the added cost of the tariffs could average to about $4,000 per new vehicle purchased.

We've got team coverage of these developments. Alayna Treene will have details on how President Trump is downplaying the impacts that these tariffs might have on the economy in a moment. But let's begin with CNN Business Writer, Samantha Delouya.

Samantha, good to see you again. Bring us up to speed on what we know about these new tariffs.

SAMANTHA DELOUYA, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Hi, Fredricka. So, these new 25 percent tariffs on imported auto parts in the U.S. went into effect overnight at 12:01 a.m. Now, no car is completely spared from these auto parts, and that's because there's no such thing as an 100 percent American-made car.

So, last week, President Trump signed, or earlier this week, rather, signed an executive order giving a slight reprieve to automakers who assemble their cars in the U.S. Those automakers will be able to partially offset those tariffs for the first two years.

But even with that offset, Fredricka, the industry is expected to add tens of billions of dollars in costs as a result of this auto parts tariff. And as you mentioned, the cost of a new car will go up by an average of $4,000 per new car, experts estimate.

WHITFIELD: And then how are these tariffs being received by investors? What are they saying?

DELOUYA: Yes. So the stock market has been incredibly volatile. In April, you know, it was down and up. But actually, for the past nine days in a row, the S&P 500 has closed higher. That's the longest winning streak in 20 years.

Yesterday, it closed higher because there was an indication that the U.S. labor market is still holding up, or at least it was in April. But a lot of investors and economists caution that the full effects of these tariffs have not yet been felt.

Take a listen to one of America's most famous investors, Warren Buffett, who spoke earlier today at his annual investor conference.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

WARREN BUFFETT, CEO, BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY: Trade should not be a weapon. I do think that the more prosperous the rest of the world becomes, it won't be at our expense, the more prosperous we'll become, and the safer we'll feel, and your children will feel someday.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

DELOUYA: So there you have it, Fredricka. Warren Buffett essentially arguing there that free trade has helped all nations, including the U.S., become more prosperous.

WHITFIELD: All right, Samantha Delouya, thanks so much.

Let's bring in again Alayna Treene in West Palm Beach near the president's home in Florida. So, Alayna, what is the president saying about how his tariffs just might impact the economy?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, look, so we had a first look at an interview that the president did yesterday with NBC and Meet the Press. The full interview is going to be airing tomorrow, but we got a clip of it, and one that has caused a little bit of stir this morning.

NBC's Kristen Welker asked the president about what he thinks if a recession was potentially on the horizon and if he would be OK with that. Listen to his response.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

KRISTEN WELKER, NBC NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Is it OK in the short term to have a recession?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, yes, everything's OK. What we are, I said, this is a transition period. I think we're going to do fantastically.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

[13:05:08]

TREENE: So, Fredricka, those comments come as several analysts on Wall Street are worried, increasingly worried, I should say, about the potential of a recession due to the impact of the president's tariffs, which I would note haven't quite yet been felt in the economy. Yesterday, we saw a new jobs report, a really solid jobs report for the Trump administration, but it hadn't yet been, you know, calculated in the impact of the president's tariffs thus far.

And as you mentioned, we just heard from Samantha, new tariffs in effect today on the auto industry. But these comments from the president come as we've heard similar comments from him earlier this week. People were asking him about, you know, the potential of common goods, consumer goods, going up in prices.

During a Cabinet meeting, he said -- talking about dolls, he said, sure, maybe children will have two dolls instead of 30, and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally. Really the first time we heard President Trump say publicly, really acknowledging the fact that goods could go up, the cost of these goods could go up because of the policies he is implementing.

But just to take you, you know, behind the scenes a little bit into my conversations with what I'm hearing from Trump administration officials and top senior White House officials. They try to describe the president's economic plan as a mid to long-term plan.

It comes as in the short term, again, we have heard repeatedly from the president that they expect there could be some pain for American consumers. And so, again, we've really seen a lot of economic turmoil due to his tariff policy. And also behind the scenes, I can tell you that there is a lot of pressure that is building on his top economic advisers to get some sort of good news to the American public in light of all of this.

We've now heard from a series of his top officials, from people like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. All of them this week trying to preview, really, that a deal with other countries. They mentioned India, but we know the Trump administration has in close negotiations with other allies in the -- in Asia, like Japan, like South Korea, trying to preview that a deal could be near.

I'd note we ended this week, a week where he was trying to take a victory lap on his first 100 days, without any sort of deal announced. All to say, the anxiety that a lot of people in the public are feeling is also being felt behind closed doors at the White House as they really work to kind of hustle on some of these trade deals. Fred? WHITFIELD: All right. Alayna Treene, thanks so much.

All right, let's talk more about this. With me now to talk about these new tariffs and other developments with the Trump administration, Kadia Goba. She's a political reporter for Semafor.

Kadia, great to see you.

KADIA GOBA, SEMAFOR, POLITICAL REPORTER: Thanks for having me, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. So the president says the economy will be OK in the long run, even if there were, you know, a short-term recession here in the U.S. because of his tariffs. I mean, what's at stake politically for this president and his expanding trade war, if indeed the U.S. slides into a recession, even though he says it would be all right?

GOBA: Yes, I think the first point is I think people learned from the previous administration that when you downplay the economic anxiety of Americans, that doesn't really move or it doesn't do really well in terms of your political survival. It was one of the biggest criticisms in the last administration that Democrats just weren't paying attention to the economy.

I also don't think that it is a -- the best move to suggest that or to talk about the pain of Americans, especially when they are already feeling those, you know, some of that anxiety lingering from the last administration. A lot of people elected Donald Trump to -- especially Independents -- to fix the economy.

So, you know, there's also some polling that suggests that because he is promising more pain, it's probably -- it seems like sort of a broken promise, not across the board, obviously, but there is some red around that.

WHITFIELD: So this is all happening just as Trump and Republicans are laying out a budget blueprint with deep cuts to non-defense spending and a massive tax cut potentially. So what is behind this urgency and the content of Trump's, you know, wish list is so-called, you know, big, beautiful bill?

GOBA: And just one more point on the tariffs. I did speak to like a vulnerable member last week on the Hill, Mike Lawler, and I talked about having a deadline about when he is prepared to act if tariffs aren't, you know, making up for that difference. And he said, well, the president said 90 days. So it'll be interesting to see what happens coming months on -- if there are -- if there isn't a deal with other countries in terms of tariffs.

[13:10:07]

Now, in terms of the new budget that was laid out, I think it's very clear that Congress looks at the budget or considers the budget coming from the White House as sort of this guideline or recommendation for Congress. Now, it's -- to basically lay out how they're going to put these 12 appropriations bills. With that said, I think a lot of the attention and a lot of political capital is being spent on reconciliation. And therefore, you know, whether the appropriations look like -- the bills look like 12 appropriations bills or one big omnibus, I don't think that is in the forefront of people's minds. But everyone is clear that there are going to be cuts in non-discretionary spending.

And -- oh I'm sorry, non -- I should say non-defense spending. There's going to be like $1 trillion -- there'll be like $1 trillion spending, which is like the most it's ever been. And that non-defense spending is where people are going to see cuts. And that's where people are going to be hit at home where they receives --

WHITFIELD: That's what they're -- yes, that's what they're most worried about, people at home.

GOBA: Yes.

WHITFIELD: So then let me shift gears a bit, you know, to Trump's national security team. The president, he's now booted the National Security Adviser Mike Waltz from his position following that controversy on the Signal with that chat where a reporter was added as they discussed military strikes in Yemen.

The president says he is now nominating Waltz to be his U.S. ambassador to the U.N. So what kind of confirmation hearing potentially might he face, given what he was in the middle of just a matter of weeks ago?

GOBA: Yes, I talked to a couple of senators immediately after the announcement, and a few of them assured me that he's -- Mike Waltz has a good chance of passing or being confirmed. He was a very serious lawmaker while at the House and well-liked among his colleagues, even some of them who are now in the Senate. But it is going to be fiery.

And I think there are going to be fireworks because of what happened, because Democrats are definitely going to focus on the Signalgate. And, you know, the -- Mike Waltz mistakenly adding a reporter to a group chat that probably should not have been on Signal. So I think we're going to see a lot around that. But ultimately, he'll probably pass and become the next U.S. ambassador to the U.N.

WHITFIELD: OK. Kadia Goba, thanks so much. We'll leave it there.

All right, still ahead --

GOBA: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: -- Ukraine says Russia launched a massive drone attack on Kharkiv. President Zelenskyy talks about the scale of the attack and gives more details on his conversation about peace efforts with President Trump.

Plus, the criminal trial for Sean Diddy Combs begins Monday. New CNN exclusive reporting on who will be taking the stand.

And a major rift in the royal family. Why Britain's Prince Harry says his father King Charles no longer speaks to him.

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[13:18:05]

WHITFIELD: All right, breaking news now on an election watched around the world. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has secured a second term in office after his center-left Labor Party scored a decisive victory over his Conservative rivals. The election seen as a test of anti-Trump sentiment in that country.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: In this time of global uncertainty, Australians have chosen optimism and determination. Australians have chosen to face global challenges the Australian way, looking after each other while building for the future.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

WHITFIELD: The Labor victory makes Albanese the first Australian prime minister to win re-election in two decades.

All right, new today, at least 47 people were injured, including an 11-year-old, in Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, that's according to Ukrainian officials. The attack comes just days after Ukraine signed a minerals deal with the U.S. that did not include any security guarantees for Ukraine.

CNN Senior International Correspondent Melissa Bell joining us right now. Melissa, Russia continues its attacks despite apparent signs of progress on a peace deal?

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Look, this is a point that's been made by U.N. officials these last few days, that even as these talks have started since February, this war has become much deadlier for Ukrainian civilians. And whilst there were no deaths reported in those massive drone strikes, as they've been described by Ukrainians on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, there were dozens injured.

And President Zelenskyy had this to say in the wake of the attack, which happened just after 9.30 p.m. on Friday night. There were no military targets, and there could not have been any. Russia strikes precisely residential areas, precisely when Ukrainians are at home, when they are putting their children to bed.

[13:20:05]

While the world delays its decisions, almost every night in Ukraine turns into a nightmare that costs lives. Only strength and sanctions will force Russia to stop it. Really, a great deal of anger there as Zelenskyy reacts to those massive drone strikes.

But whilst no one died in those drone strikes on Friday night, it's important to note, I think, Fredricka, that overall on Friday, seven civilians died across the country as well, as those many dozens that were wounded. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: OK. And then this, after, you know, we mentioned Ukraine has signed a deal with the U.S. to supply rare earth minerals. This just happened this week. Is there also a shift now in the relationship between President Zelenskyy and President Trump?

BELL: There absolutely appears to be. And we know this from the very upbeat assessment that we've been hearing from President Zelenskyy about what's happened over the course of the last week. He spoke to that meeting, you'll remember, in the Vatican that didn't last very long, but he's described as the best meeting the two men had ever had before.

Speaking also to the progress that was made towards the minerals deal and the fact that they'd agreed on the need for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, that the three-day ceasefire that's going to be implemented by Russia next week is nowhere near enough, really suggesting that there had been a shift in the American administration's tone, a level of frustration with the lack of progress being made with Russia that was playing in Ukraine's favor.

That was certainly the sense of what President Zelenskyy had to say, suggesting that this minerals deal has really left him in a much better position than he was in before it was signed. He also spoke, Fredricka, and I think this is interesting, to the fact that this minerals deal will now allow Ukraine to buy American anti-aircraft, anti-missile systems -- air defense systems, I'm sorry, that have been so crucial so far, but that had hung in the balance. And their future had hung in the balance since Trump's re-election.

So, a much more upbeat assessment for Zelenskyy as a result of that deal, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Fascinating.

All right, Melissa Bell, thanks so much.

All right, coming up, in this country, jury selection in the sex trafficking trial against Sean Diddy Combs begins on Monday. What we're learning about the witnesses set to testify against him.

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[13:26:48]

WHITFIELD: The criminal trial for Sean Diddy Combs is set to begin Monday in New York. And while we don't know the names of everyone who will be called to testify, sources tell CNN former sexual partners of Combs are among them. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including sex trafficking, and has denied all civil allegations against him.

CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has more.

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: We are getting some new details on the criminal trial of Sean Diddy Combs, which is set to begin on Monday with jury selection. Now, while the witness list has not been made public by the court, sources have given me an indication of some of the individuals that we may see take the stand during this trial.

Cassie Ventura, who is the ex-girlfriend of Sean Combs and the musician, she is going to be the star witness in this case. Now, Cassie Ventura is the only alleged victim who has decided to testify under her real name, but the judge has allowed other alleged victims to testify under pseudonyms so that their identity will be protected.

I hear that in addition to Cassie Ventura, the government has three other key witnesses. So a total of four key witnesses who will take the stand to discuss their allegations against Sean Combs. Now, of course, there will also be corroborating witnesses who take the stand either to corroborate some of those other key witnesses or to add some relevant information.

I'm hearing that one of those supporting witnesses will be a friend of Cassie Ventura's. I am hearing that another one of those witnesses will be a male sex worker, and I hear from a source that it's possible that additional male sex workers may also take the stand.

Now, at the center of the government's case in the indictment, they said are these so-called freak-offs, which the government has described essentially as drug-fueled sex parties where Combs and others allegedly forced women into sex acts, oftentimes with male sex workers. So that could possibly give some indication of the testimony that we may hear from that sex worker.

Now, this trial is anticipated to run up to two months. Sean Combs faces five different charges, including racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. And remember, Combs is also facing more than 60 civil suits. Those civil suits are completely separate from this criminal case, but I do hear that many of the civil accusers who have already come forward with civil claims against Combs will be testifying in this trial.

Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you so much.

Joining me right now to talk more about all this, CNN Legal Analyst Joey Jackson. Joey, great to see you.

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good to see you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So how might this witness testimony potentially impact the overall criminal case?

JACKSON: Yes, it will certainly be huge. I mean, to be clear, this is going to be a very salacious trial if the indictment has anything to do with it. And it does, right? An indictment is merely an accusation which charges a code of conduct.

And here, the indictment lays out very clearly what Mr. Combs was using his business enterprise for for a number of years. And what was that?

According to prosecutors, it was ultimately to really allow him to exploit his celebrity status and his fact that he was the head of this organization to gratify his sexual needs, according to prosecutors. And he did it by having those freak off parties where there would be people who were transported across state lines, either coerced to do it, or coercion, or use of fraud, or engaging in prostitution to do it. And you'll hear about guns. You'll hear about drugs. You'll hear about payments of various types that were made to people. You hear about rent payments, the withholding of payments, really orchestrating their careers and using coercion and various other forms.

And so that will be the narrative of the prosecution. And so to end to your question, the witnesses who testify as to that narrative will be very compelling. The reality from defense will be whether they're credible and whether their testimony should carry the day.

As we look there, his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, we know there was a civil lawsuit settled with them. And they apparently went out for quite some time. And there are four witnesses who have these other allegations.

So the issue, Fredricka, will be is with these witnesses, will they have enough and do enough to establish what the prosecution's theory is, and that is that he should be convicted of these various crimes.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: And that Cassie Ventura will use her own name as she's appearing as the star witness. Her testimony will also accompany the video of her being pursued by Combs that so many have seen already, well before this trial. So how will the defense try to combat that? I know you had mentioned already the defense will go after credibility, but how else and what else might we see from the defense?

JACKSON: I think they're going to come out swinging. I think this is about coercion versus consent. And the fact that a person might lead a lifestyle that other people don't find satisfactory or that may believe is unsavory is not the issue. The issue is not how you live your life. The issue is not the amount of sexual partners you have or what you do for your sexual gratification with respect to parties.

The issue is whether there was a violation of law and there will be, right? The defense hammering away on the notion that listen, and it will start even before that. The jury, I should say, with jury selection in order to test the notion of whether people are there to evaluate how people should live their sex lives or whether they're there to evaluate criminality.

And so the defense will say, ignore the shiny objects, ignore the issues about drug abuse, et cetera. Ignore the fact that you have a person here who might be deeply flawed, morally. Did he commit a crime? Was there coercion to the extent that the prosecution will say were engaged in, or were these consensual relationships run amok by people who have hidden agendas, people who mean him harm, and people who are otherwise there to testify because he's a bad actor and a bad person? That's not the issue. Is he a criminal? So they'll be swinging on both sides. It will be a lot of salacious evidence and information. And it's not only the witnesses, Fredricka. There's going to be certainly electronic evidence. I think the jury is going to see an awful lot as they sit there visually in terms of what he was doing, in terms of what these parties were all about and in terms of any physical type of abuse that he engaged in. You mentioned one of them, and that's that surveillance where you see him and Cassie, him doing not such nice things to her.

WHITFIELD: All right. Joey Jackson, thank you so much.

JACKSON: Always.

WHITFIELD: All right.

Still ahead. Severe weather threatening millions of people with large hail, damaging winds and flooding today. And it could mean a very muddy Kentucky Derby. And that's today. And all of this is next.

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[13:38:30]

Officials are investigating the aborted landings of two commercial flights at Reagan National Airport, Thursday. An FAA report says. A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter took a "scenic" route around the Pentagon nearby, coming close to those flights. You're seeing the video right there. New video showing the Black Hawk nearly missing one of those passenger jets. This helicopter was part of the same unit as the Black Hawk involved in the January 29th air collision that killed 67 people there.

A U.S. Army spokesperson responded with a statement saying, reading in full now here, quote, "While conducting flight operations into the Pentagon in accordance with published FAA flight routes and DCA Air Traffic Control, a UH-60 Blackhawk was directed by Pentagon Air Traffic Control to conduct a 'go-around,' overflying the Pentagon helipad in accordance with approved flight procedures. As a result, DCA Air Traffic Control issued a go around to two civil fixed wing aircraft to ensure the appropriate deconfliction of airspace. The incident is currently under investigation. The United States Army remains committed to aviation safety and conducting flight operations within all approved guidelines and procedures." End quote.

Millions of Americans in the Eastern half of the U.S., now facing risks of severe storms through Saturday evening, possibly flooding, hail and a muddy Kentucky Derby.

[13:40:07]

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar has more on this weekend's storm threats.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it's a lot of people for the potential for the severe storms stretching all the way from Florida up into areas of New England. And it's not just severe storms, but also the potential for flooding for a lot of these states.

When we talk about the severe storms, we're mentioning damaging winds, maybe 60, 70 miles per hour. You're also looking at hail that could be the size of golf balls. And yes, even the potential for some isolated tornadoes.

This includes areas like New Orleans, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C. All the way up through Springfield, Massachusetts. So you're talking a large population here, dealing with a lot of these showers and thunderstorms. And they've already been ongoing throughout the day. They'll continue through the evening hours really continuing to spread eastward.

You also start to see the later you go, more of those intense storms firing up in the Mid-Atlantic as well into the Northeast. By tomorrow morning, we finally start to see the bulk of those showers and thunderstorms begin to push offshore. But that doesn't mean we're in the clear.

You've still got some of these light showers that will continue throughout the day on Sunday, especially across the Midwest and portions of the Northeast. The other concern we talked about is going to be flooding. Anywhere you see in green on this map has the potential for that excessive rainfall. Most of these areas, it's only an extra inch or two. But you have to keep in mind it's on top of what they've already had the last few days. And in many states, that ground is already saturated.

Kentucky for one, the entire state has the potential for flooding today. And that's a concern because there's kind of a big event going on there today, the Kentucky Derby.

Now we will start to see more of these showers and thunderstorms taper off the later we get into the day. But even still, six 7:08 p.m., you're still looking at those rain chances there, which means the track is likely going to be on the muddy side for the race.

WHITFIELD: All right. Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.

All right. Straight ahead, Prince Harry is speaking out after losing a court case with the UK government over police protection in the UK. Why he says security issues have deepened his rift with the Royal Family.

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[13:46:52]

WHITFIELD: All right, Prince Harry is speaking out about the Royal Family in a bombshell interview with the BBC. The Duke of Sussex became visibly emotional at times, saying he was devastated by a court ruling on Friday not to restore his security arrangements when visiting the UK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: What I'm struggling to forgive and will probably always struggle to forgive, is the decision that was made in 2020 that affects my every single day and that is knowingly --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's discuss this now with CNN royal historian Kate Williams, who joins me now from London. Kate, I mean, also in that interview, Harry says he wants to make peace with his family, you know. And saying so publicly, did that just make it even more improbable to actually happen?

KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL HISTORIAN: Well, that's the interesting question, Fredricka, because Harry said he wants to reach out, he wants to speak to his father, he wants to have a reconciliation. Those are the words he uses.

And yet, people are saying, well, is this the best way to go about it and you are speaking out on television. And yet, I think what Harry would think was, he's probably tried the -- the back, the behind-the- scenes approaches. And he's making this public appeal to both really, both to his father And although to public opinion, it's very clear that what he wants is to have this meet up.

So we know that last year when Charles was diagnosed with cancer, Harry rushed back there, had a 45-minute meeting. But this year, when Charles went into hospital again briefly for cancer treatment, Harry, we understand, wasn't told. Sources said this was because they didn't want too much hullabaloo around Charles' treatment. But I think Harry felt very much out of the loop, and he feels very strongly that he's Charles' son. He should know about his father's health. And he wants to hear from him.

And I think what he wants now is Charles to pick up the phone and open up a conversation.

WHITFIELD: Yeah. You do have to wonder, like, how else is he supposed to convey that if he, you know, if he can't get --

WILLIAMS: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: -- through to his dad, through the private channels or the customary channels there, you know with the Royal Family, then I mean, what other alternative is there except to go public and say it out loud, you know, for all to hear?

WILLIAMS: Yes. And I think. You know, we look at the history of the Royal Family. I mean, historically, the royals have often used television to get their message across. So I'm thinking particularly of, say, Elizabeth II, who when there was public opinion against her in 1997 after the death of Princess Diana, she addressed the nation on the eve of Diana's funeral, addressed the world, and she talked of Diana as a -- how she respected her as a grandmother, how she respected Diana's gifts.

And that really turned public opinion around. And I think that Harry, very like Elizabeth II and also, like his father and his mother, sees television as the way to communicate to both the public and to his family. And I think the royals do pay attention to public opinion, and they don't want to give the impression in -- in these years in which Charles is looking much better back on his feet, off on social -- big engagements.

[13:50:02]

They don't want to give the impression that there's a big rift in the Royal Family, because I think the fact that Charles and Harry weren't -- were not speaking as that was news to a lot of people. People --

WHITFIELD: Yeah. OK. So -- so if the relationship between father and son, you know, is fragile, impaired, non-existent right now, what about between brother and brother? I mean, might Harry be able to make any inroads with Prince William?

WILLIAMS: Good question, Fredrica. Well, Harry said in his interview he didn't really name anyone apart from Charles. He said that some members of my family won't forgive me for writing my book. He means his memoir, "Spare," that was out in 2023 and had all kinds of revelations about the Royal Family. And there, he said, some members aren't going to forgive me. And I think we don't know who he was referring to there. But certainly, the book, "Spare," exposed a very fractious relationship between the brothers, and even Charles was sort of begging them to make peace.

And I don't think perhaps that William, we don't know William would be the channel. I think what Harry wants really, is to speak directly to his father. And in the end, Charles and Harry, they are father and son. They've been through a lot together. And I think, you know, Charles, Harry has lost his mother. Charles is his only parent. I do think that he wants a relationship, and I think he sees this as the way of doing it.

And certainly, he wants to speak about -- about other matters. The end of the court case. He's devastated because he's not going to get this security when he brings his family. He says he can't bring his family. He can't bring his children. He can't bring his wife. He wants to speak out about that. But also wants to make an overture towards his father. And ball is in Charles' court now.

WHITFIELD: Yeah. It's really powerful on so many levels. I'm so glad you were able to be with us to talk about it. Kate Williams, thanks so much.

WILLIAMS: Thank you. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Today, voters will decide whether the Texas launch site for Elon Musk's SpaceX will become its very own city. What residents of Starbase are saying -- Starbase are saying about it?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So you're going to be one of the original settlers of Starbase, Texas? ANTHONY GOMEZ, MANAGING PARTNER, ROCKET RANCH: I hope so.

LAVANDERA: I guess that's the way --

GOMEZ: I hope so. Pioneers. Pioneers, yes.

LAVANDERA: Do you -- do you feel that way, or is that being --

GOMEZ: It feels like manifest destiny sometimes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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WHITFIELD: All right. As Elon Musk steps away from his duties in Washington, he soon may have a new city to call his own. Polls are now open for voters deciding on whether to create a new city in South Texas called Starbase. CNN's Ed Lavandera takes us there.

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LAVANDERA (voice-over): There's only one way on land, anyways to reach SpaceX. For generations, Highway 4 was the road less traveled.

RENE MEDRANO, LOCAL LANDOWNER: When we bought out here, all of this is dirt road.

LAVANDERA: And for Rene Medrano, traveling the path less taken to a hidden beach at the southernmost tip of Texas has made all the difference in his life. But this retired high school coach fears Elon Musk and SpaceX are taking too much control over who can access this part of their world.

MEDRANO: People want to go to Mars. Let them go to Mars. There's people that want to go to the beach and enjoy Boca Chica Beach. OK? Let's compromise.

LAVANDERA: The latest chapter in SpaceX development is an election on Saturday to make this high-tech outpost an official city. If approved, the city limits would stretch from the Texas Coast inland along Highway 4. Residents here will also elect a mayor and two commissioners, all connected to SpaceX, and are running unopposed.

(on camera): This is the entrance to what is poised to become the newest city in Texas made in the image of Elon Musk, if you will. It is Starbase, Texas.

(voice-over): In recent years, a well-manicured neighborhood has sprouted in this marshy coastal plain. There are airstream trailers, single family homes, rows of freshly planted palm trees.

SpaceX employees more than 3,000 people in this facility. This will be the proverbial company town.

Jared Hockema is a local Democratic party official and city manager of nearby Port Isabel.

(on camera): What is your concern with Starbase becoming a city?

JARED HOCKEMA, CITY MANAGER, PORT ISABEL, TEXAS: SpaceX is -- is great. It's -- it's brought a lot of jobs.

The question always comes back. Are you using public power to benefit a private interest?

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Every time SpaceX launches or moves rocket parts, Highway 4 is closed down. The company needs to get permission from local county officials, but SpaceX and some Texas lawmakers want to give SpaceX more control of the road closures and access to the nearby beach.

As we drove the public streets of Starbase, a security guard started following us around. We wrapped up our work and moved along. SpaceX and the candidates running for public office did not respond to CNN's requests for comment.

(on camera): So you're going to be one of the original settlers of Starbase, Texas?

GOMEZ: I hope so.

LAVANDERA: I guess that's the way --

GOMEZ: I hope so. Pioneers. Pioneers, yes.

LAVANDERA: Do you -- do you feel that way, or is that being --

GOMEZ: It feels like manifest destiny sometimes.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Anthony Gomez runs a business called Rocket Ranch. Hundreds of people come to this observation point on rocket launch days.

GOMEZ: We do launch observations. It's the closest place to see it from America.

LAVANDERA (on camera): 3.7 miles away. So when that rocket takes off the big one.

GOMEZ: You can feel it. Yeah. Your entire -- I mean, every molecule in your body vibrates with joy. It's amazing.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Gomez says turning Starbase into a city will help Elon Musk and SpaceX make even greater progress in space travel.