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President To Sign $9B Cut To Public Broadcasting, International Aid; Palestinians: At Least 32 Killed While Seeking Aid In Gaza; Ukraine Calls For Peace Talks With Russia Next Week; 30 Injured When Car Drives Into Crowd Outside L.A. Club; Trump Administration Shuts Down LGBTQ+ Crisis Hotline. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired July 20, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:40]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

President Trump marking six months back in office, why any celebrations may be overshadowed by the ongoing Epstein controversy.

A major development in the search for people swept away by flooding in Texas as more dangerous storms drench the East Coast.

Plus, the Trump administration is shutting down part of a crisis hotline that caters to the LGBTQ community. We'll take a look at the impact.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: Today, marks six months since President Donald Trump took the oath of office for his second term, but rather than taking a victory lap, thanks to recent legislative victories, he's being forced to confront conspiracies about Jeffrey Epstein.

A recent "Wall Street Journal" article is drawing attention to the president's past relationship with the convicted sex offender. We'll have details on how this is impacting support from his base in a moment.

First, Betsy Klein looks at how Trump, along with members of his inner circle, have fueled the public interest he's now railing against.

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BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, President Trump's preference is for this entire Jeffrey Epstein controversy to go away, but one of the reasons he hasn't been able to turn the page on this narrative as quickly as he would have liked to is because the president himself, along with other top lieutenants, Vice President J.D. Vance, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, along with FBI Director Kash Patel and others, were among those pushing conspiracy theories about Jeffrey Epstein for years, calling for transparency, saying that there is a there there.

And it's been just about two weeks since the Department of Justice and the FBI released that memo that concluded Epstein's death was a suicide and that there was never a so-called client list. Since then, MAGA World has been in full revolt, demanding that transparency that those officials had also asked for at one point, calling for more information and documents and essentially setting a loyalty test between President Trump and the movement that he created.

President Trump announcing that he had asked his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to release pertinent information and records related to Epstein, the U.S. government putting in a request for that in federal court on Friday. And it's going to take a little bit of time for a judge to rule, but any of that grand jury testimony really marks a small portion of the overall body of evidence against Jeffrey Epstein.

So, it really shouldn't be a surprise after all of this that the president's most ardent supporters and followers are quite frustrated. The president appeared to acknowledge some of that frustration in a post to social media on Saturday.

He wrote, quote, "I have asked the Justice Department to release all grand jury testimony with respect to Jeffrey Epstein, subject only to court approval. With that being said, and even if the court gave its full and unwavering approval, nothing will be good enough for the troublemakers and radical left lunatics making the request. It will always be more, more, more."

Now, the pressure continued to mount this week when "The Wall Street Journal" published a story about a letter reportedly sent to Epstein by Trump on the occasion of his 50th birthday with a drawing of a naked woman. The president has dismissed that report as fake and has threatened to sue "The Wall Street Journal," making good on that threat this week with a libel, slander and assault lawsuit up to $20 billion of damages.

Wall Street Journal's publisher Dow Jones saying in a statement, quote, "We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit."

But the president here clearly reverting to a familiar playbook, attacking the media. But this really marks an extraordinary escalation here and really raising more questions about how close the president really was with Jeffrey Epstein and whether he was aware of Epstein's proclivities.

Betsy Klein, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: President Trump wants the Senate majority leader to cancel the August recess and some scheduled long weekends so his outstanding nominees can be confirmed more quickly. The Senate has yet to confirm 136 civilian nominees, but a Republican source tells CNN that GOP senators want to return home to sell constituents on the recently passed spending bill. A recent CNN poll found that some 60% of respondents opposed the measure, with the number one reason being the amount it adds to the national debt.

[05:05:19]

President Trump will soon sign a bill that slashes more than $9 billion from public broadcasting and international aid efforts. The measure got final congressional approval early Friday morning, with only two Republicans breaking ranks with their party. CNN's Julia Benbrook has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This package of $9 billion in spending cuts or clawbacks passed primarily along party lines in both chambers. It codifies some of the cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, with the stated goal of rooting out waste, fraud and abuse within the federal government.

So, what exactly is this package targeting? Roughly $8 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid programs, as the White House looks to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development. Another $1.1 billion taken from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps fund "PBS" and "NPR," as well as their local affiliates across the country. This could have a big impact on those stations located in rural areas.

Trump is touting this legislative move, and he says that he hopes that this rescissions package is the first of others like it.

DONALD TRUMP (R), U.S. PRESIDENT: This week we passed the rescissions act of 2025, slashing nearly $10 billion of waste, and I guess I could say some fraud and some abuse, but at least we can say waste. Almost $10 billion, and we have numerous other rescissions coming up, adding many more $10 billion to it, so we're saving a lot of money.

BENBROOK: Democrats are detailing the concerns that they have when it comes to this package, with House Democratic leadership calling it extreme and reckless, adding this, quote, "This legislation undermines the public health and national security of the American people, while launching an assault on public radio and television.

At the same time that people are witnessing tremendous death and destruction wrought by extreme weather in this country, House Republicans are taking a chainsaw to the public airwaves that Americans rely on for information in an emergency. Adding, While extreme MAGA Republicans will claim this is about eliminating so- called waste, fraud and abuse, they just jammed through a massive tax giveaway to billionaires that balloons our nation's debt by trillions of dollars.

Now, this rescissions package is another legislative win for Trump. Congress passed it using an obscure presidential budget law used to avoid the filibuster. Trump is the first president in decades to successfully use this maneuver, highlighting the power that he wields on Capitol Hill right now.

Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed concern about the precedent this sets, saying that it could set a harmful precedent when it comes to congressional authority.

Julia Benbrook, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Heavy rain has triggered flash flooding across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Have a look. In this video, you can see emergency workers helping a couple whose car got stuck in floodwaters. One local official says firefighters conducted dozens of water rescues throughout Montgomery County, Maryland.

Now, the rain has ended, but Maryland authorities are keeping some roads closed because of dangerous conditions. Crews also performed water rescues across Virginia beginning on Friday. In Dickinson County, officials say floodwaters are thought to have swept several people into a storm drain.

And in Washington, D.C., water nearly covered the tires of a parked car on Georgia Avenue. Officials in Kerr County, Texas, have updated the number of missing after catastrophic flooding earlier this month. The new tally is just three. That's down from an initial count of 161. Kerrville officials say many people initially reported missing have now been verified as safe. The historic flooding killed at least 135 people, including 37 children. Most of the victims were in Kerr County. Police say search and recovery efforts could last up to six months.

Israel is telling Palestinians in parts of central Gaza to leave, saying it will conduct military operations in the area. The move, announced this morning, drew a rebuke from families of hostages held in Gaza who questioned whether it was necessary. This is happening after the latest deadly incident near aid distribution sites on Saturday. I just want to warn you, some of you may find the coming scenes disturbing.

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HISHAM DARGAM, WITNESS (voice-over): At 4:30 a.m., gunfire erupted from soldiers and tanks as if they were in a battle with us. Half an hour of continuous shooting, a massive number of martyrs and wounded. People are still lying there, abandoned. No one can reach them. For half an hour, tanks, shells, and soldiers kept firing as if it were a battle. We went there because of hunger. No one goes unless they're starving.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:10:22]

BRUNHUBER: Gaza's health ministry says at least 32 people died on Saturday after Israeli troops opened fire on them while they were trying to get food. Earlier this week, the U.N. said 875 people were killed in other incidents at aid sites since May. It said 674 of them were killed near the places run by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. A U.N. official said more than 200 others were killed while seeking food on the routes of aid convoys or near aid convoys run by the U.N. or its partners. We get more now from CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau. And again, I just want to warn you, you may find this disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: More than 30 people seeking food in the Gaza Strip were killed early Saturday morning when Israeli troops opened fire on them, the Palestinian health ministry said. The Israeli military said they were approached by subjects in the Rafah area, about one kilometer from a closed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid site. The GHF is backed by the U.S. and Israel.

One witness described a half hour of continuous shooting from soldiers and tanks. Although the GHF site was not open, people say there that they have to line up for hours in advance sometimes if they hope to get any food at all in what has become an increasingly desperate situation in the embattled enclave. Children were among the victims, including this man's young son, whose childhood had been marred by the ongoing war. His pain is difficult to watch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What am I supposed to do? By God Almighty, I don't know, I don't know. This child just wanted to eat. What could he do? He wanted to bring food for his siblings, and he came back carried in people's arms.

NADEAU: The latest tragedy in an increasingly dire situation comes just days after Gaza's only Catholic church was hit in a fatal attack, which prompted Pope Leo to call for an immediate ceasefire. But such a stop in hostilities has been hard to secure, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying Friday that another 10 hostages would be released soon, though no proof of such a deal has yet been given.

Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The families of Israeli hostages in Gaza sent a blunt message to U.S. and Israeli leaders.

They want the remaining hostages in Gaza returned home at a march in Tel Aviv. They raised doubts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had the ability to do the job. They also urged U.S. President Donald Trump to help. Earlier, Trump said more hostages will be released soon, but didn't offer any specifics. Israel and Hamas have been accusing each other of foot-dragging at ceasefire talks. The protesters made it clear they count on Trump much more than Netanyahu.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EINAV ZANGAUKER, MOTHER OF ISRAELI HOSTAGE MATAN ZANGAUKER (through translator): An entire nation wants to bring back all 50 hostages and the female hostage, and to end the war through a deal like the one proposed by the Egyptians. But Netanyahu is once again hesitating to sign the agreement. YEHUDA COHEN, FATHER OF ISRAELI HOSTAGE NIMROD COHEN: Mr. President, sir, we are counting on you. You brought back hostages before. Please do it again. We need your strength. We need your leadership. We are begging you, help us bring our children home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: An Arab lawmaker in Israel is OK after an attack on his vehicle on Saturday. His party says an angry mob smashed the car's windows as he was headed to a rally calling for the release of hostages in Gaza. The statement says some of the attackers shouted, "death to Arabs."

Police say three people have been arrested, and the lawmaker, Ayman Odeh, later spoke at a rally. Israel's opposition leaders have condemned the attack and called for an investigation.

All right, still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, many people are mourning an American World War II veteran and TikTok sensation who's died. Ahead, we'll tell you about Papa Jake, who insisted he wasn't a hero.

Plus, Ukraine's push to bring back thousands of children abducted by Russia. We'll have those stories and more coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM. Stay with us.

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[05:18:31]

BRUNHUBER: Many people here in the United States are mourning the death of a man they called Papa Jake at the age of 102. World War II veteran Jake Larson fought on the beaches of Normandy in 1944, but more recently, younger generations discovered him when he gained fame on TikTok, where he recounted his life and service, and he had one million followers. CNN's Christiane Amanpour interviewed Papa Jake last year in Normandy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE LARSON, WORLD WAR 11 VETERAN: I'm not a hero. People keep calling me a hero. I changed that word. I took the O off of a hero. I added T- O there, and people say, well, what's a hereto? I says, I'm here to tell you that heroes are up there. They gave their life. They gave their life so that I could make it. My God, I got a wife. I got children. I got two boys and a girl. I got nine grandchildren. I got 11 great-grandchildren.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: His granddaughter says he died peacefully this week, cracking jokes to the end.

Christiane won an Emmy for that interview three weeks ago, and she shared her award with him, which he said was phenomenal. Ukrainian officials say at least five people were killed in Russian

attacks over the past 24 hours. Another 28 people were wounded as Russia continues to ramp up its offensive.

[05:20:03]

In the country's northern Sumy region, officials say Russian troops carried out close to 70 attacks on 33 settlements. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says six people were wounded in the southern port city of Odesa, including a child. Authorities say at least one person died there.

A video shows a severely damaged building with some apartments turned to rubble. Zelenskyy says more than 30 missiles and 300 drones were used in the assault.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): National Security and Defense Council Secretary Umerov also reported that he has proposed the next meeting with a Russian side for next week. Negotiation dynamics must increase. Everything must be done to achieve a ceasefire.

The Russian side must stop avoiding decisions, the exchange of prisoners, the return of children, the cessation of killings. A meeting at the level of leaders is needed to truly ensure peace, a lasting peace. Ukraine is ready for such a meeting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: President Zelenskyy is calling for peace talks with Russia next week. A source close to Moscow's negotiating team confirmed that they've received Kyiv's proposal for a meeting. That's according to Russian state media.

It comes after U.S. President Donald Trump gave Russia 50 days to agree to a ceasefire deal or face new tariffs. The two countries have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul in recent months, but haven't made any breakthroughs.

Well, you just heard President Zelenskyy accuse Moscow of avoiding decisions on the return of children. Ukrainian authorities have previously said Russia has abducted about 20,000 Ukrainian children since the full-scale invasion more than three years ago. Time Correspondent spoke to CNN earlier about this issue. His new piece looks at the fight to bring back those children still being held in Russia. He explains how it plays into the peace talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON SHUSTER, TIME MAGAZINE SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: It's a gut- wrenching story. These children were basically taken by Russian officials and Russian forces from areas of Ukraine that Russia has occupied. They were taken -- these are often the most vulnerable groups of children, children who are living in group homes, orphans, children with disabilities. And they were taken into Russia and often put in Russian foster care.

The government in Russia and President Putin himself, they've treated the adoption and integration of these Ukrainian children who were taken from their home country as a kind of act of patriotism, right? This is part and parcel of Russia's belief and the statements in Russian propaganda that Ukraine doesn't deserve to exist as a nation. And that is partly why it's treated as a form of genocide by many experts and indeed by the International Criminal Court which, as you may remember, in 2023 actually indicted Vladimir Putin for war crimes related to the abduction of these children.

So, it's an ongoing story and very few of these children have returned home. They are still in Russia. What I tried to look at in this article is how is this particular issue of the kidnapped children playing out within the range of issues that the negotiators are trying to work on that President Trump is trying to push through as he tries to advance a peace process.

And what I saw was President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians consistently trying to push this question to the top of the agenda, demanding that the Russians give these children back and on the Russian side basically stonewalling, no urgency on the part of Putin and his government to return the children and on the American side which is trying to push forward some kind of peace process, a desire to push the process along and not allow the question of the children to be a kind of hindrance.

So, one U.S. diplomat actually told me that maybe the Ukrainians shouldn't make a peace deal conditional on the return of the children because if you want to move fast toward peace, you can't set conditions. That is of course a very uncomfortable position for the Ukrainian side which wants to make the return of these children an essential part of any peace deal.

Zelenskyy believes that it will take a lot more pressure particularly from President Trump, Zelenskyy says, to basically tell Putin that you must send these children back or you will face even stricter sanctions and you can forget about any kind of normalization of relations.

What I've been hearing lately from Ukrainian officials and U.S. diplomats is there's -- there's a lot of improvement in that relationship. They now hear each other much better. Trump is really, you know, returning to a position of -- of wanting to help Ukraine and understanding that Putin cannot be trusted in the negotiation. And as part of that, the children are really returning from the edges of -- of the diplomatic process toward the center.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All right, some news just coming in to CNN. The Syrian government says clashes in the southern city of Suwayda have stopped after a week of violence left hundreds of people dead. That would mean a ceasefire agreement reached by the government. Druze groups and Bedouin tribes on Saturday appears to be holding. We're told that communications with the province remain difficult.

[05:25:13]

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is calling on the Syrian government to use its security forces to prevent what he calls violent jihadists from entering Suwayda and carrying out massacres.

All right, still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, a car drives into a crowd outside a nightclub in Los Angeles. Then a bystander shoots the driver. We'll have the latest after the break.

Plus, a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam, leaving at least 38 dead, eight of them children. We'll have the latest details ahead. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Let's check some of today's top stories.

It's been six months since President Donald Trump took the oath of office for his second term. He's just chalked up a big legislative victory with passage of his spending cuts bill, but a recent "Wall Street Journal" article is forcing him on the defensive about his relationship with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Palestinian officials say at least 32 people were killed by Israeli forces while trying to get food in Gaza. Witnesses say the troops opened fire as the victims were headed to an aid distribution site on Saturday. Israel says some people approached its troops during their operational activity before the site was opened.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for peace talks with Russia next week. A source close to Moscow's negotiating team confirmed that they have received Kyiv's proposal for a meeting. That's according to Russian state media. President Zelenskyy said, quote, "We need to do everything possible to achieve a ceasefire."

[05:30:05]

At least 30 people were injured in Los Angeles when a car drove into a crowd outside a nightclub on Saturday. Now, no deaths have been reported, but seven victims are in critical condition. CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has the latest.

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're now beginning to piece together what exactly happened in the moments before this crash outside a nightclub in East Hollywood. Authorities say that a man plowed through that crowd injuring at least 30 people and after that he was taken out of the car and then a fight ensued. He was beaten by the crowd outside and then somebody pulled out a gun and shot the driver.

That shooter is still at large. Authorities say that he's considered armed and dangerous right now. That remains the priority for police but they also say that this was a very unusual scene.

JEFFREY LEE, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: This is not common at all. I would say in my 18 years as a law enforcement officer in the LAPD I would say this is first of its kind that I'm aware of.

VARGAS JONES: Now, this is a part of Los Angeles that has a vibrant nightlife but it is not a particularly dangerous or violent part of the city. Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement on Saturday that, "quote" this is a heartbreaking tragedy. I want to thank the more than 100 LAFD and LAPD personnel who responded to the scene to help save lives.

The hearts of Angelenos are with all the victims impacted this morning and a full investigation into what happened is underway. Now, according to reporting from CNN's John Miller there's no indication beyond the impaired state of the driver that there was any other criminal intent and no connection to terrorism at this point.

Julia Vargas Jones CNN Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Hundreds of flights have been canceled as a dangerous typhoon hits Hong Kong. Typhoon Wipha slammed the city with gusts up to 103 miles or 165 kilometers per hour. Hong Kong International Airport reported around 500 flights were canceled and 400 delayed.

Authorities say the storm has injured at least 14 people and forced over 200 into temporary shelters. The Hong Kong Observatory raised its storm level to the highest something it's only done 18 times before.

At least four people are dead and two are missing after torrential rains triggered flash flooding in South Korea. Video provided by the county showed floodwaters rushing down streets in a residential area. Saturday marked the fourth consecutive day the rain continued to banner the region preventing nearly 3,000 people from returning to their homes. At least 38 people were killed when a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam. Eight of them were children.

Now, the boat was carrying 53 people when it flipped over in stormy weather in Ha Long Bay. Strong winds and heavy rain were reported in the area at the time. Officials say rescue teams have found at least 10 survivors so far.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANG THUY LINH, CAPSIZED BOAT SURVIVOR: I have lost contact with my son my husband and my friends whole family. What I am asking now is for everyone to speed up the rescue mission to save all of them. Please don't leave anyone behind on that boat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Heavy rain and limited visibility is making rescue operations difficult. One local newspaper reports that more than 20 children were on board. 19 people were injured during a fireworks show in Dusseldorf Germany on Friday. Have a look you can see in this video that some fireworks started exploding very close to the ground. Emergency crews say at least one child was hurt and four people needed serious medical attention. Local police say they're investigating.

A crisis hotline which offered specialized services has officially ended operations. Coming up why some critics believe the move could put many young people at risk. Those stories and more coming up. Stay with us.

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[05:37:07]

BRUNHUBER: A Venezuelan migrant deported from the U.S. to El Salvador's maximum-security prison has reunited with his family. Maiker Espinoza Escalona was released in a large-scale prisoner swap with Venezuela. He was about one of 250 Venezuelans returned to their home country in exchange for 10 U.S. nationals. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro joined the family for Saturday's reunion. The event was broadcast on state-run TV.

President Trump's shifting policy on student visas has sparked concern and uncertainty among international students, including those from China. For generations, many have strived to secure an Ivy League education in the U.S. In fact, China is the second largest country of origin for foreign students in the U.S. CNN's Will Ripley reports on why some are now rethinking their future plans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An American Ivy League education, the gold standard for generations, especially for students from China.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God.

RIPLEY (voice-over): This viral video, a student getting accepted to Harvard has millions of views on Chinese social media. The book, "Harvard Girl," is still a bestseller. 25 years after publication.

(MAN SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE))

RIPLEY (voice-over): Videos like these teach Chinese students how to prepare for elite American schools. Even Chinese leader Xi Jinping sent his daughter to Harvard. Xi Mingze studied under an alias, shielded by Secret Service-style security.

TRUMP: We want to have foreign students, but we want them to be checked.

RIPLEY (voice-over): But the twists and turns of President Donald Trump's student visa policy are making even ordinary Chinese applying for visas feel whiplash.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Devastation, you know, like frustration and then uncertainty, anxiety.

RIPLEY (voice-over): First, Trump wanted to aggressively revoke and scrutinize some student visas. Then after the latest trade talks, he posted Chinese students using our colleges and universities has always been good with me.

RIPLEY: Is there an impression that the United States is an unfriendly place, an unsafe place?

ERIC ZHANG, CO-FOUNDER, ONE STEP AHEAD EDUCATION: I think so. I think so. I'm thinking about the immigration issue, thinking about the financial crisis, thinking about the job market. And so, everything looks pretty bad. And then --

RIPLEY (voice-over): Eric Zhang says he's helped place more than a thousand Chinese students in U.S. schools. He says these days many are walking away.

RIPLEY: What are Chinese parents saying to you?

ZHANG: Now, you know, considering a lot of the rhetoric from the current administration and also the worry about the safety, about the uncertainty.

RIPLEY (voice-over): That uncertainty, he says, the biggest factor losing about a third of his clients this year.

ZICHEN WANG, PRINCETON GRADUATE: Many of the Chinese students are quite fearful at the moment.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Recent graduate and former journalist Zichen Wang says the Trump administration is sending mixed messages to China's rising middle class.

WANG: Yes, they benefit greatly from the tremendous American education system, especially its top universities. But at the same time, they also contribute greatly to research.

[05:40:08]

RIPLEY (voice-over): They also contribute financially. Many Chinese parents scrimp and save, easily spending $80,000 a year or more. The rollercoaster in Washington, fueling Beijing's ongoing narrative that America is a declining power that grows increasingly paranoid.

WANG: I think the U.S. is very uncomfortable with the rise of China.

RIPLEY (voice-over): He says a U.S. degree no longer seen by some as a passport to power, prestige, and prosperity, chipping away at the value of a U.S. education and perhaps America's global influence.

(On camera): Until India took the top spot last year, Chinese made up the largest group of international students in the U.S. And experts agree they contribute a lot, not only by fueling innovation in areas like tech and, crucially, A.I. Also medicine. Many are also staying the best graduates getting job offers and working in the United States, boosting the U.S. economy and helping further innovation in the sectors that are so ultra-competitive right now between the U.S. and China, particularly technology, particularly science, not to mention the fact that all of those students are paying full tuition. So, that would be billions of dollars lost for U.S. schools and the U.S. economy if this chilling effect continues and students stop trying to enroll.

Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The Trump administration is cutting off critical care for young people at risk of suicide. The 988 suicide and crisis lifeline has ended specialized service for LGBTQ plus youth. It leaves thousands of young people unable to reach counselors specially trained to help them.

President Trump signed legislation creating the national suicide hotline in 2020. The original act indicated that Congress wanted crisis centers to provide specialized resources to LGBTQ plus people and other high-risk populations. They could access those resources by pressing 3 on their phones.

It was established as a pilot program in 2022 and started receiving federal funding in 2023. The U.S. Department of Human Health and Human Resources says more than 16 million people have called, texted or chatted with the 988 lifeline and nearly 1.5 million of them were routed to LGBTQ plus specialized services.

All right, joining us live to talk about this from New York is Adrian Shanker, the former senior advisor LGBTQ+ policy for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And after that he launched Shanker Strategies, a consulting practice focused on LGBTQ plus health and nonprofit organizations.

Thank you so much for being here with us. I really appreciate it. So, can you explain what made the LGBTQ plus youth sub-network different from the general 988 crisis line?

ADRIAN SHANKER, FORMER SENIOR ADVISOR ON LGBTQ+ HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Yes. Thank you for having me on. And really what this is about is about just ensuring that all people in the United States have access to crisis care and suicide prevention resources.

But the LGBTQ sub-network was so critical because LGBTQ youth are one of the most vulnerable populations in our community when it comes to suicide risk. And there's a four times increase in the disparity for suicidal ideation among LGBTQ plus youth. That's why the resource was created. And it was highly effective. And it was working.

BRUNHUBER: Just to get some details here. So, when they press that number, I mean, what made it different from, let's say, calling the normal number? They had specialized trained counselors in those issues, right? SHANKER: Yeah. LGBTQ+ youth were directed to specially trained counselors that had received specific training and understanding the unique risk factors facing the LGBTQ+ youth community when it comes to suicidal ideation. These counselors understand not only the risk factors, but also the protective factors in terms of how do you -- how -- what do you say to youth when they call?

The line was working very well and LGBTQ plus youth were being incredibly well served by it. In fact, there was an increase. The need continued to increase over the last year as the political attacks on LGBTQ plus community increased.

There was a 50% call volume increase in the last year to this line. So, it was incredibly needed. And it was -- it was making a big difference.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. So, I mean, those are the numbers. I mean, do you -- do you hear from any people who used it? Can you share any stories about how effective it was?

SHANKER: Well, I don't have specific -- specific client examples, but we know from the call volume alone that the need continued to grow and the impact was incredibly clear. These are -- these are countless lives being saved by being able to simply dial a three-digit number and then be directed to a specialized service with trained counselors and LGBTQ+ youth. They can still call 988 and they -- I would certainly encourage them to do so.

[05:45:09]

The risk is if -- if they'll continue to receive the trained counselors that are uniquely situated to support their needs when they call.

BRUNHUBER: So, what reason has the administration given then for ending it?

SHANKER: Well, RFK Junior's team has said that they want all youth to, you know, everyone who calls to basically have the same services. But unfortunately, treating people exactly the same doesn't address the differences in people's lives that lead us to health disparities. Why some populations have greater risk for suicidal ideation than others.

And we know that the LGBTQI+ community, in particular youth, have a four times increased risk of suicidal ideation, which is why there was a need for a specialized service just as the need for veterans, which is one of the other specialized services. And that line has continued because of how needed that is as well. This line should have also continued.

BRUNHUBER: Now, this doesn't at least it seems it doesn't come out of nowhere, right? One could argue LGBTQ plus youths need it more now than ever, given what's going on nationally and especially in red states across the country.

SHANKER: And, you know, this was a bipartisan solution, creating 988 with an LGBTQ inclusive line. This was broadly supported. It actually had unanimous passage in the Senate. First time that an LGBTQ inclusive bill ever passed the Senate unanimously.

And Orrin Hatch was one of the original supporters of the 988 authorizing legislation. So, red state or blue state, everyone should support suicide prevention resources for all people, including LGBTQ plus youth. It's pretty shameful that this administration -- the Trump -- last Trump administration, signed 988 into law. It's pretty shameful that now they're going back on this commitment by ending the LGBTQ specialized service.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. There are other helplines. Take me through what alternatives still exist.

SHANKER: Yeah. So, certainly LGBTQ plus youth can still call the main 988 line. They can also call the Trevor Project, which continues to provide LGBTQ specific services. And that's available to youth nationwide.

And, you know, one state, one example of states taking action to step up is California, who recently took action in the face of this federal decision to ensure that all of the 988 counselors in California continue to receive specialized training and services. And the California Department of Health is -- is supporting that and making sure that that happens.

So, there are opportunities for states to take action in light of this federal policy change.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And it's important to note that there are alternatives. I think we have some details about that. We can just pop that up on the screen in case anybody is experiencing mental health issues. You can call that 988 lifeline on the main number. And then, as our guest just mentioned, you can call the Trevor Project, which also offers a free and controversial crisis hotline. You see the number there on the screen.

Adrian, really appreciate having you on this important topic. Thanks so much for being here with us.

SHANKER: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: All right. We'll be right back.

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[05:52:24]

BRUNHUBER: The tech company CEO caught cuddling an employee on camera has resigned. His former company, Astronomer, says CEO Andy Byron has tendered his resignation and the board of directors has accepted. Byron and his employee were spotted, of course, on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert. Their reactions made the video go viral. The company says co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy will serve as interim CEO while the board searches for a new chief executive. All right, now to Donald Trump, as you've never seen him before. He,

or at least a copy of him, is the star of a Cantonese opera in Hong Kong. The quirky tale called Trump on Show parodies the U.S. president while reviving an ancient Chinese art form. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout spoke to the show's star and creator about how it all came to be.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On this stage, Donald Trump sings in fluent Chinese.

And why not? He's the star of a hot new Cantonese opera.

How did you copy the body language of Donald Trump?

LOONG KOON-TIN, CANTONESE OPERA ACTOR (through translator): This is the special thing about Donald Trump. This one.

His eyes and his gestures are so unique. Every time I submerge myself in the role. I'm the Donald Trump.

STOUT: Loong is an over 40-year veteran of Cantonese opera, and he's starring in the latest version of Trump on Show, a Hong Kong production that began back in 2019.

The first opera depicted Trump's debut as U.S. President, and this one a fictionalized account of his latest presidential run, including an assassination attempt and his return to the Oval Office, including his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Other characters include Ivanka Trump, Kim Jong-un, and this take on Abraham Lincoln.

Edward Lee --

EDWARD LEE, WRITER: Hello. Hello, hello.

STOUT: -- is the mastermind of the entire production, a writer and feng shui master. He has staged dozens of operas.

LEE: And I find he is a very interesting people.

STOUT: Cantonese opera is a performance art that dates back 500 years. In recent decades, its popular appeal has been on the wane, but Trump on Show has been a hit. Tickets for the latest opera have also sold out, filling the hall with audiences of all ages, including a new generation of Cantonese opera fans.

[05:55:41]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a new experience to the younger people, and then I want to know about current culture, to -- like about history and about like how they related to Hong Kong, to China, to America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cantonese opera singing, Cantonese opera style of acting and these contemporary figures together, that's where the chemistry is.

STOUT: The potential audience is even bigger.

LEE: I hope in the future this opera can go to the United States, to have this kind of opera doing especially in Broadway.

STOUT: UNESCO recognizes Cantonese opera as an example of quote, "intangible cultural heritage of humanity." Productions like this are key to keeping a precious art form alive.

Can we say Donald Trump is helping Cantonese opera survive?

LEE: You can say that because his character is so special and everybody is being influenced by him.

STOUT: On this stage, Trump is a hero. The star of a Cantonese opera with an American twist while reviving a treasured Chinese tradition.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Golfers are teeing off at this hour at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland for the final round of the Open Championship. The world number one player appears to be firmly in control. American Scottie Scheffler padded his lead with a bogey free third round and an eagle on the seventh hole.

He's ahead by four strokes at 14 under par. A win today would give the 29-year-old his fourth career major title. China's Huating Li is in second place, and Northern Ireland's favorite son Rory McIlroy is tied for fourth, six strokes off the lead.

All right, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. For our audience in North America, CNN This Morning is next. For the rest of the world, it's Next Stop.

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