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Tension Escalates in Gaza; President Trump to Negotiate with Vladimir Putin; No Conditions, No Meetings; Tariffs Felt Around the World; Switzerland To "Fight" For Better Trade Deal With U.S.; Trump Administration Urges Supreme Court To Allow Divisive ICE Patrols In California; Trump Eyes New Census That Excludes Undocumented Immigrants. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired August 08, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRIM BRUNHUBER, CNN HOST: Welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

Despite mounting opposition, Israeli forces are now preparing for a full takeover of Gaza City. We'll have the latest in a live report. Plus, President Donald Trump prepares for potential meeting with Vladimir Putin at the deadline for new sanctions on Russia approaches. We'll look at where things stand in Russia's war on Ukraine.

And, President Trump's tariffs have kicked in at the highest rate since the Great Depression. We'll have the latest fallout from the trade war.

UNKNOWN: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: We begin with breaking news. The Israeli Prime Minister's office says his security cabinet has approved a plan to occupy Gaza City. It's part of a broader initiative for Israeli control of the entire Gaza Strip. And it comes despite strong opposition from the Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff who warns it could put soldiers and hostages at risk.

People across Israel turned out to protest expanded military operations in Gaza. They gathered outside the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem and his Likud Party headquarters in Tel Aviv.

I want to bring in CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman, whose following developments from Rome. So, Ben, some one million Palestinians in Gaza City and other areas would again be pushed out to southern Gaza. Take us through the details and the implications.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is a plan that was approved overnight by the Israeli Security Cabinet. As you said, despite strong opposition from Eyal Zamir, the chief of staff of the IDF, many Israelis, including him, believe that any such operation of this scale would put the hostages, about 20 of whom are believed to be still alive in Gaza, would put their lives at risk.

Now, this decision by the cabinet despite the opposition from within and without, also endorsed five principles, including disarming Hamas, the return of all the hostages, demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip, and establishment of a civilian administration there not involving or including Hamas, nor the Palestinian authority.

And not surprisingly, this has been met by dismay by many, as we're about to hear from people within Israel and, obviously, within Gaza itself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHMOUD AL-QURASHI, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN (through translator): Netanyahu's decision to occupy Gaza, it's like there's nothing left to occupy in the first place. We're already dying, a hundred thousand deaths every day.

ALON LEE GREEN, NATIONAL CO-DIRECTOR, STANDING TOGETHER: This plan to occupy the entire Gaza Strip has only one meaning. And this meaning is the death of the hostages, the death of the Palestinians, and yes, also the death of the Israeli soldiers. If they send our soldiers to kill and get killed, the only meaning is just more death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WEDEMAN: Now, before the meeting took place, there was an interview between Fox and Prime Minister Netanyahu, where Netanyahu suggested that Israel will take over, occupy the entire Gaza Strip until this imaginary civilian administration takes over. The implication of that is that Israel is going to basically take us back 20 years to the time when it controlled the entire Gaza Strip.

The fear is of course that that could result in the reestablishment of Jewish settlements there. Anybody who covered Gaza in that period during the Israeli occupation, and I spent months and months and months over the years there, will know that this is a quagmire for Israel, that they will have to station a large number of troops. There will be resistance from the Palestinians, whether it's from Hamas or anybody else.

This is definitely going to be a challenge for Israel to genera -- for generations to come if they go ahead with this decision. The question is, is this just simply a bluff by Netanyahu to push Hamas back to the negotiating table? Not at all clear, but it certainly does represent a massive, dramatic extra element to this war that's already well into its 22nd month, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, I appreciate the additional context from you. Ben Wedeman in Rome. Thank you so much.

[02:05:03]

All right, I want to bring on __ who's the former Israeli Consul General in New York. He joins me now from Tel Aviv. Thank you so much again for being here with us, I really appreciate it.

So just to start on the war plan to occupy Gaza City against, we should say, advice of Israel's military chief of staff. I want to pick up exactly with the point that Ben just made.

Do you get the sense that this is potentially a negotiating tactic to put pressure on Hamas, or do you think Israel will actually go through with this?

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL, NEW YORK: Well, it's a good question, because unlike war games or simulation games, once this begins, everyone loses control over how it evolves, meaning that if Hamas is undeterred by this supposed bluff, then Israel begins the evacuation of Gaza City and begins an even fuller military occupation. And there's no such thing as temporary occupation.

This has been said correctly, and he's a veteran on these issues, this is going to go on for many, many years. And so, what looks now as some kind of a cunning and sophisticated and savvy negotiating tactic is going to end up with Israel occupying the Gaza Strip.

Now, you have to understand, Kim, it's not as if Mr. Netanyahu has a plan to occupy Gaza. No, he has a plan to extenuate, I'm sorry, to extend the war. He wants to prolong the war. He wants the war to go on. Occupation means you own the place. That means you take care of 2.3 million Palestinians. That means you take care of humanitarian aid. That means you take care of health services. That means that at some point you called it correctly imaginary, Kim.

There's going to be some kind of a, you know, an alien spaceship is going to come, is going to land, and out of it will come a civilian administration. Where is that coming from? There's no plan. This is a lot of bluster. But as I said, you know, it begins as, okay, this is not serious. Maybe this is a negotiating ploy. Before you know it, this is going to go on for a long time.

And I have to add, from a diplomatic dimension, Kim, it makes the U.S. look very silly here. It makes Trump's pledges and commitments look very hollow and ineffective. And it just goes back to vindicate all those who have said, that Mr. Netanyahu is waging this war and protracting it just for political reasons rather than political objectives.

BRUNHUBER: Right. So, on that, I want to ask you, what role do you think President Trump may have played here? Do you think the Trump administration will have agreed to this or at least tacitly given the green light?

PINKAS: Yes. But, you know, there two ways of looking at that. I mean, the last statement that President Trump made on this issue was a few days ago when he said, well, I think it's mostly up to Israel. And that was interpreted, as you said, as some kind of a green light. But here are the two ways of looking at it.

One is Trump wants to break the impasse, so he's saying to Israel, okay, let's see what you could do. What you haven't succeeded in doing for 22 months, almost 23 months, almost two years, you think you can do now, but be my guests. Okay, that's one way of looking at it.

The second is that Trump is basically saying, I've had enough, plague on both your houses. You know, I have other things to deal with. I'm meeting Putin next week on the issue of Ukraine. I have the tariffs to manage. I have domestic issues in America. I don't care. Meaning that Israel will be left owning Gaza, and that green light is going to turn very sour and very burdensome.

BRUNHUBER: Well, yes, especially, I mean, as you sort of touched on here, if you rule out both Hamas and especially the Palestinian Authority running Gaza, I mean, you asked the question, who exactly is supposed to govern some two million Palestinians and why would Gazans accept them?

PINKAS: Look, they won't. They won't.

BRUNHUBER: Yes.

PINKAS: Which is why Ben Wedeman was absolutely on the money when he said this is a quagmire in the making. We're looking at a slow-motion development of a quagmire. To put it for our viewers in context, in a little context, in two sentences.

[02:09:46]

In late 2023, the Biden administration, and then again in 2024, they laid out a plan. It wasn't detailed, it wasn't full, it wasn't 100 percent, you know, thought out, but the idea was an interim Arab force made up of the Egyptians, the Jordanians, the Saudis, and the Emiratis, perhaps others, who will be in invited to constitute a source of legitimacy, invited by the Palestinian Authority to provide interim government services in Gaza. Israel said no.

Now, without the Palestinian Authority, as you just pointed out, these Arab countries will not set up any interim force, let alone invest the $70 or $80 billion that are required for the reconstruction of Gaza. If you put This side Trump's fantasy and silly idea of turning Gaza into a Riviera, or whatever that was, in February.

So right now, we're just looking at the continuation of the war. And we're basically looking, look, that the chief of staff said, Kim, is not just that we're sacrificing the hostages. He basically said, we are going to control Gaza, and I, the idea chief of staff, I'm not sure we're prepared for this. Do you understand, you gentlemen in the cabinet, do you understand the repercussions? Do you understand what all this means? The answer is probably not.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. I really appreciate you getting you to break down all this for us. Alon Pinkas in Tel Aviv. Thank you so much.

PINKAS: Thank you, Kim. Anytime.

BRUNHUBER: Well, after a number of false starts and fumbles, President Trump's tariffs have finally taken effect. We'll have a look at the fallout from the first day. That's coming up. Stay with us.

[02:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: U.S. President Donald Trump says Russian leader Vladimir Putin doesn't have to agree to meet with Ukraine's president in order for the two leaders to have a summit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: No, he doesn't. No, no.

UNKNOWN: So, what do you think that mean?

TRUMP: They would like to meet with me and I'll do whatever I can to stop the killings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: There's new uncertainty over the possible face-to-face meetings between Presidents Trump and Putin. On Thursday, the Kremlin claimed a meeting next week was all but agreed to, although U.S. officials say nothing has been finalized.

Putin on Thursday suggested the UAE is one of the suitable places for the potential summit with Trump. The U.S. president had previously said that a trilateral meeting could follow with Ukraine's president. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized that Ukraine must have a seat at the table for any ceasefire talks. Here's what Putin had to say about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I had been repeatedly saying that I, in general, have nothing against it. This is possible. But before that, certain conditions should be created. And unfortunately, we are still far from creating such conditions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: I want to bring in Steven Erlanger, the chief diplomatic correspondent covering Europe for the New York Times, and he joins us now from Berlin. Good to see you again.

So, you know, the Kremlin and the White House can't even agree on, you know, who suggested this meeting or where it might happen. Does all this sort of chaos ahead of time give you any confidence that they can actually hammer out something as complex as a ceasefire or a peace deal?

STEVEN ERLANGER, CHIEF DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT, NEW YORK TIMES: Well, I think they're on the way. I mean, you can't do it without talking to one another. Putin has wanted a meeting the pressure of Trump's deadline, we'll see it's supposed to run out today. And obviously, Putin has now postponed it effectively by this deal with Witkoff. Now, as Putin himself said, it doesn't really matter who suggested it

first, let's just do it. I think it will happen. Trump has wanted to get tete-a-tete with Putin for some time. Trump, as you know, thinks he's the best negotiator in the world. And so, he can convince anyone once he's in the room.

Putin, I think, has just bought himself time. I think Putin's aims haven't changed. The idea of a tripartite meeting following this was always awkward. It may happen, but what Putin would like to do is agree with Trump on what to impose upon Zelenskyy in any future meeting. And I don't think Putin's aims have changed, even if there is a ceasefire. Ceasefires do get broken.

Putin's aim remains the same. He wants a vassal Ukraine that stays outside of NATO forever, maybe outside the E.U., as essentially demilitarized, and is more like Belarus than like Poland. That's what he wants.

BRUNHUBER: So, President Trump is already threatening India with tariffs over Russian oil purchases, but he sort of keeps extending these olive branches to Putin himself. So, what is President Trump's actual leverage here?

ERLANGER: Well, I don't think there is a lot of leverage, to be honest. The trade between the two countries, U.S. and Russia, is quite small, so you could tariff it. you know, to 90 percent it wouldn't make much difference. He has threatened, as you've said, what he calls secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil.

He's angry at India anyway, so he had raised tariffs on India to quite a high degree. Tariffs are already at 50 percent with China, so I don't think he really wants to go any farther, you know, even if Russia is the actual pretext.

[02:19:55]

So, I think his leverage is fairly limited. His leverage with Putin is his ability to get Zelenskyy to agree to the things Putin wants.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. So, what do you make of that, then this idea again that Zelenskyy is being sort of, cut out of this deal here?

ERLANGER: Well, yes. I mean, I think that's true. And to argue that, you know, Donald Trump and the United States are somehow acting for Ukraine in this negotiation, I think is a bit of a stretch. I think Trump's views of Ukraine, as we've discussed and as you've seen, have gone up and down over the years, ever since his first term.

He is beginning to understand Putin doesn't want to end the war, so he doesn't want Ukraine to collapse on his watch. But at the same time, I think he does, he's pretty much, through Witkoff offered Russia already that Russia could seize the territory it already has and that Ukraine would not join NATO.

So, to some degree, these are already big concessions he's made to Putin without much consultation with Ukraine. So, I think the Ukrainians, you know, who have agency in this and who have Europeans behind them, but I think they're right to be worried.

BRUNHUBER: You talked about Donald Trump's identity, his sort of persona being tied up in this art of the deal, he's the supreme deal maker, but these days as you alluded to Trump keeps saying he's disappointed in Putin. Do you think he will finally come to the conclusion that maybe Putin just isn't that into making an actual deal?

ERLANGER: I think he's coming to that, but I mean, I think his interests in Putin go beyond Ukraine. I think he sees Ukraine as an obstacle in the way of a better U.S.-Russia relationship, which he wants. And also, you know, there are serious issues to discuss, like strategic arms control. Right now, there's not a single, or pretty soon there won't be a single treaty governing the nuclear arsenals on either side, that's pretty dangerous.

There are all kinds of other security strategic issues to discuss. And I think Putin wants to be welcomed back into the world of so-called, you know, super-powered discussions.

So, I think there is a lot to do, even if Trump, you know, decides that Putin isn't really serious. Putin still will, I think, be very good at playing him along. He's very good at flattering and very good at promising and very good at, in the end, not quite delivering.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, as we've seen time and time again. Always appreciate your analysis. Steven Erlanger in Berlin. Thanks so much.

ERLANGER: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: President Trump is planning to host the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House on Friday. They're expected to sign a peace deal after both countries said in March that they've reached an agreement. They've been fighting over the contested territory of Nagorno-Karabakh for decades, with the most recent conflict flaring up in 2023.

President Trump said the U.S. will also sign deals with both countries to, quote, "pursue economic opportunities together."

The United States is now offering $50 million for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Attorney General Pam Bondi called him, quote, "one of the largest narco traffickers in the world." Bondi announced Thursday that the reward is now double its previous value of $25 million.

Narco terrorism charges were originally brought against the Venezuelan president during the first Trump administration.

Well, the Trump administration has a new request for the Supreme Court. When we come back, the latest on America's immigration crackdown. That story and more coming up. Stay with us.

[02:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BRUNHUBER: The U.S. Commerce Secretary says the tariffs that kicked in

a day ago could soon generate $50 billion per month in new revenues, but the higher costs likely passed on to consumers, are growing concerns about rampant inflation.

We get more now from CNN's Marybel Gonzalez.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARYBEL GONZALEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump placed higher tariffs again on just about every country in the world.

UNKNOWN: You either partner with us or you compete with us and face tariffs.

GONZALEZ: Before today, virtually every countries were subject to a minimum 10 percent tariff. Now, about 40 countries with which the U.S. runs a trade deficit will face a 15 percent rate. Some, like Brazil, will even be hit with steeper rates.

While Trump says tariffs will not lead to higher prices, experts say items that you come across on a daily basis, from electronics to clothing, watches to alcohol, and even toys, will not probably cost you more.

UNKNOWN: This is the largest tax increase on U.S. consumers in three generations.

GONZALEZ: The tariffs on Canadian goods start at a minimum of 35 percent, unless they are compliant with the terms of the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement, in which case they face no tariffs. Still, Canadian officials say the U.S.'s northern neighbor is set to ramp up trade with other partners.

DOUG FORD, ONTARIO PREMIER: He's probably the most disliked politician in the world in Canada because he's attacked his closest family member.

GONZALEZ: With trade policy nearing a turning point, The U.S. treasury secretary said that the Trump administration is now focused on addressing the cost of living.

SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: We're going to be looking at what we can do for housing, for student loans, for overall, because there is an affordability crisis.

GONZALEZ: I'm Marybel Gonzalez reporting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:30:06]

BRUNHUBER: Switzerland is now paying one of the highest tariff rates in the world, at 39 percent. And it says it will fight for a better deal.

Now, it's not the only place where people are unhappy with the new U.S. tariffs.

Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACQUELINE HUG, GENEVA RESIDENT: Making small countries like us pay. I find that -- well, I won't say unfair. It's a bit stupid. But it's shocking. Worrying.

PIETRO PICCHIONI, ROME RESIDENT: This makes it impossible to look to a future with a peace of mind. Personally, I have no confidence in stability, in a bright future because Trump is unpredictable.

STEVE MALLIA, CANADIAN BUSINESS OWNER: We were making money. The revenues were -- were on course with what we had projected. As soon as the tariffs started to really take place, that disappeared. So now we are at a shortfall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: One company that's shown resilience through the tariff tensions is Maersk, the Danish shipping group, raised its profit outlook on Thursday and shares rose 5 percent. Maersk is seen as something of a bellwether for the global economy.

Its CEO, Vincent Clerc, spoke to CNN on Thursday and expressed optimism but also some words of caution.

Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VINCENT CLERC, MAERSK CEO: Let's just remember that there is no trade deals with the two main trading -- two of the three main trading partners of the U.S., China and Mexico are still in negotiation. So, there's still a lot of unknowns. And so, as this will play out, we'll have to see how this gets redrawn and how this plays out. So that's the first thing. And the longer this uncertainty is, the higher the risk that so much of the investments gets postponed, that you start to see some type of slowdown.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The Trump administration is calling on the Supreme Court to allow divisive immigration sweeps to continue in southern California. Critics say agents carried out these roving patrols in masks and targeted people who identify as Latino, including some U.S. citizens. Lower courts said the patrols likely violated the Fourth Amendment and ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop.

Now, it comes as a federal judge temporarily halts construction at a controversial immigrant detention center in the Florida Everglades. The judge is looking at whether the facility, dubbed Alligator Alcatraz, violates environmental laws. A lawsuit filed against the state and federal government argues the project threatens wetlands that are home to protected plants and animals. And President Trump is also moving to change the way the U.S. counts

its population. He said on Thursday, he ordered a new census that wouldn't count undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.

The move would upend the way the census is usually conducted and could be unconstitutional. The next census is scheduled in 2030, and it's not clear if Trump wants to hold another one before that. Census results can affect congressional election maps. So, in early census, could politically benefit President Trump.

Now, his announcement came as the White House pushes some Republican states to redraw their maps, which could help the GOP in the next year's midterm elections.

We'll have more stories here on CNN NEWSROOM coming up. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:37:46]

BRUNHUBER: Volunteers cleaning up after last month's deadly flooding in Texas made a rare discovery under the debris. Have a look at this. Experts say these clawed footprints are from dinosaurs. The flooding washed away trees, dirt and gravel, exposing the tracks. They're thought to be up to 150 million years old.

One expert told CNN that the tracks were made by an Acrocanthosaurus, a large carnivore.

Spain's civil guard has restored a historic cross on top of the country's third largest mountain. Have a look. Video shows a helicopter carrying the giant metal cross to Anisclo in the province of Huesca. It's part of the Pyrenees and sits more than 3.400 meters high. A group of hikers put the cross there in 1950s, but it was removed last year for restoration work.

A man who spent decades collecting dog figurines now has a Guinness world record. Maria Gabarro had more than 5,000 dog-related items, including miniature figurines, plush toys, walking sticks, cologne bottles and more. The Spanish man started collecting figurines from markets in the '60s and continued until he passed away last year at 94. And that's when his children decided to do something to honor him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC GABARRO, SON OF MARIA GABARRO: When my father died, we decided that as a tribute to his obsession for collecting dogs, we would try to find out if it was the largest collection of dog related objects in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Gabarro's treasures were awarded the Guinness world record for the largest collection of canine related items. Gabarro's children say their father didn't really care for real dogs, only dog themed items.

Well, this is a movie bus dream auction. Darth Vader's lightsaber, Indiana Jones' whip. Harry Potter's platform nine and three quarters signed and Stephen Spielberg's jaws props are just a few pieces available at an upcoming event. Memorabilia auction, now taking place next month in Los Angeles. The priciest item is Darth Vader's saber, which is expected to fetch up to $3 million. The UK-based auctioneer will offer more than 1,000 collectible items valued at around $10 million.

The UK's royal mail is releasing a stamp collection next week honoring the comedy troupe that gave us the Ministry of Silly Walks, the Lumberjack Song and the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", which came out 50 years ago.

[02:40:10]

Hard to believe.

Monty Python collection includes ten stamps with a sheet of them costing as little as 6.80 pounds or about $9. The cult classic TV show "Monty Python's Flying Circus" aired from 1969 to 1974. One of my favorites.

All right. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

"WORLD SPORT" is next, and I'll be back with more news at the top of the hour.

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[02:45:00]

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