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Israel Strikes Iran Near Major Nuclear Facility; Today: Up to 5 More Alternative Jurors to Be Selected. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired April 19, 2024 - 06:00   ET

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

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: It's Friday, April 19, and we're following breaking news. Right now on CNN THIS MORNING, you're looking at what took place overnight in Iran.

[06:00:38]

Israel retaliated, as promised, launching a strike inside Iran near a nuclear facility, escalating a dangerous standoff in the Middle East.

Prosecutors claiming Donald Trump violated a judge's gag order again, with his latest Truth Social post.

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ACOSTA: All right. Two for the price of one. Swifties getting excited after Taylor Swift drops two new albums in two hours. That also happened overnight. We'll tell you about that, as well.

It is 6 a.m. here in Washington, about noon in Capri, Italy. You're looking at live pictures right now at Capri, Italy and the G-7 meeting there. Secretary of State Tony Blinken, expected to speak. And just a short while from now, just minutes from now

Good morning, everyone. I'm Jim Acosta, in for Kasie Hunt. We're following breaking news this morning.

The U.S. confirming Israel has carried out a military strike inside Iran. Three blasts were heard in the central province of Isfahan where Iran has nuclear facilities and a drone factory. The Israeli military not commenting on the incident. A source telling CNN the U.S. had advanced notice but did not endorse the strike.

Iran has ramped up the rhetoric. The country's foreign minister telling CNN the response to any further Israeli action would be immediate and at a maximum level.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is live in Beirut with more. Paula, I guess we should note that Iranian official said that before what took place last night. So perhaps the calculation will be different once they assess the damage. But what's the latest? What can you tell us?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, we're seeing a very different response after the attack than the rhetoric we were hearing from Iranian officials before the strike.

Now what we're hearing through state media in Iran is Iranian officials saying that explosions that were heard in the area of Isfahan overnight, where the air defense systems of Iran that were taking out three drones.

Now they have said there has been no damage whatsoever. They say that their nuclear facilities are intact, they are secure, and that is something that the U.N. nuclear agency, the IAEA, has confirmed, as well, saying that there has been no damage to the nuclear facilities. That also based in the same area.

Now it's understood, at least from -- from state media that it was potentially near a -- an army base. It's not clear what the target was.

We haven't heard from the Israelis. They have given a "no comment." We haven't heard from the Iranian side, what they believed was being targeted, as well, nor from any other sides.

So there is still information that we are waiting for before we can assess whether or not the Iranians are likely to want to respond to this. Now, we knew that the Israelis were going to have some kind of response following that unprecedented drone and missile attack against Israel on the weekends.

And what we've heard from the rhetoric side, and as you point out, this was before the strike happened, but just hours before the strike. The Iranian foreign minister speaking on CNN saying that, if Israel was going to carry out any kind of attack against the assets of Iran, then there would be an immediate response, an immediate and at a maximum level, and it would be decisive.

We've heard, as well, in recent days from the President Raisi, for example, saying that it would be an even bigger response than what we saw last weekend.

Now, whether or not what we have seen overnight, which appears at first sight, to be limited in scope. We did have a U.S. official, as well as telling CNN that they believed Israel would make sure it was limited in scope. So they wouldn't escalate the situation.

But from what we have seen so far, there is certainly hope in the region that this may be something that Iran does not feel the need to respond to.

Now of course, this is speculation at this point. It is experts assessing whether or not Tehran will feel that they need to have some kind of retaliation. But we've heard from the U.S. We have heard from countries around the world, asking for de-escalation and for calm heads -- Jim. [06:05:11]

ACOSTA: All right.

Paula Hancocks, thank you very much.

And I'm joined by former deputy assistant secretary of state and Democratic strategist, Joel Rubin.

Joel, we talked in the previous hour about this. You know, what the Iranians said before the strike rate might be a little different from what they say this morning and reaction to this strike. I mean, this was a bit of a pinprick, at least it appears so far. It might not elicit the response that they were warning about.

JOSH RUBIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yes. You know, Jim, there was a lot of taunting going on, frankly, from the Iranians, the way that the foreign minister was describing the end of the earth will occur if Israel responds.

And I think for the Israelis to show the world and show the Iranians no, they're not going to be intimidated by that was a crucial psychological maneuver by them.

And to Iran, it's in their interest to not escalate, as well. And hopefully, this is not going to escalate. It does look like two boxers bumping gloves right now and sort of going back to their corners, potentially.

But yes, I do think that the foreign minister, he was very clear in trying to intimidate Israel, and that didn't work.

ACOSTA: But Joel, you know, one of the things I mean, it does appear that this was very strategic on the part of the Israelis. And the fact that they struck near an army base, near a sensitive nuclear site that was -- that was designed. I have to think, unless there were some accidental, you know, targeting here, that that was designed to send a message.

RUBIN: Yes, look, there's the real balancing in all of these responses. And for Israel, they have to be thinking about the fact that, just over last weekend, Iran shot ballistic missiles into Israeli territory.

ACOSTA: Yes.

RUBIN: Those are missiles that potentially could carry a nuclear warhead. That is extraordinary.

And if you think about that from the Israeli perspective, that puts their entire defense doctrine under duress. And so they needed to establish some type of deterrence and demonstrate to the Iranians, we can hit your nuclear facilities first.

And so by hitting Isfahan in the area near nuclear facilities, you're telling me Iranians don't even try it. And then of course, hitting some military infrastructure, batteries, whatnot set (ph) the ability essentially for Iran to project its power, they had to do that, as well. But a very limited deterrent. They did not want to go hit civilian areas, clearly, and they did not make it a massive assault.

But they're making the point that what you can do, we can respond to preemptively.

ACOSTA: And, you know, over the weekend, when the U.S., the U.K., the French, the Jordanians, the Saudis, all came together to help the Israelis defend against that air assault from Iran, I mean, there was a sort of -- it was a sort of a shift in the moment, in the region, and also in this relationship between the Israel -- the Israelis, and the U.S.

Is it in the same place that it was last weekend, do you think? Because the president was saying to Netanyahu, take the win, take the one. Maybe Netanyahu is going to take the tie here. I don't know.

But where do things stand, do you think?

RUBIN: Yes. You know, let's see how it has to balance domestic politics. I think it was a stunner last week to see how quickly President Biden was able to organize these multiple countries. We'll see. I do think that it's quite likely that many of these countries will need to publicly condemn and express their disappointment and concern.

But they've been expressing disappointment and concern for years related to Israeli action. That doesn't necessarily mean in the moment of truth that they're not going to be there.

But it is crucial for Israel, still, to capitalize on the positive momentum they got from having multiple countries backing them last weekend and try to change dynamics in the region from their security perspective and from the American perspective.

Ultimately, it's our opportunity to engage, as Secretary Blinken is doing right now with G-7, multiple countries to try to calm the situation down. That's the best way forward.

ACOSTA: All right. Joel Rubin. And, of course, we're going to be watching here in the next several minutes. The secretary of state, Tony Blinken, expected to address the cameras. We're going to see some of that in just a few moments from now. Joel, thanks a lot. Appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

Coming up next, as I just said, Tony Blinken, the secretary of state, expected to speak at the G-7 summit in Capri. That's coming up moments from now.

Plus, prosecutors calling for contempt charges against Donald Trump for his latest Truth Social post.

And Tay Tay times two. It's in the teleprompter. I'm just reading it that way, guys. Taylor Swift dropping two new albums in two hours overnight. We'll explain, coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:14:11]

ACOSTA: It's just about go time in Donald Trump's hush-money trial. A few hours from now, jury selection resumes. Twelve jurors and one alternate already seated, with up to five more alternatives needed.

The former president's criminal trial on track for opening arguments as soon as Monday. Trump using props to air has all-too-familiar grievances after court adjourned yesterday.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: D.A. Bragg wants us to believe that his pursuit of Trump isn't political. Of course it's political. And they're doing it for Biden. They're doing this for Joe Biden. The whole world is watching this hoax. You've got a D.A. that's out of control.

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ACOSTA: For the record, we've said this a lot, will say it again, President Biden has no involvement in this case. It's a state prosecution.

But also developing this morning, prosecutors claiming Trump violated the judge's gag order again this week with a post about the jury on Truth Social.

[06:15:02]

Let's bring in CNN legal analyst, former federal prosecutor Elliott Williams; CNN senior political analyst Mark Preston; CNN political commentator, former HUD deputy chief of staff, Shermichael Singleton; and former special assistant to President Biden, Meghan Hays.

Elliott, walk us through. You're the legal eagle here. Walk us through everything, what Trump was just saying there a few moments ago.

I mean, I wonder if maybe he's a little edgy after this jury selection process came together pretty quickly.

ELLIOTT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: It moved together pretty quickly. So as folks might have seen, there were -- what was it -- three days of jury selection that moved a little bit more methodically and then toward the end of day three, it seemed to happen overnight. Yes.

Now, why that happened, you might have heard that each side has ten strikes of jurors. So limited number of people that they can get rid of for any reason.

And I presume they just ran out of strikes yesterday. They had gotten rid of the jurors that they didn't want on the panel, and then just had to take what came. And as he started seeing some of the folks toward the end of the panel started having slightly more political backgrounds, I think on paper, at least in the abstract.

So it moved pretty quickly, assuming they can get those additional, I believe it's five alternates today. They can get a jury seated and start opening statements on Monday.

ACOSTA: Yes. Mark, I mean a lot of different ways you can slice this. I kind of wonder if maybe a faster trial is a gift to Donald Trump, no matter how it ends up, because he is being pulled away from the campaign trail. He has used this to great effect, but really, only with the base. I don't see how it really helps him in the general election sense.

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: No, I think walking out with -- with the stack of a basically newspaper clippings, which is from like 1970, right? Like, you know -- like they had to print them out for him. And he

ACOSTA: Nobody does that anymore.

PRESTON: Nobody. I mean, you read it on your -- on your telephone or your computer, you know.

But the reality is -- is that he has so much ahead of him right now. And while this does play well to the base and it -- you know, and certainly, people are inflamed if they support him. I don't know how this is going to work with swing voters. I don't know how it's going to work with with folks who were on the fence about Joe Biden or Donald Trump in some of these very important states, whether its Pennsylvania or Wisconsin, or Georgia, or you know, out in Nevada.

It's just -- it just doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense for him.

ACOSTA: Yes. I mean, Shermichael, one of the other things he was talking about coming out of the courthouse yesterday was how cold it was --

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes.

ACOSTA: -- in the courtroom. Maybe it was because he was nodding off. Crank down the temperature a little bit. He stays awake. I don't know. Maybe that has something to do with it.

But I mean, you know, if he can get through this process even with a conviction, I mean, I -- I feel like he's going to figure out a way to work that with base anyway. He needs to get back out on the campaign trail.

SINGLETON: Yes. I mean, look, he needs to. First of all, most campaigns do a lot of that leg work for the candidate. The campaign is doing the get out the vote efforts. The state offices are doing those efforts. The campaign is spending dollars on television, radio, social media,

targeting different individuals and groups across the state. So -- so a lot of the bulk of the work, politically speaking, will be done where the candidate comes in, has to go in large rallies, excite the base, excite people to sort of gin up and maintain that enthusiasm.

And that's where Trump has a point. He really does need to get back out there.

ACOSTA: Just very quickly, do the Biden folks, Meghan, feel like -- because I keep saying, oh, what conviction. Or, you know, it will -- people will just move on.

Do you feel like this is going to be a wash? Politically speaking, if he's convicted? Or might there really be serious problems?

MEGHAN HAYS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think the polling has shown us that people really do care if he is convicted of criminal charges. I think, to Mark's point, the swing voters, I do think that impacts them. I think people are tuning him out.

I think Trump also is missing a huge opportunity every day he goes out and talk to people twice. The media takes at live every time. And he just makes personal gripes or accuses the prosecutors and the D.A. of being corrupt or, you know, saying untrue statements.

He could be saying about all the different things he's laying out for the future, and he's not doing that. He's missing a huge opportunity Joe Biden is not on air live every single day, twice a day. Being able to say what he's been doing for the country.

And Donald Trump is just squandering that away, saying about the gripes that the D.A. is corrupt. It just doesn't make sense.

SINGLETON: He's listening to you, Meghan.

ACOSTA: The split screen. The split screen may not be helpful.

All right, guys. Just ahead, I do have to have a quick break, because the secretary of state might be talking soon.

Why prosecutors in Donald Trump's hush-money trial are asking the judge to hold them in contempt. We'll talk about that.

Plus, more of our breaking news. We'll see if the secretary of state comes out to the cameras after that Israeli airstrike inside Iran. Stay with us.

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[06:23:41]

ACOSTA: Donald Trump could be facing contempt charges. Prosecutors claiming he violated a gag order multiple times, one that bans him from talking about witnesses and jurors in the hush-money trial.

The former president using every chance he gets to air his familiar nonstop grievances.

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TRUMP: The whole world is watching this hoax. You've got a D.A. that's out of control. You have a judge that's highly conflicted. The whole thing is a mess.

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ACOSTA: Panel's back.

Elliott, you know, I was talking to Joey Jackson yesterday, and he said, you know, after that Truth Social post where he was quoting Jesse Watters and is sort of insinuating that people are lying their way onto the jury, which prosecutors say that violates the gag order.

Joey Jackson was saying maybe it's time for the judge to send a message. Trump, put him in the holding cell for a couple of hours. See if that changes his mood. What do you think?

WILLIAMS: Absolutely. The problem is that it's not clear how much authority that the judge has to just do that. The judge, at a minimum, has to have a hearing under New York state law. It's not the judge being weak or feckless or afraid of Donald Trump.

The law says that there's a process that he has to follow. Now the question is, is it civil contempt, where you're trying to compel him to behave better in the future? Is it criminal contempt, where you're locking up for things he's done in the past, which is much harder and almost, in effect, requires a separate trial.

My big question is, why is the judge waiting until the 23rd? I guess four days from now.

ACOSTA: Right.

[06:25:05]

WILLIAMS: Even have that hearing in the first place? He could have done so yesterday or today to really send that message that this is important to the court, and this conduct needs to stop.

ACOSTA: Yes. Mark, I'm wondering, how does it change the race? We saw what happened when he had the mug shot. That fired up his base, obviously. It wasn't really necessary at that point. It kind of wrapped up the nomination.

But if he actually has to go into a holding --

PRESTON: Right.

ACOSTA: -- jail cell, what does that do? Do we even know? I guess we don't know.

PRESTON: I don't think we know, but it really does put us between this rock and a hard place, right? And -- and the rock is like, listen, he has done something that's

wrong. And if it was any of us sitting at this table, would we be, you know, held to a higher -- held to a higher standard, would we have to go, you know, into that holding cell?

I think that if he does go into this hold -- if that were to happen, first of all, I think you would probably see civil unrest across the country, certainly in some cities. That's one.

And two, politically, if I'm the Biden campaign, I don't want to necessarily see him in jail, because that's just going to get people more inflamed and more fired up.

I don't think that's necessarily great for the country, even if we are bending the rules for some.

ACOSTA: We're going to get you guys to weigh in on this in just a moment, but I do want to take a quick break, because we're monitoring the situation overseas right now.

Iran's warning to Israel just hours before the Israelis attacked.

Plus, more than 100 people arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University. What the university president had to say. That's ahead.

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