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CNN This Morning

Israel Orders Palestinians in Eastern Rafah to Evacuate; Trump Returns to Court for Hush Money Trial; Hundreds Rescued and Thousands More Displaced After Texas Floods. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired May 06, 2024 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:00]

KASIE HUNT, ANCHOR, CNN THIS MORNING: It's Monday, May 6th, right now on CNN THIS MORNING. Palestinians in eastern Rafah ordered to evacuate ahead of what the Israeli military says will be an anti-terror operation. Donald Trump returning to court for his hush money trial after comparing the Biden administration to Nazi Germany at a weekend fundraiser.

And deadly flooding in Texas, hundreds rescued, thousands more displaced, and the rain may not be over yet. All right, 5:00 a.m. here in Washington. A live look at Capitol Hill on this Monday morning. Good morning, everyone, I'm Kasie Hunt, happy Monday, it's wonderful to have you with us.

This developing story right now. The Israeli military ordering Palestinians to evacuate eastern Rafah with the IDF dropping leaflets on the area, warning, they're about to engage in a military operation targeting terror organizations in the area. A source on the ground in east Rafah telling CNN that people are terrified.

And in a state of panic, following the evacuation order, there are 1.2 million displaced Palestinians sheltering in and around the city of Rafah, but the IDF says this is a limited scale operation in just the eastern part of the city. Joining me now is CNN's Nic Robertson. Nic, good morning to you. What do we know about this so far?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, the IDF is telling people from about 12 blocks in eastern Rafah that they need to leave, they need to go to an expanded safe zone, which is closer to the Mediterranean Sea, the Al-Mawasi Refugee Camp.

The IDF says they've expanded this up to the north towards Deir al Balah and towards the east as well in Khan Yunis. These are towns -- cities rather that the IDF has already had major operations. And so, it's telling this -- telling what U.N. estimates to be about a 100,000 Palestinian civilians living in that eastern part of Rafah to evacuate a move to this safer area.

It's not clear how long they have or when this military operation will begin, but the IDF is telling them in these leaflets, in these announcements that they need to move immediately. U.N. officials talking about this to CNN in the past hour or so say that the area that the people are being evacuated to does not have sufficient water, does not have sufficient food.

At least, one of the border crossings in the south was closed Sunday when Hamas fired rockets at an IDF position just over the border inside of Israel, three IDF soldiers were killed in that. The Israeli Foreign Minister's office has just put out a statement saying -- well, from the Foreign Minister saying that the fact that Hamas fired rockets yesterday from the area of Rafah is an indication that they are not serious about ceasefire talks.

This does have all the hallmarks of a major military operation that we've seen in the past, even when the IDF says it begins small, and these safe areas for civilians are often not safe. People have died in them before.

HUNT: All right, our Nic Robertson for us this morning with our breaking news. Nic, thanks very much, I really appreciate it. And just -- in just a few hours, Donald Trump returns to court for the fourth week of his criminal hush money trial. The prosecution will be digging deeper into Trump world, but it's still unclear who's going to be testifying next.

It could be Trump's former fixer, Michael Cohen, although we could also see him later. It could be former adviser Kellyanne Conway or is it adult film star Stormy Daniels, who of course, is the one at the heart of all of this after she received cash to keep quiet about her liaison with Trump ahead of the 2016 election.

Over the weekend, the Republican National Committee held its annual retreat in Palm Beach. And according to three attendees at a Mar-a- Lago fundraiser, Trump was raging, accusing the Biden administration of running what he called a Gestapo administration, recalling the Nazis, and claiming that the president is behind the four criminal trials that he is currently facing.

Joining me now is national political reporter from "The Hill", Julia Manchester. Julia, good morning to you. This is some difficult language that the president is using here. Here's how the White House responded, quote, "instead of echoing the appalling rhetoric of fascists, lunging with Neo-Nazis and fanning debunked conspiracy theories that have caused brave police officers their lives, President Biden is bringing the American people together around shared Democratic values and the rule of law."

[05:05:00]

Their point is, I mean, he has -- Donald Trump has had lunch with Neo- Nazis with Nick Fuentes. What is your view of him using this language in especially as his trial is playing out?

JULIA MANCHESTER, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, THE HILL: Well, it's not the first time he's used language like this. We know that Donald Trump has invoked Nazi imagery in the past, making those comparisons -- look, this is very much red meat to his base, who is at a fundraiser, really trying to get them riled up.

But I think it also reflects the frustration right now that Donald Trump is facing. You know, he has been campaigning, but at the same time for the most part, he is stuck in a courtroom in New York City, and he's -- you know, not able to essentially talk about the trial as much because of that gag order.

So, I think you're seeing this frustration really play out at fundraisers on the campaign trail. But at the end of the day, this is red meat for his base.

HUNT: Yes, I mean, I feel like it kind of makes a bigger statement about where we are as a country. I mean, it used to be that -- I mean, what was the joke when the internet was first invented, right? If you're talking about --

MANCHESTER: Yes --

HUNT: Hitler, you're definitely losing, like the thread has --

MANCHESTER: Right --

HUNT: Been --

MANCHESTER: Right --

HUNT: Totally lost. I mean, it does -- even this was also what James Sanders(ph); the Biden campaign spokesman, said, quoted, "underscores what we already knew that Trump campaign is about him, his fury, his revenge, his lies, and his retribution."

You mentioned his base, but for the general electorate, for the independence and, you know, the few swing voters it still exists in this country, they do exist --

MANCHESTER: Right --

HUNT: And they are ultimately going to side the election. Does this -- what does this do for those voters?

MANCHESTER: I don't think it does much for that -- those voters, and that's what the Trump campaign has to really keep an eye on. When he goes and campaigns, when he's talking about -- you know, he needs to make sure he's talking about those kitchen table issues, like the economy, crime, the situation at the southern border, and he has been doing that a little bit at even the trial.

You know, before, he'll go in and rage about the economy, for example, even though it's not related to what he's directly doing. But this is going to be, I think a task for them to keep him on message. But you know, at the same time, one would argue that Donald Trump made -- you know, bombastic remarks like this in the past, and even though it will get criticism from his critics and you know, others, he still, for whatever reason has been able to survive that.

HUNT: The other gem of a set of remarks over the weekend came from Kristi Noem; South Dakota governor because of course, the other sort of current of stories swirling his VP stakes, Donald Trump's VP stakes, she seems to have pretty much taken herself out of the running with what she had to say in her book about shooting her own dog.

She went further in an interview this weekend in saying that she thinks that Commander, President Biden's dog, who has had a number of biting incidents with Secret Service agents should meet a similar fate as Cricket, her dog. Here's what Kristi Noem said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. KRISTI NOEM (R-SD): Joe Biden's dog has attacked 24 Secret Service people. So, how many people is enough people to be attacked and dangerously hurt before you make a decision on a dog and what to do with it --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, he's not living at the White House.

NOEM: That's the question that the president should be held accountable to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're saying he should be shot?

NOEM: That's what the president should be accountable to. What is -- what is the number?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: This whole story just makes me deeply sad --

MANCHESTER: Yes --

HUNT: And for Cricket.

MANCHESTER: Yes.

HUNT: But it does seem clear to me based on that interview that she does really believe this. She doesn't seem to -- it's -- why does she -- why is she not walking things? Why is she not walking this back?

MANCHESTER: You know, it's been so fascinating because she's found this publicity tour, you know, promoting her book, and she's had so many opportunities to walk this back. But she continues to dig herself deeper and deeper into this hole, the conventional wisdom sort of states that she's out of the running for VP, but for whatever reason, she's continuing to do this.

I don't know if she thinks this is something that Donald Trump or those around Donald Trump would maybe commend. But you know, one thing I know is that Americans love dogs. Everyone loves dogs. So, this, I mean, does no favors for her. I'm sort of flabbergasted at why we're here, to be honest.

HUNT: Yes, all right, Julie Manchester for us, thanks for getting us started, never a dull moment in this --

MANCHESTER: Thanks, Kasie, yes --

HUNT: Twenty-twenty-four campaign trail. I appreciate it. All right, coming up next, an annual shipment to Israel suddenly held up by the Biden administration without explanation. We'll dig into that. Plus, House Speaker Mike Johnson unlikely to be out of a job, but he's going to face a test this week.

And deadly flooding displacing thousands in Texas, we're going to give you -- bring you the morning round up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:10:00]

HUNT: The Israeli military ordering Palestinians to evacuate eastern Rafah ahead of what it describes as an anti-terror operation in the area. This comes as the Biden administration recently paused a shipment of American-made ammunition that was going to Israel. It's unclear why the administration held the shipment, but a source tells CNN it won't affect any future shipments to Israel, and that it's unrelated to Israel's unexpected -- expected, excuse me, full-scale incursion into Rafah, a move that President Biden has vocally opposed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is your red line with Prime Minister Netanyahu? Do you have a red line? For instance, would invasion of Rafah, would you have urged him not to do -- would that be a red line?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Israel, I'm never going to leave Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Last month, Biden signed a foreign aid bill that included $15 billion in Israeli military aid. Joining me now, CNN's Max Foster. Max, good morning, always wonderful to see you.

[05:15:00]

This news of this hold on this shipment has really rippled through Washington over the weekend. What is your view of the significance of this? I honestly was a little bit surprised when I saw the report. It does seem to be coming from the Israelis, and of course, it comes amid this news now that we're hearing this morning that Israel is warning some people who live in Rafah to evacuate.

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: You would presume it's links, wouldn't you? The fact that President Biden, America express concern about a raid on Rafah when there are so many civilians there, and that is combined with the fact they feel not enough aid is being allowed into Gaza by the Israelis.

So, it could be a suggestion that you need to hold off on Rafah whilst you sought out this pressure on civilian, you know, malnourishment suffering. But all of this is also tied up with this effort to get to some sort of deal as well. I mean, is Israel actually going to go into Rafah or is it posturing? HUNT: Yes, Max, the other piece of news we heard over the weekend

from the Israelis was this question about "Al Jazeera" and their ability to operate in Israel. They are throwing them out of the country, raiding their offices. There was a statement from the U.N. talking about a free and independent media, saying "it's essential to ensuring transparency and accountability.

Now, even more so, given tight restrictions on reporting from Gaza". What is the reaction been to the Israeli decision to do this?

FOSTER: A lot of journalism groups saying it has to be overturned as soon as possible for similar sort of arguments, it's important the country has a free press, particularly in war time. There is a long history of tension between Israel and "Al Jazeera", "Al Jazeera" seen as anti-Israeli in some quarters of Israel, now it's been seen as pro- Hamas in some quarters of Israel.

But a lot of defenders in international journalism say they have been impartial. What they have had is reported on the ground in Gaza when many other news organizations haven't had them. And of course, that's tied with the fact that international news agencies aren't being allowed into Gaza by Israel.

So, it's whatever perspective you take, but on the face of it, it does seem alarming that a well-respected international network has been ousted from the Israeli media just on TV, I think as I understand it, you should also be able to get it through Facebook, for example.

HUNT: All right, Max Foster for us live from London. Max, thanks very much, always good to see you. All right, coming up next here, Donald Trump heading back to a New York City courtroom this morning to resume his hush money trial. Plus, a historic NASA launch that will send American astronauts into orbit in a new spacecraft.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:20:00]

HUNT: All right, 21 minutes past the hour, here's your morning round- up. Ukrainian officials say one person was killed and 24 injured by Russian strikes in the Kharkiv region yesterday. The attacks came as many across the country observed orthodox Easter. Three bodies were found in Mexico last week have been identified as missing American and Australian tourists who had been on a surfing trip.

Three Mexican citizens have been arrested for kidnapping in relation to the case. Tonight, NASA is set to launch the first man crew on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, if all goes according to plan, lift off will be at 10:34 p.m. from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

All right, time now for weather conditions are improving for southeastern Texas after fast-moving floodwaters swept in and killed a little boy on Sunday. First responders rescued hundreds of residents and at least 153 pets in Harris County over the weekend. But the big news today, possible tornadoes are expected across Oklahoma and Kansas. Our meteorologist Derek Van Dam tracking all of it for us. Derek, what are you seeing?

DEREK VAN DAM, METEOROLOGIST: Kasie, I don't want to mince words here. Today is a day that if you're located in this area of red or perhaps outwards from this area in orange and yellow, you want to know exactly where your shelter is located.

You want to consider knowing where an underground shelter is located, and you also perhaps want to consider having a helmet available at a moment's notice. This is a serious situation, right now it is at a level three of four from the storm prediction center, the potential here to go high, which is the highest level on their rating for a potential of severe storm outbreaks is possible.

That's in the cards this morning, and at the moment, the exact wording from the Storm Prediction Center, intense, long track tornadoes. The Storm Prediction Center saying explicitly that any storm that develops through the course of the day specifically this afternoon and evening and into the overnight period, could produce intense tornadoes as it races across southern Kansas and into central Oklahoma.

You could see Oklahoma City all the way to Wichita, this is the area where we have the greatest chances of EF-2 tornadoes. That's a minimum of 111 miles per hour, ranging as high as 200-plus mile per hour winds, if some of those stronger tornadoes do develop, we want to consider the potential here for what they are calling giant-sized hail throughout this area.

They don't use those terms lightly, just considering the nature of the environment that we're working with here. There's also the potential for hurricane force wind-gusts within this hatched area, so, all hazards are on the table, and look how the severe weather threat advances eastward, already an enhanced risk for the nation's midsection by Wednesday of this week as well. Kasie?

[05:25:00]

HUNT: All right, Derek Van Dam, Derek, thank you so much, I'll see you next hour. Coming up next here, Donald Trump corrects his own lie about his gag order when he claimed that falsely, that it doesn't allow him to take the stand. Plus, Mike Johnson facing a significant challenge to his leadership this week.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNT: All right, 5:00 a.m. here in Washington, here's a live look at the Washington monument on this Monday morning, good morning, everyone, I'm Kasie Hunt, it's wonderful to have you with us. Donald Trump's hush money trial about to resume in New York City.

On Friday with Trump's 2016 campaign press.