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India Responds to Terror Attack; Trump Comments on Pakistan and India Fighting; Roben Farzad is Interviewed about Interest Rates; Cardinals Prepare for Vote; Gulf of America Bill. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired May 07, 2025 - 06:30   ET

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

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[06:33:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let us pray, then, that the Holy Spirit, who in the last hundred years has given us a series of truly holy and great pontiffs, will give us now a new pope.

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AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: The leader of the college of cardinals there, praying for guidance as the catholic church prepares to select a new leader.

Good morning, everybody. I'm Audie Cornish. I want to thank you for joining me on CNN THIS MORNING. It's half past the hour on the East Coast. And here's what's happening right now.

One hundred and thirty-three cardinals from around the world will soon begin the conclave at the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. The first vote is expected to take place this afternoon. The world will then watch for black or white smoke, signaling whether a pope has been chosen.

Meanwhile, jury selection in the criminal trial of Sean Combs could wrap up sometime today. Lawyers on both sides questioned dozens of prospective jurors to try and narrow down the pool to 12, along with alternates. Opening statements are set for next week.

Plus, this. India launching strikes against what it's calling terrorist infrastructure in neighboring Pakistan and Pakistan administered Kashmir. Now, Pakistan says at least 26 people have been killed in India's strikes. Dozens more have been injured. India is defending the airstrike as proportionate response to last month's terror attack against tourists in India administered Kashmir that left 26 people dead. It is blaming Pakistan for the terrorist attack, and Pakistan denies it had any involvement.

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VIKRAM MISRI, FOREIGN SECRETARY OF INDIA: They focused on dismantling the terrorist infrastructure and disabling terrorists likely to be sent across to India.

It was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the 22nd April attack be brought to justice.

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[06:35:05]

CORNISH: This is a developing story, so we're going to turn to Nic Robertson, CNN's international diplomatic editor. He is in Pakistan's capital.

Nic, what more are you learning there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, the Pakistani government has had a national security meeting that involves senior government officials and senior security officials. The prime minister speaking after that, said that the army is authorized to act in self-defense with corresponding actions. And he called on the army to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives.

Among the dead, we're told, is a three-year-old girl, a 16-year-old girl, an 18-year-old boy. It is, of course, emotionally charged when women and children are injured in these strikes. India alleges, as you heard there, that this was a strike that was preempting a terrorist attack on them and has blamed Pakistan for being involved in that attack on the 22nd.

India hasn't provided Pakistani officials, this was what we're told, with evidence that Pakistan was involved in that 22nd of April attack that killed 26 civilians. Neither of these so far provided evidence of an imminent attack coming from Pakistan.

What Pakistan did last night was take down, they say, five Indian fighter jets, at least wreckage of what appears to be one plane falling about 40 miles over the border on the Indian side of Kashmir. And I think it's worth just stating here that the leader of a militant group in Pakistan, Jaish-e-Mohammed, said that ten of his family members, including children, were killed in the strike. His most recent Telegram posting was a threat against India and his group in 2019, claimed an attack that again spiked tensions, killing 40 Indian security people inside Indian controlled Kashmir. So, India hitting this group called Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Now, Pakistani officials say that one time there was support for that group, but that isn't the case now.

CORNISH: CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson.

OK, with two nuclear armed powers on the brink of all-out war, where does this leave the U.S.? On the campaign trail, President Trump called for an end to the U.S. being the world's policeman. Here's what he's saying now about the unfolding situation between India and Pakistan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, it's a shame. We just heard about it just as we -- we were walking in the doors of the Oval. They've been fighting for a long time. You know, they've been fighting for many, many decades, and centuries, actually, if you really think about it. No, I just hope it ends very quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: The group chat is back.

You know, with this -- the reason why I want to talk about this is because I am very curious about what is America's role in the world in the era of America first foreign policy, right? Because it's one thing to say that on the campaign trail. It's another thing to say that when Israel says it is going to conquer Gaza. Russia is now talk -- it's fully raining down strikes on Ukraine. And then an area of the world that a lot of people had hoped would simmer down has boiled over between India and Pakistan.

The next question mark is China and Taiwan. And what is this administration's idea about what our foreign policy should be?

CHARLIE DENT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASPEN INSTITUTE CONGRESSIONAL PROGRAM: Well, it seems to me that this administration has strategically disengaged in many ways.

CORNISH: Right.

DENT: We've shut down our soft power tools. We have --

CORNISH: You mean gutting USAID.

DENT: Yes, we have USAID and all the other elements of soft power.

CORNISH: Yes.

DENT: We also are imposing tariffs, which is also a form of disengagement. We're closing ourselves off in many ways.

And, of course, look what's happened with Ukraine and NATO and other key partners and allies. They think we are walking away. And in this case with, you know, historically, or at least since the Second World War, we tend to be more aligned with Pakistan. That has changed in recent years. We've grown closer to India.

CORNISH: Yes.

DENT: And so, you know, how do we navigate this now in this new reality of American disengagement and our shifting priorities and alliances.

CORNISH: And I believe right now we don't even have an ambassador to India.

DENT: Yes.

CORNISH: I have to check that. But Eric Garcetti, who had done it, stepped down in January.

Daniella and Kristen, I want to bring you in because I feel like you have your finger on the pulse of sort of how people talk about this, your polling. But you also understand, in Congress, especially with Republicans, they have so moved away from this focus on, let's say, a Bush era war hawk focus on being a force for good in the world and enforcing good in the world.

[06:40:02]

So, in a moment like this, are we just kind of like, well, hope it -- hope they work it out.

KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: So, you're right that there has been a big shift in public opinion around this over the last decade or so. That we went from that post-9/11 view that America can do a lot of good for the world. We are best when we are engaged and projecting our power and promoting our values. And a lot of public opinion on right and left kind of curdled in the wake of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and feeling like, well, when we try to do that, it doesn't necessarily work.

CORNISH: Yes.

ANDERSON: And so right now, and you add to that concerns about the fiscal cost of any engagement, and there becomes a really high bar that voters are asking for us to meet in order to spend blood or treasure anywhere around the world.

CORNISH: And same with Congress. There's like a -- isn't there a handful of, like, Navy SEALs who are now law -- Republican lawmakers who have come to the forefront? Do you think that this is something that people are going to be -- is foreign policy going to come back as a thing that they're talking about?

DANIELLA DIAZ, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, "NOTUS": I think it depends, to add what -- to what Kristen was saying, if people -- if voters feel it in their pockets. This is the problem, is that they felt that they could not care about world issues because they were struggling to pay bills. And that's what led to what happened in the 2024 election, which is how Republicans gained their majority, which is why they don't think that they -- they believe in an American first policy and they think right now we're going to help the voters, we're going to help Americans be able to survive. And that's why we shouldn't care about what's happening across the world in these other issues. And that's the issue -- the message that they're pushing in Congress. And especially when we're seeing legislation, as we were talking, behind -- in the green -- behind in the green room, changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, it's --

CORNISH: Yes, like, what are we focusing on?

DIAZ: Yes, the issue is that.

CORNISH: I'm glad you brought that up. One last thing I want to bring up. Former President Biden did an

interview, I think it was with the BBC, where he was asked about some of Trump's foreign policy moves in the opening day of his second term. And he brought up this idea of, like, what are they focusing on? Mentioning the Gulf of America conversation. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: And the way we talk about now that, well, it's the Gulf of America. Maybe we're going to have to take back Panama. Maybe we need to acquire Greenland. Maybe Canada should be -- what the hell is going on here? What president ever talks like that? That's not who we are. We're about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: To your point, Afghanistan was very much a difficult issue for Joe Biden, his handling there. But he's raising something, which is, what are we doing here? What are we focusing on? Who are we? I feel like, Charlie, you come from that era of the freedom democracy, opportunity conversation with Republicans. Give the last word to you.

DENT: Well, I -- again, you know, whoever thought we'd be talking about annexing Canada? I didn't hear that during the campaign. I thought the issue was going to be the economy. And so, I think, you know, Biden is on to something here. You know, going after Greenland, Canada, Panama. We're back to spheres of influence. That's what it feels like. I think we're all very uncomfortable with this. And, frankly, I think many Republican members of Congress are very uncomfortable with this whole conversation about the annexation of Canada and questioning their sovereignty (ph).

CORNISH: Yes, again, it's a, what are we doing here moment. What is the goal here?

DENT: Yes. Absolutely.

CORNISH: All right, guys, we -- stay with us, group chat. We're going to be here for a few more minutes.

First, I want to note that the Federal Reserve is set to announce its decision on interest rates today. It's widely expected to leave things where they are. That could still set the stage for another clash between the Fed chairman, Jerome Powell, and the president, because Trump has wanted him to cut interest rates.

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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mortgage rates are actually down slightly, even though I have a guy in the Fed that I'm not a huge fan of, but that's all right. These are minor details. Don't tell him I said that, please.

He should reduce interest rates. I think I understand interest a lot better than him.

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CORNISH: So, will the Fed chair bend to that pressure? I'm joined now by business journalist Roben Farzad, host of NPR's "Full Disclosure" podcast.

OK, so I should note that the president has kind of backed off on just the, like, raw, vulgar insults of Jerome Powell given market reaction, but can you talk about Trump's interest in cutting interest rates now? What is it that he thinks that will do for the economy in this moment as his tariff policy is, you know, starting to take effect?

ROBEN FARZAD, BUSINESS JOURNALIST AND HOST, "FULL DISCLOSURE" PODCAST: Who doesn't love interest rate cuts? I mean, it's a sugar rush. If there's weakness in the system, if there's consternation, if there are people that are worried about his banter with Canada, the back and forth with China, South America, Mexico. Interest rates have been the Fed's cure all. The problem is, is that Jerome Powell is not working in service of Donald Trump. He has to keep inflation under control and full employment. And right now, inflation is the bigger concern.

CORNISH: We talked so much about inflation under the last president. Can you talk about what the concerns are now, why the Fed would hold interest rates steady at this point?

[06:45:05]

Because I think for the average person they're kind of wondering, well, what does this mean for my loan rates if I want to buy a home, et cetera.

FARZAD: You saw that the economy is still creating a great amount of jobs, more than 100,000 jobs monthly. I mean it's been a really, really resilient comeback after the worst of Covid five years ago. And there are still wage pressures. There are still managers and restaurant owners and hospitality hotel workers that cannot get workers to show up. And that is reflecting in wages, in average hourly wages, and inflation leading through to menu prices and inflation that consumers are still feeling at the store. They're feeling -- I mean the impression is just everywhere. So, the Fed really would want to arrest inflation before even getting into the full throated conversation about interest rate cuts, which are stimulative, right? I mean you do have weakness in the housing market. You do have more inventory there. But do you really have to flood the plane with a lot of money right now?

CORNISH: So, what are going to be the red flags? What would get them to do that rate cut?

FARZAD: You're -- yes, let's see if the bluster can be muted by Donald Trump, if people can see that he's actually in more of a conciliatory mood. If you looked at Canada and the White House yesterday, it was kind of more charm and trollsmanship (ph) about annexing Canada as the 51st state. But there are situations with war. There are situations with consumer sentiment. If you see a credit explosion, some sort of banking crisis, that's the kind of thing that typically forces the Fed's hand, not Donald Trump saying, look, this guy that I appointed, I don't much care for.

CORNISH: All right, thank you so much. Appreciate you this morning.

FARZAD: Thank you, Audie.

CORNISH: Next on CNN THIS MORNING, countdown to conclave. As soon as this afternoon, the catholic church could have a new leader. We're going to dive into the top contenders.

Plus, it's time to get real. Today is the deadline to have a real ID if you're planning to fly. So, what happens if you don't have one?

We're going to have more from the group chat as well.

Stay with us.

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[06:51:15]

CORNISH: Right now, all eyes on the Vatican as the conclave is set to begin today. In just a few hours, 133 of the world's cardinals will walk into the Sistine Chapel and vote for their next leader. By early this afternoon, smoke could be billowing from the chimney of the chapel. By now you may know, white smoke signals a new pope has been selected. Black smoke means there's going to be voting for another round.

So, let's talk about the potential candidates here. CNN Vatican analyst Katie McGrady.

OK, so I've learned a couple things that the cardinal actually appointed, like 108 of the 133 cardinals in the college, and also that it takes a two-thirds vote.

KATIE MCGRADY, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Yes, 89 votes.

CORNISH: Who are the frontrunners?

MCGRADY: So, I think it's a mix between, are we going to get an Italian, because we haven't had an Italian since the '70s, and they might want it back.

CORNISH: Right.

MCGRADY: Or are we going to see somebody maybe from the global south. Cardinal Tagle had a lot of chatter.

I have my eyes on a couple of -- I'll call them --

CORNISH: Wait, come back to Cardinal Tagle, because we've made --

MCGRADY: Yes, Cardinal Tagle.

CORNISH: Yes, so he's only 67. Archbishop of Manila. And also charity network, which I think is like -- MCGRADY: Caritas, yes.

CORNISH: Yes, in line with what we think of as Francis' legacy.

MCGRADY: He was. He was in charge of Caritas. It's notable, there have been a few -- you know somebody is maybe advancing in the pack when there are hit pieces. And he's had quite a few hit pieces from secular and some catholic media in the past few days.

CORNISH: Ah, so all of a sudden there's criticism.

MCGRADY: Exactly.

CORNISH: OK.

MCGRADY: And he was actually removed from his Caritas position, some say because of potential -- oh, maybe he doesn't have the chops to manage. But I think he's got the evangelistic spirit and he certainly has a block of votes walking in there tonight.

CORNISH: An Italian that you've mentioned, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.

MCGRADY: Zuppi, yes.

CORNISH: Yes. So, tell me about him, because he actually led a peace mission to Ukraine. And I'm sort of interested in these people who have a diplomatic energy because Francis was very, you know, into the travel.

MCGRADY: He was. And Francis would give people he liked a task. And he sent Zuppi as an envoy and said, look, I want you to try to broker peace. Zuppi actually came to the states and met with the Biden administration to talk about peace and to talk about efforts. And I think it's notable -- the cardinals give a lot of communiques over the course of their meetings. And you can kind of read between the lines and then listen to some of the chatter.

One of the last messages they sent to us from the general congregations was about peace in the world, specifically asking people to pray for peace. And I read that and thought, maybe we're on the verge of a -- of a papa pace, right, a pope peace, who can step into the world as this moral voice.

Another figure to watch in that lane then would be -- and his name is so much fun to say -- Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. It's a mouthful. If he chose Pope John, we'd have a papa john. And --

CORNISH: I'm glad that you --

MCGRADY: I made the connection. I've thought about this -- I've thought about this a lot.

CORNISH: You've thought ahead. I appreciate that.

MCGRADY: But Pizzaballa has been in Jerusalem for a long time. He's a biblical scholar. He offered to take the place of the hostages in Gaza. He's been a man who has been able to very deftly work through some of those challenges in that area. I think they would very much miss him if he were to be brought over to Rome.

CORNISH: Yes.

MCGRADY: And maybe he would be too destabilizing if we lost him. He's also quite young. But those are the guys I've got my eyes on.

CORNISH: One more thing. This is not "Conclave," the movie.

MCGRADY: No.

CORNISH: Can we just say that, folks. Stop downloading "Conclave," OK. Great film, but like --

MCGRADY: So, I shouldn't say that I watched it last night in my hotel?

CORNISH: Oh, but do you -- did you watch it and think, now I'm prepared?

MCGRADY: No, I --

CORNISH: OK.

MCGRADY: I more intensely watched -- in the two weeks running up to this we've had an NFL draft, the Kentucky Derby and the Met Gala. Throw that all together and add in the Holy Spirit and you get the conclave. That's what's about to happen.

CORNISH: See, we can't do better than that. Touchdown. CNN Vatican analyst Katie McGrady, thank you for being here.

And it's now 54 minutes past the hour. Here's your morning roundup.

Starting today, if you want to board a domestic flight, your state issued photo ID must be Real ID compliant.

[06:55:05]

So, you'll know if your driver's license or ID card is good to go if it has a star in the upper right hand corner. For now, if you don't have that type of ID, you will still be allowed to fly, but you may face additional screening and delays.

Weight Watchers has filed for bankruptcy. The company revolutionized dieting for millions since its founding in 1963, but it struggled to compete in recent years with weight loss drugs like Ozempic. Weight Watchers say -- Weight Watchers says that its services for members will continue and will not be impacted.

And Utah's ban on fluoride in public drinking water is now in effect. Dental health organizations have warned this could lead to medical problems that disproportionately affect low-income communities. On Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he plans to sign a similar fluoride ban in Florida. And that would take effect this summer. Now, there is some resistance from House Republicans on the

president's Gulf of America push, as some lawmakers now say they're planning to oppose a bill formalizing the name when it hits the House floor later this week. Nebraska Republican Don Bacon told CNN, quote, it just seems juvenile. We're the United States of America. We're not Kaiser Wilhelm's Germany or Napoleon's France. It's just that we're better than this. It just sounds like a sophomore thing to do."

That's not stopping Trump or the bill's backers from trying to push it through.

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REP. VIRGINIA FOXX (R-NC): This legislation recognizes the strategic influence America has over this geography, not to mention the existing economic, cultural and commercial might that we passively exert on the gulf.

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CORNISH: Group chat is back.

I mean, Don Bacon pretty much said it in the most direct way possible. Is Don Bacon alone?

DIAZ: He's not. There's a handful of moderate Republicans who feel that there's bigger issues happening right now in the House, Audie, that they should be focused on. We were talking about this.

CORNISH: In the House. In the world's -- yes.

DIAZ: In the world. But the biggest issue is, of course, that massive reconciliation budget bill that they're trying to pass with just Republican votes. And while they're discussing potentially cutting Medicaid to a lot of Americans, they're voting on this bill on Thursday to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. And that's why these Republicans are incredibly frustrated. You could speak to this, just as well as I can --

CORNISH: Yes.

DIAZ: Talking to them every day, why they think this shouldn't be something that they're voting on, especially with the light voting schedule already.

CORNISH: I know. But when the president came in, he did all these executive orders. He was really feeling himself, right. You can do a lot. And then all of a sudden you got to actually deal with Congress to codify these things that you want to do, big and small.

Charlie, I'm still talking, but your face is just saying so much here. Is Don Bacon alone and will others join him?

DENT: No, Don Bacon is not alone. And amen to Don Bacon. Yes, as you just pointed out, Daniella, look, the economy, tariffs, the world's on fire, and here we are talking about renaming the gulf. And that's what we all call it, the gulf, right? I mean it's the Gulf of Mexico.

CORNISH: Yes. Well, I'm not sure we're allowed to call it anything else.

DENT: The gulf. But, seriously, I mean, with all these issues, I mean, this is a distraction from the very real challenges that Congress needs to deal with right now.

CORNISH: I thought of it as like a power move, right? Like, the president comes in and says, I can do whatever I want, which I think he told "Time" magazine. I'm going to say it's this and now it's this.

Does this opposition mean anything? Or is this really just like low hanging fruit? It's the easiest thing for them to oppose without consequences.

ANDERSON: Well, it's a very, very, very low priority to your average voter. And so that both means that it's a way for someone to say, I oppose it, not because I'm anti-Trump, but just let's focus on other things.

I mean, I believe that this was part of Donald Trump's inaugural address. And I remember at the time thinking, this feels very small. In a big moment, in a big moment in American history, this just feels kind of small.

And so I --

CORNISH: But is it like a two plus two is five kind of thing? Like, if you get people to do this thing that you want, then, like, it makes other kinds of initiatives easier.

DENT: You know, the Delaware River separates Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Maybe we should call it the Pennsylvania River.

CORNISH: Oh.

DENT: Or, you know, the Delaware bay.

CORNISH: Yes.

DENT: I mean New Jersey -- you know, it's the New Jersey bay. I mean, look, this is ridiculous that we're having this kind of a conversation. I think people think we're losing our minds when we -- we do this when -- when there are really consequential things that have to be dealt with. So, I mean, they need to move on from this. And I can see why a lot of Republicans, like Don Bacon, are very uncomfortable with this.

CORNISH: Yes, you can hear them kind of throwing up their hands, both psychologically, metaphorically, literally. I'm sorry we don't have time to talk about what we're keeping an eye on. I think the big thing to keep an eye on is the -- the chimney at the Sistine Chapel basically in terms of the -- the next leader of the Vatican, you know, which is the next head of state and head of a church of 1.4 billion.

[07:00:04]

So, as we heard today, there could be multiple rounds of voting in that conversation. But that is, in fact, our collective. Keep an eye on it.

ANDERSON: Well, you told us not to watch the movie, but even reportedly "Politico" EU is reporting that there are members of the college of cardinals watching the movie for kicks.

CORNISH: Oh my God, what is life?

OK, thanks to the group chat. Thank you for waking up with us. I'm Audie Cornish. And you're going to get the headlines with "CNN NEWS CENTRAL," which starts right now.