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Trump Tempers Expectations ahead of Summit with Putin; Trump Floats Land Swaps ahead of Summit, Worrying Ukraine; Interview with Latvian FM ahead of Summit; Netanyahu Sticks to Gaza Takeover Plan; Wildfires Alter Vacation Plans for European Tourists; D.C. Mayor Warns of Community Losing Trust in Police; Texas Republicans Try Again to Hold Vote as Dems Resist; AI in Police Work Raises Concerns over Accuracy, Fairness; Taylor Swift Announces New Album. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired August 12, 2025 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN London, this is CONNECT THE WORLD.
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With the countdown on to the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, the U.S. president is
trying to downplay expectations. Donald Trump is telling reporters on Monday he thinks he'll have a good meeting with his Russian counterpart but
that it might be bad.
The summit's coming, Trump says he'll be feeling out Putin as U.S. officials rush to finalize details of the Alaska summit. That is an
automated message sent on behalf.
And the U.S. and China have agreed to pause tariff hikes for another 90 days, giving a reprieve to the world's two largest economies.
Welcome to our second hour of the show. I'm Christina Macfarlane in London.
European nations are urging U.S. president Trump to give Ukraine a say in its future as he prepares for talks with the Russian president Putin.
Without that, people in Eastern Ukraine are panicking over the possibility of land swaps.
As was mentioned, the U.S. and China have agreed to pause tariff hikes for another 90 days, giving a reprieve to the world's two largest economies.
And international condemnation of Israel grows over the killing of a prominent Al Jazeera journalist.
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MACFARLANE: Donald Trump is trying to temper expectations ahead of his summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, the U.S. president telling
reporters Monday he thinks his meeting with his Russian counterpart will go well but that it might end bad.
European leaders are nervously awaiting the summit, sidelined from participation, along with Ukraine's president. In a statement signed by all
but one of the 27 E.U. heads of state, they're calling for Ukraine to have the freedom to decide its future.
CNN international correspondent Fred Pleitgen is joining me now live from Moscow.
So Fred, 26 European Union leaders are calling for a ceasefire, a reduction of hostilities ahead of the summit. There will be a virtual meeting
happening with the E.U. leaders and president Trump tomorrow.
Is Russia paying any heed to this?
And what are they saying, if anything, ahead of this summit?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think that the Russian strategy, Christina, is actually to let president Trump do
pretty much all the talking ahead of this summit.
You can really feel here in Moscow how carefully the Kremlin is treading in all of this. And one of the things that we've noted is that the last
official comment that we've had from a Kremlin official, from anybody of the Russian authorities here, was from last Friday.
That was the last time that the Russians confirmed that this meeting would be happening in Alaska, that they were very happy with Alaska as a venue.
That's also in Yuri Ushakov, that said Kremlin aide, said that it was the Americans who came up with a proposal and that that proposal was acceptable
for the Russians.
Since then, we've heard nothing officially from the Russians. We've heard nothing from Vladimir Putin anymore, either, since actually last Thursday.
So the Russians certainly being silent about this.
And I think one of the reasons is that they understand the gravity and the importance of all of this. Of course, they also are seeing some of the
things that president Trump is saying, that the summit could go either way.
One of the things that's been viewed very positively was yesterday at that press conference that president Trump held, that he said that Russia
essentially cannot be defeated by the Ukrainians on the battlefield. That's certainly something that's playing very big as well.
And, of course, they're also seeing that president Trump is talking to the European allies and talking to the Ukrainians. You mentioned that virtual
summit that's going to be hosted by Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, tomorrow, coming out of Berlin.
That certainly is something that is on the agenda here as well. Now at the same time that you have the Kremlin, the official Kremlin line, being very
mute about what's going on, Russian state TV in a very different mode, showcasing some of the gains that the Russians have been making on the
battlefield.
Trying to show that Vladimir Putin is going to be in a very strong position when he meets Donald Trump, the U.S. president, there in Anchorage -- or
possibly in Anchorage, Alaska.
That the momentum that the Russians have on the battlefield is also going to transcend into a more powerful position when he comes face to face with
the U.S. president. And one of the things that people who are on state TV here in Russia have been speculating about is what could actually come out.
Of course, they've also noted that the U.S. president has said that it's more a feel out meeting. But for the Russians, their line has been very
clear about what they want. They want territorial concessions, large ones from the Ukrainians. They want Ukraine to not be in NATO.
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And they essentially want the Ukrainians to disarm as well. That seems to be what the Russians are going into all of this with. But again, president
Trump says he'll look at the proposal. And, of course, president Trump also said that he thinks he'll know within a very short period of time whether
or not that's realistic. Christina.
MACFARLANE: All right, Fred, for now, thank you.
And Ukrainians who've heard president Trump's comments about potential land swaps are understandably nervous about their future as they await the
outcome of the Alaska summit without representation from their president. Nick Paton Walsh spoke to some of them in Eastern Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: When President Trump talks about what parts of Ukraine to, quote, "swap" with
Russia, this is ground zero, real towns where bomb shelters loom over beaches.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel like I just float away from this reality.
WALSH: Here in Donetsk region, diplomacy has turned dark and surreal and threatens local journalist Mykhailo medicinal swim.
What do you think about the idea of Trump and Putin meeting so far away in Alaska and deciding the fate of a place like this?
MYKHAILO, SLOVIANSK RESIDENT: We all -- people I know -- will have to leave. But frankly speaking, I don't think it's going to happen. What Trump
(INAUDIBLE) just pull him out of the bog.
Right.
Putin was just drown in the bog and he took him out and say, Vladimir, I want to talk to you. I like you. He didn't care that everyday Ukrainians
die.
WALSH: Beaches, births and deaths, they all persist in ravaged Slovyansk. They've dug defenses around it to stop a Russian military advance but never
imagined high level diplomacy might just give their town and future away.
Taisiya (ph) gave birth to Azul (ph) yesterday. The calm of her maternity ward bed, now riddled with complications she never saw coming.
TAISIYA: That would be very bad. I saw the news. But we have no influence over it. It's not going to be our decision. People will just give away
their home.
WALSH: Staying here has been, for many, an act of defiance and bravery. But for Sviatoslav and Natalia it did not spare them pain. This is their
daughter Sofia, with her husband Nikita and the grandson Lev. They moved to Kyiv for safety.
But 11 days ago, a horrific dawn Russian airstrike killed them and 28 others in Kyiv. Their three bodies found together in the rubble.
NATALIA HAPONOVA, SOFIA'S MOTHER: They left from the war and it was quiet there. And you see how it is in Slovyansk. But the war caught them there.
SVIATOSLAV HAPONOV, SOFIA'S FATHER: To come to terms with that as a person is impossible. Impossible to come to terms with the loss of children.
WALSH: They had been due to visit days later, bringing news that Sofia was three months pregnant.
Do you remember the last time you spoke?
HAPONOVA: Yes, it was 8:30 pm She was walking with Lev. She really wanted to come to Slovyansk to tell everyone the good news. But they didn't come.
They arrived in a different way, all together.
WALSH: They came together to be buried on the town's outskirts, where the war permits no calm for grief. A Ukrainian jet roars overhead.
At the nearest train station, Kramatorsk, as many are coming as are going. Serhiy, was allowed two days off from his tank unit to see Tatyana, his
wife. The sirens greet the Kyiv train.
SERHIY, SOLDIER: Four years of war, how do you think it is?
It would have been better if she had not come. Calm down.
TATYANA: I just want my husband to come home. I don't care about those territories. I just want him to stay alive and come home.
WALSH: Soldiers, worried if they'll see their loved ones again, families torn apart by this war.
Imagine scenes like this to the thousands in the event of what seems to so many people here to be the surreal idea that a deal on Friday on the other
side of the Earth, almost as far away as you could possibly imagine in Alaska, between an American president and a Russian president.
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Without a Ukrainian there, could potentially give this bustling town over to the Russians after them fighting for it for so many years and failing to
take it.
So many lives lost here. And those traumas born out on this platform every time a train comes in -- Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: I'm joined now by Baiba Braze, the foreign minister of Latvia. Her country shares a 280-kilometer border with Russia and has been a strong
supporter of Ukraine, providing $1 billion in military and humanitarian aid over the past three years. She joins me now live from Riga.
Thank you so much for your time. We are understanding that Latvia will be attending a virtual summit with president Trump tomorrow. As we've been
hearing all week, Europe and Europeans trying to ramp up pressure on the president ahead of this meeting.
What will your message be to president Trump and what will you want to hear from him in return at that meeting?
BAIBA BRAZE, FOREIGN MINISTER, LATVIA: We, both as Latvia but also as a member of NATO and the E.U., of course, have the closest possible
relationship with the U.S. We work on a bipartisan basis with all administrations.
That relationship has been formed through defense, military cooperation, through democracy and values but also human connections and economic
interests.
And as you might have heard, we have committed spending 5 percent already next year; we are more than 4 percent already. And that is growing. So
there is the very large understanding both of what president Trump is trying to achieve, which is peace, peace through strength.
And that is supported both in Latvia but also in the E.U. But in the same time, also to be realistic about Russia's objectives, we still do not see
any indications within the Russian system that President Putin would like to have peace.
They tried to subjugate Ukraine, first before 2014, through some conventional means, hybrid means, corruption, taking over politically.
Then in 2014, through annexing Crimea and starting the war in Eastern Ukraine. Ukrainians have fought throughout this time. Then in 2022, it was
a full-scale aggression and attack. And Ukraine is standing. Ukraine is fighting back. It's self-defense.
(CROSSTALK)
MACFARLANE: So Ukraine is --
BRAZE: Ukrainian agency matters. Ukrainians have to own the peace. Whatever terms of the peace that is, they have to own it. So we, of course,
will support in this respect the ultimate objective of President Putin --
(CROSSTALK)
MACFARLANE: I mean, Ukrainian -- Ukrainian.
BRAZE: -- we want everyone to be very realistic about President Putin and his objectives.
MACFARLANE: Sorry to jump in there. There's just a couple of things you said.
I mean, you're right. Ukrainian agency matters here. But we do know that Ukraine will not have a seat at the table on Friday. And you said president
Trump is serious about peace.
But already we have heard talk of him, discussion and talks from him, about land swaps happening, the potential for what might occur during that face-
to-face meeting with President Putin.
I have to ask you, if things do not go the way you want with president Trump, what leverage do you have and are you prepared to use with president
Trump in order to get him to listen to your point of view?
BRAZE: Again, you know, we work across the board. We work with the administration, with the parties, we -- with think tanks. I think there's a
mutual interest. There's genuine common objective in achieving peace and stopping Russia's aggression. It's a genuine objective. Everybody wants
peace, Ukrainian the most.
And in the same time, being realistic that Putin and Russia is trying to get, through other arrangements, what they can get through war. The war is
not succeeding. They are not getting what they want. Ukraine is standing strong.
So they are trying, of course, various other means. So we just have to be very realistic. President Putin and president Trump obviously will meet and
conversations are ongoing.
You will have seen there are public in references to various conversations. Our point is, again, Russia is a long-term threat. It hasn't changed. The
objectives have not changed. So let's make sure that we stand strong ourselves as NATO, as allies, that we support Ukraine throughout.
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Whether that's a peace process, whether that's the ceasefire, which is essentially important for any peace talks to succeed, but also in its
objective to become a proper Euro-Atlantic integrated country. That's Ukraine's objective.
MACFARLANE: You seem -- you sound very resolved to respond or react to whatever comes out of that meeting, knowing that it is essentially out of
Europe's hands.
We also know that president Trump has threatened sanctions against Russia but not followed through on that threat.
If it remains that way, will the E.U. and can the E.U. meaningfully apply sanctions without the U.S.' backing?
Is that something you will be looking to do?
BRAZE: Having agreed, all of us at NATO summit at the end of June, that Russia is a threat to Euro-Atlantic security, whatever ceasefire or other
arrangements we achieve. And again, it's a joint Euro-Atlantic -- U.S.- European effort and objective.
It's very important to make sure that our strengths, our capabilities and weakening Russia is in place, because Russia, as a power currently, uses
military means to achieve its political objectives. That is not the way how countries run their relationships.
So very clearly, Russia has to be forced to peace. And that was the threat of the sanctions by president Trump but also the long term, more than three
years' long political economic pressure by various countries, including the E.U. but also other countries in the world.
Making sure that Russia's economy is weakened, that its military capabilities are weakened, degraded. Those objectives stand because, while
Russia is and will be a long-term threat, we cannot relax and say that, because there is a ceasefire in Ukraine, that Russia has suddenly changed.
So that is that is where, yes, very much hoping for a good outcome of the meeting on Friday, very much hoping and relying that Ukraine is able to
defend herself and its ideals and values like we all have. In the same time, of course, being very realistic about Russia is important.
MACFARLANE: Yes. And if there is a ceasefire agreed to, of course, that it will come with those security guarantees.
Foreign minister, I just wanted to ask you, because there's a lot happening, as you know, this week. I just wanted to pivot to ask you about
the situation in the Middle East and Gaza.
We have seen prime minister Netanyahu announce moves to gain total military control of Gaza City. Please just have a listen to him, speaking at a press
conference a few days ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: Israel's security cabinet instructed the IDF to dismantle the two remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza
City and the central camps. Contrary to false claims, this is the best way to end the war and the best way to end it speedily.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: The best way to end the war is to move forward with Gaza City, in the prime minister's opinion. But multiple foreign governments have come
out against this. And the U.N. have said this will lead to a calamity.
Where does Latvia stand on this issue?
BRAZE: We have also gone public, of course, with a clear statement that we do not support the extension and expansion of military activities in Gaza,
that it will bring more civilian calamities.
It's not going to resolve the conflict politically. There is no military solution, in our view. Having said that, of course, it's crucially
important that Hamas releases hostages immediately without conditions, that Hamas puts down the weapons, gives up political control of Gaza and other
control of Gaza.
At the end, that is a terrorist group. It has been recognized as terrorist group not only by the U.S. but by the E.U. And just accepting the fact that
they can still control territory from where Israel was attacked is not going to be possible.
MACFARLANE: But Hamas are much diminished, as we know, in the Gaza Strip. We only, just last week, had 16 -- 600 retired Israeli security officials
writing to president Trump, saying that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel.
So you're right in calling, obviously, for the return of the hostages. But the idea that Hamas are the threat they once were is being denied by
multiple sources.
BRAZE: There are various views on that. But the fact is that they are not releasing the hostages. The fact is that they published videos that degrade
the hostages, that are just humanely horrible. So let's look at the facts. We can speculate what's, you know, the strength or not.
[10:20:00]
But that's not for me to do. I look at the facts. And as long as Hamas is doing what it is doing, it's very clear that political solution is becoming
more difficult. And both sides are taking to more radical positions, which is going to bring more civilian losses.
Human catastrophe. Insufficient supply of food, medicine, you know, there's a whole spectrum of issues that are deeply unsatisfactory about Israel not
respecting international rights.
MACFARLANE: Can I ask, what your plan is then to assert pressure on Israel to reverse course on their plans for Gaza City before it's too late?
Because we know that Latvia not one of the nations calling for a two-state solution like we've seen from Australia, France, Britain and Canada.
So where do you intend to apply pressure?
BRAZE: We have a very balanced foreign policy. We talk both to the Palestinians. We have recognized Palestinian Authority as a legitimate
representative of Palestinian people. And we have a special representatives residing in Riga that covers Palestine.
We met president Abbas last autumn. We have hosted in Riga, the visit, working visit by the minister of foreign affairs. We have spoken on the
phone. We just had the president of Israel visiting.
And those are robust conversations on all sides, because there are -- again, our ultimate aim is a two-state solution that is arrived at through
the political settlement and that is done in accordance with the U.N. Security Council resolution.
And that is very clearly, both with regard to territories, institutions and the future and both countries living side by side in peace, which will be
economically, politically beneficial for the whole Middle East, that is where we are.
MACFARLANE: Can I just ask you, the recent visit from president Herzog was to discuss the war but also to discuss your economic ties with Israel,
which are substantial.
I mean, you are still trading with Israel to the sum of $70 million in exports a year.
BRAZE: Correct, correct. It's not among the biggest trading partners but it's still a partner. Trading partner. We have a large --
(CROSSTALK)
MACFARLANE: And you don't see that as a means to apply pressure on Israel?
BRAZE: As I said, there are robust conversations ongoing. It's -- you know, we talk, we talk and we apply pressure both in bilateral talks but
also through public statements and collective statements.
There will be another statement coming out today on international NGOs, their right to operate supply assistance to Gaza and other places.
So again, Israel is a -- as I said, a country with whom we work. We maintain diplomatic relationships. It's a friend. And we have a large
community there. They have a large Jewish community here.
So we make sure that our diplomatic relations are there. But in the same time, we do not agree to Israeli policies, whether that's with regard to
respect of international humanitarian law in Gaza or expanding military activities in Gaza or anything else.
So that is something which we believe where the engagement can bring us, actually, some results instead of isolation.
MACFARLANE: Foreign minister, we really appreciate you coming on and giving us your thoughts today in such an important week on both fronts.
Thank you for your time.
BRAZE: Thank you so much for having me.
MACFARLANE: A deadly airstrike on a media tent in the Gaza snapped the world to attention.
Next, we look at the extreme danger local journalists are facing to get news out of the territory.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALEH JAFARAWI, PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST IN GAZA (through translator): I'll be honest with you. Their smear campaigns against us does frighten us. We
fear for our lives. Our families, our loved ones and our friends.
In the end what comforts us is that this is our job and we are doing it right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: That was one of many Palestinian journalists in Gaza, talking about the risks of covering the Israel-Hamas war from inside the enclave.
Those risks were thrust into a harsh spotlight this week by a targeted Israeli airstrike, which killed six journalists in Gaza City. The U.N.
secretary general now calling for an urgent independent investigation into that attack.
Football fans in Gaza and around the world are mourning the loss of Suleiman al-Obeid, a former star killed by Israeli forces in Gaza last
week. The European Football League paid tribute to Obeid but say some of the league has not gone far enough in calling out Israel, a UEFA member,
for its actions. This is our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE (voice-over): Holding tight to a pair of blue athletic shorts, the widow of Palestinian football player, Suleiman al-Obeid, says this is
one of the few things left of her husband.
DOAA AL-OBEID, SULEIMAN'S WIFE (through translator): He meant everything to me. Everything. This holds Suleiman's scent, the martyr, the scent of
the dear one, the scent of the hero who went to get food for his children and was martyred.
MACFARLANE (voice-over): Known as the Palestinian Pele, the 41-year-old striker was killed while he waited for aid in an Israeli attack in southern
Gaza, according to the Palestinian Football Association.
But it's a shattering loss for al-Obeid's wife and five children, who already lost their home in a bombardment earlier this year and are now
living in a tent in Gaza City. But for all the hardships of war, al-Obeid's wife says her husband could still find joy in the game of football.
AL-OBEID (through translator): He used to go training every day and never stopped, not a single day. Even during the crisis of war, in the midst of
rockets, shelling and genocide, he would go and play. He used to gather his friends and loved ones and go and play with them.
MACFARLANE (voice-over): The football world has been expressing its shock and sadness over al-Obeid's death, who played for a Gaza club and a
Palestinian national team and scored over 100 goals during his career.
UEFA, Europe's governing football agency, posted a tribute to him on social media. But that triggered a stinging rebuke from Egyptian football star,
Mohamed Salah, an advocate for humanitarian aid to Gaza, who called out UEFA for not mentioning how, where and why Al-Obeid died.
CNN approached the IDF about al-Obeid. They referred us to their response to Salah, saying on X, "After an initial review, we found no record of any
incidents involving Suleiman al-Obeid."
CNN has also reached out to UEFA for comment.
Roughly 325 members of the football community have been killed in Gaza since the war began, the Palestinian Football Association says. Most of the
enclave's sporting facilities have been destroyed by Israel's bombardment.
Al-Obeid's family said he hoped to keep scoring goals until he was 50. That dream, like so many others in Gaza, now, sadly destroyed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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MACFARLANE: Now to wildfires, fueled by heat waves across Europe, that are forcing tourists to change their vacation plans. Fast-moving fires swept
across residential areas near Madrid on Monday. Emergency teams worked around the clock to fight them.
CNN's Barbie Nadeau has more on how the fires are impacting summer tourism in Europe.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tourists forced to flee one of southern Spain's most popular beaches after a wildfire, driven
by strong winds, swept through the resort town of Tarifa, forcing local authorities to evacuate nearly 2,000 tourists and residents.
Just one part of what's becoming an apocalyptic European summer. Official data shows that Europe has seen more than twice as many fires as it saw on
average by mid-August in recent decades.
[10:30:04]
Many are set on purpose, some sparked accidentally and others fueled by extreme heat caused by manmade climate change.
There were similar scenes on the Italian island of Sardinia last month, where beachgoers had to be evacuated by boat after wildfires blocked other
escape routes.
Disaster also struck the Italian tourist hotspot of Pompeii after forest fires quickly burned up the flanks of the Mount Vesuvius volcano, where
authorities had to close trails to keep hikers safe.
Even in Scotland, not typically known for its hot summers, a brush fire spread across a popular tourist attraction in dormant volcano, Arthur's
Seat.
In Spain, where fires led to the death of one man near Madrid, the costs are almost impossible to measure.
JOSE ANGEL RODRIGUEZ, PRESIDENT, OREILAN LOCAL COUNCIL (through translator): The damage is incalculable at this point, whether it's to the
chestnut trees or the loss of tourism.
NADEAU (voice-over): And as wildfires continue to threaten European tourism, more travelers are being forced to rethink plans, cancel flights
and take extra precautions. A sunburn used to be one of the biggest concerns most holidaymakers had. Now they face a far more burning threat --
Barbie Nadeau, CNN, Rome.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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MACFARLANE (voice-over): Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD with me. Christina Macfarlane. Here are your headlines this hour.
The U.S. and China have agreed to hit pause on steep tariffs set to go into effect today. The leaders of the world's biggest economies struck a deal
hours before the deadline, agreeing to extend the pause for 90 days in order to provide more time for the trade negotiations.
Twenty-six of the 27 E.U. heads of state signed a statement, saying Ukrainians must have the freedom to decide their future. It comes just days
before the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. The leaders also say meaningful negotiations to end the war can only happen with a ceasefire or reduction
in hostilities.
President Trump is deploying hundreds of National Guard troops to fight what he calls out-of-control crime in the U.S. Capitol. Mr. Trump is also
placing D.C. Metro Police under federal control.
The unprecedented moves come even though data from the police show that violent crime is on the decline.
MACFARLANE: U.S. National Guard troops are reporting for duty today in Washington, D.C., after president Trump announced his unprecedented federal
takeover of the city's police department.
We've got new video from overnight in the U.S. of federal agents deploying across the U.S. Capitol. The city's mayor had a warning about what the
takeover could mean for the community.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER (D-DC): Well, it will be a disaster if communities won't talk to the police, if a crime has been committed and could help
solve that crime.
[10:35:04]
That could be a disaster. It would be a disaster if people, who aren't committing crimes, are antagonized into committing crimes. That would be a
disaster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: CNN's Natasha Bertrand is at the Armory in Washington, D.C.
And, Natasha, have you had a chance to speak to any of the members of the National Guard or get a sense of the timeframe for when this will all roll
out?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Christina. So we are seeing some of the National Guard troops starting to trickle in
here.
And we do expect the Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll, as well as the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, James Mingus, to arrive here shortly and
to greet the troops, basically tell them that they appreciate what they're doing, because, of course, National Guard troops, this is not their full
time job. Right?
But what we are learning is that this is likely to really start to come into play, this today. Later this week, we will start to see National Guard
troops kind of take to the streets here in Washington, D.C.
Importantly, about 800 of those troops have been activated by the president but only about 100 to 200 of them are going to be actually on the streets
at any given time and supporting law enforcement.
They are going to potentially have the capability to defend themselves if need be, if things escalate. But they are not going to be openly carrying
rifles, which is something that people were pretty concerned about, is seeing armed troops on the streets of Washington, D.C.
As of right now, that is not the plan. They will have weapons nearby if they need them but they will not be patrolling the city with those large
rifles in hand.
But Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, he also said in an interview yesterday, that they will have the authority to temporarily detain people
if that is necessary; for example, if law enforcement is not immediately on the scene and they need help to detain someone until a police officer or a
federal agent is able to then make the arrest.
And so what we're expecting to see here is a couple hundred National Guard troops report for duty today. They are likely to fan out across the city
later this week. And they're expected to be on activation, be activated for at least the next 30 days here in Washington, D.C., Christina.
MACFARLANE: All right. Natasha. We will watch this space. Thank you for now.
Let's turn to CNN senior political reporter Stephen Collinson, who has written a column warning that, "Trump's Washington, D.C., crackdown is a
political stunt but one that could take a much darker turn."
Stephen is joining us now live from D.C.
So, I mean, Stephen, this state of, what you call it, pseudo emergency in Washington, it's not the first time we've seen Donald Trump using this
playbook during his second term. But I guess the wider concern that came out of that press conference yesterday is the precedent this might set for
other cities to follow.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, certainly, the president said himself that he hopes what he says will be a successful
pilot in Washington, D.C., could see a surge of federal resources and even troops, reservists and potentially regular forces into other American
cities, Democratic-run cities.
By the way, which is one of the reasons that he's doing this. I think this story is one where it's multilayered. It is a political stunt. Trump wants
to be seen as looking tough. It does carry concerns about authoritarian overtones, especially given the backdrop of everything else that Trump is
doing.
Using the Justice Department for his own purposes, for example, declaring a pseudo state of emergency on the economy so he can impose his pet remedy of
tariffs.
So that is the potential dark turn, that this is a move toward militarizing law enforcement, which is one of the characteristics of demagogues and
totalitarian states.
At the same time, there is a crime problem in D.C., although figures show that violent crimes like carjackings and homicides are headed downward. I
don't think anyone would describe this as a safe city, especially at night.
And there are likely, I think, to be some guarded welcomes by some neighborhoods in the city about getting more resources for law enforcement.
And Trump knows that. And he's put the Democrats in a difficult point.
You saw some lawmakers from the Democratic Party come out yesterday and say, well, figures are down. This is unnecessary. But crime is an emotive
issue and Trump has used it before to pose as the voice of the people and to put the Democrats in a difficult spot.
MACFARLANE: I want to get your thoughts about this Trump-Putin summit coming up later this week, because, during that press conference yesterday,
president Trump did talk about it, playing down expectations for Friday's meeting, saying it will be more of a feel it out meeting.
I mean, if that is the case, it does beg the question as to why he's giving the Russian president legitimacy in appearing alongside him at this summit.
[10:40:00]
What do you sense Donald Trump wants out of this meeting beyond simply, of course, a ceasefire and a peace deal?
COLLINSON: Yes, that's certainly the case, because, only a week ago, Trump was talking about how he was getting fed up with Putin and that every time
he talks to him, he says he wants peace and then starts bombing Kyiv all over again.
I think there's a very strong sense that Trump is winning this. He hopes to get out of it something, some kind of concession from the Russians that he
could declare as a win. But the Russians, as you know, never wing these summits. They I'm sure, have got a very sophisticated playbook as they head
into this.
Not only because they get the legitimacy, as you say, Vladimir Putin has been a pariah in the world. He can't go to much of the Western world
because he would risk being arrested for war crimes.
Yet here he is, being accepted back onto the international stage by an American president.
And I think there's also a concern that the Russians will use this not to stall for a bit longer as their offensive in Eastern Ukraine seems to be
yielding results and that they will and -- Putin will once again get the better of the president.
So I think it's very uncertain, going into this summit, what can come out of it. And the fact that it is in Alaska, which is about as far as you can
get from Europe and Ukraine, is why the Europeans and the Ukrainians, I think, have a right to be so concerned.
Trump said that, as a courtesy, the first call he would make after the summit would be to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But I think that just underscores
the fact that Trump and Putin are discussing peace for Ukraine and Zelenskyy won't be there.
MACFARLANE: Yes. Stephen, always great to have your analysis. Thank you.
Now we are keeping a close eye on a political standoff in Texas, now in its second week, that could ultimately impact the balance of power on Capitol
Hill.
Democratic lawmakers once again thwarted the Republican redistricting efforts in the state when the Texas House of Representatives failed to meet
in a quorum on Monday. Republicans will try again today.
Democrats are trying to avoid voting on a plan that would redraw congressional voting maps that favor the Republican Party. As CNN's Ed
Lavandera is following the story for us from Austin.
And Ed, you've been following this story since those Democratic lawmakers fled Texas over a week ago.
What more are we expecting this hour?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the stalemate is fully expected to continue as this Texas house session is expected to try
gaveling in here in about 20 minutes or so.
It will be the fifth attempt to try to reach this quorum but there is no indication that Democrats will be here. So once again, they'll very likely
gavel in and gavel out, which is just kind of symbolic of a scene of just how this stalemate continues, as you mentioned, now going into the second
week.
And to kind of give you context of the timing and how this might continue to play out, this legislative session is expected to end next Tuesday. So
we're a week away. We've heard repeatedly from many Democrats over the last several days that many of them are willing to stay away for as the duration
of this time to kill this redistricting bill.
In this session, however, the Texas governor says that he will continue to call these lawmakers back. The governor in Texas has the power to call what
is known as a special session, which usually can last up to 30 days.
And during that time, the governor sets the agenda and he says and vows that he will continue setting these special sessions to get this
redistricting bill passed.
But Democrats say there is one thing the governor could do to end this stalemate entirely.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD PENA RAYMOND, TEXAS STATE HOUSE: We're all united in our opposition and how we get to a final solution, if you will, in terms of
this horrible problem.
I think it's going to be the United States Supreme Court. I hope it's the Republicans that decide, you know what, it's a really bad idea to
redistrict every two years.
If you get a Democratic president or you get a Democratic governor in some state and they don't like the results, so two years later, the next
election, they're going to change the district. That's going to keep happening and that's going to keep happening.
So you know, what's going to bring Democrats back here?
I don't know. I know what could bring them back here. If the governor says, let's just put this bill in the trash can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Christina, I don't think the governor has any intention of putting this redistricting bill in the trash can, as the representative
said.
And we're also, real quickly, just monitoring how this is playing out in the courts. The governor and attorney general are petitioning to have these
lawmakers who fled the state removed from office. So we're trying to waiting to see how the courts might, what the courts have to say in that.
MACFARLANE: Yes.
[10:45:00]
This is set to run and run, isn't it?
Ed, we appreciate you being there for us in Texas. Thank you.
Now, AI is becoming the newest member in police stations as the technology is used to draft reports at breakneck speeds. But legal experts are already
issuing warnings about its use.
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MACFARLANE: Now AI is joining the police force as stations start to dabble with the technology to generate police reports.
One example is this new tech, called Draft One, a software, which uses modified versions of OpenAI's ChatGPT. While some officers say this helps
cut the bureaucracy and take more calls for service, some legal experts and civil rights advocates are concerned AI generated reports could contain
biases or inaccuracies.
For more, let's bring in CNN's tech reporter Clare Duffy.
And Clare, those concerns are pretty, I'd say, pretty relevant.
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Yes. Christina. I mean, they mirror a lot of the concerns that we've heard more broadly about artificial
intelligence, although, of course, this is a really, you know, specific application of this technology.
Police reports really are at the heart of the criminal justice system. They're used not only by police officers but by district attorneys, by
prosecutors, by defense attorneys, judges, even the public, to understand a situation.
So it's really important that they are complete and accurate. Now this technology uses artificial intelligence to process the audio from body
cameras that police wear on calls. And the AI creates the first draft of the police report.
As you said, this is meant to save officers time writing reports, let them spend more time out in the field, especially amid hiring challenges that
are affecting departments across the country.
I went to Fort Collins, Colorado, which is one of the cities that's been piloting this technology and got a demo of how Draft One works.
And we saw some of the safeguards that are built into this technology, namely these fill-in-the-blank prompts that are automatically added to the
AI draft reports, where officers are prompted to add additional details, correct errors.
It's really meant to ensure that officers are reading through and making sure these reports are their own, although I will say we also saw that it
is fairly easy just to delete those AI, you know, draft prompts and submit the report as is.
And you wouldn't necessarily know how much an officer has or hasn't added to make the report their own. That is among the concerns that experts are
raising about this technology.
The ACLU is already urging police departments not to use this technology because of concerns about biases and errors elsewhere. There are experts
who are just calling for transparency.
In Utah, they've passed a law requiring that disclosures that are added to AI-drafted police reports, so that at least everybody can be on the same
page that AI was used in the making of these reports. Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yes, I think these are the type of challenges we're going to be seeing across multiple industries, isn't it, as AI continues to become
more ingrained.
[10:50:00]
Clare, that's super interesting. Thank you.
DUFFY: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: All right. Still to come on CNN, we're following the latest surprise announcement from global pop star Taylor Swift.
Swifties, take note. It's coming up next.
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MACFARLANE: Now eight years together, multiple children and now one massive rock football phenomenon, Cristiano Ronaldo, has finally proposed
to his long-term girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez.
The -- look at that ring. Goodness me.
The model broke the news on Instagram with this huge egg-sized ring and a caption saying, "Yes, I do in this and all my lives."
Well, the couple began appearing together publicly in 2017. They share four children and also parent Ronaldo's oldest son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., who
was born in 2010. What a wedding that is going to be.
Let's also turn now to the world of entertainment, where Taylor Swift has revealed a brand new era in her career. Earlier today, she delighted fans
with a surprise announcement that she's dropping a new album. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER-SONGWRITER: So I wanted to show you something.
JASON KELCE, FORMER NFL PLAYER; CO-HOST, NEW HEIGHTS PODCAST: OK.
What have we got?
SWIFT: We got a --
J. KELCE: -- briefcase.
SWIFT: Yes.
J. KELCE: Mint green with T.S. on it.
SWIFT: Yes, yes.
J. KELCE: What's in it?
SWIFT: This is my brand-new album, "The Life of a Showgirl."
J. KELCE: Ahh.
TRAVIS KELCE, TIGHT END, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS; CO-HOST, NEW HEIGHTS PODCAST: TS12.
SWIFT: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: The pop star made it official just hours ago with the help of her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, there and his brother, Jason, on their New
Heights podcast. This will be her 12th original studio album. CNN's Lisa Respers France is following this story for us.
And in true Taylor Swift style, Lisa, the countdown ended on Swift's website officially at 12:12 am Eastern time on August the 12th.
LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it did, Christina. You know, she is great for the Easter eggs. She has these little
surprises and people could not be more excited for this album.
But they're equally excited for how she announced it, because I don't think we've ever seen a Taylor Swift boyfriend this involved in a new project. I
mean, there she is, sitting next to Travis Kelce. People love them together.
You were talking about an amazing engagement ring just now.
And you know lots of people are looking to see, are we going to get an engagement announcement?
So the fact that he is there and she's sharing the news with him and his brother on their very popular New Heights podcast, people are taking that
to mean something, Christina. So I guess we just have to wait and see if we're going to get more relationship news to come along with the new album
news.
MACFARLANE: You read my mind. You read my mind. Lisa, I was already -- I was already there before you mentioned it. And we know, of course, that,
you know, a lot of Taylor Swift's albums have been very biographical, autobiographical. And obviously she's now in her Travis Kelce era.
So do we expect that that might be reflected in the work?
FRANCE: Of course, because this is you know, her go-to. We know that when you get a Taylor Swift album that you're going to get something that's
deeply personal and that you're going to have to comb through the lyrics to try to figure out who she's referring to.
But in this case, lots of people think that she's going to be referring to Travis Kelce. And maybe, from here on out, it'll just be her and Travis
Kelce. It will be the story of their love and their relationship. But she also is a dynamic performer. So she gives the fans what she wants what they
want.
[10:55:00]
She always has. And that's one of the reasons why people love Taylor Swift.
So I'm sure there'll be some more love songs that are probably about her and Travis. But she also has a wide breadth of creativity when it comes to
songwriting.
She's one of the best there is and she has the Grammys to back that up, Christina. So I can't wait to hear it and to, you know, have to go through
all the lyrics and try to figure out what she's talking about and who she's talking about.
Or, you know, maybe she'll surprise us this time and everything will just be straight out in the open. But you know, there's just so much excitement
around this new album.
You see me?
I'm sitting here practically buzzing. I can't wait to see the podcast, because this will be the first time that we see her and Travis really
interacting and talking with each other. So you know, just love it. Love it.
MACFARLANE: I know and it will, obviously, we hope, be followed by a world tour and certainly I would be all over that here in London. But Lisa, we
appreciate it. Come back when you know more details.
FRANCE: Thank you. Definitely will. Thank you, Christina.
MACFARLANE: And that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD and our team here. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up after this quick break.
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