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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Belarusian President: "Wagner Chief in St. Petersburg"; Soon: Treasury Secretary Yellen in Beijing for Talks; DOJ: Security Video Shows Mar-a-Lago Boxes Were Moved; Philadelphia Suing 2 Ghost Gun Suppliers; U.S. Navy Thwarts Iranian Attempt to Seize Tankers. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired July 06, 2023 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:13]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and around the world. I'm Rahel Solomon, in for Christine Romans.

We begin this morning with breaking news. The president of Belarus revealing where Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is right now. Alexander Lukashenko telling CNN's Matthew Chance at a news conference just a short time ago that the leader of the mercenary group is actually in St. Petersburg, Russia. Just two weeks ago, he was leading an armed insurrection against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Meantime, Russian state media reporting that police have allegedly found passports, wigs, cash, gold and guns during a raid on Prigozhin's homes, stepping up an apparent propaganda campaign against Prigozhin.

Let's bring in CNN's Nada Bashir. She joins us live from London.

Nada, obviously, a lot to unpack here. The reason this is so noteworthy of course is because we thought Prigozhin was in exile in Belarus. He has not been seen from or heard from since the armed rebellion on June 23rd.

What are you learning? What are you hearing?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right, Rahel. There have been questions around his whereabouts. He hasn't been seen the failed insurrection just under two weeks.

It was believed he had moved to Belarus as part of a deal struck with the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, but of course, as we have just learned in the last hour or so, according Lukashenko, who is speaking at a press conference in Minsk, Yevgeny Prigozhin is not in fact in Belarus, but is said to be in St. Petersburg in Russia.

Now this comes as Russian state media has released video footage reportedly from Yevgeny Prigozhin, saying Petersburg resident showing a police raid in which stashes of gold, passports, cash, as well as weapons were found at this residence. The presenters heard in this video describing this as a scandalous. But as you noted there, it is important to remember that experts and human rights advocates alike, all of them point to the fact that the Kremlin has a long history of pattern of fabricating criminal cases against challengers of the Kremlin.

Now, of course, Yevgeny Prigozhin has now for some time been a vocal critic of the Kremlin's approach when it comes to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have seen time and time again, Prigozhin releasing video footage and audio of himself at the frontline, sometimes graphic video showing what he describes to be the bodies of Russian-backed fighters, criticizing the Kremlin, and President Putin, quote, failing to adequately support and equipped Russian-backed fighters on the ground.

Now in the past, this has secured those fighters with for their weapon shipments, but the insurrection, that failed rebellion out last month according to President Putin, put the Wagner chief and his fighters on his words on the path of treason. And at the time, there was a deal that shot the charges according to the current would be chalk if these fighters of Prigozhin would join the Russian defense ministry, now the law enforcement wings if they return home, or crucially if they move to buy the recess part of that deal.

But, now, of course, we are learning from Lukashenko, that not only is Prigozhin said to be in St. Petersburg, not in Belarus. But he's also told CNN during that press conference, the Wagner fighters are believed to still be stationed at their regular camps. Of course, if Prigozhin is in fact in Belarus as is -- sorry in St. Petersburg as Lukashenko has now said in this press conference, it remains to be seen what sort of repercussions he will face at the hands of the Kremlin, or any for his vocal criticism. But, of course, at this video which has been released of the police raid at his residence -- Rahel.

SOLOMON: And, Nada, just remind us again. I mean, I can't think of the top of my head, there is an audio recording that he had, Prigozhin had released I think on Messenger or Telegraph rather, what have we heard from Prigozhin? What if in fact he is in St. Petersburg, does this suggest perhaps about his moves and Wagner's moves moving forward, can you tell?

BASHIR: Well, we know that Wagner has been crucially active on the front line, Prigozhin has not shied away from criticizing the Kremlin. He has released a video on his Telegram channels, on numerous occasions, criticizing the Kremlin, and other Russian officials as well, chiefs and generals on the ground for their approach in the war in Ukraine.

It was believed that he had agreed to this deal that was struck with the Belarusian president. He would move to Belarus. We know, of course, that President Putin thank Wagner fighters for not completing that rebellion, so it was the right decision, and an agreement had been struck.

Now, of course, there are questions around that Prigozhin -- around the Wagner chief's movements over the last week, whether, in fact, he actually was in Belarus and then traveled back to Russia, or whether he has been held in Russia this entire time. He has, of course, not been seen over the last two weeks, and they're, of course, many questions around the situation facing Yevgeny Prigozhin and, of course, his relations with the Kremlin, and crucially with President Putin.

[05:05:10]

SOLOMON: Just an incredible, story remarkable story. That continues to become even more incredible and remarkable.

Nada Bashir, great to have you. Thank you.

Well, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is due to arrive in Beijing at this hour. This video is Yellen leaving from Washington several hours ago. Yellen headed to China as the Biden administration works to strengthen ties, and deepen communication with China. The relationship between the two coming more tense lately.

CNN's Anna Coren is live in Hong Kong for us.

Anna, no shortage of topics with the two sides to discuss. What's on the agenda for Secretary Yellen?

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, she certainly eyeing to have an incredibly packed schedule, we are waiting for her to arrive in Beijing at any moment now, where she will continue to try and improve U.S. and China relations, which as we know, Rahel, are at an all-time low. Antony Blinken, U.S. secretary of state, was in Beijing just two weeks ago.

Yellen is expected to receive a warm welcome, because of her economic pragmatism. You know, she wants to improve communications, and lower the temperature between the two largest economies in the world. Beijing sees her as a voice of reason in the Biden administration, which she's pushed to maintain economic ties with China. She's argued against tariffs and restrictions on investment in China, and while giving testimony before Congress back in April, she wants that decoupling from China would be disastrous.

Her itinerary is yet to be made public, but we understand she plans to meet with the Chinese counterpart, and other high-ranking officials, which is not expected to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Now, this, Rahel, will not be a love fest. The treasury secretary has spoken out against China's human rights record and believes that American supply chains need to diversify away from China. Whilst she is in Beijing, she will try to convince the Chinese that the U.S. is not trying to harm or contain the Chinese economy, by blocking access to sensitive technology, such as a semiconductors in the name of national security.

This is something the Chinese certainly are not buying. This, week the Chinese retaliated by announcing it would restrict the export of certain minerals, critical for the production of semiconductor chips, solar cells, and other tech panels.

And, Rahel, we just heard from China's commerce ministry criticizing the U.S. restrictions on cheap exports to China, saying, quote, the U.S. approach not only infringes upon Chinese companies' legitimate rights, but also undermines interest of many countries and regions, and will hinder global technology exchange and trade cooperation. This will eventually backfire against the U.S.

End of the day, Rahel, these economies are deeply intertwined. $700 billion in trade between China and the U.S. each year. Economically, they need each other.

SOLOMON: Yeah, and, Yellen saying in past comments I believe that it is in everyone's -- the globe's interest, the world's interest that the two sides reached some sort of, you know, agreement in terms of relations moving forward.

Anna Coren, live for us there, thank you.

COREN: Exactly.

SOLOMON: And back here at stateside, we are learning more about what federal prosecutors knew when they requested a warrant to search Trump's Mar-a-Lago property, the Justice Department released a new less redacted version of the search warrant affidavit. The affidavit was filed in last month's indictment of former President Trump, and his aide and co-defendant Walt Nauta.

This is that prosecutors saw surveillance video from outside of a basement store, where documents were kept. The affidavit says that the video shows the boxes were moved out of the room to destinations unknown. After multiple delays meantime, Walt Nauta is expected to be arraigned this morning in a Miami federal court.

And to the city of Philadelphia with the city there is suing to two suppliers of so-called ghost guns. So, these are privately made, untraceable fire arms, and often sold to people who cannot wear them legally. The city says, it wants to put the two companies, Polymer 80 and JSD Supply, out of business, and have them pay damages for the harm caused by ghost guns in Philadelphia.

Officials say both guns found with the suspects in this week's mass shooting in Philadelphia were, in fact, ghost guns.

More now from CNN's Danny Freeman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Forty-year-old Kimbrady Carriker appeared in a Philadelphia courtroom. He's accused of opening fire on a street hours before the Fourth of July. The attack captured by this street corner surveillance camera.

AMEER BARBER, NEIGHBOR: People outside, people eating water ices, nobody's expecting to just come outside and somebody walking around shooting people.

FREEMAN: Prosecutors say Carriker randomly shot and killed five people Monday night and attempted to murder several others. DANIELLE OUTLAW, PHILADELPHIA POLICE COMMISSIONER: On what was

supposed to be a beautiful summer evening, this armed and armored individual wreaked havoc, firing with a rifle at their victims, seemingly at random.

[05:10:08]

FREEMAN: This as a law enforcement source tells CNN Carriker's Facebook page could provide some answers about a motive. The most recent public post, the morning of the shooting, a man in tactical gear holding a gun.

Carriker also posted about gun rights, religion, freedom, and Black Lives Matter.

In May, he shared posts from pro-gun groups supporting former President Trump and the Second Amendment. In June, there is a video posted of a speech by President Biden where Carriker posts a reference to the president is attempting to, quote, take our arms.

Separate law enforcement sources told CNN the suspect told police he committed the shooting to, in sum and substance, clean the neighborhood.

THEO JAMES, WITNESS: I didn't see the guy until the fire started coming out of the gun. We saw the sparks come out of a gun, and that's when I ran.

FREEMAN: Police say Carriker indiscriminately sprayed Philadelphia's Kingsessing neighborhood with bullets, killing pedestrians and hitting a car with a mother and twin 2-year-olds inside. One was shot in the leg.

LARRY KRASNER, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: This was random. This was someone who set out to kill strangers which, of course, has become way too common in the United States.

FREEMAN: Police chased and ultimately arrested Carriker who was wearing body armor and a ski mask, carrying a police scanner, and holding an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun. Late Wednesday, police, that both counts were privately made ghost guns.

FRANK VANORE, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INVESTIGATIONS, PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: They don't have any markings, they're not traceable. So if you want to -- if he were to drop that weapon and got away, we have no way to trace that weapon back to him.

MARIE MERRITT, VICTIM'S MOTHER: I'm going to be honest, he need to rot. He need to rot in jail.

FREEMAN: Twenty-year-old Lashyd Merritt was among those killed. His mother said he loved his family, his girlfriend, and his job.

MARIE MERRITT, VICTIM'S MOTHER: Some maniac walking around just shooting, shooting, shooting, for what? We probably will never know why, you know? But he took my son. He took my baby. (END VIDEOTAPE)

FREEMAN (on camera): Now, prosecutors said that witnesses told investigators that he had been exhibiting abnormal behavior in the weeks leading up to the shooting, and D.A.'s office also said they found a handgun, and a handwritten will at the suspect's home. But they said that will did not detail specific plans to carry out that shooting.

Now, I should say that the public defenders office who's representing Carriker declined to comment for the story.

Danny Freeman, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: U.S. forces meantime in the Middle East on alert as tensions rise in the region after the U.S. Navy intervened to prevent two Iranian warships from seizing oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. It also follows what the U.S. is calling aggressive behavior by Russian fighter jets flying over Syria.

CNN's Oren Liebermann has more now from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: A series of tense military encounters minimalist undergoing the volatility of the region. It starts early Wednesday morning when the U.S. Navy says that about 1:00 a.m. local time, an Iranian navy vessel approached a commercial oil tanker. The U.S. saw this happening, and even before that tanker called for help, or issued any sort of distress, a U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS McFaul intervened, getting close to the incident and according to the U.S. Navy, that's when the Iranian navy vessel changed course, and headed away from the scene.

But that wasn't the end of these encounters. Only several hours later, in international waters in the Gulf of Oman, so very near where this first incident happened, another Iranian navy vessel approaches another commercial oil tanker. This time, that navy vessel drew even closer, hailing on that oil tanker to stop, so it could be boarded or seized according to the U.S. Navy. The oil tanker issued the stress signal and that same U.S. destroyer, USS McFaul responded at full speed.

Before it caught there, personnel on board that Iranian navy vessel opened fire with small arms, hitting the oil tanker and doing damage to the ship. No personnel were injured onboard the oil tanker, but according to the U.S. Navy, some of those shots landed very close to the crew living quarters and the fact that you could see some of these precious or those shots were headed and they shrapnel and these images from the Defense Department.

As the USS McFaul, that navy destroyed, who approached, once again the Iranian navy vessel changed its heading and left that incident. The U.S. has seen these sorts of encounters and attempts at seizures before. In fact, it was in late April, early May, after Iran seized two commercial vessels within days of each other that the U.S. and its partner nations increased maritime and military patrols in the area, specifically to avoid incidents like this.

But even after all of this, the Middle East wasn't done yet. Several hours later in the skies over Syria, three U.S. MQ9 Reaper drones were conducting a mission against ISIS targets when according to U.S. Air Force central command, three Russian fighter jets came in, and you can see video of this encounter released from U.S. Air Force central.

[05:15:03]

The Russian fighters got in the way of the MQ9 Reaper drones, dropped parachute flares and even opened up full after burn in front of the MQ9 Reapers, forcing the U.S. drones to take evasive action against the heavier, more powerful and faster Russian fighters.

The U.S. called it unsafe and unprofessional, warning Russia not to continue in this sort of behavior. But we have seen Russia continue down this path according to U.S. military, ignoring the deconfliction protocols, getting close to U.S. aircraft, even in one case several weeks or months ago, trying to dogfight a U.S. aircraft.

And, of course, it was several months ago that Russian military aircraft actually hit a U.S. MQ9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea, forcing it down.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, in the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: Secret Service meantime has launched a full scale investigation to find out who left a small baggie of cocaine at the White House. It was found by an entrance area. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says that many visitors and staff use the area to chop off their cell phones.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Where this was discovered, is a heavily traveled area where many White House -- West Wing, I should be more specific, West Wing visitors come through and it is under investigation by the Secret Service. This is in their purview, and so we're going to going to allow certainly the investigation to continue, and we have confidence that the Secret Service will get to the bottom of this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more now on the investigation from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, law enforcement officials telling me that they are doing everything possible to try and identify the person who brought this baggie of cocaine into the White House on Sunday evening. That includes DNA testing, fingerprint analysis, Secret Service officials I'm told are also going to visitor logs as well as security camera footage.

This all started on Sunday evening, when a light powdery substance was found inside a small dime-sized bag in one of the cabbies. These cabbies are used for visitors to come into the West Wing, that's where they drop their cellphones off. It's also used by White House officials before they go into a SCIF to view classified information. They also would drop their cellphones in these types of cabbies.

Now, the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for her part certainly left the impression that it could be a visitor who's going on a West Wing tour, who left this bag of cocaine there. She talked about the fact that this is a highly traveled area, that this is where visitors are brought in when they go on at these West Wing tours.

But when I asked her whether or not she could rule out that it was a White House official, she could not do that saying she wouldn't speculate on who is doing this. She did express confidence in the Secret Service's investigation. But nonetheless, that is federal law enforcement official telling me that they just don't know if they will actually be able to identify who brought this baggie in. That's in part because of the number of people who go through this West Wing entrance, and also because of how small that bag that was where the cocaine was might -- making it that much more difficult to identify fingerprints or potentially DNA there.

But this investigation is certainly ongoing at this hour.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: And still ahead on EARLY START, what exactly are the chemicals that researchers say is in our drinking water?

Plus, the showdown over abortion rights heating up in Ohio.

And, Meta's rival to Twitter, well, it's now live. We are trying out the new threads. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:39]

SOLOMON: Welcome back, and it's live.

Meta has officially launched its rival to Twitter. The app is called Threads. It has a layout similar to Twitter. There are hashtags, trending topics, and a 500 character limit.

Threads is strategically launching after what's been a tough week for Twitter.

Let's bring in Clare Duffy. But, first, Elon Musk, he announced the restrictions on amount of tweets you can read. Remember that. He also restricted access to Twitter for anyone not logged into an account, and said that users would have to soon pay for tweet. Those announcements not going over well with longtime Twitter users.

So, now, let's bring CNN business writer Clare Duffy.

So, Clare, you have had a chance to join Threads so far. What do you think?

CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Yeah, I've had it for about 12 hours, now it is like the first day of school over there. You have tons of people not weeding, threading I guess we should call it. Posting, engaging, doing their first threads.

What makes it easy is that you can log in through your Instagram account. I think that is a huge link up that Meta has here, is you log in through Instagram account. You can pour over your whole Instagram following to this new app, so it is really easy to get set up and the interface looks like Twitter, the navigation is sort of similar to Instagram. So it is really intuitive, it's really easy to use.

So I think this does pose a real threat to Twitter here, especially -- I mean, in the months since Elon Musk took over, you've had tons of Twitter user saying they want an alternative to that platform. There's sort of rise in hate speech, lots of technical issues, especially over the last week, but especially over the last week. I mean, this is such perfect timing for Meta to launch this thing.

SOLOMON: When you pull over your information, does this -- the handle say the same or do you get a no handle?

DUFFY: Your handle stays the same. Your bio can even stay the same if you want, though you're able to edit. I mean, it's just -- it's so easy to get started.

SOLOMON: So, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO, of course, was asked if he thinks Threads will become bigger than Twitter. He said, in part, it will take some time, but also said, I think there should be a public conversations app with one billion plus people on it. Twitter does not have that.

But he said, Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn't nailed it.

What's reaction been like so far in terms of the user base of Threads, and basically your reaction? I mean, does it have to nail it, Meta?

DUFFY: I think it is a real threat. It's so interesting that quote. I mean, he's really hitting at Twitter. Twitter has long said it's about the public conversation. You see Mark Zuckerberg kind of stealing that phrasing.

And it does appear that it's well on its way like leaders at Meta have said that there were 10 million signups on Threats in the first seven hours.

SOLOMON: Wow.

DUFFY: And that's really where Meta and Instagram have a leg up here. Instagram has 2 billion users that now can sign into this new app directly from their Instagram really easily.

[05:25:06]

That's compared to about 250 million daily users on Twitter.

And so, this is such a significant scale that Meta has on its side here.

SOLOMON: Did you say Instagram has 2 billion users?

DUFFY: Instagram has 2 billion users worldwide. Twitter has about --

SOLOMON: So, could easily --

DUFFY: -- 250 million. So it could reach that one billion mark.

SOLOMON: Theoretically.

Clare Duffy, great to have you. We will watch and see.

Right now for quick hits across America.

Let's start in Ohio -- a big push for abortion rights in Ohio after group seeking to protect those rights submitted 710,000 petition signatures for the state. That is more than double what they needed. The proposed amendment could go on the November ballot.

UPS workers edging closer and closer to a strike after marathon negotiations with the teamsters union broke down Wednesday. The current agreement expires at the end of the month.

And a new study finds nearly half the drinking water in the U.S. contains forever chemicals like PFAs that could cause cancer. Geological Survey reports that private well uses and people know cities should use filters.

Well, coming up, more than a dozen people killed, thousands displaced after major flooding in China.

And, CNN on the ground after Israel's deadly incursion on the West Bank.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Many of the armed Palestinian factions are here to show that they are unbowed, unbroken by Israel's reign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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