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U.S. Targeted Key Iranian Proxy Group in Cyberattack; Sen. Warren Unveils Plan for Election Security; Stephanie Grisham Named New White House Press Secretary; Acting CBP Commissioner Resigns Amid Border Crisis. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired June 25, 2019 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00] BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Late last week against a group called Kata'ib Hezbollah. This is one of Iran's proxy groups, they have a large number of fighters in Iran also in Iraq and Syria. And what they went after was their networked communications. This was a cyberattack to try and keep this proxy group from being

able to communicate among itself and with its leadership back in Iran at this very sensitive, tense time.

Now, we don't know yet how well the cyberattack worked. We don't know how much of their communications have been brought down. Cyber always very appealing because you keep U.S. troops safe. You're not in a situation where you're bombing. But it's an intelligence risk because sometimes you want to keep the adversaries' communications going so you can eavesdrop, so you can listen in, so you can figure out what they're up to.

But this time, they wanted to give the president these options and he did approve them. This may be one of the most significant efforts in cyberattacks in this time frame when tensions have been rising so rapidly. The president today, again, talking about obliteration in a kinetic sense, if you will, strikes, military strikes against Iran if they were to attack Americans. It's raising a lot of tensions in the region.

Right now, the Pentagon still hoping very clearly that Iran does not respond in some military fashion to the latest sanctions and they don't have to go back to where they were last week which was considering air strikes.

John?

JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: Barbara Starr, important details from the Pentagon. Barbara, appreciate that.

When we come back, tomorrow night, Elizabeth Warren will be on a debate stage. Today, she released a plan she says would make American elections more secure.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:36:12] KING: Senator Elizabeth Warren today looking to cement her role as the policy wonk of the 2020 race. That on the eve of the first Democratic debate. Warren unveiling yet another detailed plan, this one she says would protect national, state, and local elections from foreign and domestic meddling. Here are some of what's in it.

Warren proposes streamlining voting machines, ballots, and security measures across the country and mandating their usage. She also wants to expand access at the polls making it easier for example to register and cast ballots on Election Day. She's offering incentive to states that end up boosting voter turnout. And she put a new federal group in charge of ensuring compliance with all these new rules.

The price tag? Senator Warren says it would cost $20 billion over a decade and she says a tax she plans on the ultra-billionaires will cover that cost. This latest proposal is the 24th policy plan released by Senator Warren so far according to her campaign. And it's almost certainly something she'll try to showcase at tomorrow's debate.

It is the first debate night. She will not be on stage with the other frontrunners, no Bernie Sanders, no Joe Biden, no Kamala Harris. She will be center stage which is the first time a woman would be center stage in American presidential debate. I mean, Hillary Clinton was in the general elections, in the primary debates with this big field is the first time a woman in the middle. How important is this particular plan? Or is it just the whole idea that she wants people to think she is the candidate with the most plans?

TARINI PARTI, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, BUZZFEED NEWS: It's the fact that she has -- not just the fact that she has the most plans but the fact that she's talking about these plans and how she's talking about them on the campaign trail. So if you go to any of her town halls, she's figured out how to condense these, you know, very detailed plans and talk about them when voters ask questions.

You know, no matter what they ask, she's able to connect their question to whether it's a corruption plan or any of her other, you know, 23 plans that she's put out. And it'll be interesting to see if she's able to do that on the debate stage with limited amount of time, with so many other candidates to deal with. And how she's, you know, able to bring up this plan in particular which is interesting because it mentions election security in particular which is something that even Congress is currently negotiating. Obviously, the president made news on recently by saying, you know, he's not ruling out using materials obtained by, you know, foreign interference.

So, you know, she's made some news on this plan in particular but it'll be interesting to see how she talks about it.

KING: And to that point, I just want to show our viewers, if you just look at the lineup, there'll be 10 candidates and the second debate is the next night. But you have these 10 candidates, and again, Senator Warren will be in the center. Former Congressman Beto O'Rourke, Senator Klobuchar, Tulsi Gabbard, Governor Inslee, former Congressman John Delaney, Senator Booker on the other side of Senator Warren and former housing secretary Congressman Ryan, Mayor de Blasio.

She is the leading candidate from a poll's perspective. She is the leading candidate in this debate which gives her an opportunity. She's a practiced, polished debater going back to her high school days. It's an opportunity. Is it also a bit of a challenge in the sense that if you're one of the lesser-known candidates and you know Elizabeth Warren is on the rise right now, you want to put a target on her?

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, this second debate is going to be interesting because I think all of these personalities are sort of desperate for a breakout moment. So, there is the possibility that someone could really break through and shine and they might be able to do it without trying to tear her down. It might be actually quite risky to do that in this context. But she has not only center stage, she's the top of the field in that second debate. But she also --

KING: First debate.

PHILLIP: Sorry, the first debate. But she's the most experienced, I think, of all of those people in terms of communicating what she's about, communicating her platform. And I think that that is going to be the biggest challenge for the other folks, particularly someone like a Beto who has a lot of charisma but does not have as much experience explaining what he is about and what he is for.

And so, you know, the challenge is going to be how do you shine when Elizabeth Warren is kind of there and everybody really already knows what she's about, what she wants to do, and she's pretty skilled at communicating it.

[12:40:08] That's where she does best. And I don't know that it's going to be a smart idea for any of these people to sort of say, oh she has a target on her back, I'm going to start attacking her or going negative in any way. I think it's just a big risk to do that.

MICHAEL SHEAR, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: I mean, look, I agree with that but -- and I think her skills at communication are formidable. But she's also somebody who relishes having more time to deliver a kind of more full approach. And let's face it, these debates, especially with 10 people, are about one-liners. You know, President Obama once, I covered a town hall of his where he delivered a 17:30-minute answer to A healthcare question that literally didn't stop for 17 and a half

minutes. I mean, it was insane.

And she is maybe better than that, but, you know, you go to her town hall meetings. I gather she's very good. She's professorial in the same way that Obama was. And so the people who are going to succeed are going to be the ones that figure out how to condense that into one sharp, biting line. I mean, those are the ones we all remember from past debates too.

KING: Is there anyone on this stage, Senator Warren to her credit, you don't have to agree with the policies, you want any candidate to be specific, what are you going to do? How are you going to pay for it? How would it work? If you go to her website, she has done that. Again, you can disagree with it on the policy or how much it's going to cost or whatever, but to her credit, she's laid out these plans. Is there anybody on this stage who is going to make the argument that if she were the nominee that the Republicans would make. Which is, more power in Washington, now you're saying Washington should make the machines for elections? That's left up to states right now. In your college plan, you put power in Washington. In this plan, you put power in Washington.

Is there anyone on this stage that is going to make the case it's too much power in Washington?

PHILLIP: I'll look at Klobuchar for that, right?

PARTI: Look, you could see someone like Klobuchar or Hickenlooper who's already talked a lot about how socialism will be bad and will make Democrats lost the White House. You could see someone like Tim Ryan who is a little bit more moderate, also bring that up. But, you know, I think it'll be interesting to see if they use names, if they attach that criticism to Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders or if they just talk about it more broadly.

SHEAR: Yes.

HEATHER CAYGLE, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, POLITICO: Yes, I mean, I think it's risky, you know, like we were talking about earlier to try to take her down on this stage when you have very little time to introduce yourself, to begin with, you know? And you want the voters to walk away and remember who you were, not that you were attacking Elizabeth Warren. Probably?

KING: Let's just remember we're in a primary setting, so that's, you know -- but a lot of her plans are popular with Democrats. We shall see. I can't wait first on tomorrow night.

As we go to break, the vice president of the United States, Mike Pence in South Florida right now launching what is called the Latinos for Trump coalition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hola, Miami.

Welcome to the kickoff of one of the most important coalitions of the 2020 campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:47:33] KING: I want to welcome our international viewers as well for some breaking news just in to CNN. The first lady of the United States, Melania Trump announcing that her communications director and press secretary Stephanie Grisham will take over as the White House press secretary and communications director. A bigger job that also will include the East Wing. Here's the tweet.

"I'm pleased to announce at Steph Grisham 45 will be the next press secretary and comms director. She has been with us since 2015, POTUS and I can think of no better person to serve the administration and our country. Excited to have Stephanie working for both sides of the White House. Be Best, the first lady's slogan at the end of that.

CNN's Kate Bennett joins us on the phone right now. Kate, you know Stephanie Grisham well, you also know this White House Sarah Sanders leaving within a matter of days here. Why Stephanie Grisham and why for what sounds like a bigger job, a much bigger job than this White House has had.

KATE BENNETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER (via telephone): Well, John, I think for a few reasons. I think mainly, Stephanie Grisham has been somebody the president has trusted since she joined the campaign back in 2015. Clearly, she's one of the longest standing members of the Trump administration. This isn't that much of a surprise considering what a vocal mouthpiece Stephanie Grisham has been for Melania Trump when we think of all of these fiery moments, whether it was calling for the firing of a member of the West Wing staff or defending the first lady as she remained silent during Stormy Daniels (INAUDIBLE) for example or the kidney procedure she had last year. Stephanie Grisham has been the forward-facing voice of the East Wing.

You know, I deal with her probably more than any other reporter and she's a straight shooter. No word yet if she'll bring back press briefings in the West Wing but certainly, this is somebody the president feels he can trust.

She is going to stay on as a spokesperson for the first lady in addition to this new role. That's something new and unprecedented. We'll see how that goes. But certainly, this news from the first lady I think is an indicator that she supports Grisham's move to oversee the West Wing communications.

KING: The timing, obviously, is obvious in the sense that you're putting a very loyal person to both the president and the first lady in this job as we head into a very contentious re-election campaign cycle. This is not a criticism of Stephanie Grisham, it's more of a question of curiosity. This job has changed a lot under this president.

Stephanie Grisham, am I right, no prior government experience before she came into the Trump administration in terms of if you're the White House communications director or the White House press secretary, you're on the phone with the Pentagon, you're on the phone with the Department of Health and Human Services, you're on the phone with -- pick your agency in the United States government every day dealing with, a, what's the day-to-day business, but b, the crises that pop up in any administration.

[12:50:10] BENNETT (via telephone): Yes. That's an excellent point. Before she joined the Trump campaign, she worked in local Arizona politics, typically on the Republican side. She did briefly work for the Mitt Romney campaign in 2012. She has a lot of experience in terms of being a spokesperson.

But as you mentioned, this is a huge job. This is overseeing a contentious White House, a president who tweets at will. A very divisive time in the climate of the country as we go into the election season. It's a big job.

But clearly, this is something he feels she can handle. She will be joining the president as he goes to Asia this week, I've learned, and starting the job pretty much right away.

KING: Kate Bennett, stay with us if you can. We'll bring the conversation into the room, as well. And, again, back to this, you know, having covered the White House for 10 years. You want somebody the president trust, you want somebody the president knows, you want someone who the president believes, and the first lady in this case because she's doing both jobs, understands them, understands their language, understands their rhythm, understands their reflexes.

From that case, it makes perfect sense. Are they really creating this Uber job, the White House communications director, the former Fox executive Bill Shine left months ago, right? This has been a vacancy for quite some time. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the second press secretary who lost a lot of credibilities, let's be honest with the people in the briefing room. A, for statements, that just aren't true, and then b, just for pulling back the availability of what was traditionally an open White House briefing. What is the climate for Stephanie Grisham?

PHILLIP: The shine in this administration is always short lived. And I think you always have to kind of look at these positions from that perspective because she's getting the biggest job I think of anybody who's been in these roles. The president has cycled through multiple press secretaries and communications directors repeatedly, in some cases tiring of them, deciding they weren't doing a great job and taking on the job himself largely.

And so it's a lot of responsibility for Stephanie to take on the press secretary job and the comms director job. And I think that Sarah Sanders survived in that position as long as she did with the president's favor in part because she turned inward. She really changed that role profoundly because it was necessary. In order to satisfy the president, you have to turn that role inward. It becomes much less about communicating to the outside world than it does -- than it is about managing the president himself.

And in some ways, Stephanie is really well positioned to do that. She is close to one of the people who is closest to the president and understands Melania Trump who many people do not understand very well. And so it puts her in a good position to do that. Will it change the perception of the White House from the outside? I tend to doubt that.

KING: And it's important. It's just important to remember how different this administration does the communications department and the communications business than any other administration. Because the president thinks he's his best communications director and he's his best spokesman. You say that just recently, ABC, NBC, phone calls into CNBC, a couple of phone calls into Fox there as well. He believes he is the best person to do this job. Stephanie Grisham taking the job at a time of continued turmoil in the administration. I want to bring you this. Just into CNN, the acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection is stepping down. John Sanders is his name and he has resigned at a moment of controversy about policy at the border and detention centers. CNN's Evan Perez joins us live with the details. Evan, why is he leaving?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's not exactly clear at this moment, John. But as you said this adds to the turmoil that we've seen in recent months at the Department of Homeland Security. Kevin MacLean is now the acting chief over there, and now -- once he moved over to lead the Homeland Security Department, John Sanders stepped up to lead the agency and now he says that he is leaving.

Now, we don't know exactly what played a role in this, but our Priscilla Alvarez and Geneva Sands are learning from their sources that this is coming soon. Now, the issue as you pointed out, there's been this conditions of children being held at stations at the border by the CBP that has garnered a lot of negative controversy for the Homeland Security Department. And so we don't know whether that played a role in John Sanders' decision to step down. We expect that we're going to hear a lot more of this.

Obviously, the Homeland Security Department and the administration as a whole have been defending their handling of what they say is an unprecedented crisis at the border. And so they say they defend their treatment of these children. Obviously, now, though, there's a lot more attention to exactly what has been happening. So John Sanders is now on his way out at the Customs and Protection Border agency and we'll see who is next up to bat. Robert Perez is the deputy director there so maybe he'll be the new acting commissioner at CBP, John.

KING: CNN's Evan Perez, appreciate the live report there.

And I'm going to try to connect the dots here because I believe they can be connected. This is another example of how the unorthodox management style of this White House.

[12:55:02] We're just talking about a new press secretary, new communications director, it operates in a very different sphere than any of us have seen.

This president has a policy problem which could become a political problem at the border. How much of it is attributable to the fact that he turns over his Department of Homeland Security, he says he wants to have a border czar. He prematurely -- you reported on that, announce that last week. He has people at the White House, people at these agencies who are competing with each other about a very important issue to him, a defining issue to him. Border enforcement at a time when if you pick up a newspaper or go online, whatever your views on immigration, there are children being held in detention centers that are a mess and unhealthy and unsafe and overcrowded.

SHEAR: Let me -- I'll try to add another way that you can connect the dots, right. Everything that -- for President Trump about how this government is run is filtered through the idea of personal loyalty to him. And when -- you know, you covered previous presidents, I did, too, the way that most presidents run administrations is not to say that they don't want people loyal to them, they do, but there are established policy processes that separate the two things. There's loyalty and then there's how the government runs. And whether it is the way a press secretary balances the interests between loyalty to the president and, you know, sort of fealty to the freedom of the press and getting information out or whether it's the way Homeland Security officials have to be insulated from the president's whims so that they can address deep fundamental concerns like what -- you know, the safety of children at the border.

When you strip away all of the processes that normally protect and keep those two things separate and all you have is loyalty to the president, that's when you start getting turmoil, people leaving, all sorts of infighting. And the administration and the agency is not really understanding what kind of what they need to do because they're -- all they keep looking at is the president's Twitter feed.

KING: And so -- and please don't take -- anybody takes this as me minimizing this because of the crisis and especially the children involved, but you have a who's on the first moment if you will, who's in charge of border policy, who does the president trust? Who -- which is -- (INAUDIBLE) whether it's Stephen Miller at the White House or this new border czar or the person -- the acting secretary of this, you have an acting secretary at the Pentagon, you have a new White House press secretary and communications director coming in at a moment where the president has a lot of policy issues before him and a very complicated re-election campaign right in front of him.

PHILLIP: It's just impossible in a lot of cases on the border to please President Trump. It has made it very difficult for a lot of these officials who are already in tenuous acting positions to do anything in their roles. It's been extremely difficult for all of the officials including for Kevin MacLean of DHS. When the president goes on Twitter and announces things that haven't gone through a process, haven't been worked out yet. So we will see what this is all about. But it could not be a more tenuous time for this.

And I think it illustrates the fact that President Trump does not really have a policy strategy for the border, but he does lash out at his officials when he feels things are not going the right way. He wants certain things done. He wants them to stop the flow of migrants coming up from Central America. These things are not done overnight.

But it's very difficult to make him see that and to accept that there is a process for a lot of these things. It makes these folks' jobs very, very difficult.

KING: I want to come back to the Stephanie Grisham appointment for a moment just for a second. Again, at this moment of personnel turnover, personnel questions, giant policy issues with the United States Congress. Her job, I'm just trying to figure out exactly how she will fit into this ball if you will.

In the old days, the press secretary dealt with today. The press secretary every day called every agency around the government, what you have going on, what's good, what's bad, what do we need to worry about. The communications director is always dealing with the long- term. The president going to the G20 in Osaka, for example, the communications director would have spent the last month figuring out how many interviews are we going to do, what are the big issues is going to be, what are the optics, how is the president going to look.

Are we going to go back to anything like that structure ever again? Or are we in a world where I suspect part of the reason you put a loyal person like Stephanie Grisham in this job at this time is the president's campaign apparatus will be doing a lot of the communications work if you will? And that always happens. That always happens and there's sometimes tension between the work of government and the work of the campaign. Is it easier to do this at this moment? Is that the right word?

PARTI: Well, the communications department at the White House has been shrinking in the last, you know, year and a half significantly. And so, you know, it has -- it's now full of the president's most loyal, most trusted advisers. And so they are not really thinking long-term necessarily as much. Their job is to get day -- you know, day --get through the day, look at the president's tweets, make sure everything is going OK and move onto the next day.

And I think the re-election campaign will start looking at more of the long-term stuff, but, you know, it is President Trump and he tends to focus more on what's happening during the day and responding to his political opponents more so than, you know, a long-term policy priority.

KING: And I think the common theme of royalty coming up, loyal to him, someone who just -- every president deserves a loyal staff. The question is, this president sometimes take it over the top.

Thanks everybody for dealing with the breaking news. Thank you for joining us in the INSIDE POLITICS today. For our international viewers, "AMANPOUR" is next. For our viewers here in the United States, Brianna Keilar starts right now. Have a great afternoon.

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