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Trump, Top Aides Say They Won't Return Man Mistakenly Deported To El Salvador; Trump Says He Wants To Deport "Homegrown Criminals" To El Salvador; Man Charged With Attempted Murder In Fire At Gov. Shapiro's Home; White House Exempts Chinese-Made Tech Devices From Most Tariffs, Then Says It's Only Temporary; New Poll: 56 Percent Disapprove Of Trump's Handling Of Economy. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired April 14, 2025 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00]

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: -- that we just saw coming out of the Oval Office on this, which is notable, Dana. Because just a few days ago on Air Force One, after that Supreme Court ruling came out, that had some confusion in it in terms of, you know, essentially giving the White House a deadline to have this man returned, the President said if the Supreme Court said that someone had to be returned, that he would abide by that ruling.

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.

COLLINS: And so I asked him about that just now during that back and forth inside the Oval Office, and clearly their position on this has changed, which Stephen Miller has been articulating and saying that they do not plan to return this man.

BASH: Yes, that was the question after listening to all of that that I had, and of course you asked it, Kaitlan, about the Supreme Court, because we were planning on running that clip from the President saying explicitly that he has respect for the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court says --

COLLINS: Yes.

BASH: -- they have to get him back, that they would, and the fact that he deflected in his answer to you, I'll just describe it that way, I thought was very noteworthy.

COLLINS: Yes. And Dana, can I also say, you know, as I was listening to the -- after they said it was a question for the President of El Salvador, I asked him outright, did he plan to help facilitate his return? Obviously, he could easily do so.

President Trump was sitting next to him, and I don't know if you could see this on the camera, but he was essentially beaming as he was listening to one of his closest allies, obviously the first leader of Latin America, to visit the White House, which is a statement in and of itself, as he was making that argument that no, they would not return him. He called it -- the quote was "preposterous" on this notion of returning the Maryland man that they say was wrongly deported to his country.

BASH: Yes, no, absolutely.

Thank you so much, Kaitlan. Thanks for jumping out to the North Lawn to come on with us. Appreciate it.

Tia, I do want to bring in some of what we have been talking about, and specifically talk about this notion of U.S. citizens potentially being sent there. Jonah said, well, maybe if El Salvador is effectively a contractor, we contract El Salvador to be the place where we send prisoners, maybe that is a thing that's going to happen.

I just want our viewers to listen again to what the President said on this topic.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'd like to go a step further, I mean, I said it to Pam, I don't know what the laws are, we always have to obey the laws, but we also have homegrown criminals that push people into subways, that hit elderly ladies on the back of the head with a baseball bat when they're not looking, that are absolute monsters. I'd like to include them in the group of people to get them out of the country.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

TIA MITCHELL, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION: Yes, I think it's, again, it's very troubling, not just because the unprecedented, you know, change in policy of putting U.S. citizen prisoners and potentially putting them outside of the country for whatever sentencing or even awaiting sentencing, because again, these flights to El Salvador, yes, there are undocumented immigrants, but most of them have not been accused of wrongdoing outright.

There's been no evidence to really justify their deportations. So what happens if that lack of due process begins to trickle down to U.S. citizens as well? What happens when a U.S. citizen perhaps is detained, but then as the case unfolds, there is justification to say, hey, maybe they were wrongfully arrested, and then what if the government says, well, they're already there, we can't do anything about it.

So it leads to a lot of questions. And again, because what we've seen already with undocumented immigrants, I just think it could lead to a really --

BASH: Yes.

MITCHELL: -- dark place.

BASH: Well, look, I mean, what they have done wrong is they apparently all of them came into the country illegally. There's a whole different question when you are talking about potential U.S. citizens.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR & CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: I think -- and Priscilla and I have worked on pieces of this, and that's why I'm pausing because there are so many different elements that are flying through my head right now. And I think that's actually kind of part of this that people need to understand more than anything else.

How many different variables are at play here? None of which you saw in the Oval Office, and none of which most people are aware of over the course of the last couple of months. And it starts with stepping back.

Bukele isn't just post-election, somebody who realized this was an opportunity in a bilateral relationship, nor is he benevolent. His country and he want very specific things and are negotiating for very specific things. And it's more than just money or relationships with defense contractors. And that's important to keep in mind here.

He's not just doing this out of the goodness of his heart because he loves President Trump. Bukele has been a kind of conservative rock star on the rise for the better part of several years. You go to CPAC, he was there. He gets standing ovations.

His approach, both in the authoritarian elements of it and in the law and order centrality of it, has been very popular in the United States and has drawn people in kind of the peripheral, the outside Trump orbit, like Eric Prince and others, to his corner. And I think that more than anything else animates what you've seen and is important to keep in mind.

[12:35:02]

BASH: We have to sneak in a quick break. On the other side of the break, we are going to be speaking with the Attorney General of Pennsylvania about the arson that went on inside the residence of Pennsylvania's governor. Josh Shapiro will get the latest on the investigation there.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:40:01]

BASH: We're learning more about the suspect accused of setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence. Thirty-eight-year-old Cody Balmer of Harrisburg was charged with multiple counts, including attempted criminal homicide, aggravated arson, burglary, and terrorism.

The damage, as you are seeing there, is horrifying, especially this image. What you're seeing here shows a Hebrew prayer, which the governor and his family likely recited when celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover just hours before. Governor Shapiro sent this message to everyone after being evacuated safely.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D), PENNSYLVANIA: This type of violence is not OK. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. And I don't give a damn if it's coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another, or one particular person or another. It is not OK. And it has to stop.

We have to be better than this. We have a responsibility to all be better. If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this. We celebrated our faith last night proudly. And in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover again proudly. No one will deter me or my family or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

BASH: Joining me now is the Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday. Thank you so much for being here. I want to start with some of the new information we're getting here at CNN that the suspect wrote multiple social media posts expressing his disdain for Joe Biden. What are you learning about this man and his potential motive?

DAVE SUNDAY (R), PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, to start with, Dana, it's great to be here. Thank you for having me. And I don't know if you saw the governor's press conference. Well, I guess you did because you just played it. But my heart goes out for the governor.

This is an absolutely horrific incident. It goes out to his family and everyone involved with this and all Pennsylvanians. As the AG's office is not the lead investigator, you know, I hesitate to comment specifically on some parts of the investigation.

But what I can say, it's clear that this was an act of terror in some form or fashion. And like I said, it was very, very serious. And I feel terrible for the governor.

BASH: Yes, absolutely. And I understand that it is the DA who is in charge there. But of course, you are the top prosecutor for --

SUNDAY: Yes.

BASH: -- the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. So on that note, I do want to ask about the timing of this attack on the Jewish holiday of Passover. Earlier that night, Governor Shapiro tweeted a picture of his family's Seder. Do you believe based on what you are being told that they're learning about the suspect that anti-Semitism played a role here?

SUNDAY: Well, I don't want to get ahead of the lead investigators. But what I can say is that we often draw facts from what we see around us. And it's clear that people are drawing that inference. And what I can say very simply is, if that is the case, it's reprehensible.

I mean, there is no place in our society for hate-filled violence, really for violence at all. But there's no place for anything that would resemble what we see here. My hope is that anti-Semitism does not play a role. But if it does, it's reprehensible. And anyone that would do that, they need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

BASH: And we're also getting new information, forgive me, while we're talking from my colleagues, saying that this suspect who was arrested was in the past separately charged for assaulting members of his own family, that that happened two years ago after he attempted suicide. Obviously, this is a very unstable individual.

SUNDAY: So, Dana, thanks for bringing that up. I can tell you -- and not with regard to this specific case, but as a career prosecutor, I think this is an opportunity for us to look at mental health and the role of mental health in our society, and in particular, the lack of access to treatment for mental health care.

[12:45:03]

I mean, I'm a career prosecutor. I was a district attorney long before I became an attorney general, and the role of mental health was just a critical part of what we saw with crime. A lot of the worst crimes and most violent crimes we've seen in society, if you forensically walk sort of back through that person's life, you'll find at some point they may have touched the criminal justice system with a mental health component.

And again, I don't want to get ahead of the facts here with the lead investigators, but if that is the case, I think this is an opportunity for us to have a very serious discussion about this issue and crime.

BASH: Now, I did listen to the press conference from Governor Shapiro yesterday, and he was very careful to praise Pennsylvania State Police. But it goes without saying, it's obvious, this was a significant security failure. What are you learning about that, about the actual breach?

SUNDAY: Well, at this point in the investigation, and clearly this is important from, again, I'm going to view this through the lens of a prosecutor and being the chief law enforcement officer, and every resource has to clearly go into identifying the facts of this case.

What happened, how it happened, and making sure that we have the correct facts as the Commonwealth and as, in particular, the district attorney in this case moves forward. And I say that very simply, that there will certainly be a time to look at how this happened, but it's critical at this point in an investigation that the investigators look specifically to the facts to determine what happened in this case with regard to criminal culpability.

And like I said, there will certainly be time to have those discussions, but the reality -- and I want to make this very clear. You know, I've worked with the Pennsylvania State Police for many, many, many years, and I will tell you that they are one of the most professional, experienced, and quality law enforcement organizations that exist.

And so I'm grateful for all the work that they did as soon as this happened to identify the perpetrator. And I can tell you right now that there will be a time for sort of an after action type of report, but the reality is right now everything goes to investigating this defendant and making sure that the Commonwealth is in a to successfully prosecute him.

BASH: And I understand that, but as a statewide elected official --

SUNDAY: Yes.

BASH: -- you've got to be concerned that there was such a --

SUNDAY: Yes.

BASH: -- a breach in security with somebody who is not only high profile because he is the governor of Pennsylvania, but he's got a big national profile.

SUNDAY: Right. Dana, again, thanks for bringing that up. I mean, it's clearly a concern. And I'm going to tell you right now, as an elected official myself, I have a family, I have a young son, safety is something that's on all of our minds 24 hours a day. It's very scary when violence, especially of a political nature, occurs.

I mean, the outcome, the impact is far greater than that one person who was a target. It chills public discourse. It puts people in a position where they're fearful. And so very simply, of course, it's very, very concerning that this individual was able to get into the governor's mansion in a manner that was outlined in the affidavit of probable cause.

Obviously, the governor, I mean, my heart goes out to him and his family with the trauma that I'm sure exists as a result of being victims of a case like this. And so, I mean, of course, it's a -- it's very frightening, in fact, that someone was able to do that.

BASH: Pennsylvania Attorney General, by the way, a position that Josh Shapiro had before he became governor --

SUNDAY: Yes.

BASH: -- Dave Sunday, thank you so much for joining me today. I really appreciate it.

SUNDAY: Thank you for having me.

BASH: And coming up, President Trump's tariff tornado has the global economy twisting and turning. We're going to break down all of the missed -- mixed messaging and what exemptions are actually coming and what it could mean for you. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:53:49]

BASH: It was yet another head spinning weekend for anyone trying to understand President Trump's trade war. On Friday, the administration announced Chinese made electronics like smartphones and laptops would be exempt from the 145 percent tariff on China. That was a big relief for companies like Apple, which relies heavily on manufacturing in China. But will it last?

Top Trump aides say it's just a temporary reprieve and that those products would be covered by a different set of tariffs coming soon. Moments ago in the Oval Office, President Trump had this to say about exemptions not only for Apple, but also car companies.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

TRUMP: I'm looking at something to help some of the car companies with it. They're switching to parts that were made in Canada, Mexico and other places, and they need a little bit of time because they're going to make them here, but they need a little bit of time. So I'm talking about things like that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about any Apple products, other cell phones?

TRUMP: Look, I'm a very flexible person. I don't change my mind, but I'm flexible. And you have to be. You just can't have a wall and you'll only go. No, sometimes you have to go around it, under it or above it.

There'll be maybe things coming up. I speak to Tim Cook. I helped him cook.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

[12:55:10]

BASH: That's another quote I'm going to put on a pillow, and we're getting a lot of these. I don't change my mind, but I'm flexible.

MATTINGLY: Also, walls can go around them, or on top them --

BASH: And I'm there.

MATTINGLY: -- underneath them.

BASH: Yes.

MATTINGLY: That's it.

BASH: Yes.

MATTINGLY: Two pieces of that that I think are really important.

BASH: Go for it.

MATTINGLY: First, if you're an executive who's wondered how you're supposed to be dealing with this very, very uncertain moment, what he said at the very end is the answer to your question. I talked to Tim Cook. I've been dealing with Tim Cook.

If you have an in on a one-to-one basis with the President, we've seen a lot of tech CEOs kind of make this move over the course of the last several months. It's helpful. It doesn't mean you're going to get everything you want, but clearly being in the room is critical, and that industry has made a significant effort to be in the room.

And he's specifically saying, look, the auto exemption that he's talking about is new. It's new --

BASH: Yes.

MATTINGLY: -- and it would be huge. And the reason why is, yes, there's a 25 percent tariff on autos across the board, with the exception of USMCA, the North American trade deal-compliant automotive, or autos themselves, whole cars.

On May 3rd, a 25 percent tariff goes into place on all auto parts. What has happened over the course of the last several weeks, automakers have been very, very upfront with the White House. The big three U.S. automakers saying, we don't like the full car. You know, we can maybe do transmissions and engines, but if you do all of our parts, you're going to kill us.

We will lose billions. We will have to pull guidance. It will be a nightmare for us. Trump seemed to be opening the door very explicitly there, trying to find some type of carve-out, some type of delay, something to put in place for those automakers and the parts tariffs that are supposed to go into place on May 3rd. That would be a significant deal, because that is really kind of the big, big, big hammer that's about to come down on automakers.

JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. Look, I mean, whenever I hear him talk about what the policy is, it reminds me of that Yogi Berra line about when he came to a fork in a road, he took it. I mean, I -- how do you plan on that word salad, right? If you're a business, whether they're going to be terrorists or not going to be terrorists, it's -- the key takeaway for me is, it depends on, you know, whether he had, you know, a case of bad clams last night.

I mean, it's like, it's his mood that determines what macroeconomic policy is for the -- really for the global economy.

BASH: Yes.

GOLDBERG: And that is not a solution to anything. It is just perpetuating -- it's a crisis that he creates. And then the way to solve your part of the crisis is to call him up and beg him to stop hammering you in the crisis that he created. That's why you can see he likes it. At some point, something's got to give somewhere else to change this.

BASH: And so cars, that was new.

MATTINGLY: Yes.

BASH: We heard him kind of sort of reiterate the idea that there will be exemptions, but temporary exemptions on some of the really important electronics, including and especially from Apple. In fact, on that, before I move over to toys, which I want to talk about, these are the products that we're talking about here from China. Laptops, smartphones, rare earth minerals and magnets, video game consoles, footwear, toys, clothing, furniture. OK, let's just zero in on toys for a second. And why don't you listen to this quote from a CEO of a big toy company? He said, "We have no choice but to increase our prices by high double digits". This is Isaac Larian, CEO of the California based MGA Entertainment.

It makes a lot of toys like dolls. And he said, "Surprise! Dolls, amongst several other toys. There is no American factory anywhere that can make hair for dolls. What am I supposed to do? Sell bald dolls?".

MITCHELL: Yes. And that brings up something that we just heard from President Trump, where he said, you know, I'm willing to take a beat on some of these tariffs to give companies time. They just need a little bit of time. Well, when you're talking about a new plant, that's not a little bit of time. That's years of planning and years of construction, depending on the size of the facility.

And so, again, it's not having a clear plan, not having clear communication of what he's trying to accomplish, quite frankly, and how he plans to do it. That is causing so much uncertainty, especially among the business owners. And I think it goes -- we -- you know, we talk about Apple, we talk about the big companies, but it's so many thousands of small businesses in America are being impacted because their supply chain relies on products --

BASH: That's right.

MITCHELL: -- and goods from outside of U.S.

BASH: It's so true. It's not like they don't need just a little bit of time. They're going to -- they need a lot of time in order to actually put up American manufacturing plants.

Just real quick, I don't want to lose sight of the fact that the President's poll numbers on the economy have really been taking a hit because of all of this economic chaos. In March, he -- back in March, the beginning of March, he was above water, 51 percent. Now, below water, the disapproval is 56 percent. 10 seconds.

MATTINGLY: Most striking thing in the consumer sentiment we've all been paying attention to? Inflation expectations are at their highest level in the survey that they've been since 1981. People are expecting it and pricing it in right now. And that has downstream macro effects that are important to pay attention to.

BASH: All right, everybody, thank you so much. Thanks for rolling with it today. Appreciate it.

Thank you for watching Inside Politics. CNN News Central starts right now.