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Isa Soares Tonight
Haiti In Crisis As Ports Remain Blocked And Aid Struggles To Get In; Blinken In Egypt For Talks On Ceasefire-Hostage Deal; U.S. Justice Department Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Apple; Initial Steps Taken to Seize Trump Assets; U.S. Government Sues Apple; 2024 U.S. Election; President Biden And Democrats Raised Significantly More Money Than Trump; Deadline For Trump To Deposit $464M Bond On Monday; Willis Intends To Advocate For Trial Of Trump Prior To Election; Apple Faces Antitrust Lawsuit From U.S. Justice Department; Israel-Hamas War; Catastrophic Hunger In Gaza; Gaza Receiving A Fraction Of Necessary Help; First-Ever Brain Chip Implant User Introduced By Neuralink. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired March 21, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, Haiti in crisis, ports remain blocked,
and aid struggles to get in amid the deadly violence. Tonight, CNN joins the national police by armored car for unique look into gang control
territory.
Then at any moment now, we expect to hear from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he is in Egypt today for high level talks on Gaza, we'll
bring you that live of course. Plus, this hour, a landmark lawsuit. The Department of Justice and more than a dozen U.S. states sue Apple, claiming
the company has kept a legal monopoly of its smartphones.
But first tonight, time is running out in Haiti. Desperate efforts to evacuate hundreds of Americans trapped amid the escalating violence really
continue today. The U.S. State Department says two more chartered helicopter flights from Haiti are expected today, two left from Port-au-
Prince on Wednesday and the evacuees were taken to neighboring Dominican Republic.
Meantime, while the port remains closed and key roads are blocked, humanitarian groups are continuing to try and provide much-needed aid in
Port-au-Prince. And as we've seen from our correspondents on the ground and guests throughout the whole week, schools, hospitals and government
buildings in the capital continue to be attacked.
Many have closed, and of course, food is getting harder to come by. But earlier today, our David Culver witnessed the desperate scenes playing out
in Port-au-Prince, riding with Haiti's national police. He went into the gang-controlled territory, way really offices can, and that is by armored
vehicle.
What you're about to see from David, it really is a microcosm of what is happening across Haiti. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Here in Port-au-Prince, there are no frontlines. The boundaries, they are blurred and they are constantly
shifting. And when you're with Haiti's national police force, one that is facing struggle and sent back, and diminishing resources, you realize just
what they're up against, and that is constant gang activity.
We're driving through areas that are highly contested between different gangs and the police, and they're trying to hold them back time after time.
And yet, these attacks are constant and they come at odd hours. The police often, especially with armored vehicles like this, are able to push them
back.
The issue comes in holding that space and keeping it secure. They don't have enough resources to do that. Many of them have told us that's where an
international mission would help. As of now though, they have to go in, push back and then move on to other areas where gang activity has broken
out.
It's incredible to be inside this tank of sorts and to realize just how much it has seen, evidence of that is along the windows, the glass, bullet-
proof in theory, but certainly has taken a lot of beating. David Culver, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Important perspective there from our David Culver, who is in Port- au-Prince. Meanwhile, Kenya's plan to send the police force to Haiti appears to be stalled, but the president is not giving up. He says Kenya
will not abandon Haiti in its hour of need.
Our Larry Madowo joins us now live from Nairobi with all the details. So, Larry, how soon then -- you have a sense of how soon these Kenyan forces
will be going to Haiti, and the one thing that you're going to give me is a sense of what the mood is like, how it's been received at home.
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Isa, we don't know how quickly they can get there because that's -- that all depends on when Haiti will have a
transition administration, that the latest round of violence as David was just describing, appears to be partly triggered by Ariel Henry, the prime
minister of Haiti, having come here to Kenya to sign what is called the reciprocal arrangement with Haiti because that is required under Kenyan
law.
And initially, a Kenyan, quote, "had blocked this deployment because of that." But while he was here, the gangs took over, blocked the airport and
he was not even able to go back to do that.
[14:05:00]
But President William Ruto insists that Kenya will not abandon Haiti in its time of need, and calls with Secretary Blinken, with Justin Trudeau, with
the Bahamian and Ariel Henry, the leaders from the Caribbean community, he's maintained that Kenya is still going to send troops there, going to
send policemen there, and as soon as there's a government, he will send a reconnaissance team.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO (voice-over): Kenyan President William Ruto marching ahead with a plan to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti, despite strong opposition to
the deployment at home. Elite units of the Kenya police are expected to lead the UN-backed multinational force to crush Haiti's gangs and restore
order once a viable government is in place. Opposition lawmakers like Edwin Sifuna tried to block it.
EDWIN SIFUNA, NAIROBI SENATOR: Our police officers are going to harm's way in Haiti. Well, this is not a situation that our regular police officers
are used to. They have never encountered something like that. Their training does not extend to, you know operations in fields of war.
Kenyan police have been involved in peacekeeping missions for the past 35 years, including in Cambodia, the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Croatia, East
Timor and Sierra Leon. Kenya currently has police serving in Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a parliamentary
report.
CHARLES OWINO, FORMER KENYA POLICE SPOKESMAN: And all those nations, Kenya has not lost a single police officer on any combat.
MADOWO: They're ready for Haiti. This senior policeman believes.
OWINO: Kenya has well-trained paramilitary officers from the general service unit. They have well-trained officers from administration, police,
special operations group, these are officers who have both local and international training, some of the best institutions in Israel, in U.S.
MADOWO: Haiti would be the most challenging deployment yet for Kenyan police with criminal gangs and militias controlling the capital Port-au-
Prince and holding the nation hostage.
WILLIAM RUTO, PRESIDENT, KENYA: It is a historic duty because peace in Haiti is good for peace in the world as a whole.
MADOWO: President Ruto should push for a well-armed military continue to take over, says this security analyst.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our police officers cannot and can never be able to contain the threat of the criminality in Haiti. You need to send thousands
of military personnel to come and disarm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Honorable members --
MADOWO: The Kenyan parliament approved the planned police deployment to Haiti after acrimonious debate in November.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When Haiti is not safe, we are not safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You cannot use our police women and men as guinea pigs at the altar of (INAUDIBLE).
MADOWO (on camera): Civil society and opposition groups here in Kenya maintain that President Ruto's plan to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti
remains illegal and unconstitutional even after his government signed the reciprocal arrangement with the former Prime Minister of Haiti.
(voice-over): The unelected Ariel Henry witnessed the signing of the legal requirement in Nairobi, but he never made it back to Haiti and resigned a
few days later.
SIFUNA: That agreement does not hold any water, because you signed an agreement with an entity that does not have the mandate to call himself a
government. Some of us think that it is because of the monetary incentive.
MADOWO (on camera): So, you think President Ruto is doing this for the money?
SIFUNA: Absolutely.
MADOWO (voice-over): Kenya says the police are in the pre-deployment phase as it awaits the new Haitian administration.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Our thanks there to Larry Madowo. I want to take you now to Cairi(ph) where -- Cairo, I should say, where U.S. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken is speaking alongside the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Let's listen in.
SAMEH SHOUKRY, FOREIGN MINISTER, EGYPT: It's -- also that Israel wouldn't conduct more military operations in this area due to its resulted civilian
killings. In addition to the displacements and many other issues, these things, the international community including the United States agreed to
avoid them.
The discussions with the ministers were addressed with depths and honesty regarding the mutual actions and its importance between the United States
and the attending Arab ministers, including Minister of the -- Saudi Arabia, Minister -- Prime Minister of Qatar, Minister of Foreign Affairs
and the Vice Prime Minister of Jordan.
The Palestinian Authority representative, state of Emirates, there was an agreement on the importance of the continuity of cooperation with the
United States regarding the current issues due to its sensitivity regarding the increasing the scale of the conflict and handling the major topics
including the ceasefire and hostage release and the humanitarian situation.
[14:10:00]
We need to work seriously with the specific procedures in order to tackle these exceptional conditions. I'd like to welcome his Excellency, the
Minister, we agree to continue the coordination with each other, and that the experts would meet soon in order to agree on concrete steps to handle
the issue of increasing the humanitarian aid.
We are looking forward that our mutual efforts would have an effect and the time being, there is no room to wade furthermore. There's no room to
increase this suffering and there's no room to make the work continue. We hope that we can get over all of this and reach a new phase in the region
away from the conflict and revenge.
A phase where the conflict would end on the two-state solution and establishment of the Palestinian state on the borders of 1967 with eastern
Jerusalem as its capital. Both people of Israel and Palestine would enjoy peace and security and cooperation with more fields.
All the people of the region would benefit from. I'd like to welcome the Minister and give him the floor.
ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE, UNITED STATES: Sameh, thank you very much and good evening, everyone. And let me start by wishing all of us a
Ramadan, my friend Sameh also pointed out that it's Mother's Day for many in the region, so Happy Mother's Day and also thank you for reminding me to
call my mother.
We had very productive meetings today with President Sisi, with Foreign Minister Shoukry as well as with our colleagues -- and I'll come to that in
a minute. Over the last two days, in my travels to the region, we've met intensively with all of our -- virtually all of our regional partners from
Saudi Arabia, from Egypt, from Jordan, from the UAE, from Qatar, Palestinian Authority.
But I very much appreciate the Foreign Minister hosting today's meeting with the Arab Foreign Ministers. I've been meeting and speaking
individually to them over the past several weeks, but it was very good to be together to have the opportunity to convene as a group, to share views
on where we are, where we need to go and how we can best get there.
And there's a clear consensus around a number of shared priorities. First, the need for an immediate sustained ceasefire with the release of hostages
that would create space to surge more humanitarian assistance to relieve the suffering of many people and to build something more enduring.
We've been working as you know with Egypt, with Qatar, and with Israel to put a strong proposal on the table. Hamas responded to that, negotiators
continue to work, the gaps are narrowing and we're continuing to push for an agreement in Doha, still difficult work to get there, but I continue to
believe it's possible.
The United States has also put forward the United Nations Security Council Resolution to support these efforts, and we hope that all countries will
back that resolution. Second, there's an agreement as you heard from Minister Shoukry on the urgent need to surge and sustain humanitarian
assistance for the people of Gaza.
Children should not be dying of malnutrition in Gaza or anywhere else for that matter. A 100 percent, a 100 percent of the population of Gaza is
experiencing severe levels of acute food insecurity. We cannot -- we must not allow that to continue. Now, the ceasefire that we're working on would
be the best, most immediate way to enable us to surge humanitarian assistance, but it's not the only way.
Regardless, we have to be doing that, we've seen some improvement over the last couple of weeks in getting humanitarian assistance to Palestinians,
but it's not enough. And as I said, we need to really surge and sustain the assistance across land, across sea and across air.
We have senior officials meeting today in Cyprus to coordinate the international efforts on the Maritime corridor, and that includes support
for the U.S. military mission to construct a pier, a temporary pier as an additional channel for aid.
[14:15:00]
But as I said before and I want to emphasize this Maritime corridor, and this pier is a complement to, not a substitute for other means of getting
assistance to people who need it, and in particular, the land crossings are the most critical means of getting aid to those in need.
As Minister Shoukry said, we agreed today all the ministers that we would get our experts together in the coming days to identify the urgent,
practical and concrete steps that can and should be taken to increase the flow of assistance. Israel needs to do more.
Tomorrow, I'll be talking to our partners about how to coordinate our efforts. As the Foreign Minister mentioned as well, we also discussed
Rafah, we all share concerns. There are more than a million people in Rafah and many of whom were displaced from other parts of Gaza.
A major ground operation there would mean more civilian deaths, it would worsen the humanitarian crisis. There is a better way to deal with the
threat, the ongoing threat posed by Hamas. Third, we discussed and agreed on the need for long-term peace and security.
This discussion, very much consistent with the principles that I laid out in Tokyo many months ago, that Gaza cannot be used as a platform for
terrorism. There can be no displacement of his population, there can be no reoccupation by Israel. And we also agree that this requires a path to two
states with real security guarantees for Israel.
In turn, this also requires real reform of the Palestinian Authority, and we've seen some initial steps in that direction, more is needed
revitalizing the PA with a better, more representative government, including Palestinians from Gaza. It's critical to achieving the vision of
a Gaza unified with the West Bank under Palestinian Authority.
If and as the Palestinian Authority pursues reform, I'm also convinced that the region will strongly support it. Regional integration is one of the
building blocks of lasting peace and lasting security. And that includes normalization for Israel with its neighbors.
Yesterday, I had an opportunity to meet again with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well as with Foreign Minister. And we had a very
good discussion about the work that we've been doing for many months now on normalization, and that work is moving forward.
We're continuing to make good progress. I believe we can reach an agreement which would present a historic opportunity for two nations, but also for
the region as a whole. So, I think if you look back on these past couple of months since I was here in January, we have been working very closely
together with our Arab partners on all of these post-conflict pieces.
There's not only more consensus on the priorities ceasefire, release of hostages, humanitarian assistance and a clear pathway and plan for the
future. I think there's increasingly consensus on the steps needed to achieve that. These are difficult days, but that only reinforces our
determination to get to better days. Thank you.
SHOUKRY: Now, the room is open for taking two questions for every Minister. We'll start with Miss Sasha Ani(ph) from "Dustour" newspaper.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): My question is for his Excellency, Mr. Sameh Shoukry. Today's meeting is the third meeting between
the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of six countries to tackle how to deal with the crisis in Gaza Strip. These meetings of course include the
Minister of Foreign Affairs in the United States.
After the visits of Minister Blinken in the region, can you inform us with deep spaces of agreement and disagreement on how to get out of this current
crisis and to explain to us how this -- the positions are close to each other regarding the future vision in dealing with the Egyptian -- the
Palestinian issue.
I believe that there's a great ground regarding deep consensus, and the agreement on the importance of ceasefire and hostage release, and this
should be done as soon as possible so, there's a room for mitigation and increasing the amount of humanitarian aids.
We value the danger of the humanitarian situation. That's why we developed this mechanism at the level of the specialized officials in order to find
out ways to increase the aids.
[14:20:00]
There's also consensus or agreement regarding, than simply to avoid any military escalation in Rafah and the total rejection for displacement of
Palestinians outside their lands. This is a common ground, but we have to set the mechanisms on the implementation of these goals.
We should go beyond and reach another phase or or following phase, which is the political perspective of this conflict, this can be achieved through
the two-state solution. So, we have to tackle both the current issues for the time-being and the future issues in order to avoid the vicious circles
of the conflicts.
And the heritage of blood that the coming generations would bear with. We have to set the mechanisms and we should be confident in our partner, which
is the United States, that has a special relationship with the states of the region, Israel, especially with Israel, and it has an effective role.
And, of course, regarding also the support to -- where -- from the other states in the region that has connections with the United States. So, we
have a mutual vision of building a region that enjoys stability, to end this conflict that lasted for seven decades, we have to work and intensify
our work.
It's not enough to be on an agreement regarding the gold, but we have to set the procedures and set to achieve these goals. Another question? OK.
SOARES: I'm going to wrap there, obviously, we'll continue monitoring that press conference there with Secretary Blinken alongside the Egyptian
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. We know from Secretary Blinken that he has been speaking not only with the Foreign Minister, but also Prime Minister
Sisi.
We had some strong words there that there's a clear consensus on shared priorities. That's what we heard from Secretary Blinken as the group
convened the Arab allies or convened. And the clear consensus was around an immediate and sustained ceasefire with the release of hostages.
Let's bring in Kylie Atwood who is at the U.S. State Department who was listening in. And what I heard is that the gaps are narrowing there,
Kylie, but there's still difficult work to get there. But that he believes he could -- I continue to believe he said that it's possible. What do you
take out of what we just heard from Secretary Blinken?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, we have heard sentiments that this is moving in the right direction a few times and
they haven't actually translated into forward momentum. But what's significant here is that the secretary sounded positive tones about the
forward movement of these negotiations yesterday.
He is repeating those sentiments today. As you said, saying that he believes it's possible for a deal to come to fruition here. And this also
comes on the heels of us finding out that the negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas facilitated by Qatar and Egypt in the United States are
going to be continuing tomorrow at an even higher level with CIA Director Bill Burns heading over to Doha to partake in these talks.
So, it looks like the wheels are turning in the right direction significantly. The Secretary said once again that the best way to get
humanitarian support that is needed in Gaza right now is to agree to the ceasefire, so they can really surge in those humanitarian resources that
are needed so desperately right now.
The other thing that he said is that they have, you know, been meeting with Arab leaders and talking about what the next steps look like after there is
some sort of a ceasefire agreement that happens after a hostage deal comes into place. He didn't really get into the details of that.
But one thing that he did comment on was the normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia. He said there's positive momentum there. He was
just yesterday in Saudi Arabia. So, he was speaking from his experience talking with Saudi officials on that.
SOARES: Yes, and of course, Secretary Blinken is going to be traveling to Israel, expected to be going tomorrow, of course, and he mentioned the
importance of boosting aid and he actually said that Israel needs to do more when it comes to aid. Thank you very much, appreciate it.
Well, as we were hearing there from Kylie Atwood, you know, time really is of the essence right now for that diplomatic push as people are literally
starving to death in Gaza. Coming up in a few minutes in fact, I'll be speaking to William Schomburg with the International Committee of the Red
Cross in Gaza.
He's just returned from northern Gaza, and is in Rafah this evening. So, do stay with us for that. And before we went to that press conference with
Secretary Blinken there, we were bringing you an update on the dire situation in Haiti, that was our top story this hour.
[14:25:00]
I want to return to that important conversation and bring in Ambassador Dan Foote; who was the U.S. Special Envoy for Haiti, ambassador, appreciate
your patience, thank you very much for staying with us here. I want to pick up -- I'm not sure whether you heard the report that we had, not just from
Port-au-Prince, but also from my colleague Larry Madowo from Kenya on that deployment of the Kenyan forces.
Clearly, not everyone ambassador at home there agrees with this deployment. Just from the number of troops there, 1,000. Is that even going to cut it,
just talk to the challenges, even the risks in your view?
DAN FOOTE, FORMER U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR HAITI: A thousand isn't going to cut it, and while they have commitments for double or triple that, that's
still not going to cut it. Every time there's been a military intervention into Haiti in the past 30 years, it's had a minimum of 20,000 troops or
police going in there. You see the reticence on the part of the Kenyan public to send these --
SOARES: Yes --
FOOTE: Guys, and that makes me nervous. I believe this is more of a cash grab by President Ruto whose country would receive a lot of money for doing
this. But the Haitians are well armed, and if the international community imposes this new CARICOM government constructs, they're going to fight the
canyons to the death.
SOARES: Look, let's talk about the politics of this, because you know, you of all people know and our viewers will know this, that Haiti has had a
long and complicated history of foreign intervention. So, on the politics front, what do you know, ambassador? What is the sense that you're getting
about this, the make-up of this transitional government? What are you hearing?
FOOTE: So, the CARICOM and the international community chose -- at this point, the number is eight Haitians. It's going up and down over the past
couple of days. And then they expect that these Haitians will choose the transition government, which is simply not Haitian-led.
And the last of the eight to come and confirm was the ruling party of the despised Ariel Henry, the de facto Prime Minister the U.S. anointed, and
Haitians are not going to accept elections under this construct, because they don't trust the government that's been in the place for the last ten
years.
SOARES: I mean, on that, interesting you brought that up, because on that, the main gang leader in Port-au-Prince, I don't remember his actual name, I
remember -- I know he's called Barbecue. He told a renowned photographer who actually was on the show who followed him for a day or so, Clarke Giles
who spoke to me just a few weeks ago, that he wanted a seat at the table, ambassador.
Do you think -- should he get a seat? Do you think that he will get a seat? I mean, how can the international community then empower Haitians if that's
what you're hinting at here?
FOOTE: Right now in Haiti, the gang, the armed groups and their leaders have gone from fighting and being gang guys to preventing Ariel Henry from
coming back and trying to force a political transition, perversely echoing the people. But with the fact that the Haitians need somebody to trust, and
the international community needs someone to trust as well.
If the international community names a government again, they won't trust it, and I fear you're going to have a civil war between the peacekeepers
and the people that they've been sent to help.
SOARES: Yes, look, you, I think let's add some context here to your expertise. You ambassador, you resigned, I believe in 2021 --
FOOTE: Yes --
SOARES: Over the Biden administration's right, plans to deport Haitian refugees back to Haiti. The time you said that the U.S. policy approach to
Haiti remains deeply flawed. What do you think then ambassador, when you hear that the U.S. has been considering, is still considering, still
pondering using Guantanamo Bay in Cuba as a processing location for Haitian migrants. What do you think are the politics of the U.S'. policy
vis-a-vis Haiti here?
FOOTE: Well, I think that's a commentary on itself. If we expect our policy in Haiti to be so bad that everybody is going to leave the island,
maybe we should re-examine our policy and take a look at the drivers of immigration from Port-au-Prince as opposed to scooping them all up. It's
going to be very dangerous for our coast guard to board and see ships. And --
SOARES: Yes --
FOOTE: And the Haitians are asking me, why don't we just build a cage around it down here and not let us off.
SOARES: So, on the pot -- very quickly, on the politics front, what would work ambassador in your view?
FOOTE: A Haitian national dialogue leading to a consensus political accord, which they had two years ago. But the U.S. and the international
community ignored it.
SOARES: Ambassador, appreciate your patience and also your insight --
FOOTE: You're welcome --
SOARES: Thank you very much. Thank you. And still to come tonight, former U.S. President Donald Trump scrambles to cover the cost of a civil fraud
appeal. This, as New York State officials prepare their own backup plan to cover the almost half billion-dollar judgment.
Plus, a blockbuster lawsuit. The U.S. government takes on Apple in what promises to be, well, a heavyweight legal fight. Both those stories after
this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN. More people get their news from CNN than any other news source.
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone.
The attorney general's office in the U.S. state of New York is making moves to prepare for a seizure of some of Former President Donald Trump's real
estate assets. It's been one week since the judge made official his $464 million decision against Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization.
Sources tell CNN the former president is reportedly in panic mode as he tries to secure a half million-dollar bond to appeal his civil fraud case.
Trump's lawyer says, he cannot find an insurance underwriter to cover the cost by Monday's deadline. And if he cannot pay up, New York state
officials have filed judgments to go after his private estates, offices, hotels, and golf courses.
And Donald Trump's money problems look to extend beyond his legal issues as he issues a fundraising appeal to supporters in the race for President.
Trump raised over $20 million in February and $10 million (ph) in March, with more than $40 million in cash on hand, that is according to a Trump
campaign official.
[14:35:00]
And that is, for context, it's important (ph) far behind President Biden and the Democrats reported $53 million raised last month and the $155
million, it says, is available.
So, lots of fresh (ph) for us to get into. Joining us now is Katelyn Polantz. And, Katelyn, just talk us through the -- what the attorney
general's doing in preparing to get these assets. What assets are she potentially looking at here and how soon?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, Isa, all of them, and by Monday. So, recently, the New York attorney general did win
this civil fraud lawsuit against Donald Trump and earned a judgment that, at this time, amounts to $464 million. That means that the state of New
York is going to be able to collect on that award, that $464 million. Trying to seize Donald Trump's assets. Trying to freeze his bank accounts.
Trying to force him into foreclosures, if necessary. That process has already begun.
So, they have gone and they have told various areas, counties and the city of New York that they have earned this judgment in court. And so, that they
will be able to move very quickly once that judgment becomes enforceable on Monday to collect on things like the Seven Springs Golf Course, north of
Manhattan, as well as Trump Tower, the penthouse he owns there, a property on Wall Street, hotels, apartments in the city, and some other properties.
Now, Donald Trump does not want that to happen. And so, to hold that off, he has gone to an appeals court to ask for help. He is also trying to post
a bond that will allow him to appeal and block for some time the Attorney General from collecting on those properties. But he's having some trouble
because in order to post bond, he needs help from insurers or from a bank, someone who will give him a loan or underwrite that bond. No one will do it
because they want the amount in collateral, that's a half billion dollars. That's a lot of money that Trump doesn't have because his assets are
primarily in real estate.
And so, he's waiting now to see if an appeals court will throw him a lifeline in the coming hours or days before Monday, or on Monday, we will
see more steps to be taken by the New York attorney general to collect, and to freeze, and to put liens on, and to get a hold of those Trump properties
that the attorney general says this -- are now owed to the state and that are currently in Donald Trump's possession.
SOARES: Clearly the clock is ticking, it has until Monday. And look, I think, Katelyn, this is important for our viewers' context here. Trump, as
we've seen over the years, has often bragged, hasn't he, about his wealth and being a self-proclaimed billionaire.
I want to play this little clip for our viewers. Let's listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now, here's the good news, I'm very rich.
I started off with a million-dollar loan. I built a net worth of over $10 billion.
I would say that I'm worth more than $5 billion.
I'm very rich.
Hey, I'm rich.
This is really taxing the rich by a very rich guy.
The money you're talking about is a lot, but it's peanuts for me.
I built a very big net worth.
It's a lot of money, but I have funds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: So, yes. He says he has a lot of money. He has funds. But you know, seizure of these assets, Katelyn, here. How much would this be a blow
to his image and his brand? Would his base even care?
POLANTZ: Well, there's two different ways you could read it. It could be a blow to his image as a businessman, as a rich man. And even today, Donald
Trump is out there on "Truth Social", his social media site, saying this is -- in all caps, very expensive to appeal this ruling. So, he doesn't want
to sell his assets. He wants to keep appealing. That is the typical Trump approach to the courts.
The other side of this that could be perceived by his base politically is that he's under attack from all fronts. That there is the attorney general
in New York still going after him. Trying to get a hold of these properties, maybe seizing them where Donald Trump would have earned them in
the capitalist system, that could be something that his supporters would look at. But the bottom line here is this lawsuit is quite costly for him.
And the legal issues that still surround Trump are costly on a number of fronts.
SOARES: Indeed, Katelyn, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
And this just in to CNN, in fact, the Georgia district attorney in the Donald Trump election subversion case, and we were talking, of course,
there about legal issues. Says she will press forward with plans to put the former U.S. president on trial before the election in November.
In a CNN exclusive, sources tell us Fani Willis plans to ask the presiding judge to schedule a trial date as soon as this summer. Well, this is trying
to get the case back on track after nearly being disqualified, if you remember, over her relationship with the now former special prosecutor.
[14:40:00]
Judge Scott McAfee has granted a request from Trump's legal team to appeal the decision, allowing her to stay on the case. And of course, we will stay
across that story for you.
And staying in the United States, it's a blockbuster lawsuit by the U.S. government that's sending shockwaves throughout the high-tech world, as
well as financial markets. The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Apple. Accusing the tech giant of maintaining an iPhone monopoly.
The action comes after years of allegations that Apple has restricted competition through its App Store. I want you to listen to Attorney General
Merrick Garland. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MERRICK GARLAND, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: We allege that Apple has consolidated its monopoly power, not by making its own products better, but
by making other products worse. Monopolies like Apple's threaten the free and fair markets upon which our economy is based. They stifle innovation.
They hurt producers and workers. And they increase costs for consumers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, under scrutiny, Apple's commissioned fees and its close platform approach for third-party interaction with its products. And that's
how Apple, in some cases, gives its own products better access, as well as features than its competitors.
Apple's stock tumbled straight after the announcement, and it's actually lowered some from the announcement came out -- the last -- when the
announcement came out was out, from what I remember, it was three and a half percent down just over a percent, four and a half percent further than
last time I saw it. So, Apple continue to fall following that lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department.
And the U.S. Lawsuit comes after, if you remember, the European Union fined Apple $2 billion for breaking competition laws. A new E.U. law would also
let software developers sell iPhone apps from their own websites.
Well, joining us now to break down the lawsuit is our Business Writer Clare Duffy. And Clare, look, the Department of Justice here are arguing here
that not only is this a monopoly that Apple's holding, but that it engages in anti-competitive behavior? Just tell us what it said and what the aim is
here from this lawsuit.
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Right, Isa. I mean, this lawsuit could have implications for every one of us who has an iPhone and who uses Apple
products. At the heart of this lawsuit is concerns about what some people refer to as Apple's walled garden, its efforts to keep customers within its
ecosystem of products and services.
So, for example, one of the claims this lawsuit makes is that Apple is intentionally making it hard for messages to be compatible with messaging
on android. I'm sure many viewers will be familiar with texting from an iPhone to an android user, and you see that green bubble pop up, or you try
to send a video and you end up with this tiny grainy little file. The DOJ is saying that's an example of Apple using the monopoly power of the iPhone
in a way that could harm competitors.
It's also accusing Apple of intentionally making it so that the Apple watch isn't compatible with Android so that you have to have an iPhone if you
want your Apple watch to work well. And look, if Apple were to lose this case, it could have a serious -- it could have serious implications for the
company's bottom line and for its core business model, which is really having the customers buy its hardware, but then also using its software
services.
So, if Apple were to lose this case, it could be forced to take steps, including allowing customers to download apps from third-party app stores,
similar to what's happening now in the E.U., as you mentioned. It could also be forced to lower the fees that it charges to app developers, which
has been a huge source of tension among those Apple app developers.
Now, Apple, of course, pushing back on these claims. Saying, it's going to fight this lawsuit. And what I found interesting is Apple is saying that
the DOJ is trying to make the iPhone more like the Android, which Apple says its customers don't want. They picked the iPhone for a reason. Isa.
SOARES: Yes, I can just see this going for some time and Apple really pushing this lawsuit. Thank you very much, Clare Duffy. Appreciate it.
And still to come tonight, the most effective way to get aid into Gaza's by land, but there's simply not enough aid getting in. And people, as we have
showed you here on the show, are starving. We're live inside Rafah next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:00]
SOARES: Well, fierce fighting continues at and around Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital as an IDF operation again -- against Hamas stretches into its
fourth day. We are seeing, meantime, catastrophic levels of hunger and warnings of famine in the north of Gaza. And the window to turn things
around is closing. The World Food Programme, saying that famine is "Imminent".
And despite growing international pressure, only a fraction of the aid needed is getting in. The U.N. says less than half of its eight convoys
designated for the north have made it in this month. William Schomburg heads up the Gaza mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
He visited Gaza City just last week. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM SCHOMBURG, HEAD OF ICRC SUB-DELEGATION, GAZA: On the way up to Gaza City, we saw dozens of people walking towards the south. Some of them
had makeshift white flags. Many were families with small children, carrying with them what they could, and all of them had a look of fear on their
faces.
Driving through the streets, the scenes of devastation are absolutely shocking. Homes destroyed. Lives shattered.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: William is now in Rafah where the vast majority of Gaza's population is now living and he joins us now live. William, welcome back to
the show. Let me pick up with that little clip that we just played from your -- when you went to Gaza City. You said all the families you saw had a
look of fear in their faces. I suspect that speaks, William, to the prolonged nature of this war, but also the devastating humanitarian
situation. Just tell us what you have seen.
SCHOMBURG: Hello, Isa. Thank you very much for having me on. Indeed the scenes in Gaza can only be described as utter devastation and destruction.
We saw countless buildings, really as far as the eye could stretch, that had either been damaged or totally destroyed. Civilians desperately walking
around, trying to meet their basic needs under extreme difficulty and health facilities that are overwhelmed and damaged after months of
hostilities.
SOARES: And talking of health facilities, William, we mentioned it just now that an operation is underway by the IDF inside and around Al-Shifa
Hospital. This is the fourth day of this operation. I wonder, do you have teams inside? Do you have any sense of what's happening to the thousands of
patients inside?
SCHOMBURG: It's very difficult to have a full grasp and understanding of the situation in and around Shifa Hospital today. Telecommunications are
very weak and we've been trying to reach out to better understand what the situation is for, like you mentioned, the large number of patients, as well
as healthcare workers who are inside Shifa Hospital.
[14:50:00]
We do not have a team inside Shifa Hospital. We have a team in another major hospital within the Gaza Strip, but we remained deeply alarmed and
concerned by these reports during the ongoing operation.
SOARES: Yes, and so many people are alarmed by what is happening. We're wanting to, to know more, and of course we don't know more, important to
point out to our viewers, because journalists are not allowed in.
Let -- look, let's talk about the needs, like you said, William. The needs are immense, and we are seeing catastrophic levels of hunger. And the
window, of course, to turn this around is closing. Talk to the access of food, water, essential items.
SCHOMBURG: There simply isn't enough of any of those that you have just mentioned, Isa. It is very difficult to access food, particularly in the
north of the Gaza Strip, but really across the Strip. Families are surviving mostly on canned food, on dried foods, where they can purchase it
for prices that have skyrocketed since the conflict began.
There is an increase of aid that is coming in. There is a trickle, but what we need now more than ever is for that trickle to turn into a steady and
robust flow of food for civilians in order to avert a famine. And really even the prospect of such a horrendous reality should really be a call to
act and to galvanize our efforts to ensure that this can and should be prevented.
SOARES: Yes, and we're running out of time, William. But really the fear, of course, is if this operation goes into -- military operation goes into
Rafah. Your thoughts on that?
SCHOMBURG: If there is a military operation on Rafah with over one and a half million civilians, frankly, there aren't words. It's difficult to
imagine what that would mean and how that would impact lives and livelihoods that have already been shattered.
SOARES: William Schomburg, really appreciate, William, taking -- you taking the time to speak to us and to keeping us abreast of what is
happening on the ground. William Schomburg there for us in Rafah.
We're going to take a short break. We'll be back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:55:00]
SOARES: Well, Neuralink has introduced its first ever human user operating a brain chip implant device in real time. Less than a month after Neuralink
was cleared to test these implants in humans, the company unveiled a 29- year-old man playing chess in a live stream on Wednesday. Noland Arbaugh paralyzed below the shoulders from a diving accident is able to play one of
his favorite games for the first time in years. Arbaugh said while there was room for improvement with the new technology, it's already "Changed his
life."
And finally, this evening, have you ever wanted to be a NASA astronaut? I can imagine many of you are shouting yes. Now is your chance because the
U.S. Space Agency is accepting applications. Obviously, not just anyone is legible. You have to be a U.S. citizen with a master's degree in science or
technology, engineering, or even math. You have to have at least three years experience in some kind of related profession, and you have to
complete a NASA long duration space flight physical. I know that's a long list of qualifications but they're for a long flight into space.
If you're applying, do let us know. And the best of luck. And that does it for us for this evening. Thanks very much for your company. Do stay right
here. "NEWSROOM" with Jim Sciutto is up next. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye- bye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
