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Isa Soares Tonight
Israel Stops Ship Carrying Aid and Activists to Gaza; Trump and Netanyahu Expected to Talk Monday; Trump Travel Ban in Effect; Combs' Accuser "Jane" in Court. Aired 2:00-3p ET
Aired June 09, 2025 - 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, an eerie calm after days of unrest. What
we know about the protests and immigration raids in Los Angeles, as critics question President Trump's use of military force. Then a homecoming years
in the making.
Ukrainian soldiers return from Russian captivity as part of a prisoner swap as the Kremlin launches its largest drone attack yet. We have the very
latest. And then later, Israel vows to deport Greta Thunberg and all other activists aboard an aid boat that was bound for Gaza. We'll bring you the
very latest on that.
We'll begin this hour with the calm after the political storm in California and what critics are calling another case of executive overreach by the
U.S. President. A far less dramatic scene now compared, of course, to the weekend clashes between law enforcement and protesters. America's second
largest city has now become a flashpoint in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
The protests across the L.A. area first erupted, if you remember, on Friday, over a series of immigration raids. CNN witnessed police using
flashbangs and tear gas to disperse crowds, some even hitting protesters. Take a look at what happened when an Australian reporter got hit by a
rubber bullet. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUREN TOMASI, U.S. CORRESPONDENT, NINE NEWS: The LAPD moving -- on horseback firing rubber bullets at protesters, moving them on through the
heart of L.A.
(RUBBER BULLET FIRED)
TOMASI: Oh --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just -- shot the --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you OK?
(RUBBER BULLET FIRED)
TOMASI: Yes, I'm good, I'm good --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Lauren Tomasi seen there, reportedly left sore, but otherwise unharmed. The state's governor accuses the White House of intentionally
inflaming the situation in a made-for-TV moment, and now plans to sue the administration for deploying troops -- deploying troops without following
proper procedure.
We are also hearing from the Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass spoke to CNN earlier and called the ICE raids a recipe for pandemonium, that was
completely unnecessary, she says, and only further aggravated by the deployment of the National Guard. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR KAREN BASS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Why were there raids? You know, we had been told that he was going to go after violent criminals. It wasn't
a drug den. It was a Home Depot. It was places where people are working. So, what was the point of doing this? And then knowing that in a city like
Los Angeles, and we had talked about this for a long time, that has a very sophisticated long-term immigrant rights organizations and institutions,
that if these random raids were going to happen, then there was going to be the danger of a backlash.
And you add on to that, the National Guard, and it felt like fuel for a fire that was unnecessary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, our Julia Vargas Jones spoke to our Boris Sanchez just a short time ago and has more now for you from Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): We are still seeing a heightened police presence here, Boris. Just beyond this police line behind
me, there are also National Guard troops, and they are guarding the federal building that hosts the -- well -- ICE USCIS, as well as the detention
center, that has been the focal point of all of the action in downtown Los Angeles over the last 2 or 3 days, really.
And we're just also steps away from highway 101. That's where we saw those stunning images of the highway frozen with protesters, and those images of
the self-driving cars on fire. But now, it's as if that had never happened. It's like two Los Angeles facing each other. Normal life going on while in
downtown, this cordoned-off area is like protesters just plow through it.
There's a graffiti everywhere. But all of this because they said they were angry at what they called a federal government overreach by carrying out
these large-scale immigration raids in parts of Los Angeles, and that feeling of powerlessness, that feeling of lack of control that moved so
many people to want to voice their opinions in a peaceful manner, also led so many to take to acts of violence and vandalism that were condemned by
local authorities.
[14:05:00]
Mayor Karen Bass saying that violence, destruction and vandalism were not to be tolerated, but that, this was also an intentional chaos, and she
blamed the President for fanning the flames on this one. Take a listen.
BASS: If immigration raids had not happened here, we would not have the disorder that went on last night. I will tell you that it is peaceful now,
but we do not know where and when the next raids will be. That is the concern.
JONES: And we have heard from Homan that these raids will continue. He said in an interview that will be every day. And he also said that the city
is burning out of control and blaming that Democratic leadership for that, Boris. Governor Gavin Newsom also calling for peaceful demonstrations,
saying that violence is unacceptable.
But as you mentioned, also planning to file that lawsuit against the Trump administration, all of this while we're expecting more raids and raids to
continue and potentially seeing more rallies popping up as these go on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: That was Julia Vargas Jones just speaking in the last hour or so. Let's get more from our senior reporter, Stephen Collinson, who joins us
now from Washington. And Stephen, we are seeing -- I mean, three days as Julia lining out for us. We are also seeing, besides a physical clash,
we're seeing a political clash really playing out between our very eyes, between President Trump and Governor Gavin Newsom.
And you write on cnn.com, I should read this for our viewers. "This is a showdown, you say the White House has been waiting for." And then you add,
President Trump is delivering a warning to Democratic jurisdictions nationwide that oppose his deportation moves. He's implying he used the
military specifically, you say, the National Guard to act against protest and dissent. Just for our international audience, just speak to how
troubling potentially this is.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, the U.S. federal military is not allowed to intervene in civil law enforcement unless it's
expressly OK-ed by Congress or another law itself. The President does have the power to invoke the Insurrection Act, which he has said and hinted that
he might do over the course of the last few days, that would allow him to introduce troops to put down a rebellion or an insurrection against federal
power in a state.
But clearly, we are not anywhere near that kind of earth-shattering situation. This is a bunch of protests, which while there was some violence
and unrest, we saw some cars being burned, and there were some concerns about the safety of federal agents. This is not a massive insurrection. The
city of Los Angeles hasn't been obliterated as President Trump said it would have been had he not intervened.
So, clearly, there are ulterior motives here. And this is something that the President said he would do on the campaign trail, that he would use
federal troops to reinforce his mass deportation plan. And it's another occasion where the President is invoking a crisis or an emergency to try to
unlock new presidential powers, which have in many cases not been used for decades.
SOARES: And just -- and just, you know, we've heard President Trump today, Stephen, just in the last what? Hour and a half or so, basically defending
his decision to deploy the National Guard, saying on Truth Social that it prevented the city from being completely obliterated, like you said. But
you know, this is the first time -- this is important for our international audience, the first time that the National Guard has been called in without
a state's request or consent in decades, I believe. So, just very plain terms. Explain when the National Guard is deployed, at what point and in
what circumstances here?
COLLINSON: Generally, the National Guard, which is a bunch of reserve units attached to each state, operate under the auspices of the governor of
that state. What has happened here is that President Trump has used authorities to federalize the command, to allow him to order these troops
into Los Angeles in this case.
The problem here is that, you know, there's a real sense that the administration wants to use National Guard troops to reinforce its
crackdown on immigration, its raids. That would be a real step forward. This would make this a militarized operation, and many people believe that
this is what the President wants to do throughout Democratic states, which generally do not want to cooperate with this movement against undocumented
migrants that's happening across the country.
[14:10:00]
But particularly now, the White House is touting Democratic states. So, normally what happens is the governor would ask the President for example,
in a crisis. So, you remember, back in 2005, Hurricane Katrina, the governor of Louisiana asked President Bush to send National Guard troops
down there to keep the peace and to help in relief efforts.
You often see National Guard troops at times at national disasters. But there was no request, in fact, California said exactly the opposite.
SOARES: Thank you very much indeed for breaking it all down for us. We're going to continue this discussion, in fact, with our senior political
analyst, Ron Brownstein, who is live for us in Los Angeles. Ron, great to see you. Let me pick up really with what we just heard from Stephen
Collinson, because I am seeing a similar criticism, Ron, from David Frum of "The Atlantic", who writes this, "these threats look theatrical and
pointless."
"They" -- the LAPD, "can surely handle", he writes, "some dozens of agitators throwing rocks, shooting fireworks and impeding vehicular
traffic. But the Trump-Hegseth threats have little purpose as law enforcement, they signify great purpose as political strategy." Just pick
up on that. What is the strategy then?
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, President Trump has been, you know, signaling his desire to send -- to insert federal forces
into blue states and cities, really throughout his political career. I mean, he's not a man who often admits to regrets in public, but he has said
that one of his greatest first-term regrets is that he did not send the National Guard into Minneapolis because the mayor and governor objected
during the racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd.
In his campaign in 2024, he proposed sending the National Guard into blue cities for all sorts of reasons, including just patrolling the streets for
crime. You know, as Stephen correctly pointed out, the last time the federal government -- a President federalized the National Guard without a
request from the state was during the civil rights era, when southern segregationist governors were actively impeding the enforcement of federal
law.
There was nothing like that in California with Governor Newsom or Mayor Karen Bass. I think this was a desire to signal very clearly, that he is
going -- President is going to use any means necessary to impose his agenda on blue states and cities. Now, that doesn't mean -- I mean, the situation
evolves. I mean, the police chief in L.A. Sunday night said that while it may not have been necessary at the outside, it's conceivable that it will
be necessary at some point to send the National Guard.
But how dysfunctional is it that those decisions will be made with Newsom and Trump trading arguments in a courtroom, you know, rather than
conferring in a conference room. It's not something you would likely see if this was Texas or Florida.
SOARES: And President Trump has in the last hour or so when he spoke, called for Newsom's arrest, saying on X, Ron, this is a day, and then
Newsom said on -- this is a day I hope I will never see in America, this is Newsom saying, I don't care if you're a Democrat or Republican. This is a
line we cannot cross as a nation.
This is an unmistakable step, he writes, towards authoritarianism. If you're a sanctuary state like California that limits, of course, official
cooperation with federal immigration authorities. How do you see this? Do you see this potentially as a threat?
BROWNSTEIN: Oh, look, absolutely. I mean, I believe you know, that --
(CLEARS THROAT)
BROWNSTEIN: You know, as I often said during Trump's first term, he governs as a war-time President with blue America rather than any foreign
adversary as the enemy. I mean, in this crisis, you can see his basic view of blue states and cities is not as legitimate partners in governing, but
as hostile territory to be subdued.
I mean, they already have arrested a judge in Milwaukee, a mayor in Newark, a U.S. Representative in New Jersey. They arrested a prominent labor leader
here in Los Angeles. You know, and these threats, I think, are designed to show that really that nothing is, as I said, that by any means necessary,
they intend to try to force blue states and cities to follow their designs.
You know, what was the story right before this happened? Multiple news organizations including CNN, were reporting on Thursday and Friday of last
week that the administration was planning a massive termination of federal grants and assistance to California, including rescinding --
SOARES: Yes --
BROWNSTEIN: Research grants for the University of California. I mean, that is the overall posture. Again, it may be necessary to have more National
Guard involvement to bring this under control. It doesn't look that way today, but it might get there. That is, I think, completely separate from
the way in which Trump is using this to try not so much to quell disorder, but to assert dominance.
SOARES: Yes, and you're framing exactly of how -- when this is happening is so important, given, of course, what we heard last week and how it all
kicked off. Can I -- can I get your sense, Ron, of what the mood is like there? Because our Julia Vargas Jones, who we heard from in the last few
minutes, she was talking about a divided Los Angeles.
[14:15:00]
This fear, of course, of powerlessness. Give us a sense of what is happening and what more can you tell us of what happened at home, at this
Home Depot --
BROWNSTEIN: Yes --
SOARES: Store, right, the importance of that.
BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, the Home Depot raid is really kind of, you know, indicative. I mean, you know, as the mayor was saying, they're not
targeting drug gangs, they're targeting workplaces. And the significance of Home Depot is that people who want to be hired as day laborers for
construction or other projects will often congregate there, and contractors will come by and hire them.
And in many cases, those are probably people without legal authorization. So, you know, it was an indication that while ICE is saying they are
targeting criminals, the actual enforcement, which was done, I think in a manner that they knew, had to know would provoke a response, is casting a
much broader net, right?
For much of the city, you know, this is an event on TV. This is not Rodney, the Rodney King disturbance in 1992 where there was massive, you know,
civil disorder and buildings burning all over the city. I have a picture over my shoulder of me following Bill Clinton as he toured, you know,
burning wreckage in South-Central Los Angeles in 1992.
This is not that. I mean, this is isolated protest that, as Stephen pointed out, has seen a few incidents of violence. And as the police chief said,
could get worse. But at the moment is nowhere near. I mean, when President Trump federalized the National Guard, I mean, we were nowhere near the
level of disturbance that has been used in the past to justify deploying the guard, even with the approval of the governor in places like Detroit
and Newark in the '60s or L.A. itself in '92.
I mean, this is -- this is a protest. It is a protest that has devolved into violence. But at times -- but it is not widespread and is certainly
not something that is disrupting the basic patterns of life in this very large metropolitan area.
SOARES: And Ron, as you're speaking, we're hearing that the Californian attorney has just said they are suing the White House. I mean, how do you
see this playing out?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, the -- so what the President is doing is kind of unique. I mean, this may be a little in the weeds, but you know,
historically, when the federal government has taken control of the National Guard from a state, it has used the Insurrection Act. President Trump, I
think, doesn't want to do that because it's more obviously inflammatory to the public.
Instead, he's using a rather obscure provision of a 1903 law that kind of created the modern National Guard to try to take control without using the
Insurrection Act. There's language in that 1903 law that suggests the governor has a role in signing off on that kind of takeover. So, I presume
that is the -- from the letter yesterday.
That is kind of the legal argument that Newsom is going to make. He may have a tough case, the courts historically going all the way back to a case
in 1827, I am told, has given the President a lot of authority in these instances. But as Stephen correctly pointed out, this is along with tariffs
and immigration and energy, one of many areas where Trump is trying to claim emergency powers that go beyond our traditional boundaries of what
the President has been allowed to do, and it is falling to the courts to referee how far he can go.
I think in this case, he's more likely than not to prevail, given that legal history. But it is really indicative of a larger trend as well as I
think this overriding trend of viewing blue states and cities as hostile areas to be subdued, not partners in governing. And what you see in
downtown L.A. the last few days, I think is a preview of what the country has ahead if he continues to head down that road.
SOARES: Very concerning indeed. Especially given as well that it doesn't look like any of these actions look like going to quell people's anger on
the streets anyway. Ron, really --
BROWNSTEIN: Yes --
SOARES: Appreciate your analysis as always, thank you very much. Ron Brownstein there --
BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me.
SOARES: Thank you very much. And still to come tonight, a welcome three years in the making. Ukrainian soldiers return home as part of a prisoner
swap with Russia. We'll bring you that story. Plus, China and the U.S. are hoping to solve a trade dispute affecting the world markets. Coming up, how
rare earth minerals. And magnets are a huge part of the problem. We'll bring you both those stories after this very short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:20:00]
SOARES: A prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine is underway. Joel Fozen(ph) says Ukrainian soldiers return home. Officials say most of them
had been held in Russian captivity for three years. The exchange was agreed last week during talks, if you remember, in Turkey. Russia says this would
be the largest swap since the war started.
Despite the exchange, the fighting has intensified. The Ukrainian Air Force says Russia launched a record 479 drones and 20 missiles, hitting some ten
locations across Ukraine overnight. Ukraine says it also struck a Russian military airfield and destroyed two aircrafts. Our Fred Pleitgen has the
very latest for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The Russians continuing their nightly aerial blitzes. The Ukrainians say that
in this past night was the largest drone attack since the beginning of the full-on invasion in 2022. Now, the Ukrainians are saying that the Russians
used 479 drones, but also that their surface-to-air forces managed to take down a lot of those drones before they were able to reach their targets.
But one of the other things that we've also been seeing as part of these Russian drone and missile attacks that have been going on is that the
Russians certainly are using some very heavy ordnance as well. The Ukrainians say that several Kinzhal hypersonic aero ballistic missiles were
also fired. Those are ballistic missiles fired from aircraft.
And then also, a missile called the X-22, which is a cruise missile with an extremely heavy warhead that certainly also packs a punch. The Russians
were saying that they were attacking Ukrainian airfield. They say in retaliation for what they call terrorist acts by the Ukrainians, possibly
speaking about that big Ukrainian attack that took place this past weekend when the Ukrainians, of course, tried to hit several strategic aviation
centers of the Russians and claim to have taken out several strategic bombers as well.
On the frontlines, the Russians continuing apparently to advance, saying that they have now entered the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which is in central
Ukraine. And that certainly is an alarming sign for the Ukrainians. The Kremlin was asked about this today, and the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry
Peskov, he came out and he said that this was, at least in part, to create a buffer zone, as he put it.
But certainly, the Ukrainians are bracing for what could be a pretty big Summer offensive by the Russians on various frontlines in the east of
Ukraine. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, as the fighting in Russia and Ukraine intensifies, European countries are under pressure to increase their defense spending. NATO
Secretary-General Mark Rutte says the military alliance needs to strengthen its protection, specifically of the sky. Speaking in London today, he
called for 400 percent increase in air as well as missile defense.
[14:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK RUTTE, SECRETARY-GENERAL, NATO: Three-point-five percent will be invested in our core military requirements, while the rest will go towards
defense and security-related investments, including infrastructure and building industrial capacity. Five percent is not some figure plucked from
here. It's grounded in hard facts.
The fact is, we need a quantum leap in our collective defense. The fact is, we must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defense plans in
full. The fact is, danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Mark Rutte speaking there. Well, a new round of trade talks has kicked off in London between U.S. and Chinese negotiators, and they're
trying to get trade relations between their countries back on track, as well as preserve a truce brokered last month. And here, the two biggest
sticking points, Chinas' control over rare earth minerals used in electronics as well as vehicles, defense systems as well, as well as
China's access to semiconductor technology coming from the United States.
Let's bring in our Matt Egan for more on these trade talks. So, Matt, just lay it out for us. Where are the negotiations at this point? Where is the
U.S. prepared to go on these trade negotiations? How far are they prepared to go?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Isa, look, these trade negotiations are absolutely critical because tariffs are arguably the biggest risk to the
world economy. And U.S.-China is ground zero in this trade war. I mean, it wasn't long ago, just a few weeks ago, that the world's two biggest
economies had sky-high tariffs, so high that it had effectively halted much of the trade going between the two countries.
And yes, there is a kind of a peace going on, a little bit of a thaw in the trade war. But it's fragile, and the supply chains remain stressed. We just
learned that U.S. imports from China plunged 20 percent between April and May, the most since COVID 19. And we do have some new reporting in the last
hour or so from CNN's Phil Mattingly, who is reporting, citing sources that President Trump has authorized U.S. officials to potentially ease up on
some of the key export restrictions on U.S. goods going to China.
Now, it's not a 100 percent clear exactly what's on the table here, but one of the White House's top economist, Kevin Hassett, he was on "CNBC Today",
and he did suggest that computer chips could be part of that. That some of the restrictions on computer chips that go to Chinese manufacturing sites,
maybe those restrictions could be eased.
One thing that is not, however, on the table apparently, is really what China wants the most, which is access to those cutting-edge computer chips.
Hassett saying that those very high-end chips from Nvidia, those restrictions are likely to stay in place here. Now, from the U.S.
perspective, of course, what they want is access to rare earths.
Those are those minerals that are just absolutely critical when it comes to making everything from electric vehicle batteries to wind turbines,
submarines, smartphones. They go on a range of electronics. Look at all of that, MRI scanners, flat screen TVs and the flow of those rare earth
minerals to the U.S. has been slow during this trade war.
This is something that China realizes it has real leverage over the United States over, because they have control over a staggering 92 percent of the
global output of the rare earths. And so, this is something the U.S. wants to see the flow of resume. It's not clear yet if Beijing is going to allow
that to happen.
Economists over at Morgan Stanley, they put out a note where they say China's control over rare earth supply has become a calibrated, yet
assertive tool for strategic influence. It's near monopoly of the supply chain means that rare earths will remain a significant bargaining chip in
trade negotiations.
And so, Isa, as these talks play out, we're going to see whether or not the U.S. ends up easing some of their restrictions of exports that China needs,
and whether China ends up easing up the restrictions on rare earths. And I think the answer to those questions is going to go a long way to deciding
just how successful these negotiations are. Back to you --
SOARES: Indeed, it does seem that rare earths from Phil Mattingly's reporting is central, of course, to these negotiations. Matt Egan,
appreciate it, thank you very much indeed --
EGAN: Thank you --
SOARES: And still to come tonight, Israeli troops intercept a ship carrying aid and activists to Gaza. What happens now to those who are on
board? That's -- we'll have that story when we come back? Plus, Colombia's President vows to find the mastermind behind the shooting of one of his top
political rivals. We'll have the latest on the condition of Senator Miguel Uribe. That's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:00]
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Welcome back, everyone. A ship carrying aid and activist bound for Gaza has been intercepted by Israel.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was among those on board, The Madleen. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition says the Israeli military, quote, "attacked and
unlawfully" boarded the ship. The vessel was being towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod. Our Jeremy Diamond has the very latest review from Tel
Aviv.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: While efforts by a group of pro-Palestinian activists to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza came to
an abrupt halt early this morning. The Madleen, which was carrying about a dozen activists, including Greta Thunberg, as well as a member of the
European Parliament, was intercepted by the Israeli navy in the early hours of the morning. And naval commandos then boarded the ship.
The Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which is the umbrella group that ran this mission, said that the Israeli military quote, "unlawfully boarded"
The Madleen in international waters. Before commandos boarded the ship, activists on board reported that there were drones flying overhead, and
that they then dropped some kind of white paint-like substance before a warning was issued by the Israeli Navy, telling them that the Gaza
coastline was off limits. Their communications were then jammed and then Israeli naval commandos came on board. We saw images actually of these
activists putting their hands in the air awaiting the Israeli naval commandos coming on board.
[14:35:00]
The incident seems to have unfolded altogether peacefully with no injuries or deaths reported in this incident, that's in stark contrast to what
happened in most notably in 2010 when a ship known as the Mavi Marmara was boarded by Israeli naval commandos, who reported coming under attack with
batons and metal rods. Those naval commandos killed nine people aboard that ship in that incident.
And then, of course, just last month, it was a ship called The Conscience that initially attempted to bring these same activists, including Greta
Thunberg. It came under what those activists said was an Israeli drone attack in international waters just off the coast of Malta before they
could even set sail for Gaza.
Now, what's going to happen to these activists? According to the Israeli foreign ministry all of the passengers on board will be will be returned to
their home countries. As we understand it, they are in the custody of the Israeli military right now. And they will then face deportation back to
their countries. Several of the European countries, like France for example, which has citizens on board, have already been in touch with the
Israeli government to ensure the safe return of their citizens.
What is clear is that these activists ultimately at least succeeded in part in drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We know, of
course, that despite Israel slightly lifting that blockade by allowing limited quantities of humanitarian aid over the course of the last couple
weeks. Despite all of that, the hunger crisis still very much gripping the Gaza Strip. We are continuing to see scenes of chaos and looting around
some of the aid that is getting into Gaza and signs of desperation among the population there with calls from humanitarian aid groups to allow much
more aid to flow into Gaza.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And our thanks to Jeremy Diamond for that report. And we should note that Israel has not disputed that the ship was boarded in
international waters. We will, of course, stay across that story for you.
Well, the war in Gaza isn't unexpected topic in an upcoming conversation between U.S. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A source tells CNN the phone call will happen, we've been told today, and says another possible topic between the two leaders is the pursuit of a
U.S. nuclear deal with Iran. The White House has warned Israel not to upend negotiations with Tehran.
Last month, if you remember, CNN reported, the U.S. has intel that Israel is making plans to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
A Trump administration travel ban is now in effect in the United States, and the proclamation prohibits the citizens of 12 countries, mostly from
Middle East and Africa, from entering the United States, as you can see there in your map. In addition, it heightens restrictions on nationals from
seven other countries.
President Trump says the country's impacted were based on visa overstays from data complied by the Department of Homeland Security. The ban does not
revoke visas previously issued before the ban, but unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption, his or her application will be
rejected. Let's get more from a Larry Madowo who joins me now. So, Larry, how is this being received?
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Isa, there's been some dismay in Africa and even some disappointment about how this was rolled out. Seven of the 12
countries that are now banned from the U.S. are from Africa. Some of them have been unstable or at war for some time, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Eritrea.
There were also some surprises such as Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo, which we'll get to in a second. But the seventh country, its
response has gotten a lot of praise in Africa, Chad. A small country of 20 million at the crossroads of Northern Central Africa, retaliating against
the U.S. by banning U.S. citizens.
This what the president of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, said on Facebook. I have instructed the government to act in accordance with the
principles of reciprocity and suspend the granting of visas to citizens of the United States of America. And this line especially got a lot of
attention. Chad has neither planes to offer, nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and pride.
In fact, Chad's statement went a lot further than the African Union did. The African Union was very gentle in its criticism of this travel ban. It
worried about the potential negative impact on people to people ties, business and education, and said the U.S. should have applied a more
balanced and a reasonable approach to this, which evidence based is a word they used.
[14:40:00]
One other country, the Republic of Congo, thought that there was a misunderstanding here and asked D.C. for clarification. They think that the
Trump administration confused its Congos, they're meant to ban the other bigger Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo. And they said that the
Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, as Africans call it, is not a terrorist nation nor does it have a terrorist. So, they were surprised that
they were included in this in this travel ban.
But three of the African countries that are included in this partial restrictions Burundi, Sierra Leone, Togo, many of them are just a surprised
as well. They don't seem to have huge numbers of visa overseas, huge numbers of visa applications total. And so, they don't seem to see any
rhyme or reason how they ended up in this list, Isa.
SOARES: Many people clearly scratching their heads. Larry Madowo, thank you very much. Larry there their live from Nairobi in Kenya.
Well, a manhunt is underwear in Colombia after Saturday's shooting of Senator Miguel Uribe. A teenager was arrested after the attack at a rally
in Bogota. The president, Gustavo Petro, is signaling authorities don't think the suspect acted alone. He said, quote, "no resource should be
spared. Not a single peso, a single moment of energy to find the mastermind wherever they live, whether in Colombia or abroad."
Uribe announces presidential bid back in October, 2024 for the Democratic Center Party, and that's a conservative party making Uribe a rival to
President Petro. Uribe remains in critical condition after surgery. The hospital says he has shown little response to treatment.
Let's get more from a Stefano Pozzebon who joins me from Bogota. So, Stefano, what more do we know at this stage about Miguel Uribe's health
status? What are you hearing?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. Well, Isa, unfortunately, just like you said, the news that we received earlier this Monday morning from
the hospital, the clinic at Santa Fe where Uribe is receiving treatment as we speak, are not good. We know that he has had a limited response,
according to the statement released at about 6:00 a.m. on Monday morning, local time here in Bogota by the hospital, a limited response to the
treatment.
Let's remember that Uribe was shot twice, at least once in his head. So, it's important to underscore that the treatment that he's been receiving is
extremely complicated. Yesterday his wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, spoke to supporters and called for a miracle to save his husband -- her husband,
sorry.
We know a little bit more, however, Isa, about the perpetrators and how the investigation, the attorney general of Colombia, Luz Adriana Camargo, gave
a press conference earlier today on Monday, and she gave us two beats that I want to bring to your attention, Isa. The number one is that the
perpetrator, the teenager who was detained on Saturday, is yet to be interrogated because he's also receiving medical treatment. He has also
been impacted by a gunshot in the aftermath, immediate aftermath of the attack.
He's indeed a teenager. So, according to Colombian law, he is -- he could risk a maximum of eight years in juvenile detention and subsequent jail if
he was found guilty. We know that he has indeed been presented to a judge and that he's been arrested formally, but he's yet to be interrogated.
Investigators, however, have interrogated more than 20 people and conducted two raids in houses and homes connected to this teenager. The second bit
that I want to bring to you, Isa, it that they have traced that the gun used in the attack, a Glock 9mm handgun was purchased on August 8, 2020
legally in the United States, more specifically in Arizona. The investigators are combing through the details to understand whether he was
trafficked -- that this gun was trafficked to Colombia or was imported illegal here. But we know that it was sold first and purchased legally in
the United States. So, an international ramification in this investigation.
Right now, the investigators are not ruling now any possibility and they are still combing through the option. Take a listen to the latest from the
attorney general of Colombia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUZ ADRIANA CAMARGO, COLOMBIAN ATTORNEY GENERAL (through translator): One might think that there are several hypotheses such as that the attack on
Senator Miguel Uribe could have been a blow against the opposition, or that it could have been intended to destabilize the country or the government,
or that it is a response by illegal armed groups to some dissatisfaction with the progress of the peace process. We can construct a large number of
hypotheses about the cause of this attack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POZZEBON: No hypothesis being discounted. No effort is being spared in this investigation that really has the eyes of the nation upon itself. This
frankly, Isa, is a chapter of Colombian politics. Political violence, I mean, is a chapter of Colombian politics that this country was hoping that
put finally behind its back as a nation.
[14:45:00]
And now, for many, these attack represents a nightmare that they're just going to live through once again after the heightened political tension of
the late '80, early '90s, and the early 2000s. Isa.
SOARES: Yes. And so many, of course, lived through that, remember that and hope that that was in the -- was behind them. Can you speak though to
whether -- and I don't if you know this, whether Miguel Uribe, whether he faced any threats before this? Because I see that the Colombian government
is reporting that following then Uribe's attack that they've received death threats. Just speak to the political climate right now.
POZZEBON: Yes, the political climate is indeed of increased their tension. Both the government has denounced that the members of the government and
indeed members of Petros, the president's family, including his daughter, have been subject to threats. And also, that members of the opposition has
also been threatened in recent weeks. It comes at a moment of high political confrontation due to Petros' push for labor reforms and the
referendum here in Colombia.
Many have called on Petro to give a message of national unity, to lower the tensions and to change his tone when he speaks with political -- about
political potent, trying to bring the nation together at a moment of, like I was saying, increase in vitriolic polarization.
One aspect, of course, that the investigators are going through is, how could this happen? Because Uribe was a frontline politician. As a senator,
he was assigned a security detail, including members of the national unity for protection of the notable (INAUDIBLE) here in Colombia. So, one of the
open questions is how many of the -- Uribe's bodyguards and the security details were aware -- were with them on that Saturday afternoon, and why
couldn't this this attack being prevented.
But yes, tension and frankly, sadness, Isa, are the two words that best describe the political situation here in Colombia now. Tension because of
the vitriolic polarization over the last few weeks and of course, everyone is on edge with increased tension -- threats and sadness because, yes, I
mean, Uribe himself is the daughter -- is the son of a person who was killed at the moment of those heightened political tension in the 1990s.
His mother was killed, Diana Turbay, by the Medellin Cartel in 1991. So, he represented it in his own life that chapter of political violence that many
in Colombia hoped to have put behind their back.
SOARES: Indeed. A renowned journalist, his mother is very well known in the country. We all, of course, wishing a speedy recovery. Thank you very
much indeed. Stefano Pozzebon there.
Now, one of Sean Diddy Combs' accusers testify. Still ahead, what she told Combs about his ongoing sexual requests and his response. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. I'd take you live to Los Angeles there where a new rally is getting underway against immigration raids, President
Trump's deployment of the National Guard. This happening in Grand Park in downtown L.A. My team telling me you can plenty of singing and dancing,
drums playing. A very different scene, of course, to the ones we have been seeing for the last three nights. Incredibly volatile, of course, the last
three days or so that we have seen in Los Angeles. Three days of protest that really prompted the U.S. president to deploy the National Guard.
The camera now moving, hoping to focus on that group of -- on that rally we are seeing there. And these demonstrations that we've seen in the last few
days now very calm is -- was sparked, as we've been telling you at the top of the show, by immigration raids across California.
We saw in the last three nights or so a protesting, setting a number of self-driving cars on fire and blocking highways, but a very different scene
indeed. Although, a political fight, of course, between Governor Newsom and President Trump is taking place as as -- you know, as we speak.
Now, I want to show you -- leave L.A. I want to show you live image that we are expecting to see -- if I get my producer, Laura, to switch to this. We
are expecting to hear from President Trump any moment now. Of course, when that gets underway, we will bring that to you. I imagine that he will
speak, of course, about what's been happening in L.A.
But he's there to host a round table at the White House to promote what we've been told as a key feature of the sweeping Republican domestic policy
bill and to promote $1,000 Trump accounts for newborns. This happening at the White House. So, as soon as that gets underway, as soon as we hear from
the president, be sure that we will take that to you.
In the meantime, I want to stay in the United States because a woman being called Jane in Sean Diddy Combs trial says she tried to take a break from
some of the hip hop mogul's sexual requests. In her testimony, Jane says, she told Combs, quote, "I'm not a porn star, I'm not an animal." She also
cited similarities between her experience and those alleged by Combs' ex- girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. If you remember Cassie Ventura in Ventura's lawsuit.
Her testimony is key to prosecutors who were trying to prove that he's guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking. Combs has pleaded not guilty to
those as well as other charges. Let's get more now from our -- outside the courthouse, Kara Scannell. So, Kara, just give us -- bring us up to date
what we are hearing from this lady called Jane, crucial evidence she's providing.
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the former girlfriend of Sean Diddy Combs, who's testifying under the pseudonym, Jane, has been on the stand
all day today. She has -- began her testimony last week. And today, the focus has been in the year 2023. She was dating Combs and she -- in the --
in October of that year, said that she had told him that I'm not an animal, I'm not a porn star, and that she was coming to grips with the dynamics of
their relationship.
She was telling him, I don't want to do these so-called hotel nights anymore. And it's in those hotel nights that she has testified that Combs
and she would use drugs, he gave her ecstasy and then she would have sex with at least one other man, maybe more. So, in her testimony there, she's
talking -- we're seeing text message after text message of her explaining and going back and forth with her saying she didn't want to do this
anymore.
Then Cassie Ventura's lawsuit is made public, and it's that moment she testifies when she learns of that, the next month, November, 2023, she says
that she almost fainted, and she said, in fact, I may have fainted. She said it was like living her own sexual experience reading it through
someone else's lawsuit. And so, at that point, she and Combs are having a lot of back and forth conversations.
And what the jury heard today was recorded phone calls between Combs and this woman known as Jane. She said she didn't know he was recording them,
but he did record these phone calls and they were played to the jury. And in these phone calls, Combs is saying to her things such as, everything we
did, we did mutually together. He's saying to her, I need your friendship right now. I need you.
[14:55:00]
And he also said, you know, you don't got to worry about nothing else, which Jane testified was a reference to her rent because Combs had been
paying her rent and they had interactions back and forth where --
SOARES: Kara, I'm going to interrupt. Kara Scannell, I'm sorry to interject. I'm just going to take you to -- live to President Trump at the
White House who is hosting like you -- like I was just telling you several people here -- round table, I should say at the White House to promote a
key feature we've being told of his sweeping Republican domestic policy bill. Let's listen in.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Weak, I would say, and mostly good. Some of the things you're reading about in Los Angeles, thank goodness we sent out
some wonderful National Guard. They've really helped and a lot of problems that we're having out there. They were afraid to do anything and we sent
out the troops, and they've done a fantastic job. So, I want to thank them very much.
I also want to thank you for being here. As we discussed one of the most exciting parts of the one big beautiful bill. It is indeed a big beautiful
bill, and it's doing very well. The Trump accounts, as they call it, pilot program, which will make it possible for countless American children to
have a strong start in life at no cost to the American taxpayer, absolutely no cost. It's going to have a huge impact.
I want to thank House Speaker Mike Johnson for, number one, being a great speaker, and number two, perhaps slightly less important for being here
today. Thank you, Mike.
Along with Chairman Jason Smith, who's fantastic. And representatives French Hill, August Pfluger, Blake Moore, Rob Bresnahan, and Frank Lucas.
Thank you all, fellas. Thank you very much. We appreciate it very much.
Thanks as well to many top business leaders from Invest America CEO Council. It's been a wonderful council. They've come up with some fantastic
ideas. We're putting them into use. They're really the greatest business minds we have today. These men and women lead large successful companies,
and they're committed to contributing millions of dollars to the Trump account, and it's really -- it's going to be something incredible for
children and for their employees in many cases.
Here's how the accounts work. For every U.S. citizen born after December 31, 2024, before January 1, 2029, the federal government will make a
onetime contribution of $1,000 into a tax deferred account that will track the overall stock market. In other words, it'll be pegged to an index that
we'll pick, right, Michael? We'll pick a good one. Maybe you should be the index. I'd like to have that.
These kids would be very wealthy if that were the case, that would be a good idea. I think we might do that. Michael Dell. These accounts will be
private property controlled by the Giles Guardians. And in many cases, those guardians will be the parents. We think probably the parents will be
the guardians.
They'll be open for additional private contributions each year from family, friends, parents, employers, churches, private foundations, and more. This
is a pro-family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy, to lift up the next generation, and they'll really
be getting a big jump on life, especially if we get a little bit lucky with some of the numbers and the economies into the future.
In addition to the substantial financial benefits of investing early in life, extensive research shows that children with savings accounts are more
likely to graduate high school and college, buy a home, start a business, and are less likely to be incarcerated.
Trump accounts will contribute to the lifelong success of millions of newborn babies. They are fully -- and this will be very interesting, I
think, for everybody to hear. They are fully funded through targeted reforms in the one big beautiful bill, like the $1.7 trillion in mandatory
savings, welfare reforms to stop waste and fraud, a 3.5 percent remittance tax and more. And it's just a part of that.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: All right. President Trump speaking at a planned event. There only some brief comments at the beginning about what the
situation in L.A., the protests have been flaring up over the weekend and the fact that he sent in the National Guard, he says it's a good idea. So,
he may flesh that out. We'll keep across it for you.
But we'll be back in a moment when we bring you the latest news from the day for "What We Know."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
