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Isa Soares Tonight
President Trump Gives Russia 50-Day Peace Deral Deadline; American- Palestinian Father Mourns Son Killed In The West Bank; Trump Says The U.S. Is Open To Talk On EU Trade; Trump Open To Talk About Trade With E.U.; Trump Threatens 30 Percent Tariffs On E.U. Imports; Trump Gives Putin 50 More Days; Trump: U.S. To Send Patriot Missiles To Ukraine Via Allies; New Information On Deadly Texas Floods. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired July 14, 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, Donald Trump gives Russia a fresh
deadline for peace and promises U.S. weapons for Ukraine. We'll have all the reaction for you. Then the W.H.O. calling it one massive trauma ward.
My conversation with a surgeon working at Gaza's Nasser hospital. Plus, is the U.S. President softening his stance on his huge tariff with Europe?
We'll have the latest on that potential trade war. But first tonight, 50 days to end the war. We begin tonight with U.S. President Donald Trump's
new warning to Russia, saying he'll impose, quote, "very severe tariffs unless it makes a deal with Ukraine in the coming weeks."
Mr. Trump sitting alongside NATO Secretary-General, you can see there, Mark Rutte, at today's Oval Office meeting. He says Washington now plans to have
European nations purchase top-of-the-line weapons from the U.S., which in turn, the alliance can give to Ukraine. And this comes as President Trump
grows increasingly frustrated as we've been showing you this week with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't want to say he's an assassin, but he's a tough guy. It's been proven over the years. He's
fooled a lot of people. He fooled Bush, he fooled a lot of people. He fooled Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden, he didn't fool me. But what I do say is
that at a certain point, you know, ultimately talk doesn't talk. It's got to be action. It's got to be results.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, this hour, we are also tracking U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who is expected to host a bilateral meeting with his German
counterpart, Boris Pistorius, at the Pentagon. A lot going on. Let's go straight to CNN's Kristen Holmes, who is live for us at the White House.
And Kristen, we'll talk about the weapons in just a moment.
But first, just talk us through the threats here that have been directed at Russia and why the President is deciding to give President Putin a 50-day
grace period. What's the thinking here?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the thinking here is that President Trump continues to grow more and more frustrated
with Putin. And we are looking at a completely different set of circumstances than when he first came into office. And that, I mean,
mentality.
President Trump said on the campaign trail, he said once he got into office that he'd be able to solve the crisis in Ukraine, the war in Ukraine by
negotiating with Putin and Zelenskyy within hours of taking office. That is clearly not been the case. And we've heard President Trump really start to
double down on this idea that Putin has been talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Even today, he said at one point, the talk doesn't get me anything, that he flatters him, Putin flatters Trump, but then nothing is delivered. So, what
they're looking at now is 50 days. Trump saying, this isn't that much time. But obviously, as we've seen, Putin is systematically putting out some of
the worst attacks on Ukraine we've seen.
So, 50 days could be quite a long period of time here. But at the end of this 50-day period, if there is no resolution, if there is no ceasefire
between Russia and Ukraine, President Trump says that they're going to enact a 100 percent secondary tariffs. And the reason why that's important
here is that just regular tariffs on Russia are not something that would really matter all that much, given how little trade Russia does with the
United States.
However, the secondary tariffs, this is actually putting a tariff on the countries that do business with both Russia and the United States. Someone
like China, for example. So, the goal behind this is that you get other world leaders now to try to put pressure on Putin to come to the table.
They want -- you know, they all want the same thing, which is to negotiate the ceasefire.
But it's clearly not getting done between just Trump and Putin in their conversations or between Zelenskyy and Putin and their conversations.
SOARES: Let's talk then -- let's focus about the weapons, because this is a long-time coming. We've heard from President Zelenskyy asking for this on
numerous occasions, Kristen. He said today, the President, President Trump said, quote, "we'll send the best weapons to NATO". Do we know what that
includes and does it include the Patriots, of course --
HOLMES: We don't have --
SOARES: Is this something we know?
[14:05:00]
HOLMES: Sorry, there was a little bit of breakup there --
SOARES: No worries --
HOLMES: So, I thought you were finished. But I'll tell you this, we don't have all the missiles that are going to go, all the weapons that are going
to be going to Ukraine. But I do think the really important thing here to focus on is the solution that President Trump seemed to come up with, that
would both please his base and also get this done in terms of sending weapons to Ukraine.
Because what he ran on was this idea that he would be giving less to Ukraine, less money, less resources. And here you have a situation in which
more resources are going to Ukraine. And I think really one of the most telling parts of the entire sit-down between him and the Secretary-General
of NATO was when the Secretary-General Rutte said that President Trump had come to the decision, that it was important for the Ukrainians to defend
themselves, to be able to arm themselves.
That was something that you could see had been a shift in the way that President Trump thought about this. And so, the way that Trump has kind of
thread this needle is this idea that NATO is going -- or NATO countries are going to be buying these weapons from the United States. The United States
is getting money for them, and then they are dispersing them to Ukraine.
And this is actually going to start as soon as today it sounded like, especially with those Patriot Missile Systems, which we know that Ukraine
is so desperately in need of. Trump indicating that there were countries that already had a number of these Patriot systems that they were going to
immediately send to Ukraine, and then the United States was going to ramp up their production and send them to those countries to kind of backfill in
that way.
But you know, really the point of all this that's been so striking has been seeing President Trump make this 180 on both Vladimir Putin, but also his
involvement in the war in Ukraine, and this idea that he was going to kind of wash his hands off it, which now we're seeing he's absolutely not doing.
SOARES: Yes, and as you were talking, of course, we are looking at live pictures. We were looking as you were talking there, Kristen, at live
pictures from the Pentagon, there you are of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, alongside him, of course, German counterpart Boris Pistorius, both
at the Pentagon expected to host a bilateral meeting. We shall keep an ear out to find out what comes out of that.
Kristen, appreciate it, thank you very much indeed. Well, let's put some more context on this. Gabrielius Landsbergis joins me now. He's the former
Foreign Affairs Minister for Lithuania. Foreign Minister, welcome back to the show. Good news it seems for Ukraine. What do you -- what do you make
of it? Is this what Ukraine needed? Your thoughts.
GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS, FORMER LITHUANIA FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER: Well, it's clearly not enough. You know, if we look at the real situation, I
think that what President Trump wanted is to create a leverage on Putin, on Russia. And if we're seeing that Russia's stock market is going up, and,
well, that is probably the best signal that Putin is not scared of what he heard from the statement.
SOARES: Yes, I looked at the stock market as well, and the initial reaction was up -- was pretty upbeat. So, do you think it changes? It doesn't change
the calculus. It doesn't push Putin to negotiating table, it doesn't force him to take this seriously?
LANDSBERGIS: No, look, I mean, there are two things that have been announced. So first of all, about the weapons. So, the weapons part is, you
know, it might provide a little bit of optimism that, OK, at least, some of the restrictions will be removed. Now, it all boils down whether Europe
will be able to step up and actually purchase the things that the United States is able to sell.
You know, we're hearing Hungary, this is, you know, kind of usual to hear from them that they are not going to participate in any common purchases.
And so, it's not yet clear to me whether Europe will be actually ready to - - you know, to do what is needed to be done. The second thing is tariffs. When you look at the trade between Russia and United States, it's just
above $3 billion.
So, to give you an -- you know, an example. So, a trade between Lithuania and Latvia is closer to 5 billion. So, I don't think that even 100 percent
on 3 billion is anything that Putin would be scared about. So, it is -- it is definitely not serious. And then again, it's 50 days of breathing time
for Putin. How many people will die through that time? How many buildings will be destroyed? That is the question. That is -- I'm sure that many
Ukrainians --
SOARES: Yes --
LANDSBERGIS: Have in their mind today.
SOARES: Look, you've raised very -- you know, lots of good points there. Let's take them in the first place, the -- those 50 days, because clearly a
reassurance to many in Ukraine, Foreign Minister, President Trump finally realizes that Putin is the problem. But like you say, 50 days is a long
time, especially for those in the front line.
I -- just wondering, is this another arbitrary deadline? You know, 50 days like we've seen on tariffs? It keeps -- it keeps shifting, especially given
how mercurial President Trump is. Who is to say that those 50 days, you know, this may shift at all. Is this something you think you're worried? Is
this something you would be worried about?
[14:10:00]
LANDSBERGIS: Yes, I mean, we've seen that happening through -- you know, since January. Basically, you know, it was the -- you know --
SOARES: Yes --
LANDSBERGIS: Kind of became a meme of two weeks, right? Whenever President Trump is asked, you know, he would say, OK, in two weeks, I will give you
an answer. So, now it's not two weeks, it's 50 days. So, you know, it just kind of pushes, you know, it kicks the can further down the road. What
we've seen what is happening through this half a year.
Russia has escalated immensely, you know, hundreds and hundreds of new attacks every single day. That means that they're fine. They're not
worried. They -- you know, they can live out those two weeks whatever happens. Now, they will do exactly the same thing in those -- in those 50
days. And I think that the price is going up.
Actually, if there were things that could have been done, messages that could have been sent, you know, a day after the inauguration in January, I
don't think that they would work right now. I think that what is needed right now is very clear statement of what is happening today. Ukraine is
getting that much assistance. This is going to be sent.
Ukraine is going to be defended in that way. And these sanctions will be put on Putin. Now --
SOARES: You --
LANDSBERGIS: Fifty days, a tariff on 3 billion, you know, it's not really serious.
SOARES: You don't think that message from President Trump today, you don't think that was clear enough. It doesn't show where his support is. Do you
think he needs to be tougher on Putin?
LANDSBERGIS: Look, I mean, I see a lot of -- you know, a lot of theatrics - -
SOARES: Yes --
LANDSBERGIS: That grabs a lot of attention by media, by us, by everybody, right? So, we're talking about this, you know, we're discussing, there will
be a lot of headlines. You know, President Trump, is it -- you know, is it big enough? The announcement -- is it, you know, not too big enough. You
know, Ukraine needs assistance right now.
So, I would -- you know, I'm always saying that I will believe that, you know, what is being in the headlines when I see the rockets that, you know,
U.S.-sold rockets flying Russian direction, this is when I will say, OK, this is real.
SOARES: Yes, lots of promises, lots of deadlines, but actually seeing it in action, that is the most important thing. Let me give you what we're
hearing from Russian side. A senior Russian senator seems to be pouring pretty much cold water on the threat of any trade consequences. This is
what he told CNN.
"If that's all Trump meant to say today on Ukraine, then so far the steam has gone out the whistle. The Europeans will have to keep shelling out and
shelling out", he says. There is only one beneficiary, the U.S. military industrial complex. Your reaction to that?
LANDSBERGIS: Look, if we calculate the sanction packages that Europe has imposed on Russia, that, you know, approximate amount of, you know,
financial damage that was inflicted on Russia is close to half a trillion euro. So, this what we have managed to do, and this has not stopped Putin.
SOARES: Yes --
LANDSBERGIS: Right, it is an immense pain that Russian economy is going through, but it has not stopped Putin yet, right? So, we are talking that
we need to go further. We need to go beyond that, really to inflict even more pain on Russian economy, so to change the calculus. Now, what we are
talking, we're talking inflicting a 100 percent tariff on 3 billion.
If President Trump would be clear, that he is ready to go after China, after India, after those companies who are procuring Russian oil, Russian
gas, that help avoid the sanctions, circumvent the sanctions, basically make them, you know, survivable for Russian economy. Well, that would
probably be a serious message. And Senator Graham, actually, his bill that was --
SOARES: Yes --
LANDSBERGIS: Supposed to go to Senate floor, had that. There was this notion, but unfortunately, we're not -- you know, at least, it's not clear
whether this will -- there is a chance that we will -- it will see the light of day.
SOARES: Yes, it seems to be gaining more and more support at least of last week from various guests I had on, on the show last week, there seemed to
be a sense that, that was where potentially President Trump was going. It does seem we're not there yet. But on the question, though, of keeping,
maintaining that support with these weapons, who exactly is going to pay for this?
Because, you know, it's already -- and this is something you and I have discussed before. It's already a bit of a struggle for many European
countries to pay, you know, even 3 percent of GDP in defense. How will Europe react to paying this? And why not use those Russian frozen assets?
LANDSBERGIS: That's a very good question. What we're hearing right now, so, you know, Germany is announcing that they might be paying for, you know, a
couple of Patriot batteries, which is a very important weapon that only United States can provide at this -- at this stage. So, you know, these are
small elements, important elements, but they do not change the calculus of Putin.
[14:15:00]
They do not change the situation on the front for Ukraine. You know, you cannot win the war with three additional Patriot batteries unfortunately,
that is the reality. So, we've constantly advocated for Europe to step up, to figure out new instruments, new funds, new money. And as you say very
correctly, there is a huge amount, 190 billion euros lying in Belgian bank that could be used to help Ukraine.
And unfortunately, there has been not a political decision found in Europe to use that. So, how do you explain to a taxpayer in Europe why we should
be paying up while there is Russian money that could be used?
SOARES: Yes --
LANDSBERGIS: So, clearly, this is a first go-to account, take the money and pay up and give the -- give the weapons to Ukraine. That would definitely
help.
SOARES: Gabrielius Landsbergis, always appreciate your analysis. Good to see you. Thanks very much.
LANDSBERGIS: Thanks.
SOARES: We are waiting, of course, for reaction from the Kremlin to Mr. Trump's threat of punishing -- threats, obviously, I just gave you one
quote that we had from a senior Russian senator, but in just a few minutes, I'll be joined by former CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty to get a
sense of how this may be received in the Kremlin.
So, do stay right here for that conversation. I want to turn my attention to Gaza, and your attention to Gaza, because Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu is facing growing push-back over a plan to eventually confine all Palestinians in Gaza into a facility built on the ruins of
Rafah. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says it would be, quote, "a concentration camp", his words, would amount to ethnic cleansing.
Israel's Defense Minister, who has ordered plans drawn up, calls it a humanitarian city, but acknowledges, Palestinians will not be allowed to
leave. He says Israel would then pursue their, quote, "emigration to other countries". The Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 58,000 people
have now been killed in Gaza.
It says 120 were killed in the last 24 hours alone. Small body bags were carried away, as you can see there from the scene of a strike in Nuseirat.
A hospital says six children were among those killed Sunday at a water distribution site. Israel says the strike was supposed to hit an Islamic
Jihad militant.
And there are calls for justice from the family of a young American man beaten to death by settlers in the West Bank. Hundreds of Palestinians
turned out for the funeral of Sayfollah Musallet on Sunday. The 20-year-old was born in Florida to parents of Palestinian heritage. The Palestinian
Health Ministry and eyewitnesses say settlies(ph) -- settlers, pardon me, severely beat him in a town north of Ramallah.
His family says that he was trying to protect their land. The State Department says it's aware of reports, and Israel says it's investigating
what it calls a confrontation. Let's get more from our Jeremy Diamond. Jeremy, what more can you tell us about this American that was killed in
the West Bank. I know you and your team have been doing some fantastic reporting. Just bring us up-to-date with the very latest.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Isa, he is an American citizen, but in many ways, what has happened to Sayfollah Musallet is part
and parcel of the violence that we have seen against Palestinians in the West Bank, both by the Israeli military but also by Israeli settlers.
And that is the context with which to view this story. And in fact, as we were covering this story, our team as well also came under attack from
Israeli settlers in the area.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND (voice-over): In the back of an ambulance, Sayfollah Musallet's aunt says one final goodbye. She is far from alone. Hundreds in this West
Bank town have come to honor the American son who was deeply rooted in his Palestinian community. Sayf was killed on Friday, just two weeks before his
21st birthday, beaten to death by Israeli settlers, according to his family.
Those settlers also shot and killed another Palestinian man in the same attack, according to eyewitnesses. It is a senseless, yet all too common
outcome in the West Bank.
(on camera): Today, it is an American citizen being put to rest here. But over the course of the last 20 months of this war, nearly a thousand
Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, according to the United Nations. But today, Sayf Musallet's family is
demanding an American investigation into his death.
KAMEL MUSALLET, SON KILLED: We want -- we want justice.
DIAMOND (voice-over): His father, Kamel was home in Florida, where he runs an ice cream shop with his son when he got the call that Sayf had been
attacked by settlers.
MUSALLET: You never think that it's your son or anything like that -- who this is happening to. And then I got word that it was my son. He was hit,
he was beaten, he lost conscious. But nobody could get to him. Ambulance couldn't come in. Why? Because the IDF restricted that. The IDF blocked
that.
[14:20:00]
DIAMOND (on camera): So, you hold the Israeli military responsible?
MUSALLET: I hold the Israeli military just as responsible as the settlers and the American government for not doing anything about this.
DIAMOND (voice-over): The State Department said it is aware of Sayf's death, but declined to comment further on calls for an investigation.
Israeli authorities say they are investigating but have not made any arrests. For two months now, Palestinians here say Israeli settlers have
been encroaching on their land and terrorizing Palestinians who try and access it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) --
DIAMOND: This was the scene on Friday as Sayf and other Palestinians tried to reach their farmland. Hafez Abdul-Jabbar(ph) said he saw settlers chase
after a man he would later learn was Sayf.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They ran up the hill, they caught a Muslim, they started beating him with sticks.
DIAMOND: By the time he reached Sayf's body, he was already dead. As we head to the location where Sayf's body was retrieved, a white vehicle
suddenly appears behind us.
(on camera): We have a group of settlers who are now following us in their vehicle. They've put their masks on as well, which is a concerning
indication.
(voice-over): At an intersection, the settlers get out and try to pelt our vehicle, but we managed to approach a nearby Israeli border police vehicle
and the settlers turn around.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chill --
DIAMOND (on camera): Is everyone OK?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, chill --
DIAMOND: Go, drive, keep driving.
(voice-over): The masked men smashed the rear windshield of our car, but we managed to speed off unharmed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, they won't go --
DIAMOND (on camera): They turned, they turned, they turned --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They turned. They turned.
DIAMOND (voice-over): It is just a small window into the reality here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it would have -- took us five more seconds, we all would have been beaten with these sticks --
DIAMOND (on camera): You think they would have beaten --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes sir.
DIAMOND: But your son was also killed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In January 2024 by a settler. Simply just being there barbecuing.
DIAMOND: What does that feel like to have to constantly try and tell the world what's happening.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You scream into the whole world, and the whole world is watching. Simply silent, seeing all these mothers put their sons that they
worked so hard to raise them up for 20 years, and you pick them up and you put them in the ground under the sky, and the silence go on and on and on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND: And Israeli police tell us that they have opened an investigation into the attack on our team. And they say that they, quote, "take such
matters extremely seriously". We will be monitoring to see what the outcome of that investigation is, because, Isa, as you know, there has been
enormous levels of impunity for these Israeli settlers in the West Bank for some time now.
And to the extent that the Musallet family is also doubtful that the investigation that the Israeli military and the Israeli police say they are
carrying out into their son's death, they have very little confidence in. Isa.
SOARES: Vital reporting from you and your team, Jeremy, thank you very much indeed. Well, in Gaza, grieving families gathered today at Nasser Hospital
in Khan Younis where some Palestinians injured in Israeli strikes were brought for treatment. Just listen to what one little boy says happened to
his family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had barely moved 500 meters, 5 meters from the door when a shell came. They hit us. I was thrown with my father. My mother was
in the middle of the street, as well as my brother in pieces in the middle of the street.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, before the show, I spoke with a senior surgeon volunteering at Nasser Hospital, Nick Maynard(ph) is a clinical lead for the emergency
team sent by the British based charity Medical Aid for Palestinians. This is his third trip to Gaza since the war began. I started by asking him
about conditions on the ground. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK MAYNARD, SURGEON, MEDICAL AID FOR PALESTINIANS: It's almost impossible to do anything else other than trauma surgery. We're having multiple mass
casualties, particularly from the humanity, from the food distribution points. And they happen day and night. So, yes, it's a huge amount of
trauma working really and very challenging circumstances and with often very few resources as well.
SOARES: And we'll talk about the food distribution and the challenges you're facing in just a moment. But let me just pick up, you know,
following on from the World Health Organization and what they said, because they said, you know, the influx of wounded patients that have been arriving
at Nasser is due to the food distribution sites that have been run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, this U.S.-Israeli backed.
Can you speak specifically to the injuries that you have been seeing, because you've been there for what? Two and a half weeks or so.
[14:25:00]
MAYNARD: Yes, it's over three weeks now, and I've got another week to go. I -- we've seen the most appalling injuries from these food distribution
points. They're almost exclusively in young male teenagers, often 12-13 years of age, who were going to get food from -- you know, for their
starving families. And they're coming in with terrible gunshot wounds.
The stories I'm getting from the patients, from their families, and indeed from staff colleagues of mine who have been to the food distribution point
to get food for their families are the same. They're being shot by Israeli soldiers, snipers, or by quadcopters, the drones that are -- that are
shooting patients.
So, and the stories are exactly the same from all of them. The gunshot wounds we're seeing -- a terrible I've seen some severe abdominal injuries
from gunshot wounds. And we're seeing a very clear pattern of different types of wounds, almost according to the day.
SOARES: And Dr. Maynard, you and I spoke 18 months ago, it's incredible to think this is still ongoing and the endless lives, of course, that have
been lost in the process. Can you speak to your time there 18 months ago and what it's like now? I know the situation around the hospital, there are
conditions that have been imposed around Nasser Hospital, critical shortage of fuel as well.
That's a huge concern. Just give us the comparison of those two visits that you had. You know, how bad it's gotten in that period.
MAYNARD: Yes, this is my third visit to Gaza. I came out in the very first emergency team in December 23. Then again last year, and the narratives in
many ways are very different. I mean, we're seeing on all three trips, we've seen incessant aerial bombardment, fighting from the ground forces.
We're very close to the Israeli military and Nasser Hospital, we're in the red zone here, and on some days, we've had Israeli military fighting within
200 or 300 meters of the hospital. So, the staff are terrified that the patients are terrified. I've had patients who have been so frightened by
the proximity of the Israeli military that they've discharged themselves, sometimes 12 hours.
I had one patient, 12 hours after major abdominal surgery who left because he told me, it's safer to be at home than it is in the hospital. So, the
staff and the patients in hospital are terrified at Nasser Hospital, because of the proximity of all the fighting. The staff I'm working with --
I mean, I've been here three weeks and I've never known exhaustion like this.
And I've only done it for three weeks. The staff I'm working with, the friends I've caught up with again, have been doing this for 21 months and
are physically and mentally exhausted. And I'm in complete awe of these inspiring people, how they manage to cope with this. And that goes with the
medical aid for Palestinian staff that I work with here, who have been looking after us here.
And have been doing this for 21 months. So, the environment, the context in which we're working is indescribably terrible. And yet, they carry on, they
carry on with some hope that this is going to end soon.
SOARES: Let's hope so. Dr. Maynard, really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us, and thank you for all the work that you are doing yourself,
and so many others on the ground. Thank you very much, doctor, appreciate it.
MAYNARD: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Our thanks to Dr. Maynard there. Well, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has repeatedly described food distribution as having preceded,
they said, without incident. It says that, quote, "there were no incidents at or in the immediate vicinity of our sites on Saturday."
And still to come tonight, the latest escalation in Trump's trade war. One EU official warns that 30 percent tariff would effectively wipe out Trans-
Atlantic trade. Anna Stewart joins next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:31:35]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. U.S. President Donald Trump says he's open to negotiating trade with the European Union, striking a softer tone on
tariffs, just days after he announced a 30 percent duty on the bloc.
European negotiators warn trade between the U.S. and E.U. could effectively be cut off if Trump goes ahead with the 30 percent tariff he threatened
over the weekend. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAROS SEFCOVIC, E.U. TRADE COMMISSIONER: 30 percent or anything above 30 percent. So, eventually, any additional counteraction from the United
States, it has more or less the same effect. So, it's -- practically, it prohibits the trade. So, if you're talking about 30 percent or 30 percent
plus, there will be a huge impact on trade. It'll be almost impossible to continue the trading as we are used in a transatlantic relationship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on this. Anna Stewart joins me now. Markets all in the green as we can see here. But let's start with what President Trump
said, Anna, because, you know, when he was welcoming Rutte today at the White House, he said, these are -- this is a deal, right? This is a deal in
terms of the tariffs. How -- but he left the door open --
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
SOARES: -- for some more negotiation. A bit all very confusing, because the less is apparently were the deal, but he's now saying, we can talk. Just
give us a sense of what he said of what -- how that might be interpreted here.
STEWART: I guess the impression from the president is there is a deal here, but it's not a final deal. From the European perspective, they've been
handed a letter that does not feel like a deal. This feels like a fata complete, you will pay X amount. There is no carve out for sectors like
autos where they already have a 25 percent tariff or the 50 percent tariff for metals. These are some big sectors in the E.U.
Plus, the baseline tariff for 20 percent that were set in April and was then paused is now 30 percent. It's got higher. It's not as high as the 50
percent and was at one stage threatened by President Trump, but it's very high. And I have to say some bank economists came out today and they were
surprised by this, given we've had pretty good no noises from both sides of the negotiations. It felt like they were getting somewhere and all of a
sudden, here is the letter or a deal, if you want to call it that, and it's certainly not what he wants.
But they do have two and a half weeks to continue to negotiate, which is possibly why we are not really seeing market reaction. We didn't see that
much in Europe. We're not seeing it here in the U.S. And I think it's because there is still all this time to negotiate.
SOARES: I don't know. It has gotten to a point, you know, with all these letters that we've been receiving, I've lost count of the many that we had
last week, was it 14 plus or whatever?
STEWART: 20 plus at this stage.
SOARES: 20 plus. Last time I spoke to you was 14. We didn't speak on Friday. But I wonder whether the markets now are kind of attuned to this
negotiating tactic where they just keep readjusting the timeline, according to President Trump. So, I wonder, for Europe, what is left in terms of
negotiation? And what can -- what else can they bring to the table here that may bring -- draw President Trump in?
STEWART: Well, yes, for investors, it's sort of wake me up when the deadline is absolutely actually here and we actually see tariffs being
implemented and then maybe we'll have a little worry about it. For Europeans, where they're at is they have retaliatory tariffs on the back
burner.
SOARES: Yes.
STEWART: They are pausing one round, which was due to come in tomorrow. That was just to respond to the steel and aluminum tariffs, which was 25
percent many, many months ago. They also have to respond to autos. They have to respond now to the 30 percent. The 10 percent they've had for the
last 90 days. So, they're working on that while they negotiate.
So, they're kind of playing two different games. I think the theme from the press conference I watched today with the trade commissioner was, you know,
we're preparing for peace -- sorry, we're hoping for peace, but we're preparing for war at this stage, which is something we've heard a lot.
[14:35:00]
SOARES: Oh, goodness.
STEWART: What could be achieved now that they haven't already tried to achieve i the last 90 days? That is anyone's bet at this stage. You know,
President Trump wants to see a smaller trades imbalance in terms of goods. The E.U. argues that they have a lot of services coming from the U.S. and
the imbalance isn't nearly as big as the U.S. thinks.
There's still a lot to negotiate. I'm unclear what could happen to break the stalemate in two and a half weeks, if that is the deadline.
SOARES: Yes. Because it keeps on moving. Exactly. Aren't you going to miss tariffs when you go off on mat leave? I can talk to your baby about these
tariffs. You know --
STEWART: Nighttime story.
SOARES: Exactly. It will put you both to sleep. Anna, appreciate it. Thank you very much. And still to come tonight, President Trump says he's lost
patience with Vladimir Putin, giving him 50 more days to end the war. Another deadline. And we have new information about the deadly Texas
floods, including when Camp Mystic first learned about the threat. Both those stories after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back. Well, hours ago, Donald Trump met with the secretary general of NATO, Mark Rutte, announcing the U.S. will send more weapons to
Ukraine. The U.S. president says that includes Patriot missile defense systems, which will be paid for by European countries, but made in the
United States.
[14:40:00]
Mr. Trump says he's lost patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but he's still giving him more time, 50 days, in fact, before new
sanctions. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm disappointed in President Putin because I thought we would've had a deal two months ago, but it doesn't seem to get there. So, based on
that, we're going to be doing secondary tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days. It's very simple. And they'll be at a hundred percent. And that's
the way it is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on this. Joining me now, Jill Dougherty, adjunct professor at Georgetown University and former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief.
She's the author of the excellent book, "My Russia: What I Saw Inside the Kremlin," and author, of course, we've had in My Book Club. Jill, great to
have you back. Great to see you.
Just give us your sense then, what message do you think this weapons decision sends to Moscow? Is it forceful enough? Does it move Putin at all?
JILL DOUGHERTY, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, AND AUTHOR, "MY RUSSIA": Oh, well, that's the question, isn't it? But I mean, on the face
of it, it's tough, right? This is -- you know, there are a lot of firsts in this. Certainly, I think just on the weapons deal, the way it's structured,
it would get Patriot missiles and other weapons to the Ukrainians much more quickly than anyone expected, because what will happen is the Europeans who
have them on their territory, can simply shift them over to the Ukrainians and then order new weapons, Patriots, et cetera, from the United States,
but they have the luxury of time, the Ukrainians do not. So, that's one thing.
But when you get into the sanctions, you mentioned 50 days, 5-0 days, that in the context of this war really is a long time. I mean, President Trump
this morning was mentioning and pretty emotionally the dilemma of people who are being bombed every single day and so -- in Ukraine. And so, you
know, 50 days is a long time, and that doesn't stop Russia right now from carrying out what it has been doing over the past couple of weeks. Just,
you know, vicious bombardment of Ukraine.
So, we'll have to see how Putin responds. Mostly what they have been saying up until this morning, the Russians, is that, well, our -- you know, our
society, our economy can survive very well. We don't really worry about sanctions anymore because we've kind of sanctioned proof to our economy.
SOARES: Yes. And look, not just vicious assaults, these -- you know, the aerial assaults that we have seen. Jill, definitely being stepped up in the
last -- in the last few weeks, in fact. And some manage to go as far to say, you know, Putin's feeling rather emboldened following on from the
negotiations prior, of course, the last week or so he's had with President Trump, who has clearly felt very, very frustrated by those conversations.
But I wonder then what the message is from President Trump to President Putin? What do you think that message is?
DOUGHERTY: Well, I think it's, I am fed up. It's very clear. I mean, I was really struck and I listened to the entire thing in the Oval Office. It was
very, very interesting because, you know, it was a 180 switch on many of the things that we've heard from President Trump over the past, you know,
several months, which was instead of criticizing Ukraine, he was saying, they have been brave since the beginning, showing such courage. That is
quite a switch.
Then he was talking about Putin, you know, whom he has praised and now saying, I've got trouble. And even that quote, I wouldn't necessarily --
how would he say, I wouldn't want to call him an assassin, but he's a tough guy. That was quite striking. And then, lavishing praise on NATO, on which
he has definitely done a 180. And on Europe, you know, these are leaders of their injuries and helping their countries. I mean, truly, for anybody
who's been listening to this, it was quite a switch.
SOARES: Quite a reverse where he said, we have a wonder conversation, talking about President Putin, said the missiles go off that night, the
talk doesn't mean anything. Let me get your reaction though, whilst I have you here, Jill, to some of the -- a quote that in fact we've heard from the
Russian side. Let me put it to you, if I can find it in my note. Here we go.
So, senior Russian senator basically said today, if that's all Trump meant to say today in Ukraine, then so far, the steam has gone out of the
whistle, he said. The Europeans will have to keep shelling out and shelling out. There is only one beneficiary, the U.S. military industrial complex.
I suppose that is what you would expect to hear from the Russian side, pour cold water and the whole thing, but just give me your reaction to this.
[14:45:00]
DOUGHERTY: Well, I think they're nervous because what you have is Europe and the United States, albeit after a period of, you know, disagreement,
they seem to be on one page and they're moving quite quickly with very severe and serious sanctions and weapons, deliveries, et cetera. So, I
think that Putin should be nervous about this.
And especially the unity that you're seeing, I mean, you have the secretary general of NATO here, as we mentioned, the German foreign minister. Germany
is totally changing and becoming much more weapons, you know, to Ukraine and building up its own military. So, I think they could be a bit of
bravado from the Russians. I'm not surprised.
I mean, their go-to, a thing that they take off the shelf is try to create dissension between Europe and the United States. So, they always say,
Europe is just the, you know, patsy of the United States. That's stock answer, but I think they're nervous.
SOARES: Well, let's see what happens after those 50 days. Jill Dougherty, always great to get your analysis. Good to see you, Jill. Thank you.
And on tomorrow's show, I speak with John Bolton, the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and a former Trump National Security Advisor. We'll
discuss what President Trump's overarching plan for Ukraine and a strategy as we would discuss in there with Jill regarding Russia. So, do tune in
tomorrow for our conversation at 7:00 p.m. here in London, 2:00 p.m. if you are watching us from New York.
A new development in the deadly flooding in Central Texas. The Washington Post reporting that the executive director of Camp Mystic received an alert
warning of quote, "life-threatening flush flooding" on his phone about an hour before he began to evacuate young campers. Dick Eastland died trying
to rescue some of the children. A total of 27 campers and staff were killed by the catastrophic flooding on July the 4th and two girls are still
missing. The co-county sheriff said today, it could take months to find the 150 people still unaccounted for.
At the first Ker County Commissioner's meeting since the flood, most people praise local leaders and first responders, but did express concerns about
rebuilding as well as recovery efforts. We'll stay across that story for you. We're going to take a short break. See you on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: There is an escalating space race in Europe. European countries want to decrease their dependence on the U.S. when it comes to exploration
as well as progress. Our Lynda Kinkade shows us how they plan to do it.
[14:50:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two small spaceports, one in Sweden and one in Norway, are racing to launch the first satellites from
mainland Europe into space. Their motivation, to decrease Europe's dependence on the U.S. according to experts. In 2024. the U.S. had 154
launches of hardware into orbit. Europe had just three.
STEFAN GUSTAFSSON, ANALYST AND FORMER CHIEF STRATEGIST, SWEDEN SPACE CORPORATION: Europe lacks the defense space infrastructure to a dangerous
degree. So, we really need to put efforts there.
KINKADE (voice-over): The continents only successful orbital launch location is in French Guiana in South America.
GUSTAFSSON: Europe and the European Union on its territory has no own rocket launch facilities.
KINKADE (voice-over): While Europe seeks to expand, NASA is facing cuts. This week, more than 2,000 of NASA's senior staff announced their
departure. A part of continued efforts from President Trump to trim down the federal workforce.
On Wednesday Trump announced that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will be the interim head of NASA, a position typically chosen from a pool of
scientists, engineers, academics, or public servants. These moves follow the proposed White House budget for 2026, which would cut NASA's funding by
25 percent and slash staff by 5,000. In June, French President Emmanuel Macron voiced his support for European satellites while speaking at the
Paris Air show, stating that space in some way has become a gauge of international power.
But Europe's hopes are not without hurdles. In late March, Andoya Spaceport in Norway conducted its first test launch, a small rocket made by German
startup ISAR Aerospace. While not the desired outcome, the Nordic countries push on.
Lynda Kinkade, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And we're going to take a short break, but we'll see you in just a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, you may have already heard, but this year's Wimbledon champion is 23-year-old tennis star, Jannik Sinner. You're looking at him
there attending the Champion's Dinner last night. Sinner and women's singles winner Iga Swiatek shared a dance, a very elegant men's tradition,
of course, at the championship.
[14:55:00]
This is Sinner's first Wimbledon title after beating too two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz at the weekend. And what a game that was. My kids
were on the edge of our seats.
And we are getting, meantime, a first look at the new cast of the HBO "Harry Potter" television series. young Harry will be portrayed by Dominic
McLaughlin. The show released this image of him with the signature glasses and Hogwarts' uniform. There will also be a new Hermione Granger and Ron
Weasley of course. The trio beat out 30,000 others for the starring roles. The show also released pictures of the actors in supporting roles. Filming,
we've been told, has begun. And the series will debut on HBO and HBO Max in 2027. As you know, HBO is a sister network of CNN.
And that does it for us for a very busy Monday morning -- Monday evening, I should say. Thank you very much for your company. Do stay right here. "What
We Know with Max Foster" is coming up next. In fact, is walking in right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
