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New Day Saturday
Russian Collusion Probe Continues; Trump Back on the Campaign Trail; Iowa Community Fighting to Bring Mollie Tibbetts Home; Man Who Shot Dead Bush's Ex-Doctor Kills Himself in Police Confrontation; Pompeo, North Korean Official Meet at ASEAN Summit; TSA Considers Ending Security Screening at Small Airports; Urban Meyer Backtracks on Former Assistant; DHS Weighs Air Marshals Program's Effectiveness. Aired 6-7a ET
Aired August 04, 2018 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We continue to see a pervasive messaging campaign by Russia to try to weaken and divide the United States.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In Helsinki, I had a great meeting with Putin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As I have said consistently, Russia attempted to interfere with the last election.
TRUMP: Now we're being hindered by the Russian hoax.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the president has taken decisive action to defend our election systems from meddling and interference.
(END VIDEO)
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN HOST: Well, good morning to you. Take a nice, deep breath. You've made it to your weekend. We're glad that you're here. You can take a nice, deep breath.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN HOST: That's just to get warmed up.
PAUL: I'm Christi Paul.
SAVIDGE: And I'm Martin Savidge in for Victor Blackwell.
President Trump wakes up at his New Jersey resort this morning preparing to do what he does best, rally the base.
PAUL: Yes, the president heads to Ohio this afternoon for a campaign rally, days before a crucial special election there. Tuesday's race is key to Republican efforts to maintaining control of the house. CNN's Sarah Westwood live in New Jersey near the president's resort right now. So, Sarah, good to see you this morning. No denying the importance of this Ohio special election, certainly, but aides tell CNN the rallies are meant to distract the president from the Russia investigation? Is that true? SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Christi. We
know that President Trump feeds off the energy from the crowds that turn out for his rallies and we suspect today will be no different when he travels to the Columbus, Ohio, area, ostensibly to campaign on behalf of Republican Troy Balderson who is locked in a dead heat for that special House race. But President Trump lately has seemed more interested pleasing his base than in boosting Republican candidates. Earlier this week, Trump rallied in Pennsylvania on behalf of Lou Barletta who is waging a long-shot bid to unseat Democratic Senator Bob Casey.
But Trump spent most of that rally listing his grievances against the media, touting his own accomplishments and when it came time to actually about Lou Barletta's opponent, Trump described that as the boring stuff because sources tell CNN that President Trump is increasingly frustrated with the Russia investigation, the fact that it's still going on and seemingly produced no evidence of collusion, but the probe could be far from over as President Trump's legal team is continuing to negotiate the final details of a potential sit-down interview between President Trump and Special Counsel Robert Mueller and aides tell CNN that they hope by filling Trump's schedule with these political events, they can help take Trump's mind off the investigation, can improve his worsening mood in the Ohio special election could provide a crucial opportunity for President Trump to do just that as Republicans are really hoping to avoid another Democratic victory in a district that Trump won easily just two years ago. Christi.
PAUL: all righty. Sarah Westwood, thank you so much. Appreciate it.
SAVIDGE: Well, there's a new twist in the Russia investigation. Sources tell CNN Robert Mueller's team has interviewed the woman known as the Manhattan Madam. Here's CNN political correspondent Sara Murray with a look at the possible connection to the collusion probe.
SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kristin Davis, the woman known as the Manhattan Madam, meeting with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team for a voluntary interview earlier this week, sources tell CNN. Investigators apparently interested in her ties to longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone. She and Stone have been close friends for a decade. Investigators also expressed interest in having Davis testify before a grand jury. The latest indication prosecutors are aiming to build a case against Stone. Davis' lawyer declined to comment.
In a statement, Stone tells CNN, "Kristin Davis is a longtime friend and associate of mine. I am the godfather to her 2-year-old son. She knows nothing about Russian collusion, WikiLeaks, collaboration, or any other impropriety related to the 2016 election, which I thought was the subject of this probe. I understand she appeared voluntarily. I am highly confident she will testify truthfully if called upon to do so." Davis once ran a high-end prostitution ring and went to jail as part of the scandal surrounding then Democratic New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
ELIOT SPITZER: The remorse I feel will always be with me.
(END VIDE0)
MURRAY: She's has worked with Stone over the years, and in late 2016, she joined his payroll to help him with clerical tasks. Mueller's team has been looking into possible contact between stone and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during the 2016 campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, I followed Assange's twitter feed. I had a goggle alert for him. I read every interview he gave. You could foreshadow what he was doing, but I'm not involved in any collusion or conspiracy with the Russians or anyone else, and there's no evidence to the contrary.
[06:05:00]
(END VIDEO)
MURRAY: Investigators have also been probing Stone's finances and his personal life. People familiar with the situation say at least two witnesses were asked whether Stone was actually the father of Davis' son. Earlier this week, Stone posted a photo of Davis and her child to Instagram with this caption, "Why do FBI agents dispatched by Robert Mueller keep asking a number of my current and former associates if I am this baby's father? What does this have to do with Russian collusion and the 2016 election?"
Now, this week, another former associate of Roger Stone, Andrew Miller, was also ordered to testify before the Mueller grand jury. Yet another indication of how the special counsel's team seems to be circling around Roger Stone. Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.
PAUL: Sara, thank you so much.
Siraj Hashmi, a commentary writer and editor for "The Washington Examiner" with us now as well as Joey Jackson, CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney. Thank you both for being with us. Siraj, I want to ask you, the fact that Mueller even met with her at all, what does that tell you about the trajectory of where this is going and where it's headed?
SIRAJ HASHMI, WRITER AND EDITOR FOR "THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER": There are likely two possible outcomes to this trajectory, Christi, one of which is trying to paint a broader picture of the Trump campaign during the 2016 election and trying to get a sense of what Roger Stone knew as opposed to, you know, what he actually dealt with in terms of with the Russian government, whatever foreign interest, like in the instance of Paul Manafort, who is now being, you know, held in, you know, looking at particularly the judge focusing on all this Foreign Registration Act and not looking at, you know, however Roger Stone got involved with any associates that could have meddled in the 2016 presidential election.
PAUL: Yeah, Siraj -- Joey, I think what Siraj, too, is saying there's just so many different factors going into this. From a legal standpoint, what value does Kristin Davis bring to the Mueller probe?
JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, the short answer, Christi -- good morning to you, of course, is that we don't know.
The larger and broader answer is it could be significant. Let's take a big-picture view of this. We know there was interference. We know that as a result of this investigation, there have been numerous indictments; obstruction of justice, perjury. What we don't yet have is the collusion -- excuse me -- conspiracy aspect of it, which would indicate an intent to assist a foreign power with that interference, right, between the Trump campaign. You don't have that link.
And so, we can't look at this particular Madam investigation and her voluntary cooperation at this point. In isolation we have to view it Christi, in the broader picture. They are, the federal government, investigating Stone. Stone has had contact -- right, remember Guccifer, which was a twitter handle tied back to the Russians and Russian intelligence officers, so why is someone who is close to Trump, who is involved in the campaign, who is a strategist, communicating with the Russians? What's the link, if any? What's the inappropriate, untoward, or even illegal act, if any? So, in order to know that, you go to the associates who know Roger Stone to discuss his m.o., to discuss what he's doing, who he's communicating with, what you know him, you know, ultimately to do in terms of transacting with people, and then potentially you get that.
Remember, Christi, final word, is that, you know, generally people, if they do commit crimes, not suggesting he has, they don't just do it in the bright of day, right? They do it in the dark of night. So you have to look at all types of associations in order to determine whether there's something inappropriate. So, that's why they're looking at Stone, because he could provide the critical link that would lead to the "c" question, collusion -- again, I'm sorry -- conspiracy, since this collusion, no collusion, collusion's not a crime, conspiracy is, and that's why they're looking at it.
PAUL: I got you. I want to move to the Manafort trial: 18 charges of tax and banking crimes here for Paul Manafort from a campaign chair for President Trump. Interesting this week the accountants who testified here, particularly Cindy Laporta. She testified that her firm falsified a loan amount at the request of Rick Gates to help Manafort pay less taxes. Does that, Joey, play right into the defense that Gates was the one facilitating all of this and that Manafort didn't know anything about it?
JACKSON: Short answer, Christi, absolutely not. You know, big picture, again, on this. I do not understand why he would be, that is, Manafort, taking the case to trial. Understand that of the 18 counts in the indictment, prosecutors need one victory. Do the math from a statistical perspective and you tell me how you get out from under that? And so, the only thing I could think, again, big picture, is that he's holding out for a pardon.
[06:10:00]
We know that the president doesn't like the investigation. We know the president has stated that he believes Manafort's treated unfairly and so, this could be a very well and academic exercise in as much as after the fact, should he be convicted -- I think he will -- he'll be pardoned. But to your point, looking at the accountant's testimony, the bookkeeper's testimony, when you look at documentary evidence speaking to the issue of forged documents, e-mails which essentially prove and corroborate the falsity of the documents, offshore foreign accounts that were never disclosed, you wonder, wow! This doesn't turn on Rick Gates and his testimony alone, which the defense would like to attack and say he's the guy that's doing everything, and Paul Manafort was just along for the ride.
There's much more compelling evidence in that. It does not turn on a word. It turns on documents and when it does that and there's a paper trail, it's very hard to get from out under any type of prosecution, notwithstanding what defense you have and so, I think this represents trouble; I think he'll be convicted.
PAUL: Okay. So, he thinks he's going to be convicted, Siraj. President Trump's, outside of his association, I guess, with Manafort -- because these are all alleged crimes that happened before he had any association with the president, but that association between the two, other than the optics, is there any real risk to the president in a conviction for Paul Manafort here?
HASHMI: The only real risks, really, is the president's reputation, because Paul Manafort has a reputation of being sort of a seedy lobbyist in Washington who has been known to, you know, put his connections out there with foreign governments and not disclose those connections. So, if you're looking at Manafort and his connection to the Trump campaign, sure, there may not be actual conspiracy to collude with foreign governments, let alone the Russian government, but there is that idea, that possibly that Manafort may have used his connections to kind of leverage the Trump campaign in a better position during the 2016 election, and that is probably why they are going after him in this regard. There isn't any evidence right now that Manafort had anything to do with connecting the Trump campaign to the Russian government.
PAUL: Right.
HASHMI: We don't have that but the fact that he is a part of it is just another stain on the campaign.
PAUL: Yeah. The optics don't do any favors here. Siraj Hashmi and Joey Jackson, always appreciate your perspectives. Thank you.
HASHMI: Thank you.
SAVADGE: U.S. intel chiefs say that Russia may be trying to hack the midterms, but President Trump is calling it all a big hoax. We'll ask our national security expert what to make of these mixed messages from Washington. Next.
PAUL: Also, you know the TSA is considering ending security screenings at small airports across the country? Yes! That's just one of many options that they're looking into to save money. Also, the reward is increasing for clues in the disappearance of a
missing University of Iowa student. How this tight-knit community is coping with so much uncertainty right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just let her go and let's get past this.
(END VIDEO)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [06:15:00]
SAVIDGE: President Trump and his administration are sending mixed messages on Russian election meddling, just hours after his top national security officials warned that Russia may be trying to hack U.S. elections again. The president called it a Russian hoax during a rally. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The intelligence community continues to be concerned about the threats of upcoming U.S. elections, both the midterms and the presidential elections of 2020.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our democracy itself is in the crosshairs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Make no mistake; the scope of this foreign influence threat is both broad and deep.
TRUMP: Now we're being hindered by the Russian hoax. It's a hoax, okay? I'll tell you what, Russia's very unhappy that Trump won.
(END VIDEO)
SAVIDGE: All right, joining me now is Juliette Kayyem, CNN national security analyst and former assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Good morning.
JULIETTE KAYYEM, AUTHOR AND CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Good morning.
SAVIDGE: So, let me ask you the obvious. What do you make of this incredible contradiction?
KAYYEM: It is hard to fathom in any other administration where you would have your national security apparatus stating the truth -- so it's not that there's mixed messages. There is a factual, truthful message, which is the Russians continue to try to infiltrate our campaign, social media, and disrupt our democratic processes and then there is an untruth message, basically a lie, which is that all the Russia discussion is a hoax. So, there's no way of melding the pieces. You just either have to accept that the president is off in his own land and the national security apparatus is going to do everything it can to protect the United States, or that the president is essentially, basically signaling to Russia, as many people now wonder, that we will not do enough to stop him, to stop Putin from doing this again in 2018. So, it's just -- it's unfathomable that this exists right now, but I think we've sort of gotten used to it, of these sort of two different worlds, the national security world, fact-based world, and then Donald Trump's tweets and statements.
SAVIDGE: And the president's statements are especially important when it comes to trying to deter the Russians from doing this again, because he's the one that's going to say, hey, if you do, this is what's going to happen and yet, he doesn't. So, we can try and protect our system as much as possible, but part of that deterrence is the message coming out of the leader of the free world.
KAYYEM: That's exactly right. So, I've been calling this come hither collusion. You know we have all these discussions about collusion in 2016 and whether it's been proved but I think if you put all of the facts together about what Donald Trump has done. He's denied that the Russians, he's denied the facts about what the Russians did in 2016.
[06:20:00]
The republicans have sort of denied funding to state and locals to prepare for it. Trump says he has a good relationship with Putin, never really challenges him. Trump seems to be signaling, right, to the extent that national security is as much about, you know, war and military efforts as it is about the United States signaling to our adversaries that we will not tolerate certain conduct; Trump is signaling to Putin that he does not view Russia's infiltration as a problem, so it's sort of what I call the come hither, right? And any rational Russian, right, including Putin, would look at what Donald Trump is saying and believe that this president is not concerned and is not putting the full force of our apparatus to protect the United States. So, I have to say, I welcome what the national security team did this week. I think it's important for them to have done it, but you can't fight a war without your commander in chief, right, and they don't have the commander in chief on board.
SAVIDGE: I'm going to play you a sound bite from former CIA director Leon Panetta. He says he's very concerned about this, obviously. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
LEON PANETTA, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: I have never in my lifetime seen an administration that is presenting such a confused message when it comes to a national security threat and the fact is that it's sending a very mixed message to both our enemies and our allies that the United States does not have a clear policy when it comes to Russia.
(END VIDEO)
SAVIDGE: So, he's sort of reconfirming there what we were just talking about, Juliette. I was glad to hear these intel chiefs come out and very strongly say that this is not going to be tolerated. I didn't hear a whole lot of what's being done. So, what is being done? What do you know of what we're trying to do to prevent this Russian meddling?
KAYYEM: Okay, so, there's two pieces to what's being done. One is clearly -- the best sort of policy would be to have the Russians stop doing what they're doing. So, to that extent, having the national security team essentially name and shame what's going on, expose what the Russians are trying to do, because it's through that transparency that either the Russians, you know, stop doing it, or people like us and law enforcement, intelligence officials are aware of what the Russians are doing. So, that's one way of doing it; so, that's sort of offense.
The other way is, of course, defense. Prepare ourselves for whatever might happen, in particular on the state and local level. This is the world I lived in at the Department of Homeland Security. Preparing the state and locals for whether it's the, you know, infiltration of the voting apparatus, disruptions to voting on the day of. That is also being addressed on the state and local level. There is support for them, but without a -- I would say without a leadership that is basically fighting this war every day -- I don't like using the war analogy, but we're under attack, right? There's no other way to put it; without the leadership, these efforts will not be as successful as they could be.
We tend to believe, outside of this -- you know, people not inside this believe oh, well, there's not much we can do, we can't fight this. That's just actually not true. France during their most recent election was able to combat some of the Russian infiltration, Germany was. There's techniques that can be used. We're not -- but that requires their leadership, and that is not occurring here in the United States.
SAVIDGE: Juliette Kayyem, as always, we appreciate the intelligent insight you bring. Thank you.
KAYYEM: Thank you.
PAUL: Well, we're having some very candid conversations with the family of that missing University of Iowa student. Straight ahead, how a small community is keeping the focus of bringing her home and where that investigation stands now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:25:00]
PAUL: So glad could have you with us at 28 minutes after the hour. I'm Christi Paul.
SAVIDGE: And I'm Martin Savidge in for Victor Blackwell.
PAUL: The reward to find a missing University of Iowa student is at $220,000 this morning. Hundreds of tips have poured in. Volunteers have spent days searching corn fields and ponds and buildings for Mollie Tibbetts, but still no sign of the University of Iowa student there. She disappeared July 18th. I went to Iowa to find out how this community is trying so hard to find her and had some real open conversations with her family, including her boyfriend. Kind, smart, feisty, a fighter, an exceptional writer, these are all words used to describe Mollie Tibbetts; sadly, we can now add the word missing. (BEGIN VIDEO)
MARY JO CULLOM, NEIGHBOR OF MOLLIE TIBBETTS: It's just small town, smalltown, Iowa, and this doesn't happen here.
(END VIDEO)
PAUL: Here is Brooklyn, Iowa, a small, sleepy town enveloped by rows of corn fields and stocked with people who all know each other and have become the foundation of a family --
(BEGIN VIDEO)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The missing person. My sister actually is trying to spread the word as much as we can.
(END VIDEO)
[06:30:00]
PAUL: Just trying to hold it together as they fight to bring Mollie home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we're together, it's absolutely fine. It's when -- it's when you're alone and you talk to Mollie by yourself.
PAUL: Laura talked about how she can feel Mollie's presence. She feels her maybe sitting on her shoulder. Do you have that same sense?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We all do. When you're alone, you talk to Mollie, and then you know why we're fighting. She's out there, we just feel it.
PAUL: Do you ever feel like you hear back from her?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I did this morning, but I don't want to talk about it.
PAUL: On July 18th, Mollie was dropped off at a boyfriend's house to dog-sit while he was out of town, and then was later seen jogging. No one has seen her since, but neighbors Dave and Mary Jo Cullom say they used to see her all the time.
CULLOM: She'd come down the road, and if I was over there working, you know, in my flowers, I'd -- you know -- she'd just --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes --
CULLOM: Wave and say hi, and off she'd go, because that's the house right down here --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's where her boyfriend lives --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where she's -- that's where her boyfriend lives, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right down there, that White House, it's just like this girl walking by right now --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just like this girl right now. Now, I pay attention to what they have on --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, she's got a headband, she's talking on her phone, she's got --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Color of her shoes, color of her top --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And her shorts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But before, we never would pay any attention, you know, we'd just glance and wave.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They were some of the first volunteers who searched for Mollie.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We went to corn fields --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To corn fields, yes --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we walked corn fields searching, and we didn't turn up anything.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wanted to find her so bad, but then we were afraid to find her. I mean, you know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We -- well, if we found her, we were praying that she was just tied up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We weren't thinking of the worst.
PAUL: Her boyfriend, Dalton(ph), has a hard time being in his house now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't go to my room anymore, because that was, you know, our shared space, I don't do that. I've been sleeping on the couch since she went missing.
PAUL: And he's had to deal with the scrutiny of people wondering if he had something to do with it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been cleared by so many people, and to be totally honest with you, I don't care what they think, so long as, you know, if they quit thinking that, you know, the guy that did it is standing right here.
Just keep your eyes peeled for anything at all that you see, any suspicious activity, because you're not helping, you're hurting at this point.
PAUL: Who is hurting? This entire community, especially Mollie's mom and dad.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every day I feel Mollie's presence with me. You know, sometimes I just feel her sitting on my shoulder.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just hang in there, Pie, just hang in there. We're fighting like hell, we've got a great law enforcement team, the community is all behind you. Media's helping, the whole country is in love with you, Pie! We'll find you.
PAUL: Where does Pie come from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We call her Pie, I've called her Pie since she was a baby.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTI PAUL, CO-HOST, NEW DAY SATURDAY: Mollie's dad lives in California, and he told me that he's going to stay in Iowa until authorities tell him that he is no longer a help.
He is there, he says, for the long haul. And police being very quiet about that investigation, we'll continue, of course, to follow it and let you know what we hear.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CO-HOST, NEW DAY SATURDAY: Houston police say the man wanted in the murder of a cardiologist who once treated former President George H.W. Bush took his own life after being confronted by police.
Dr. Mark Hausknecht was killed while riding his bike to work last month. According to a -- according to police, a neighbor identified the suspect as Joseph Pappas from surveillance video, and bullets found in his garage are the same as those recovered from the scene of the murder, according to authorities.
Authorities believe that Pappas harbored a 20-year grudge against Hausknecht after Pappas' mother died on the doctor's operating table.
Las Vegas police have closed their investigation into last year's deadly concert shooting without giving a motive. Last year, Stephen Paddock, you'll remember, killed 58 people and injured hundreds more when he began shooting from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
According to the 187-page report, Paddock acted alone and there were no signs that he had links to any hate groups or terrorist organizations. Investigators did find 14 bank accounts associated with the shooter, who was a high-stakes gambler. PAUL: Well, Mike Pompeo met North Korea's foreign minister this
morning. There were friendly smiles and handshakes. However, a UN report says North Korea is still pursuing its nuclear program. We'll tell you how.
[06:35:00] SAVIDGE: Plus, the TSA is looking to save some money. Critics say it will be at the expense of airport security. The agency's mulling a proposal to cut screenings at small airports across the country and cut personnel. What could it mean for your travel plans and safety, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with North Korea's Foreign Minister at the ASEAN Summit today, and this is what he tweeted -- "I had the chance to speak with my DPRK counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho at ASEAN today. We had a quick, polite exchange. Our U.S. delegation also had the opportunity to deliver POTUS' reply to Chairman Kim's letter."
SAVIDGE: But despite the friendly handshakes at the meetings, the confidential UN report says that North Korea is continuing to develop nuclear and missile program in violation of international sanctions.
[06:40:00] Cnn senior international correspondent Ivan Watson is now live from Singapore. Good to see you, Ivan. What did the North Korean Foreign Minister say this morning?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, we didn't hear him say anything, but there was this odd, you know, printed statement that was found in the press center on the sidelines of this gathering here that was a five-page statement from the North Koreans.
You know, Martin and Christi, this is such a peculiar diplomatic dance here. You've got top diplomats from the U.S. and North Korea who are on the one hand being kind of very complimentary to each other and to their historic meeting that took place here in Singapore a little bit less than two months ago between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
But then they have some sharp words from -- for each other, like Mike Pompeo coming here and saying that North Korea is acting inconsistent with the commitments that Kim made towards denuclearization and urging southeast Asian nations to maintain diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea, going one step further, accusing Russia of helping North Korea evade United Nations sanctions. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE, UNITED STATES: We have seen reports that Russia is allowing for joint ventures with North Korean firms and granting new work permits to North Korean guest workers.
If these reports prove accurate, and we have every reason to believe that they are, that would be in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2375. I want to remind every nation that has supported these resolutions that this is a serious issue and something that we will discuss with Moscow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Now, there wasn't a formal bilateral meeting between Pompeo and the North Korean Foreign Minister, though Pompeo went out of his way to shake hands with him during a group photo-op.
Now, the North Korean Foreign Minister put out this statement that had some pointed words of criticism for the U.S., accusing it of quote, "raising its voice louder for maintaining sanctions against the DPRK and showing the attitude to retreat even from declaring the end of war, a very basic and primary step for providing peace on the Korean Peninsula."
Also accusing the U.S. of trying to convince other countries not to send high-level delegations to an anniversary celebration in North Korea in September. So again, a very odd diplomatic dance by these two top diplomats.
SAVIDGE: Yes, very strange --
WATSON: Martin?
SAVIDGE: Indeed, yes --
WATSON: Christi?
SAVIDGE: Thank you, Ivan Watson, we appreciate it greatly, thanks.
PAUL: Thank you, Ivan.
SAVIDGE: So Ohio state's head football coach is back-tracking now regarding his statements about a fired assistant accused of domestic abuse. Coy Wire, what's going on?
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS REPORTER: Good morning to you, Christi. First, Urban Meyer said he didn't know about an alleged incident involving his former assistant, now he says he did. What did he know and why was he misleading? That's coming up on NEW DAY.
[06:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer now coming out saying that he did know about a 2015 domestic abuse incident involving a former assistant coach.
PAUL: Of course, just one week after he first denied knowing about it is where the discrepancy is right, Coy, yes?
WIRE: Yes, it's exactly right, good morning, Christi. Urban Meyer now admits he was misleading two weeks ago in regards to an alleged 2015 incident of domestic abuse involving his former assistant coach Zach Smith and Smith's ex-wife Courtney. Here Meyer was denying knowledge of this incident. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
URBAN MEYER, COACH, OHIO STATE BUCKEYES: I got a text late last night that something happened in 2015, and there was nothing, unless, once again, there's nothing -- you know, once again, I don't know who creates a story like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: But late Friday, Meyer, who is now on paid leave, released a nearly 500-word statement saying he did report the 2015 incident, following proper protocols, and he apologized for being misleading, saying in part, quote, "my words, whether in a reply to a reporter's question or in addressing a personal issue, must be clear, compassionate and most of all, completely accurate.
Unfortunately, at Big Ten Media Days on July 24th, I failed on many of these fronts", end quote. Meyer said he wasn't prepared to discuss sensitive, personal issues regarding Smith who he had fired just one day prior to Big Ten Media Days after Smith was served a protection order on behalf of his ex-wife.
Zach Smith told "Espn" he thinks Meyer handled the 2015 incident properly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZACH SMITH, FORMER ASSISTANT COACH, OHIO STATE BUCKEYES: He found out the facts, he needed to find out as the head coach of Ohio State and as my direct boss, and he needed to make decisions based on those facts.
I don't think it was his job to investigate, to ask questions, to talk to her, talk to -- he only had to talk to me to make sure because he already got the other side of the story from the incident report.
And so he wanted to know what really happened from me, and then he let the police do their job. Coming from somebody who knows -- I was in all the meetings, I know exactly what he knew, I know exactly what he did. If he loses his job, it's flat wrong, and this is the guy who fired me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Ohio State University has formed a six-person committee to investigate Meyer's handling of the alleged incident from 2015. We will stay on top of that story for you.
Now, let's switch gears and bring you an inspiring story of determination and perseverance from the sports world. That's Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier walking around under his own power at training camp.
Remember, less than a year ago, he suffered a serious spinal injury during a game, leaving him unable to walk. He says his dream is to get back out on that field and play in the NFL again someday. He's tweeting out, asking everyone to keep shalieving(ph). Ryan, we
wish you the very best on your journey back.
[06:50:00] SAVIDGE: Yes --
PAUL: No doubt, all right, hey, Coy, thank you.
WIRE: You're welcome.
SAVIDGE: Thanks, Coy.
WIRE: Just ahead of the TSA looking to save money by cutting out crucial security measures. Details of why the cuts are coming at the expense of maybe your safety.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Here's a story that will affect just about anybody who flies. The TSA is considering eliminating security screenings among other things at more than 150 small and medium-sized airports across the country.
The new internal document obtained by Cnn shows the TSA could save more than $300 million under these measures.
PAUL: We were starting to think, what else would get cut under the proposal? Cnn Aviation and Government Regulation correspondent Rene Marsh has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[06:55:00] RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION & GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A new internal TSA document Cnn exclusively obtained shows the proposal to eliminate screening at more than 150 small to medium-size airports is just one of several cost- saving measures the agency is discussing.
A senior TSA employee tells Cnn the agency is looking at cuts that could save more than $300 million in 2020. One cut reducing the number of air marshals, eliminating screening at small airports, staffing cuts at TSA headquarters and changes to benefits are also being discussed.
TSA did not comment. Juliette Kayyem; a former official with Department of Homeland Security under Obama is concerned.
JULIETTE KAYYEM, FORMER OFFICIAL, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: Ending security at certain airports, ending or flat-lining the Air Marshal Service are actually inconsistent.
Because if you're going to decrease security at certain airports, what you would want to do is increase the presence of air marshals or other security features just in case.
MARSH: Cnn revealed the most controversial cut, eliminating screening at small airports like this one in Redding, California, where Bryant Garrett is the manager.
BRYANT GARRETT, AIRPORT MANAGER, CITY OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA: Since I as the airport don't want to take on that, either the liability nor the cost, and I'm quite certain the airlines don't want to take that on. So, if TSA backs out, there's a void and I don't know who would fill it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, we are the police, remain calm.
MARSH: Air marshals are the last line of defense, armed agents aboard planes to prevent hijackings. Critics have questioned its effectiveness, but the TSA has defended the program as a deterrent.
MARSH (on camera): While agencies discuss where they can trim all the time, but the big question that Congress and likely the American public is asking and would like explained is whether these cuts are being considered because the threat and risk to aviation has changed or is this just an indication that the agency is under extreme pressure to cut costs? Rene Marsh, Cnn, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: And back with us, Cnn National Security analyst and former Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Juliette Kayyem. Juliette, thank you for sticking around. So gauge for us, if you would, please, what kind of danger this does or does not put the public in?
KAYYEM: So, I want to just put this in perspective. Look, agencies, including security agencies are constantly re-assessing their budgets and their priorities. Budgets are just -- you know, money is just a way of reflecting what the policy should be.
So there's nothing surprising about TSA saying we want to cut here and not cut here. What's surprising is that these cuts are being made without any changes, at least from the public's perspective and certainly Congress' perspective to whether there is a threat reduction, whether there is a risk reduction, and whether those changes, in particular at these smaller airports will be filled by alternatives or whether we're just going to leave a gap.
So, that I think is the sort of pressing question right now, is, is this just TSA just saying, look, we need to save money, we're cutting across the board, or is this actually in response to, one would hope, changes in the risk assessment or the threat assessment. And right now we can't answer that question.
PAUL: All right, I think a lot of people are sitting home and they're thinking, wait a minute, I pay taxes every time I buy a plane ticket. You know, part of the fees go to security, and they're proposing decreasing security now. You can't imagine that the flights are going to take those fees away.
KAYYEM: No, not at all, I mean, that's exactly right. I mean, it is a good point to say this is actually our money, right, that is going to support what are the layer defenses at any -- at any airport.
So, what TSA will say is, look, if we take the air marshals or to flat-line the air marshals or if we end security at these smaller airports, there will be other features that can compensate for it.
I am not so sure about that. I mean, these smaller airports, to say that we're going to go from, you know, security to no security is a big leap. And what people like me prefer is not to view security as an on-off switch, you either have it or you don't.
You actually can think of a variety of policies or options available that might increase or decrease the security. But from going from security to no security seems like a big jump, especially in light of the fact that for the last, you know, couple of years, there has been sort of no discussion in the changes of the threat environment vis-a- vis airline security.
Which is just given the nature of 9/11, is just a different beast from security purposes that we've always focused on airline and aviation security, rightfully so, because the consequences are so great.
PAUL: Yes, no doubt about it. Juliette Kayyem, always appreciate your insight, thank you --
KAYYEM: Yes --
PAUL: For being here.
KAYYEM: Bye, thanks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We continue to see a pervasive messaging campaign by Russia to try to weaken and divide the United States.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In Helsinki, I had a great meeting with Putin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As I have said consistently, Russia attempted to interfere with --
