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CNN International: Rubio: U.S. Will "Move On" If No Progress Made In Peace Efforts; Official: Hamas Rejects Israeli Ceasefire Offer; Senior Israeli Officials To Meet U.S. Envoy Today. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired April 18, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAIN ASHER, HOST, "ONE WORLD": A threat to abandon peace efforts in Ukraine.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, HOST, "ONE WORLD": One World starts right now.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, if progress isn't made soon to end the war in Ukraine, the U.S. might need to, quote, "move on."
ASHER: Plus, President Trump lashes out at the Senate Democrat who flew to El Salvador and met with a man mistakenly deported there by the U.S.
GOLODRYGA: And a new chapter in the feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. What Drake is now saying about Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show?
Hello, everyone. Live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga.
ASHER: I'm Zain Asher. You are watching One World.
Right now, the faithful are gathering at the Vatican for Good Friday mass. Take a look here. These are live pictures you're watching inside St.
Peter's Basilica, where the Passion of the Lord is being celebrated. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is actually there. He is in attendance there in
Vatican City.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. You saw him for a brief second there, if we can get that shot back of J.D. Vance sitting there in the front pew there with his wife
holding their children. Holy Week ends on Sunday with Easter celebrations. Now, we should note Pope Francis is not presiding over this week's events.
He is still recovering nearly one month after he was treated for double pneumonia and released from the hospital. Later on this hour, we'll talk to
a Papal Historian and Professor, Christopher Bellitto, about the Pope's reduced schedule and how it's impacting Holy Week events.
ASHER: The Pope has frequently spoken about ending the war in Ukraine, but the U.S. is now threatening to abandon efforts to do just that.
GOLODRYGA: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, if no progress is made soon, the U.S. will need to, in his words, move on. His warning came after
he held talks with European and Ukrainian officials in Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We need to figure out here now, within a matter of days, whether this is doable in the short term, because
if it's not, then I think we're just going to move on from our perspective that the President feels very strongly about strongly about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Meantime, this is the reality on the ground. One person was killed and dozens wounded in Kharkiv after a Russian missile struck a residential
area overnight. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy writes "This is how Russia began the Good Friday with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, all
of those maiming our children, our people, rather, and our cities."
GOLODRYGA: Let's get some perspective on these developments from our Nic Robertson, joining us live from London. And Nic, a lot of confusion
stemming from these comments from the Secretary of State. Were they delivered off the cuff, just out of frustration, or was this a planned
announcement, an edict dictated by the President? How is it being received in Europe?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah. I think at the moment, it's being received in Europe as something of a -- the frustration
of President Trump, and I think that's the sense of how it's been communicated to Secretary Rubio, who had those meetings on Thursday, and
spoke to reporters Friday morning, just before leaving. So, he had a chance to reflect, and he did speak about the 87 days that President Trump has
devoted to trying to get a ceasefire in Ukraine. He also said that no one expected it to happen in the space of about 12 hours, although President
Trump, of course, had -- said that he could do it in 24 hours. But, I think this is coming from a place of frustration within the White House that
things aren't happening fast enough.
But, as you say, there is ambiguity, and it's unclear here, is he -- President Trump more frustrated with President Putin for not doing what
Ukraine did in signing up to an unconditional ceasefire and prevaricate, continuing to prevaricate, or is he more frustrated with Ukraine's
position? And moving on, it could look like one of two things, because President Trump has said variously that he could put additional sanctions,
secondary sanctions, and put tariffs on Russia, or he is not committed -- could be not committed to continuing to militarily and economically support
Ukraine going forward. It's not clear which direction his ire is going in here, but what is clear to the Europeans is that the meeting that's
scheduled to happen early next week here in London is going to be pretty high stakes.
[11:05:00]
ASHER: But, we are getting mixed messages from the administration because, of course, J.D. Vance is actually at the Vatican right now, but he met with
Meloni, and he told reporters that he was going to be discussing ceasefire options with Meloni, but that also he was optimistic about bringing the war
to an end. Just explain to us how Secretary of State Marco Rubio's comments and how J.D. Vance's comments, how do those two comments align?
ROBERTSON: Yeah. They do seem to be at a slight variance, don't they? And I think it's interesting, because what J.D. Vance was, the Vice President,
was communicating to the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and remembering that they've been in the White House meeting just yesterday
when Secretary of State Rubio was meeting with his Ukrainian, French, German, British counterparts in Paris. So, what Vance was communicating
there was that even since he'd seen Meloni just yesterday, things had changed in such a way that he was encouraged. This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to update the Prime Minister on some of the negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and also some
of the things that have happened. Even in the past 24 hours, we think we have some interesting things to report on, of course, in private. So, the
negotiations, I won't pre-judge them, but we do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this war, this very brutal war, to a close.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Yeah. And so, J.D. Vance obviously had been on a plane overnight, coming from Washington, as Marco Rubio had been sleeping on and
reflecting on how those conversations had gone, channeling the White House frustrations. So, who do you read, Rubio's sense of the White House, or
J.D. Vance's, who left it just yesterday, but wanted to sound positive when speaking with Giorgia Meloni, who we know, by the way, is pro supporting
Ukraine, continuing to give it the military and economic support, although, like every other leader in Europe, wants to see a ceasefire, but one that's
good for Ukraine and for Europe.
ASHER: All right. Nic Robertson live for us there. Thank you so much.
All right. We've got much more coverage on the developments in Ukraine. Next hour, we're going to be speaking to Nigel Gould-Davies from the
International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
Meantime, in Paris today, senior Israeli officials are expected to meet with U.S. envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. According to an Israeli official, Witkoff is meeting with Israeli Minister Ron Dermer, as well as the head of Israel's Mossad
intelligence service, David Barnea. Now, this comes just one day before the second round of nuclear talks between Iran and U.S. begin. For his part,
Netanyahu is reiterating that Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, Hamas has rejected Israel's ceasefire offer from earlier this week. The Israeli plan called for a 45-day truce, while the two sides aim
to negotiate a permanent ceasefire. It did not guarantee an end to the war. The proposal also called for disarmament of Gaza and for Hamas to release
the remaining Israeli hostages in stages.
ASHER: And Hamas repeatedly demanded an end to the war as part of any new agreement to free more hostages. This rejection has prompted calls from the
Israeli far right to actually escalate military action in Gaza.
Let's discuss all of this with CNN Correspondent Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv. And we've also got CNN Chief National Security Correspondent Alex
Marquardt in Washington.
Jeremy, let me start with you, because from the beginning, there are those who would have said that this proposal actually stood very little chance in
terms of getting off the ground, because we always knew that Hamas really wanted an end to this war as part of any kind of ceasefire negotiations.
Now that they have outright rejected this potential deal, just walk us through what happens next.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is no question about it that this is a severe step back for diplomacy to get more hostages
out, to get some kind of a temporary ceasefire in place in Gaza, but ultimately, it does indeed reflect, as you note, Hamas' long-held position
regarding any additional ceasefire in Gaza, regarding the release of hostages, and that is that they want to see guarantees about an end to the
war. Interestingly, in this statement rejecting the latest Israeli proposal, which would have seen 10 Israeli hostages released in exchange
for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and a 45-day truce, Hamas' top negotiator, Khalil Al-Hayya, also made clear that Hamas is willing to
immediately enter into negotiations to end the war and to release all of the hostages still held in Gaza.
And you can understand perhaps why they may not want to go for a temporary deal, because the last time they did so during this previous ceasefire
agreement, during that ceasefire, Israel was supposed to begin negotiations over an end to the war, and that was simply something that this Israeli
government made clear it was not interested in negotiating, as the Israeli Prime Minister has made clear that this war will only end with Hamas out of
power, demilitarized and completely destroyed, and that is where these two positions are very much at odds.
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Interestingly, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, which represents many of the hostage families, they have also said that they want to see a
deal that would end the war and get all of the hostages out, not a piecemeal deal that the Israeli government has indeed been seeking. But, in
the wake of the breakdown of this latest round of negotiations, it's really not clear where things go from here. And it's important to note that there
are 59 hostages still held in Gaza, about 24 of them believed to still be alive. And in addition to that, without a ceasefire, Israel is refusing to
allow any aid to enter the Gaza Strip. It's now been since March 2nd since anything has gotten in, and we are rapidly approaching an unfurling
humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. Jeremy, thank you.
Let's go to Alex Marquardt. Obviously, the focus continues on the war in Gaza, but Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu's attention has been almost
exclusively focused on these new talks, the second week now, between the U.S. and Iran, and there are meetings taking place between Steve Witkoff,
the U.S. envoy, and senior Israeli officials, as we noted, the head of the Mossad, and Ron Dermer, top aide to Prime Minister Netanyahu. Talk to us
about what's in store and what's at stake this weekend.
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, not just senior Israeli officials, but arguably the most senior Israeli officials of
the Prime Minister, that top aide, Ron Dermer, and the head of Mossad, David Barnea, and it's hard to see this meeting with Steve Witkoff, who is
ostensibly Trump's Middle East envoy, but does so much more as really anything but an Israeli effort to get the U.S. to see their side of things,
and that Iran should not have any kind of nuclear enrichment program.
And in fact, we do know that the Israelis would like to get the U.S. on board to carry out military strikes against Iran. That is something that we
have reported in the past. And just a few days ago, The New York Times reported that Netanyahu has been trying to convince Trump to do, but Trump,
for now, wants to try to negotiate some kind of diplomatic deal over Iran's nuclear program.
But, big questions over, what that deal could look like? Would it allow any kind of enrichment at all? That is something those Israeli officials will
be arguing against, because they see a civilian nuclear program as a building block or a step towards a military nuclear program. And there has
been a bit of an evolving position, if you will, from the U.S. side this week from Steve Witkoff, who has been accused by the Iranians of having a
conflicting and contradictory position on that very question of whether Iran could have any kind of civilian nuclear program.
Early in the week, after those meetings in Oman last Saturday, Witkoff went on Fox News and said that there is no reason for Iran to enrich above 3.67
percent, a very specific number, and it appeared that Witkoff was allowing for the possibility that Iran would be allowed to continue to enrich. And
then the very following day, Zain and Bianna, he wrote on Twitter, on X, that Iran needs to eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization
program. That is a much more maximalist position, and that is what angered the Iranians.
So, now we are going into this meeting tomorrow between Witkoff and the Iranian Foreign Minister, with various other officials. We understand that
it will be a similar format to last weekend, which included indirect talks and then direct talks at the end, but the Israelis coming in at this last
minute to try to influence these talks and a lot of questions, very fundamental questions that the Iranians want answered about the U.S. vision
for their nuclear program going forward. Zain, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Alex Marquardt, thank you so much.
ASHER: And Jeremy Diamond, thank you too.
GOLODRYGA: We want to bring in Ali Vaez. Ali Vaez is the Director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group. He joins us now from
Washington. Ali, thank you so much for joining us. And to just piggy back what we heard from Alex Marquardt in terms of Israel's interest here. Just
today, the Israeli Defense Minister said that they remain committed to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and said that they have,
quote, "a clear course of action to prevent this".
I want to get you to respond to what we heard from President Trump yesterday in the Oval Office when asked to respond to that New York Times
reporting that Israel was prepared to strike Iran with the support -- with the presumed support of the U.S. as soon as next month. The President said
he didn't wave it off, but he said he is in no rush. How is that viewed by Iran?
DR. ALI VAEZ, DIRECTOR, IRAN PROJECT INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: Look, I think there is a clear divide between what the President wants and what
Israel wants. Israel is seeking a set of maximalist demands that have a very little chance of resulting in a deal, and then is willing and able to
take military action to resolve this issue through force rather than through diplomacy.
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I think President Trump has the right instinct in understanding that there is not really a military solution to this issue, although there is a
military option that would set back Iran's nuclear program, and he would much rather get a nuclear deal, as he has said repeatedly. The question is,
whether the administration understands that the question of dismantling Iran's nuclear program has been on the table for more than 20 years now,
and it has never resulted in an agreement.
ASHER: And also, on top of that, there is this strong sense of real sort of distrust between both sides and confusion, because the Iranians have talked
about not really being clear on what exactly the Americans want from them. We also know that it was Donald Trump that pulled out of the JCPOA several
years ago. So, just in terms of this level of mistrust, what can we actually expect to get out of the second round of negotiations here?
VAEZ: Yes. That's absolutely right. There is mutual mistrust. But, on the Iranian side, there is mistrust based on evidence, because President Trump,
of course, reneged on the 2015 nuclear deal, despite the fact that Iran was complying with it, and also, Iranians really didn't benefit as much as they
expected from sanctions relief, even when the deal was fully in place. And if indeed Mr. Witkoff, who in the previous round of negotiations with the
Iranians, had indicated that he would be willing to consider a limited and tightly monitored Iranian enrichment program, in this round, backtracks
from that position, then there will be even lack of trust in his credibility as a reliable negotiating partner for the Iranians.
GOLODRYGA: Well, he already did that in a public statement on social media, saying that it would require Iran dismantling its nuclear program in its
entirety. So, he has already backtracked, because the Iranians then responded to that, describing it as not helpful.
Ali, can you just talk to us about the role Russia has played in all of this? Because we know that they were a crucial participant in the 2015 deal
by agreeing to take in the enriched uranium. We know that now Steve Witkoff has met a number of times with President Putin. There is a closer
relationship between Iran and Russia, given its unjust war in Ukraine. What seat at the table, even if not officially, do they have?
VAEZ: Just one point on Mr. Witkoff's position. The Iranian Foreign Minister in Moscow today said that if there is what they count is what Mr.
Witkoff would tell them behind closed doors, and not what he would tweet publicly, I believe that if indeed the U.S. has returned to the unworkable
position of dismantling Iran's enrichment program entirely, there will not be a third round in these negotiations.
Now, the Russians had offered to mediate between Iran and the U.S., but there is a very long history of backstabbing and mistrust between Iran and
Russia, and as a result of it, I think the Iranians would have much preferred for the Omanis to be the mediators. But, at some stage, Russia
will have to play a role as the -- as one of the original signatories to the nuclear deal with Iran, and as the country that could receive the
excess of enriched material that Iran would have to ship out as part of any realistic nuclear deal.
ASHER: And just in terms of the run-up to these meetings, of course, we know that U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, just to sort of jump off of
what our correspondent Alex Marquardt was saying, Steve Witkoff was meeting with the head of Mossad, and Ron Dermer, the head of Strategic Affairs --
Minister of Strategic Affairs in Israel, just explain to us how the Israelis are really trying to influence the U.S.'s line of thinking.
Obviously, the Israelis would have preferred military action over going the diplomatic route here. But, how the Israelis are trying to influence the
Americans in the run-up to this -- these discussions with Iran?
VAEZ: Look, coordination between Israel and the United States, when it gets to negotiating with Iran, is not a new phenomenon. It has happened in every
single administration. But, I think the problem Israel has this time around is that it's not on the same wave length as President Trump. If your
problem is not really with Iran -- with uranium enrichment in Iran but with Iranian enrichment, that you are fundamentally against any deal that would
benefit the Iranian regime, then you are basically arguing for war, which is something that President Trump clearly does not want.
GOLODRYGA: And obviously what else is different is that the Israelis are dealing with the Republican administration, as opposed to a Democratic
administration, which was in place with Obama when he initially signed the 2015 JCPOA.
[11:20:00]
Ali Vaez in Washington for us, thank you so much.
ASHER: Thank you.
VAEZ: My pleasure. Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: And still to come for us, President Trump is slamming a Senator's trip to El Salvador to meet with a wrongly deported man. What the
President is saying, just ahead.
ASHER: Plus, the university campus is in mourning after a deadly mass shooting in Florida. We're learning a little bit more about the attack and
a little bit more about the suspect who is right now in police custody. Our chief law enforcement analyst is going to be joining us for the very latest
on this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: Christians are gathering at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on this Good Friday. Pope Francis is still recovering from double pneumonia
and is not expected to make an appearance. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and his family are there to participate in Holy Week services.
ASHER: Joining us live now from Freehold, New Jersey, is Christopher Bellitto, Professor of History at Kean University, and a church historian.
Christopher, thank you so much for being with us. It's good to have your voice on this story again. Obviously, the Pope is still recovering from
double pneumonia. Just explain to us how Easter, and of course, this Good Friday, is going to be different this time without the Pope's physical
presence there.
CHRISTOPHER BELLITTO, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, KEAN UNIVERSITY: Sure, different in this papacy, but not in history. At the end of John Paul II's
life, John Paul II passed away the week after Easter in 2005 and he wasn't able to preside at any of the services either. So, it's not entirely
unprecedented, but certainly Francis and any Pope would want to be there at the holiest time of the year, the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday
and Easter, what are known as the Triduum, are the most sacred times. And so, people want to be with the Chief Shepherd, the pastor of the flock.
GOLODRYGA: Can you talk to us a bit about the lesser known insights and the transitions from the sorrow of Good Friday to the hope of Easter Sunday?
BELLITTO: Sure. It's what's called the Pascal mystery, which is a very fancy phrase, but the fundamental belief of Christians is that Jesus Christ
actually died and actually came back from the dead, and in that, by that action, absolved the world of the sin of Adam, whether that is literal or
metaphorical, based on the particular Christian Church's belief, and that Jesus paves the way to heaven, salvation.
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A very graphic example of this is that there is a tradition that between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, Jesus descended into hell. It's called the
Harrowing of Hell, and brought up all of the people who were there who aren't able to get into heaven until he arrived.
ASHER: For a lot of Christians, especially Catholics around the world, I think the past few months have been really difficult because this bout of
double pneumonia that the Pope had, it really could have ended his life. It was extremely serious. And so, a lot of people are coming to terms with
that, and a lot of Catholics really missed his voice on the world stage. When you think about what's happening across the world right now, be it, of
course, the war in Ukraine, and attempted resolutions to sort of solve that, and of course, what's happening with Israel and Gaza, how much is the
Pope's voice, his sort of moral standing, his moral voice on the world stage, how much is that missed?
BELLITTO: Well, popes have long been prophets, and because of that, they are typically countervoices to what's going on. We'll begin with John Paul
II and Benedict XVI, who were tremendous critics of capitalism. Some people say that a Pope should not get involved in politics, while John Paul II and
Benedict were involved in politics very much.
And I'm taken back. I'd like to compare two documents. One is a homily that John Paul II gave in Yankee Stadium in 1979, I was a boy there, and he says
things that Francis said today. He said, the United States is a very rich nation. Of course, I think he is probably talking to all rich nations, and
they are the rich men, not Lazarus, and that the powerful, he said in that homily, shouldn't leave the crumbs for everyone else. And we need to not
only help the poor, but we need to figure out why the poor exist, and break down those institutions and those mindsets.
And you talked about ideology and oversimplification. This evening in Rome, Francis will not be at the Stations of the Cross, a traditional reliving of
the last day of Jesus, 14 stations, or 14 stops, which have now been taking place around the Coliseum for many years, but he wrote the meditations, and
in those meditations, as I was reading them this morning, I recall that homily of John Paul II. It's very, very harsh against powerful people who
don't care about anyone else. And I can give you some phrases. He indicts an economy in which the 99 are more important than the one is inhumane.
God's economy, on the other hand, does not kill, discard or crush.
GOLODRYGA: Wow. Christopher, what are some of the more interfaith conversations that can be had this week, as we have seen an overlapping of
Passover where Jews like myself have been celebrating liberation and freedom from slavery, and Christians commemorating Easter and Good Friday
and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
BELLITTO: Right. Ramadan, not long before.
GOLODRYGA: Exactly.
BELLITTO: I think people forget that there is a tremendous, the phrase we use is the Jewishness of Jesus, that there is some discussion as to whether
or not the Last Supper wasn't -- was, in fact, a Passover meal, a little bit difficult to date that, but Jesus' passing over. In fact, Christians
read the account of the Exodus, Moses taking the people out. Let my people go. Taking people out of Egypt, and the liberation of the Red Sea. They're
all very closely tied together.
Unfortunately, historically Holy Week, especially in the Middle Ages, was a very dangerous week for Jews, because some Christians believed that all the
Jews at the time of Jesus, and every Jew since then, bore the blood of Jesus on their hands, a belief that the Catholic Church repudiated
absolutely in 1965 but that still fuels some antisemitism today. This is the sadness of the holy land, the land that is sacred to three faiths
continues to be bathed in blood.
ASHER: Yeah. Such a good point. And I loved your question, Bianna, about the intersection of the three major faiths. I have to say, though, that
just the fact that Pope Francis spent Holy Thursday yesterday, visiting inmates.
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I mean, there was no cameras. It was very sort of low key. He wanted to meet the prisoners one by one, and just really let them know that he was
thinking of them. I just found -- I find this Pope just incredibly inspiring when it comes to his humility. That's something that a lot of
people cherish right now.
BELLITTO: Right. And I think one of the things that he does -- has done in the past is washed the feet of prisoners. So, on Holy Thursday, the
presiding priest in Catholicism washes the feet of 12 people in imitation of what Jesus did, the remarkable. You remember that Jesus is operating
during the Roman Empire and occupying force that humiliated the poor, and here you have the Jesus, the Son of God, washing the feet of his disciples.
And so, Francis wasn't physically able to do that because of his medical condition right now, and yet he still went and he said, whenever I come to
a prison, I ask why them and not me? Why them and not me?
ASHER: I know. The fact that he asked that question, I mean, that really --
BELLITTO: Yeah.
ASHER: -- it just touched my heart, just in so many ways.
GOLODRYGA: And he may not be participating in as many services, obviously, given his weaker health status, but the fact that he is even out of the
hospital now and is able to participate as he is, is a gift as well --
ASHER: Yeah.
GOLODRYGA: -- to so many.
BELLITTO: Yeah. And he --
GOLODRYGA: All right. Christopher --
BELLITTO: -- and he has always spoken to that interfaith, because many of the people whose feet he washes are not Christian.
ASHER: Yeah. Another great point. All right. Christopher Bellitto live for us. Thank you so much.
GOLODRYGA: We loved this conversation.
ASHER: Yeah.
GOLODRYGA: Thank you so much. Please come back soon.
ASHER: We'll be right back.
BELLITTO: Thanks for having me.
ASHER: Of course.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right. Welcome back to One World. I'm Zain Asher.
GOLODRYGA: And I'm Bianna Golodryga.
Classes have been canceled today at Florida State University after a deadly shooting on Thursday.
ASHER: Police say two people were killed and five others wounded at the campus in Tallahassee, Florida. A 20-year-old student, Phoenix Ikner, is
accused of opening fire at FSU. According to authorities, he had a gun with him that actually belonged to his mother, who is a sheriff's deputy.
GOLODRYGA: Police have not commented on a possible motive for the shooting. One student describes what happened when it all began.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The shots rang out, and we were like, is that construction going on or what was happening? And so, he got up, looked out
the window, and I remember looking outside and hearing five more shots go off. And I was like, what's going on? So, I saw kids running away from the
Student Union, and I walked away from the window. Then I walked back to the window and heard six -- seven more shots ring out. And at that point, we're
like, OK, there is a shooting going on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: I want to bring in CNN' Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, John Miller. And it was about just 30 minutes from now, yesterday,
when shots first were fired and reports were made. Can you talk to us now about what we've learned?
JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well, we've been trying to gather fragments overnight into today and put them
together to try and develop a richer picture of who was the shooter. We know a lot about that, but the why is still the elusive piece.
So, Bianna, what we learned yesterday, of course, as you reported, he is the son of a deputy sheriff, not just a deputy sheriff, but his mother was
also someone who served as a school resource officer, literally the person who would stand in between a school shooter and those kids if the event
occurred when she was working. So, how does her son allegedly become this individual who opens fire, especially since he grew up in a law enforcement
environment at home, but he was also a member of the Sheriff's Youth Advisory Council? So, let's take a moment and listen to Leon County Sheriff
Walt McNeil, as he tells us about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF WALTER MCNEIL, LEON COUNTY, FLORIDASHER: The alleged shooter was also a long-standing member of Leon County Sheriff's Office Citizen
Advisory or Youth Advisory Council. So, he has been steeped in the Leon County Sheriff's Office family, engaged in a number of training programs
that we have. So, it's not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MILLER: One of the things that you have to actually acknowledge is this is the kind of thing that other authorities in another place, at another time,
might have waited to leak out. I think you have to commend the sheriff for that level of transparency by putting that out in the first press
conference yesterday that he was the son of a deputy, that he was on the advisory council, that he used his mom's gun. A lot of details there.
But, what we develop now is a picture of two people. One, other students said he was an average guy, not remarkable, nice enough. But, we also
learned from another student, who was part of a political science discussion group that Phoenix Ikner was described as so strident, so
forceful in his opinions that it caused other people to withdraw from the club and leave. Ultimately, he was asked to leave because they believed he
was affecting the environment there. But, that was two years ago. So, what's been going on in between? What were the stressors in his life? We
learned surprising things, like, when he was a small child, he was the subject of a parental kidnapping. His biological mother took him to Norway
and had to be brought back by court order.
So, we're still putting these pieces together to try and figure out what led up to whatever snapped. You know, they say they don't snap. They
planned these things. When did it start and why?
GOLODRYGA: And another tragedy here in the United States, a mass school shooting, sadly, two people killed and a number of them wounded.
John Miller, I know you will continue digging deeper into this story for more information. Thank you so much.
ASHER: Thank you, John.
MILLER: Thanks.
ASHER: All right. Here are some of the international headlines we are following today.
U.S. Secretary of state Marco Rubio says the U.S. wants to find out within days if its plans to end the war in Ukraine can actually succeed. He says
if they can't, President Donald Trump will probably move on from current efforts to negotiate peace. Rubio spoke in Paris a day after high-level
talks there with European officials and Ukrainian officials as well.
GOLODRYGA: U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with senior Israeli officials in Paris today ahead of talks with Iran over its nuclear program.
Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that President Trump waved off a planned Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in favor of
negotiations with Iran.
[11:40:00]
ASHER: And U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, who met with a Maryland van wrongfully deported to El Salvador, says he will release full details of
the visit later on today. Van Hollen's visit with Kilmar Abrego Garcia is the first glimpse the public has had of the Maryland man since he first
arrived in El Salvador.
Let's bring in CNN's Priscilla Alvarez, joining us live now with more. So, President Donald Trump is making fun of the Senator for meeting with Abrego
Garcia, essentially calling him a fool. Just walk us through what can actually be achieved from this visit. I mean, obviously, it is noteworthy
that he actually got to meet with Abrego Garcia at all because he was restricted from doing so early on. But, what can actually come of this,
Priscilla?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, according to the Salvadoran President, not much, meaning that he, after this meeting happened and after
the photos were shared, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele is saying that Abrego Garcia will remain in Salvadorian custody. Now, as you know, there
is still ongoing legal proceedings in the United States, but all the same, this, this photo that you're seeing here, was a remarkable moment that
broke yesterday evening. To remind viewers, Senator Van Hollen had traveled to El Salvador on Wednesday. As you noted, he was denied access to El
Salvador's notorious mega-prison, CECOT, where Abrego Garcia, along with other migrants who were sent there from the United States, are being held.
So, it seemed as though, even though the Senator's intention was to see him in person, that that wasn't going to happen. And then fast forward a few
hours later, and we saw these images of this meeting. You will note that Abrego Garcia is dressed in casual clothing. He has a baseball cap on. That
is not the attire of prisoners in CECOT. This is -- we'll get more details as to how exactly this meeting happened, but that is just something to
point out. This is not how they are dressed in that prison in El Salvador.
We are also waiting to hear more details about the substance of that conversation. We know that the Senator spoke with Abrego Garcia's wife,
Jennifer, and she said this in a statement to CNN. She said, quote, "My children and my prayers have been answered. The efforts of my family and
community in fighting for justice are being heard, because I now know that my husband is alive. God is listening and the community is standing
strong."
And that point about knowing that her husband is alive, we had received confirmation that he was alive and secure in this prison over the weekend -
- last weekend from the Justice Department in a filing in a court proceeding, but his wife has not heard from him since mid-March, when he
was sent to El Salvador, let alone seen him since he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month. And that is not only true
for Abrego Garcia, but also the many other migrants, many of them Venezuelan, who were sent to that mega-prison.
So, this was a remarkable moment, not only in this case, but also because we don't often, if ever, that I recall see prisoners from CECOT being
released from that prison. So, again, the White House is seizing on this, using it as a critique on Democrats. But, so far, they are standing firm
on, this is up to El Salvador whether or not he gets released.
ASHER: All right. Priscilla Alvarez, thank you. Appreciate it.
GOLODRYGA: And still to come for us, new charges filed against the man accused of murdering the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. We'll bring you details,
ahead.
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[11:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: The judge in the sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs has rejected a request to delay his trial. Lawyers for the disgraced
entertainer said that they need more time to prepare after new charges were added.
ASHER: Moments ago, the judge said the trial will go on as scheduled next month. Combs has been accused of sexual assault in more than 40 civil
lawsuits. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on a side walk in Manhattan now faces federal charges. Those include murder,
stalking, and a firearms offense. The federal murder charge means suspect Luigi Mangione, seen here, could be sentenced to death if convicted.
GOLODRYGA: And the U.S. Attorney General has said that the Justice Department will seek the death penalty. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to
New York state charges.
ASHER: The Menendez brothers will have to wait until next month for their chance at freedom. Lyle and Erik Menendez were scheduled to life in prison
for the 1989 murders of their parents. On Thursday, their long awaited resentencing hearing was delayed for three weeks. California's Attorney
General opposes any new sentences or new trial for the pair. An attorney for the family wants him removed for the case -- from the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK GERAGOS, ATTORNEY FOR THE MENENDEZ FAMILY: This particular DA has decided that he has got some other interest to vindicate that has nothing
to do with the victims. Why at the last minute he does a Hail Mary, filing of a motion to continue and does not notify any of the victims or the
victim's lawyer? Why? What is going on? Whose interest is he vindicating?
NATHAN HOCHMAN, LOS ANGELES DISTRICT ATTORNEY: With respect to defense attorneys, there is an old adage, if you don't have the facts, pound the
law, and if you don't have the law, pound the facts, and if you don't have the law or the facts, pound the prosecutor, and that's exactly what the
defense strategy has been, because we don't fear the facts, all the facts, the facts that are favorable to a Menendez resentencing, the facts that are
not favorable to a Menendez resentencing. Bring on the facts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: The brothers claim that they were sexually abused by their father and killed their parents in self-defense, but a judge blocked most
of that evidence from being presented to the jury that convicted them.
ASHER: All right. The rap battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar continues, but now Drake is striking out at his own record company. That's
right next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right. Drake is claiming that he was defamed by Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show and also at the Grammy Awards.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. The Canadian rapper made the new allegations in a federal defamation lawsuit against his own record label on Wednesday. Drake
originally filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group back in January. Now, the dispute stems from an epic feud between Drake and Lamar last year,
with the two making a series of songs with personal and unverified insults against each other. That's one way of describing it. The lawsuit targeting
his record label and not Kendrick Lamar is still in its early stages.
ASHER: For the latest on Drake's lawsuit, let's bring in our CNN's Lisa Respers France, looking radiant over there. Lisa, what more do we know
about this lawsuit filed by Drake.
LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Good morning, ladies. What we do know is that Drake and his attorneys are not letting go of the
controversy surrounding "Not Like Us".
So, he has filed saying that because so many people watched the halftime show, and we know that there were more than 133 million people that watched
that Super Bowl halftime show that Kendrick Lamar performed on, and more than 15 million people watched the Grammys where Kendrick Lamar won five
Grammys, including two major ones, Record of the Year and Song of the Year, because of that, Drake and his attorneys are saying that even more people
were exposed to this massive diss track "Not Like Us", in which Kendrick Lamar says things like, oh, you know, referring to Drake as a certified
pedophile, and saying, I hear you like him young.
Of course, Drake has denied any of those allegations. And consequently, the reason why he has added to this lawsuit is he says that the people who are
tuned in for both of those massive events were exposed, and so, this brought even more listeners, brand new listeners, to this song, which he
says defames him.
Now, it's interesting in that UMG, Universal Music Group, is the company that oversees not only the label that he is a part of, but also the label
that Kendrick Lamar is on. But, as you pointed out, he is not suing Kendrick Lamar, but he is suing UMG because he is saying that they, in
essence, pretty much boosted this song and boosted this song's credibility, and then consequently boosted these allegations against Drake that are made
in this song.
And for their part, UMG is saying, we don't think that Drake is getting really good legal advice from his folks. They deny that they have at all
defamed him. They deny that they have boosted this song, because the reality of situation is this song was one of the biggest records last year,
and then, earlier this year, with having Kendrick Lamar be the Super Bowl halftime performer and having so many people tuned in to see how he was
going to handle this song in particular. It's just an incredibly popular song. Kendrick, of course, won a Pulitzer. He is one of the most popular
rappers out there, as is Drake. These are both two extremely famous men who, as you pointed out, were making these allegations back and forth, as
people do.
It's a hip hop beef. It's a hip hop battle. This is what happens. Your whole goal is to say the worst possible things as you can to try to diss
the person that you're coming out again.
ASHER: Is that really the goal?
FRANCE: Yeah. I mean, that's the goal when it comes to these beefs. It's -- literally, they are trying to take this person down.
ASHER: Of hip-hop.
FRANCE: Yeah.
GOLODRYGA: I mean, it goes back in history, East Side, West Side, I mean, but this sort of the modern day yes.
FRANCE: Exactly. So, the --
ASHER: I wish that these two would just bury the hatchet, though, because they're both like such iconic rappers. They're both really talented in
their own rights.
GOLODRYGA: And it's putting their fans in the middle of it.
ASHER: It's like, come on, guys.
FRANCE: They have, and depending upon who you're rooting for, that's who you say actually won this rap battle, won this beef. But, to me, it's even
more fascinating. I feel like so many of us had moved on from this, but thanks to Drake, we're still talking about it.
ASHER: Yeah.
FRANCE: So --
GOLODRYGA: The winners are the lawyers here.
(CROSSTALK)
ASHER: All right. Lisa Respers France, thank you so much.
FRANCE: Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: Thanks, Lisa.
ASHER: And finally, this hour, he was just Ken in the Barbie movie.
[11:55:00]
Now, Ryan Gosling is about to be the main star in a galaxy far, far away.
(VIDEO PLAYING)
GOLODRYGA: He looks a bit awkward while he got on stage there. I have to be honest. Today, in Japan, Gosling surprised fans at a Star Wars celebration
event. He confirmed that he is indeed starring in Lucasfilm's new Star Wars standalone movie. It's called "Star Wars: Starfighter". The audience at
Friday's event was shown a photo of Gosling's childhood Star Wars betting. Now, Gosling said he was dreaming about the franchise before he even saw
the movies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN GOSLING, ACTOR: -- is that this script is just so good. It has such a great story with great and original characters. It's filled with so much
heart and adventure, and there just really is not a more perfect filmmaker for this particular story than Sean.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The introduction with the music was quite something. "Star Wars: Firefighter" -- "Starfighter", excuse me, will be out at about two years
from now.
GOLODRYGA: Three space-related stories for our producer Catherine today -- this week.
ASHER: You love everything that's space-related.
GOLODRYGA: Yes, and she likes us being on time too.
So, we will end right now this hour. Stay with us. More of One World after the break.
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END
