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CNN International: Donald Trump Makes A Key Milestone In Office; U.S. Stock Market Is On Pace For Its Worst First 100 Days Of Any Presidential Term In More Than 50 Years; CNN Poll: 59 Percent Say Trump Has Made The Economy Worse. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired April 29, 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]
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LYNDA KINKADE, HOST, "ONE WORLD": Day 100, President Trump marking a milestone in his second term. One World starts right now.
From the economy to foreign policy to climate change, we'll examine the policies of this administration. Plus, Canada's Prime Minister is taking a
victory lap and sending a warning to its neighbor in the south. And we'll have the latest on the rising tensions between India and Pakistan after a
deadly militant attack in Kashmir.
Live from Atlanta, I'm Lynda Kinkade. This is One World.
100 days ago, Donald Trump reclaimed the White House with a sweeping agenda and the support to get it done, and for better or worse, he is delivering
on a lot of it, like imposing tariffs, scrapping treaties, expanding executive power, and dramatically reshaping the federal government.
President Trump will celebrate his first 100 days with a rally in Michigan later today, a state that's been particularly hit hard by his trade war.
So, how is he doing at this milestone? Well, new CNN polling released this hour shows growing dissatisfaction with the President. 64 percent of people
say they think things are going badly in the country right now. 36 percent say they're going well. And when asked about their feelings on the
remainder of Trump's second term in the White House, 41 percent said they were afraid. Only 28 percent said they were optimistic.
But, it's not just the President that's under water when it comes to public sentiment. 62 percent of respondents said they disapprove of Republican
leaders in Congress, and 72 percent disapprove of Democratic leadership. Many voters angry at the lack of inaction when it comes to fighting Trump's
agenda.
Well, the U.S. Treasury Secretary is defending President Trump's trade policies, even as U.S. stocks are on track for their worst first 100 days
of any presidential term in more than 50 years. Scott Bessent says the uncertainty that's being roiling markets in recent weeks is a negotiating
tactic, and that President Trump is bringing, quote, "strategic uncertainty into the negotiations". The White House says the President will sign an
executive order on auto tariffs later today. According to Bessent, revenue from tariffs could be used to pay for income tax relief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: What President Trump is referring to is the ability for tariff revenue to give income tax relief, and I think
there is a very good chance that we will see this in the upcoming tax bill. The President campaigned on no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, no
tax on overtime, and the restoring interest deductibility for autos, for American-made autos. So, tariff income could be used for tax relief on all
those immediately.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: But, the state of U.S. economy has many Americans concerned. CNN polling shows 59 percent of people asked say that Trump has made the
economy worse. Only 27 percent say he has made it better.
CNN reporters are covering all angles for us. Matt Egan will take a closer look at President Trump's handling of the economy. But, let's begin with
the latest polls. Betsy Klein joins us from the White House. Great to have you both with us.
So, Betsy, the polls show the majority of Americans disapprove of Trump's first 100 days in office, and this, of course, is the lowest rating in at
least seven decades, and looking ahead, many Americans are quite pessimistic about the future. Right?
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: That's exactly right. And since the Eisenhower administration, indeed, Lynda, we are learning that
the President really campaigned on the economy in November of 2024. He ran on lowering prices, restoring American manufacturing, but really, we have
witnessed him overhauling the U.S. and global economic system in his first 100 days in office, and we're also starting to get a clearer picture of how
Americans view those moves.
[11:05:00]
So, according to this brand new CNN polling, asked how the President has affected U.S. economic conditions, 59 percent of Americans say he has
worsened those conditions. 27 percent say he has improved those conditions. 14 percent say no effect. 55 percent of Americans notably say that the
President's tariff policy, they disapprove of his tariff policy.
Now, the President has long used tariffs, particularly the threat of tariffs, as a key negotiating tactic, and we saw that in the lead up to his
so-called Liberation Day on April 2nd, when he installed widespread reciprocal tariffs. The President eventually backing off, issuing a 90-day
pause on tariffs with most countries. But, we're also in an intensifying trade war between the U.S. and China, with 145 percent tariffs remaining in
place, really causing massive economic disruption, rattling businesses, investors and consumers. As you mentioned, the U.S. stock market on track
for its worst first 100 days since the Ford administration in 1974.
Overall, Americans, Lynda, are worried the President and the White House keenly aware of economic sentiment, and of course, how it could ultimately
impact midterm elections coming up in about a year and a half.
KINKADE: Yeah. And of course, later today, Betsy, Donald Trump will head to America's auto capital, Detroit, Michigan. He is expected to announce a
change in the way the auto industry will be tariffed to avoid stacking taxes. Just explain.
KLEIN: That's exactly right. The President is traveling to the greater Detroit area, the heart of the auto industry, a working class area that he
won handily in November, 55.9 percent, and there is so much anxiety in this area, specifically on cars and about tariffs on cars and car parts for the
auto industry, as well as for Americans looking to buy a new car, as well as for Americans with an existing car that may need a repair. But, Howard
Lutnick, the President's Commerce Secretary, appeared to confirm that a deal has been made to provide some relief on those tariffs. He said, quote,
"This deal is a major victory for the President's trade policy by rewarding companies who manufacture domestically while providing runway to
manufacturers who have expressed their commitment to invest in America and expand their domestic manufacturing."
I also want you to listen to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who spoke from the White House just a moment ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BESSENT: President Trump has had meetings with both domestic and -- excuse me, foreign auto producers, and he is committed to bringing back auto
production to the U.S. So, we want to give the automakers a pass to do that quickly, efficiently, and create as many jobs as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KLEIN: So, of course, as the President makes this decision on tariffs on autos, it clearly marks another reversal, or perhaps a negotiation tactic.
But, as he prepares to celebrate his first 100 days, he has done really a media blitz, Lynda. We saw him do interviews with Time Magazine and The
Atlantic. He is expected to sit down today with ABC News. We'll be watching later today.
KINKADE: Yeah. We'll be certain to tune in for that.
Betsy Klein, good to have you with us.
And to you, Matt, the economy was the reason Donald Trump was elected. He promised to improve it on day one. He promised to bring down the cost of
living. Instead, he launched this global trade war, and the stock market has been slammed. Just take us through the economic concerns after 100 days
of Donald Trump.
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Yeah. Lynda, it really does seem like both Wall Street and Main Street are giving two thumbs down to the Trump agenda as
you invest. We were just talking about the U.S. market on track for its worst 100-day start to any presidential term since 1974. Of course, that
was under Gerald Ford after the resignation of Richard Nixon during Watergate. That was during the Great Stagflation crisis. So, that is quite
telling right there.
But also, on the Main Street front, we just got new numbers in on consumer confidence, showing that U.S. consumer confidence plunged in April to the
lowest level since May of 2020. Think about that for a moment, right? That, of course, was during the COVID-19 crisis. And the latest CNN polling does
speak to a lot of doom and gloom on Main Street. Seeing that 69 percent, more than two thirds of adults say that a U.S. recession is likely in the
next year. Only 30 percent say it's unlikely. And yes, some of this pessimism is being driven by Democrats. But, it's not just Democrats. This
CNN poll found that 39 percent of people who voted for President Trump just a few months ago, they also think that a recession in the next year is very
or somewhat likely.
Look, there is a risk in an economy that is driven by consumer spending. There is a risk that all of this pessimism ends up making a recession a
self-fulfilling prophecy where people decide to save more money and spend less, maybe they decide to not go on vacation, not buy a car, not go out to
eat.
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You could have a situation where there is a negative feedback loop where confidence drops and spending falls, forcing companies to lay off workers
that would cause more market trouble and also lower confidence. It can be a tough thing to get out of.
Now, none of this means that a recession is inevitable. It's not, right? It's entirely possible that people are telling pollsters that they hate the
economy and they're going to keep spending anyway. That's what we saw three years ago. Still, though, I did talk to David Kelly over at JPMorgan, and
he told me that he does think that at least a shallow recession is likely for the United States, unless there is a dramatic reversal from the
President on tariffs. And Lynda, if there were a dramatic reversal, that would just feed this policy whiplash that has really confused CEOs, small
business owners, investors, and yes, consumers.
KINKADE: And it certainly doesn't help that a majority of Americans think a recession is likely.
But, Matt, I want to ask you about particular companies, Amazon right now planning potentially to highlight the price rise on products, thanks to
Trump's tariffs, and from what we heard from his press secretary today, he sounds like he is pretty upset about that prospect.
EGAN: Yeah. It was really startling to hear how forcefully the White House this morning attacked Amazon over what was a reported move over displaying
tariffs on the website. Take a listen to the White House Press Secretary earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: About Amazon's announcement, this is a hostile and political act by Amazon. Why didn't Amazon do this
when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years? And I would also add that it's not a surprise, because, as Reuters
recently wrote, this is another reason why Americans should buy American. It's another reason why we are onshoring critical supply chains here at
home to shore up our own critical supply chain and boost our own manufacturing case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
EGAN: Now, in just the last few moments, we have heard from Amazon clarifying what's going on here. Now, in a statement to CNN, an Amazon
spokesperson says that the team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products.
Teams discuss ideas all the time. This was never a consideration for the main Amazon site, and nothing has been implemented on any Amazon property.
So, in case you're not familiar, Amazon Hall is the competitor that Amazon has the Shein and Temu, and the company is clarifying that, yes, this is
something that they consider. It hasn't actually happened yet.
But, I do think that this forceful response from the White House does show how sensitive U.S. officials are about anything that would, a, increase
prices, or b, cast any sort of blame for those increased prices. Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. Matt Egan for us. Thanks to you. And also, Betsy Klein, thanks so much.
Well, we want to take a closer look at the economy under President Trump. CNN Global Economic Analyst Rana Foroohar joins us from New York. She is
also a Global Business Columnist and Associate Editor at the Financial Times. Good to see you, Rana.
RANA FOROOHAR, GLOBAL BUSINESS COLUMNIST AND ASSOCIATE EDITOR, FINANCIAL TIMES, & CNN GLOBAL ECONOMIC ANALYST: Great to see you.
KINKADE: So, I want to start, obviously, on just the overall picture of the economy in the U.S. after 100 days of Donald Trump in his second term. We
know that it's certainly the worst period for the stock market in at least 50 years when you compare this period of time to other presidents. How
would you sum it up?
FOROOHAR: Well, I would just say that this President inherited the strongest post-COVID recovery in the rich world, and he has, in 100 days,
created chaos, uncertainty, and an economy that is, by most estimates, between 70 percent and 90 percent likely to go into recession within Q2 or
Q3 of this year. A lot could change between now and the fall. I expect that there is going to be much more roll back of proposed tariffs -- tariff
rates.
But, I would say that a lot of the damage has been done in terms of just creating uncertainty. If there is one thing that is good for the economy,
it's certainty. You just don't have that in this administration. People don't understand if they can trust today's statements. They might not be
true tomorrow or in a month or three months. The President sees that as a negotiating tactic and something that he really stands by.
But, I think there is going to be a big fallout, a long-term fallout. You can see it in the bond market actually, which is saying we think that the
U.S. is riskier than it has been. We think that there should be a higher charge for risk premiums for investing in the U.S. None of that is good for
the economy.
KINKADE: And of course, Rana, when you look at the polls, it shows that 69 percent of Americans believe that a recession is now likely.
[11:15:00]
Obviously, that's a bad sign, but 59 percent said that Trump has made the economy worse, and a report out just an hour ago on consumer confidence
shows that it's at its lowest level since the 2020 pandemic. What does all of this mean for the chance of a recession?
FOROOHAR: Well, very high because, if you think about America's economy, it's 70 percent consumer spending. So, when consumers start to zip up their
wallets, I mean, that is a huge hit. Now, add to that the threat of tariffs, the inflation that could come from that, and then the slower
growth, and you really have a toxic brew. The number of companies on earnings calls just in the last few days and weeks that have been using the
word recession is exponentially higher than it was at the end of last year. And at the same time, we know that growth is slowing. We know inflation
seems to be going higher. That brings up the word stagflation. The last time we heard that was in the 70s. It's a word that nobody wants to hear.
KINKADE: Yeah. Exactly. We did hear from the Republican strategist Karl Rove. I just want to play some sound.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARL ROVE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: When it gets to the economy, he is in very bad shape. And it's not only that he is, in the short term, in bad
shape. There is also evidence in the poll that no matter -- even if he gets his way on certain things like tariffs, that he is not good in the long
run.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: I mean, that's part of the problem, right? He is using these tariffs as a negotiating tool, but we're still not at any sense of a deal
with any of these countries. So, what does that mean in the long term?
FOROOHAR: Well, you heard Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, on a pretty substantial press conference earlier today, and there just wasn't a
lot to report. I mean, he was saying, we're making good progress with partners like India or Japan. We don't see deals yet. We certainly don't
see them with China, which has rebuffed efforts by the Trump administration to have lower level negotiations. The Chinese really want to deal with the
President himself, and I can't blame them, because we've seen situations in which the USTR, Jamieson Greer, is saying one thing in front of Congress
while the President is saying another thing about trade and tariffs. So, very, very confusing times.
I think that, again, this is going to be weeks and months of this. I think we really have to strap in for volatility that we haven't seen in decades,
really.
KINKADE: Yeah. All right. Rana Foroohar, always great to get your analysis. Thanks so much.
FOROOHAR: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, 100 days since Donald Trump moved back into the White House, have turned America's relations with the world on their head. I want to
take a closer look at his foreign policy agenda and some of the things that he has threatened to do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip. So, I think Canada is going to be a very serious contender
to be our 51st state. Greenland is a wonderful place. We need it for international security. China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didn't
give it to China. If the talks aren't successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger. Your country is in big trouble.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Can I answer?
TRUMP: No, no. You've done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble.
ZELENSKYY: I know.
TRUMP: You're not winning.
ZELENSKYY: I know.
TRUMP: You're not winning this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, that's quite a list, taking control of Gaza to develop it into a so-called Riviera of the Middle East, annexing Greenland, and
turning Canada into the 51st state. While that talk is going on, Trump's team has started discussions with Iran about its nuclear program, and also
with Russia and Ukraine about ending the war. In a recent interview with The Atlantic, the President made the extraordinary claim, I run the country
and the world.
CNN's Chief International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson joins us now to help break it all down for us. Good to see you, Nic. So, Donald Trump
promised to end Russia's war in Ukraine on day one. He promised to bring about lasting peace in Gaza. 100 days in, what has Trump accomplished?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: He has really turned his allies against him, or at least deeply suspicious of him, and to the
point where they don't feel that they can rely on him and the United States in the way that they used to. And if you're in Mark Carney's shoes this
morning, articulating what he felt, President Trump is trying to break us, talking about Canada, so he can own us. There is no sense that if President
Trump thought that he was going to embrace Canada and turn it into a 51st state that these tactics would work.
And it's the way that President Trump is approaching what he sets out to do that is turning his allies against him and making it even harder.
[11:20:00]
It's interesting, you give the example there of Gaza, wanting to turn it into a Riviera on the Mediterranean and all the Palestinians there should
leave. Actually this weekend, he spoke about, we have to be good to the Palestinians, one assumes, because even he is getting concerned about
Israel's humanitarian blockade of the people in Gaza. Not clear if that was the reference. But, he, by the way that he is positioning himself, he is
not able to achieve the things that he wants to achieve, his polarizing people, his pushing them away, the Palestinians in Gaza, absolutely no
affinity whatsoever for what he is proposing. President Trump vowed to end the war in Ukraine in 24 days.
Look, I think it was no surprise to his allies and people that pay attention and had paid attention to that conflict that 24 hours was an
overly optimistic aspiration at best. But, I think what surprised his allies, and this gets to my point that he is turning his allies away from
him, his how he has handled it, how is said about it, by engaging with President Putin, by giving away ground almost literally to President Putin
before negotiations begin, by buying, as many experts would see it, and certainly President Zelenskyy sees, as buying President Putin's lines, that
President Putin's biggest concession at the moment towards peace has not taken the whole of Ukraine.
He has had three years trying to get the whole of Ukraine, and has absolutely failed to. So, he is not managing to do that. So, the surprise
has been that Trump would side with his allies, enemies, and this is being, in the big picture, incredibly counterproductive whatever he wants to
achieve.
KINKADE: And Nic, you wrote an interesting article on cnn.com with the headline "History has a lesson for Trump on overturning the global rules-
based order, and it's not a good one." What is that lesson?
ROBERTSON: Well, the lesson is, if you want to rule from islands of power, that is, let's take his expression of President Zelenskyy not having any
cards to play, Putin has all the cards, Trump's position, his starting position, and his position 100 days in, is those with the power get to make
the decisions. That does throw out the 80 years of peace and prosperity rules-based order that came after World War II. He wants to junk that
philosophy and replace it with the power of the strongest his allies or his contemporaries, if you will, in Russia and China, very likely agree with
that.
But, history has shown us that if you sort of try to rule the world from islands of power, those little islands then end up fighting with each other
and become incredibly destructive. You head into a destructive cycle of go back to the dark ages of warlord versus warlord before there is a kingdom,
then kingdoms against kingdoms. It is not -- it does not tend to define a future where countries can work together with an international rules-based
order and can produce things like vaccines and AI and technologies that actually enhance and make the world more prosperous and better and peaceful
and lift people out of poverty.
The track is setting the United States on and the rest of the world. It appears it's one that has run through the course of history previously.
KINKADE: Yes. It's an interesting piece. Nic Robertson, good to have you with us from London. And for our viewers, you can find more of Nic's
analysis on Trump's foreign policy by going to cnn.com.
Well, still to come, Canada will never yield to the United States. Those words from the newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney, with some tough
talk for Donald Trump. Plus, the lights are back on in Spain and Portugal after a massive blackout on Monday. So, what went wrong and what are
officials saying about it? We'll have that story next.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK CARNEY, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country, never. But, these are not idle threats.
President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: That's the message from Canada's Mark Carney, as he declared victory in Monday's federal election. The win gives Carney a mandate to
lead after taking over from Justin Trudeau in March. Carney and his Liberal Party ran on a fiercely anti-Trump message in an election fueled by taunts
from the U.S. President and damaging U.S. tariffs. It's still unclear if the Liberals have enough seats to form a majority government.
Our Paula Newton is following the election, joining us from Ottawa. Good to see you, Paula. So, certainly some strong words from Mark Carney. He said,
Canada will never yield to Trump. And certainly that, I guess, his party quite united in threats against its southern neighbor.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, not just his party, right? You'd have to say that while Donald Trump was not on the ballot, he was
absolutely top of mind for all Canadians. They wanted a strong leader to stand up to him and his taunts and his threats. What they're at odds over
Canadians is, who is their best leader? Now, Mark Carney, as you note, really a historic comeback for the Liberal Party. He really was a savior to
that party. Many Canadians deciding that he, as a former central banker, is the right man for the moment, but a lot to come, and that includes
negotiating a new trade deal with the United States. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARNEY: Who is ready? Who is ready? Who is ready to stand up for Canada with me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON (voice-over): A rallying cry for Canadian sovereignty, as Mark Carney declared victory in the country's federal elections.
CARNEY: We are once again -- we are once again at one of those hinge moments of history. Our old relationship with the United States, a
relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over. We are over the shock of the American betrayal, but we should never forget the lessons.
NEWTON (voice-over): The Liberal Party leader issuing a stunning rebuke to President Trump, as he promised his country would never yield to the United
States.
CARNEY: As I have been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country, never, but these are not idle threats.
President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never, ever happen.
NEWTON (voice-over): The 60-year-old former central banker also sending a message of unity to the millions that did not vote for him.
CARNEY: And my message to every Canadian is this. No matter where you live, no matter what language you speak, no matter how you voted, I will always
do my best to represent everyone who calls Canada home.
PIERRE POILIEVRE, LEADER, CONSERVATIVE PARTY: So, I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Carney.
NEWTON (voice-over): Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre conceded defeat early Tuesday, saying Carney had won enough seats to form a
razor-thin minority government.
[11:30:00]
Throughout his campaign, Carney rode a wave of anti-Trump sentiment since winning his party's leadership contest in a landslide after former Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down last month.
CARNEY: We are fighting unjustified U.S. tariffs.
NEWTON (voice-over): Trump's tariffs on imports from Canada and continued threats to annex the country as the 51st state only helped him ride that
wave to victory.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Yeah. A little bit of joy there early into the morning, Lynda, on what is a sobering day after. Look, they are still counting the votes here
to figure out whether or not the Liberals have any capacity to form a majority government, though it will likely be, as Pierre Poilievre says, a
razor-thin minority. So, what happens next?
Look, it is looming large that trading negotiation with Donald Trump, who continues to say he wants Canada to be the 51st state, Mark Carney really
promising to take a tough stand here and also having some leverage. A reminder to Americans and everyone else, Canada has shown the way in terms
of trying to show some unity through this campaign. They are divided in their politics, but unified against Trump. They are looking at the
strategic assets, right? What does that mean? It means things like energy, potash, which is fertilizer, hydroelectricity, things that the United
States really needs from Canada and hoping that that helps give them some leverage at the negotiating table. Mark Carney, again, though, quoted a
stark term for Canadians, saying, going forward, it will take sacrifice in order to see this crisis through. Lynda.
KINKADE: Yeah. Mark Carney certainly standing up to Donald Trump, but also showing off some serious dance moves there earlier. Hopefully we see more
of that.
NEWTON: Better than mine. I can tell you right now --
KINKADE: And mine.
NEWTON: -- much better than mine.
KINKADE: Paula Newton, good to have you with us. Thanks so much.
Well, relief today for millions as the electricity came back on across Spain, Portugal, and parts of France after that massive power outage. There
were cheers as the lights flick it back on.
(VIDEO PLAYING)
KINKADE: It was one of the biggest blackouts Europe has ever seen. But, both the EU and the Spanish electricity grid operators say it wasn't
anything to do with a cyberattack. The outage paralyzed cities across the Iberian Peninsula. Travel was disrupted. Subway passengers were trapped
underground for hours, and trains and planes were brought to a standstill. Millions of people are left struggling for a way to get home amid all the
chaos, and today, officials say electricity supplies are almost all back to normal, but the cause of the outage is still unclear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (Interpreted): What has caused this sudden disappearance of supply? This is something that specialists have not
yet been able to determine, but they will, and the relevant state institutions and all private operators are working together to understand
what has happened. All potential causes are being analyzed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, the Spanish government says it's investigating. Portugal's Prime Minister said the problem began in Spain.
Well, conflicts of interest are nothing new in politics, but CNN found that nearly all of Donald Trump's cabinet is under scrutiny. We'll take a look
when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back to One World. I'm Lynda Kinkade, live in Atlanta. Here are some of the international headlines we're watching today.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has led his Liberal Party to a narrow victory in an extraordinary combat, fueled in part by the U.S. President.
Conservatives had a massive lead in the polls just months ago, but Donald Trump's trade war and talk of annexation led voters to coalesce around
Carney.
Power has been restored to tens of millions of people across almost all of Spain and Portugal, but disruptions to transport services are expected to
stretch into a second day, as questions mount over what caused the massive blackout.
A fighter jet worth $60 million fell overboard from a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and into the Red Sea. It appeared to happen after the warship made
a hard turn to avoid a Houthi attack. The Navy says everyone on board has been accounted for, and only one sailor sustained a minor injury.
Donald Trump is marking the first 100 days of his second term. His trade war was the focus of a White House briefing earlier. The Treasury secretary
said it's up to China to deescalate tensions. And on Monday, the Commerce Secretary said a deal has been reached to reduce tariffs for automakers.
Of course, controversy surrounds the administration for many reasons other than the President's approach to trade.
CNN's Kyung Lah looks at the actions taken by some of Trump's cabinet secretaries who are increasingly facing questions about conflicts of
interest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Where are we going in?
BRENT FOSTER, PARENT AND VOLUNTEER, MOSIER COMMUNITY SCHOOL: We're going into the boiler room here.
LAH (voice-over): Through this door sits the impact of the Trump administration's first three months as parent Brent Foster.
LAH (on camera): Is there a date on this thing?
FOSTER: It is very old. It's a diesel-powered fuel oil boiler. This is 100- year-old technology.
LAH (voice-over): That's why you may not recognize that this is a heater. It's an inefficient gas-guzzling relic. It's as old as Mosier Community
School in Oregon. A public school in a building constructed in 1920, it sits 2,700 miles away from the White House. But, the problem with this
heater?
FOSTER: Is directly related to the decisions that are happening in Washington.
LAH (voice-over): Throughout the school, many of the original windows are cracked, holes in classrooms sealed with tape. The K through eight students
hold gym class underneath gigantic vents that violate national standards. This was all scheduled to change when the Department of Energy under the
Biden administration awarded the school an $870,000 infrastructure grant funded by Congress.
FOSTER: To get that federal funding, it was just like, it felt like a miracle.
[11:40:00]
At the same time, when the funding got froze a month ago, it was kind of equally devastating.
LAH (on camera): Are you hearing anything from Washington right now?
FOSTER: Right now, I'd say there is not much more than uncertainty.
LAH (on camera): How did this stall so suddenly?
LAH (voice-over): Enter Chris Wright, President Trump's news Secretary of the Department of Energy.
CHRIS WRIGHT, U.S. SECRETARY OF ENERGY: The Trump administration will end the Biden administration's irrational, quasi-religious policies on climate
change.
LAH (voice-over): Wright jumped into this job from founding and leading a $2 billion fracking company, which is regulated by the Department of
Energy. Meaning, in his new role, he oversees the industry he just left. Under Wright, the department has been boosting business for fossil fuel
corporations. At the same time, the department has been slashing green energy efforts opposed by oil companies. Caught in the middle, energy
efficient grants like the one from Mosier Community School. Wright is not the only Uber wealthy Cabinet Secretary or advisor to Trump overseeing the
industry they came from, posing potential conflicts of interest.
LAH (on camera): A CNN review of his actions over Trump's first 100 days found many of the changes made by this administration could directly enrich
the President, his advisors, or their former companies.
LAH (voice-over): Trump's cabinet and advisors are the wealthiest in modern American history. These billionaires and multi-millionaires now call the
shots in Washington, and some of them even oversee their former industries.
DANIELLE CAPUTO, SENIOR LEGAL COUNSEL, CAMPAIGN LEGAL CENTER: You have these titans of industry, these extremely wealthy people who are not just
the top one percent but the top 0.1 percent who are working within the administration. The industry itself is not what you should be focusing on
as an administration official. You should be focusing on what's best for the public.
LAH (voice-over): Elon Musk, not an official member of the cabinet, known for Tesla --
TRUMP: I love Tesla.
LAH (voice-over): -- and also Starlink. Musk's internet company.
LAH (on camera): Trump's administration changed the rules, clearing the way for Starlink to win new government contracts, some potentially worth
billions. And then there is Howard Lutnick, billionaire and Commerce Secretary.
TRUMP: Yesterday, I signed an executive order officially creating our strategic Bitcoin reserve.
LAH (voice-over): That move by Trump, a potential windfall for Lutnick's former financial firm, now controlled by his son, which launched a
cryptocurrency business last year.
HOWARD LUTNICK, U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY: We are going to use digital assets to pound forward.
LAH (voice-over): Disclosures show at least seven of Trump's top officials made significant investments in crypto. Mosier community students may not
care or even know what a Cabinet Secretary is. They do know this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yesterday, the heaters went out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was kind of cold some of the days.
FOSTER: The idea that the federal government would sign a contract to essentially bring your school up to just very basic minimum and then pull
the rug out from under us, is difficult to understand, and I hope it's not how it ends.
LAH (on camera): We reached out to the Department of Energy to ask about this grant to Mosier Community School. This is a grant that also impacts
dozens of public schools across the country. An energy spokesperson says the department is completing a full review of his activities and to make
sure that it is aligned with the Trump administration's priorities. An energy spokesperson says, in regards to Secretary Wright, he follows all of
the department ethics and disclosure rules.
Kyung Lah, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, still ahead, protestors in India burn flags, as tensions with Pakistan ratchet up after a terrorist attack on tourists in Indian-
administered Kashmir. We'll have the details next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Pakistani security sources say the nation's army shot down an Indian surveillance drone in the disputed Kashmir region
today. That incident coming a week after a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. Both India and
Pakistan are threatening each other with consequences.
CNN's Will Ripley has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On India's streets, anger at Pakistan is burning, one spark away from a wider
explosion. India is flexing military muscle at sea. Pakistan warns a war if India threatens its water supply, a dangerous moment between nuclear-armed
rivals, old wounds from decades of insurgency and three wars torn wide open, one of the deadliest attacks in years in Indian-administered Kashmir.
We fled immediately after hearing gunshots, says Gopal Roopchand (ph).
Gunmen opened fire on sightseers in the remote mountain valley of Pahalgam. 25 Indian citizens and a Nepali national dead. Police on the Indian side
named three suspects, claiming two are Pakistani nationals, without providing evidence. They link the attack to a Pakistan-based Islamist group
called Lashkar-e-Taiba. Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, denies any involvement.
SHEHBAZ SHARIF, PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER: The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game.
NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER: India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist.
RIPLEY (Voice-over): India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi under growing pressure to strike Pakistan, as rage fills India's streets.
Across the border in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, many are bracing for what may come next. We are Muslims. We are peace-loving, says Taqeeb Ahmed
(ph). We don't promote terrorism. India already suspended parts of a crucial water sharing treaty,
threatening to cut off a lifeline for Pakistan's farms and cities. Pakistan is vowing to respond with force. As militaries posture, families suffer.
India shut down a key border crossing, canceling visas for many Pakistanis, causing fear among some Hindus fleeing what they call religious
persecution. Pakistan also limiting access for Indian citizens, tearing families apart on both sides, like Anudha Imran (ph), desperate to return
to her husband and children. Despite my daughters being Pakistani nationals, why am I not allowed to enter Pakistan? What have I done? How
will my daughters live without me? She says.
The playbook is grim and familiar. In 2019, a terror attack in Kashmir triggered Indian airstrikes inside Pakistan, the closest the two countries
came to all-out war in decades. Many fear this time could be even worse.
Will Ripley, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, still ahead, Trump's first 100 days has seen some major changes to America's climate policy. After the break, we'll take a look at
those changes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: One of the most urgent tasks, not only for our movement, but for our country, is to decisively defeat the climate hysteria hoax.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Donald Trump has used the first 100 days of his second term to take various steps to dismantle the previous administration's policies on
climate change. So, let's take a look at some of them. He pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord. He declared a national energy
emergency aimed at increasing production of fossil fuels. He reduced regulations on oil and gas production, and announced he was suspending the
leasing of sites for wind power, and he canceled federal subsidies for electric vehicles.
Well, for more, I want to welcome CNN's Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir, who joins us now from New York. Good to see you, Bill. Sorry.
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Hi Lynda.
KINKADE: It's kind of remarkable that in 100 days Donald Trump has upended so much progress on climate change. Just take us through some of the key
ones.
WEIR: Well, if you looked at Project 2025, that blueprint written by his firm of supporters, environmental folks, people aware of the climate
problem, knew it was going to be bad. No one imagined it could be this bad, that DOGE chainsaw is in working overtime in every sort of bureau, every
government agency that is having a whiff of climate science, Earth science, environmental justice, pollution stripped away from the EPA to the
Department of Defense and so on. You talked about pulling out of Paris, the Climate Accords.
Really the theme of the day is the world is still moving on. The United States under Donald Trump is not only stopping but trying to go backwards
and just erase science in the most Orwellian ways. On Earth Day, he put out this White House memo had -- the title of which was frankly laughable. On
Earth Day, we finally have a President who follows science and then lists the most unscientific actions from saying he is championing sound forest
management, which is really just unregulated logging, ending the forced use of paper straws without addressing the micro plastics, the plastic
pollution crisis, PFAS chemicals that are now in people's brains and organs around the world, cutting wasteful regulations that stifle innovation and
create cost.
Lynda, back in about 55 years ago, the first Earth Day happened because pollution in the United States became too horrible to ignore, and as a
result of that, President Nixon, largely bipartisan Senate passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency. As a
result, a lot of that pollution is gone, but a State of the Air by the American Lung Association just came out last week and said 50 percent of
the nation still lives in air that gets a grade of F due to the pollutants in it. So, imagine how much worse things have been without the EPA.
Now, all of that is gone. All references is gone, but industry, blue states, cities, those who are good faith allies in the fight against
climate change are going to stay in this fight, but the U.S. imprint on this globally is greatly diminished as a result of Donald Trump's first 100
days, and who knows where it goes from here.
[11:55:00]
KINKADE: Yeah. It's certainly not looking good, Bill, and you have to talk about this bury your head in the sand mentality when you look at what
Donald Trump did to fire 400 contributors to this National Climate Assessment Report, which was mandated by Congress, which was meant to allow
for expert reporting to be given to lawmakers to take action on climate change. So, without that reporting, what does it mean for the fight against
climate change?
WEIR: Well, it means it definitely stops. These are sort of 400 of the most elite Earth scientists in the country that contributes to all different
chapters, on everything from clouds to rivers to glaciers, how the Earth reacts as it overheats under this fossil fuel pollution. The fear is that
not only it will stop, but an alternative pseudoscientific report will be put out by the United States, which is historically the biggest polluter in
human history, and has reaped the most benefits of that right now. So, there is the moral argument about walking away from the clean-up entirely,
but then there is the practical argument that trillions of dollars will be made in the post-carbon economy that the U.S. under Trump seems to be
walking away from.
Meanwhile, China is installing about a million solar panels a week. At last reports, they've just approved 10 new nuclear power plants. So, they're
going ahead with the post-carbon economy at full speed. President Xi just had a meeting that include Lula da Silva of Brazil, the President of the --
head of the EU. Donald Trump was not invited. So, not only do they know they're not going to take it seriously, they're no longer even invited to
the discussions, and they will then dictate the terms of the new post- carbon economy.
KINKADE: Well, the U.S. not even at the table.
Bill Weir, we are good to have you with us. Thanks so much.
And thank you for joining us. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Do stay with CNN. Bianna Golodryga has more of One World after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
