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Use-Of-Force Expert Testifies Chauvin's Actions In Floyd Arrest Were "Justified" As Defense Begins Its Case; Officer Who Fatally Shot Unarmed Black Man Resigns Along With Police Chief As Minnesota City Fears A Third Night Of Unrest; U.S. Calls On J&J Vaccine Over Blood Clotting Concerns; CDC Advisory Panel To Hold Emergency Meeting Tomorrow; Biden To Announce Withdrawal Of U.S. Troops From Afghanistan By September 11. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired April 13, 2021 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[17:00:00]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Speaking of which, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @jaketapper or you can tweet the show @theleadcnn. Our coverage on CNN continues right now. I will see you tomorrow.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM.

And we're following new developments in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center where the veteran police officer who shot and killed the young African American man Daunte Wright has resigned along with the city's police chief.

The shooting, which police described as accidental has sparked protests that have turned violent. Right now the city is fearing a third night of unrest.

Meanwhile, in nearby Minneapolis defense lawyers are now presenting their case in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin, charged with murder in the death of George Floyd. A use of force expert testified Chauvin's actions, including kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes were justified.

We're also following a potentially significant setback to the sweeping us COVID vaccination efforts. The CDC and the FDA, they are putting use of the single dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine on pause right now after six people who received the shot developed a rare but severe blood clotting complication. One of those people died. CDC vaccine advisors have scheduled an emergency meeting tomorrow. Much more coming up on that right here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

But let's begin this hour with more on the outrage over the fatal police shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright. CNN's Adrienne Broaddus is working the story for us.

Adrienne, there are some very significant new developments are unfolding right now. ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, less than 24 hours after the chief of police here in Brooklyn Center released that disturbing body cam video showing the officer who was a 26-year veteran here at the police department shoot and kill Daunte Wright. The officer resigned. And I want to warn you what you're about to see is graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BROADDUS (voice-over): Tonight the officer who police say accidentally shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright has resigned. Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center police force is seen on body cam footage discharging her gun instead of her Taser during a traffic stop Sunday.

In her resignation letter Potter writes, "I believe that it is in the best interest of the community, the department and my fellow officers if I resign immediately." The Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon has also resigned.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did these resignations come about? They catch you by surprise?

MAYOR MIKE ELLIOTT, BROOKLYN CENTER, MINNESOTA: Yes. Well, I cannot speak to that either.

BROADDUS: Brooklyn Center's mayor says the resignations are just the beginning and has asked the governor for the State's Attorney General to prosecute the case.

ELLIOTT: I'm hoping that this will help bring some calm to the community. Although, you know, I think ultimately people want justice. They want, you know, full accountability under the law. And so, that's what we're going to continue to work for.

BROADDUS: Speaking emotionally today, Daunte Wright's mother explains what she heard when she was talking to her son in the last moments of his life.

KATE WRIGHT, DAUNTE WRIGHT'S MOTHER: The day that I got the phone call from my son two days ago at 1:47 was the worst day of my life. She pointed the phone towards the driver's seat and my son was laying there unresponsive. That was the last time that I've seen my son. That's the last time I heard from my son and I have had no explanation since then.

BROADDUS: Joined in a bond of pain and sorrow, the families of Wright and George Floyd met for the first time outside of the Hennepin County District Court shaking hands and expressing condolences.

The Wright's family attorney Jeff Storms said they are not prepared to say this was an accident.

JEFF STORMS, WRIGHT FAMILY ATTORNEY: It's not an accident to take your gun out of the holster. It's not an accident to point your gun. It's not an accident to ignore the fact that what you're holding doesn't weigh the same amount as the Taser that you've used in training hundreds of times.

BROADDUS: Protests continued for a second straight night in front of the Brooklyn Center Police Department. Police fired tear gas and stun guns to disperse the demonstrators who are defying a curfew. And police say we're throwing bottles, fireworks, bricks and other projectiles at police.

[17:05:00]

COL. MATT LANGER, MINNESOTA STATE PATROL: In totality, there are about 40 arrests that were made, some cited, some booked in jail for things all the way from curfew violations to riot.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

BROADDUS: Meanwhile, Wolf, when I spoke one on one with Mayor Elliott, he told me he did not accept her resignation. And members of the community are calling for the mayor to reject the resignation, community members made it clear they want the officer fired.

Meanwhile, today, we're learning a lot more about the makeup of the Brooklyn Center Police Department among the 47 officers, only four are Black. Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes, we're going to be speaking with Jeff Storms, the family Attorney for the Wright and Floyd family. They're going to -- we're going to be speaking to him a very soon.

Adrienne Broaddus, thank you very much for that report.

Meanwhile, the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derrick Chauvin entered an important new phase today as the prosecution rested its case and Chauvin's defense team took the lead. Our Senior National Correspondent Sara Sidner is joining us from Minneapolis. She's got details,

Sara, update our viewers.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The defense doing what a lot of folks expected it to putting on some experts, including a use-of- force expert who testified to the opposite of what all of the prosecution's use-of-force experts have said about the way Chauvin acted against George Floyd in this case.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

STEVE SCHLEICHER, PROSECUTOR: Your honor the state of Minnesota rest.

SIDNER (voice-over): The prosecution rested its case after 11 days of testimony and 38 witnesses. The jury has now heard and seen all their evidence as the prosecution tries to prove former officer Derek Chauvin murder George Floyd. Tuesday was the first look at the defense of Chauvin.

Chauvin's attorney call the use-of-force expert to testify. The former officer said Chauvin's actions against Floyd were by the book. BARRY BRODD, USE-OF-FORCE EXPERT: I felt that Derek Chauvin was justified, he was acting with objective reasonableness following Minneapolis Police Department policy and current standards of law enforcement in his interactions with Mr. Floyd.

SIDNER: In cross examination though, the prosecution pointed out Floyd had stopped resisting and questioned the defense's expert as to whether continuing the force was acceptable.

SCHLEICHER: If someone is not resisting and they're compliant, the use of something control, as you put it, that could produce pain is just not justified, does it?

BRODD: No.

ERIC NELSON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Your Honor, the defense call Scott Creighton (ph).

SIDNER: The testimony began with the quick questioning of an officer who arrested Floyd in May 2019.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not going to shoot you. Put your hands on the dash.

SIDNER: On cross examination, the prosecution's point was clear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And Mr. Floyd didn't drop dead while you were interacting with him, correct?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

SIDNER: Then former Hennepin County EMS worker Michelle Monseng, who took Floyd's vitals during the 2019 arrest, took the stand to testify about Floyd's drug use during that incident.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Approximately seven Percocet, correct?

MICHELLE MONSENG, RETIRED HENNEPIN COUNTY EMT: I documented, yes, seven to nine.

SIDNER: The defense also called on the woman in the car with Floyd when he was arrested in 2020. All of it to bring in evidence of Floyd's prior drug use.

SHAWANDA HILL, IN CAR WITH GEORGE FLOYD: When I tried to wake him up, he woke up the second time. I said Floyd, the police here. It's about a $20 bill wasn't real. I kept saying, man, get up. The police is out.

So, he looked and we looked to the right. And he had the police, he tapped on the window with a flashlight.

SIDNER: Then, the jury saw a new body camera video from a fifth officer who arrived at the scene after Floyd was detained. Officer Peter Chang testified he was told to simply watch Floyd's vehicle but began pacing when he noticed the crowd. PETER CHANG, MINNEAPOLIS PARK POLICE: I was concerned for the officer's safety because of the crowd. So, I just want to make sure that officers were OK.

SIDNER: The defense brought back the Medical Support Coordinator for the Minneapolis Police Department who had previously testified for the prosecution.

NELSON: Can you define what an officer should do if they encounter a suspect basis back is suffering from excited delirium.

NICOLE MACKENZIE, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE MEDICAL SUPPORT COORDINATOR: Definitely get more resources started, because you might even more resources than you would think.

NELSON: And obviously, attempt to control the subject?

MACKENZIE: Correct.

NELSON: Through physical restraint?

MACKENZIE: Yes.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

SIDNER: So, this is the second time that we've heard the use of the term excited delirium, which is a really controversial diagnosis. One, the American Medical Association, for example, does not recognize as a syndrome. But essentially, it's the person gets so excited that they have sudden death basically, so agitated.

So far, we have heard no medical testimony and the prosecution's case that that is what George Floyd suffered from. There was a lot of testimony actually, to the contrary of that. We also heard again, the prosecution pushing that use-of-force witness for the defense on this. And today, talking a lot about that three minutes that the officer was on George Floyd's neck after he completely stopped moving. Wolf.

[17:10:10]

BLITZER: All right, Sara, thank you very much.

Let's bring in Jeff Storms. He's an attorney for the families of George Floyd and Daunte Wright.

Jeff, thanks very much for joining us.

I will discuss the killing of Daunte Wright in just a moment. But first, the defense's, you know, launched its case today in the Derek Chauvin trial, called a use-of-force witness who argued that Chauvin was, in fact, justified. What's your reaction to this day one of defense testimony?

JEFF STORMS, GEORGE FLOYD FAMILY ATTORNEY: Well, Wolf, I hope that use-of-force expert got paid a lot of money to provide that testimony, because I don't see how any credible lawyer could ever hire that expert again. We've watched real officer after real officer get up on the stand and say what happened was wrong and had no place in policing. So, I just do not see how someone can actually get up there and say what that defense experts said.

BLITZER: That with this painted a picture of how suspects on drugs may not necessarily feel pain, might have what he described as superhuman strength. How hard is it for the Floyd family to hear testimony like that?

STORMS: Well, I think that it's, you know, it's just unbelievable, and they don't believe it like anyone else, right? We obviously saw that George did not have superhuman strength. He had a normal human being strength, which is why he was able to be detained and is fixated by these officers.

BLITZER: Let's discuss the shooting of Daunte Wright. You're representing his family, as well. The officer was killed -- the officer who killed him has now resigned along with a police chief there in Brooklyn Center. Do you have any indication of whether that officer will face charges? And if so, when those could perhaps be coming?

STORMS: You know, I'm not in a position to comment on that at this time, Wolf. But I would expect that all options for justice are being considered right now.

BLITZER: There was really an emotional moment as you know in the -- both the Floyd and Wright families shared a moment together today. They met, they comforted each other. You were there on the scene. What are these two deaths reveal about policing in this community?

STORMS: You know, this is so unbelievable that this is happening now. But it's also entirely believable. You know, we've had maybe the largest outcry we possibly could have had in Minnesota, and one of the largest out cries in the country in the world, over unfair policing of, you know, of minorities here in the United States.

And so, now, this is just the most recent, terrible, painful reminder. But there's still a lot of work to be done. And anyone who's patting themselves on the back, because we've been vocal over the last year can put their hand away. And we need to get back to work because clearly our work is far from done.

BLITZER: Certainly is far from done, indeed. All right, Jeff Storms, thank you very much for joining us.

STORMS: Thanks for having me, Wolf.

BLITZER: Coming up, we'll have the latest on concerns about the Johnson and Johnson single dose COVID vaccine and a rare but potentially deadly complication. What should you do if you've already received the shot? Dr. Sanjay Gupta is standing by live He will answer your questions when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:17:45]

BLITZER: CDC vaccine advisors have now scheduled an emergency meeting tomorrow to discuss the Johnson and Johnson coronavirus vaccine. Federal officials have paused use of it after six people who receive the one shot does develop a rare but severe blood clotting complication. Let's go to our Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

Kaitlan, the Biden administration says this pause of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine won't have a significant effect on the overall vaccine supply.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. They say they're confident, it's not going to hurt those timelines that you've seen President Biden's set. But almost immediately after the FDA put out this statement this morning, you saw states start to heat this call and stop these Johnson and Johnson vaccinations that were scheduled to take place as early as this morning.

And so, while the FDA is saying this pause is likely to only last a few days depending on what it is they find as they are looking at these potential links. The new questions that are also being raised even within the White House tonight or just how long lasting the repercussions of this pause are going to be.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

COLLINS (voice-over): President Biden attempting to tamp down concerns after Johnson and Johnson vaccinations were brought to a screeching halt.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My message to the American on the vaccine is, I told you all, I made sure we have 600 million doses.

COLLINS: The FDA and CDC calling on states to stop administering the J&J vaccine, while ordering federal vaccination signs to do the same after six recipients experienced rare but severe blood clots.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: What does a pause mean? It really allows both the FDA and the CDC to further investigate these cases.

COLLINS: Out of the 6.8 million people in the U.S. who have gotten J&J, the six with blood clots were women between the ages of 18 and 48 who developed symptoms within 13 days of being vaccinated. One died and another was hospitalized in critical condition. Federal health officials pushed for the pause out of an abundance of caution as other experts said the clots appear to be extremely rare.

DR. CARLOS DEL RIO, EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT GRADY HEALTH SYSTEM: When you think about one in a million event, that's -- you know, you cross the street every day you have a much higher chance of getting run over by a car.

[17:20:00] COLLINS: Officials said they were concerned that providers would treat the rare clots with conventional drugs that could make them worse.

FAUCI: When you have thrombosis, the most common way to treat that is with heparin. That would be a mistake in this situation.

COLLINS: For those who have already gotten J&J, Dr. Anthony Fauci says not to panic, but be on the lookout for headaches, shortness of breath, and abdominal or chest pain.

FAUCI: First of all, don't get an anxiety reaction because remember, it's less than one in a million. However, having said that, pay attention.

COLLINS: President Biden says he's not concerned the pause will affect his vaccine goals.

BIDEN: There's enough vaccine that is basically 100 percent unquestionable for every single solitary American.

COLLINS: But his staff is expressing concern about whether the pause will exacerbate vaccine hesitancy.

JEFF ZIENTS, WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR: So, hesitancy amongst a group of people is a challenge. The FDA acting the way they did today shows that they are indeed the gold standard. And I think that should reassure the American public.

COLLINS: After some state officials privately complain they were caught off guard by the pause, the White House said they got the message out as fast as possible.

ZIENTS: We didn't know about anything in terms of the announcement until last night, and we didn't even know the content of the announcement till this morning when everyone else read it.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COLLINS: Now, Wolf, once they learned the contents of this announcement, we are told the federal government started working with states to try to switch those who were scheduled to get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in the coming days, to get a Moderna or a Pfizer vaccine, try to remedy those who are already scheduled to get one.

But now, all eyes are going to turn to this meeting happening at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. That's with the CDC's advisory board on what it -- when it comes to these vaccines. And so, that's going to be critical and what the next steps are going to be and what the future of this Johnson and Johnson vaccine is going to look like.

BLITZER: All right, Kaitlan, thank you very, very much. A very important story.

Let's get some more in all of this. Our Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is joining us.

Sanjay, can you explain exactly what led to this pause? And just how serious it is?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, what they did is they found this association with these women that Kaitlan was just describing, women between the ages of 18 and 48 who had this somewhat unusual blood clot, a blood clot that is in the draining veins of the brain. Blood goes to the brain, that same blood needs to leave the brain. This was sort of -- this sort of clot would impede that from happening. So, it's a significant clot.

But it can show you that the numbers here overall, Wolf, if I mean, you know, as we just mentioned, close to 7 million people have received this vaccine, we're talking about six people who've developed this sort of problem. So, it's really, really quite rare, less than one in a million.

A little bit more information, again, women all between the ages of 18 and 48. And the symptoms appeared within two weeks between six and 13 days.

So, two reasons, I think for the pause, is there something that sort of ties these women together? Is there some underlying condition that, you know, may give these investigators a little bit more information about what happened here?

But also, again, as you just heard in Kaitlan's piece, this is an unusual sort of clot, typically, someone's got a blood clot, they're making too much clot, you give them blood thinners. Because of the nature of this clot, you'd actually not give blood thinners because it could actually worsen bleeding. So, that was another reason for the pause. Give the clinicians out there some guidance on what to do if they encounter this.

BLITZER: Yes, one of those six women actually died. Another one, we're told, is in critical condition.

If you've already received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine here in the United States, especially if you're a woman under the age of 50, who, let's say got the shot within the past couple of weeks or so, what should you be looking for right now, Sanjay? And when should you actually go and seek medical care?

GUPTA: Well, you know, we can put up the list of various symptoms. But as you look at this, you know, again, I just want to emphasize, when we talk about one in a million or even less than one in a million, I mean, this this is very unlikely. I can understand the anxiety for people who may have received this recently within the last two weeks. The statistics, the odds are very much on your side.

With regard to this blood clot in the in the brain, headaches, there are just out of a very unusual headaches, sometimes blurred vision. In very rare cases, seizures could occur. If the clot is not necessary in the brain, but other parts of the body, you could have abdominal pain or leg pain. There's something known as a pulmonary embolism that might give you shortness of breath.

But again, Wolf, I just you know, we said it over and over again, let's say it again, it is it is really rare. I mean, the monitoring system that's in place right now in the middle of this vaccination rollout, it's got the antennas raised really high. So, picking up all these different things. And this is another one of these things. We'll see what it leads to in terms of what happens with Johnson and Johnson. But I don't think most people really need to worry about this at all.

[17:25:08]

BLITZER: Yes, I think you're absolutely right.

Dr. Gupta, thanks very much, as usual.

Up next, we'll have expert analysis of today's developments in the Derek Chauvin trial, including the emerging strategy from his defense team.

We'll also discuss the growing fallout from the police killing of Daunte Wright. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're following a tense situation in Minnesota tonight as Minneapolis announces a second consecutive curfew beginning at 10:00 p.m. amid new fallout from the police shooting of Daunte Wright and an important new phase in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin.

[17:30:10]

BLITZER: Let's discuss with CNN Legal Analyst Elliot Williams, retired Maryland and Baltimore Police Officer Major Neill Franklin and Ayesha Bell Hardaway, the Assistant Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University.

Major Franklin, there were these two major resignations in Brooklyn Center outside of Minneapolis today, the police chief and the officer who actually shot and killed Daunte Wright, but what more needs to happen to get answers for Wright's family and indeed for the wider community?

MAJOR NEILL FRANKLIN (RET.), FORMER OFFICER, MARYLAND STATE & BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENTS: Well, obviously, Wolf, they need to continue as quickly as possible with his investigation. This isn't a complicated investigation. There are very few witnesses. You've got the video. You've got an overt statement from the officer who resigned who actually fired the shot. It shouldn't take very long at all, and they need to complete that and get it to the public to the family as soon as possible.

I also think there's a lot of work to be done in that town by the mayor. I'm not sure if the interim police chief, if he is still interim, is the one for the job. They may need to do a search to find a true change agent. But I don't think that town is prepared for what occurred -- for moving beyond what occurred with their police department. BLITZER: Ayesha, what sort of charges potentially could be coming for the police officer? She's a veteran police officer there in Brooklyn Center. What kind of charges potentially be coming for her for shooting and killing Daunte Wright?

AYESHA BELL HARDAWAY, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW, CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: Well, obviously, you know, in light of the fact that a life was taken, we could be looking at some of the second degree murder -- I'm sorry, the third degree murder charge that was in play with Chauvin, but that's very unlikely, I will say, because of the fact that it everyone is framing it as an accident. We could be more likely looking for anything from a misdemeanor to a manslaughter charge.

BLITZER: Yes. They called it an accident. She thought she was tased -- get a taser, Daunte Wright. But, in fact, he was using the real gun and wound up killing him.

Elliot, let's turn to the Chauvin trial. Today was the first day for the defense to present its case, watch what this use of force expert witness said to jurors today. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And can you just briefly overview your opinions in this particular case?

BARRY BRODD, EXPERT WITNESS ON USE OF FORCE: I felt that Derek Chauvin was justified was acting with objective reasonableness following Minneapolis Police Department policy and current standards of law enforcement and his interactions with Mr. Floyd.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: What's your reaction to that testimony, Elliot?

ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes. So look, we knew that this trial was going to turn, Wolf, into a dispute between the experts. We saw several experts testified in the prosecution, including they ended on a use of force expert. So this should surprise no one, and certainly the defense scored points today.

The problem with the defense's case is that a number of major points, out a number of major points, he was contradicting -- actually got quite tripped up on cross examination. So, for instance, there was a question as to what constitutes the use of force and would the imposition of pain on someone on the ground or in a prone position constitute a use of force? And he sort of garble that on this question of whether officers have a duty to care for people who are in their custody.

And so, for instance, if someone who's saying, I can't breathe, I can't breathe, what obligation do officers have? And he conceded that officers in those circumstances have some obligation to care for an individual. Would crowd noise be, you know, would an officer who was apprehending someone who'd heard a crowd around him necessarily put more force on an individual who's in their custody?

And again, he conceded that, well, no, the noise of a crowd would not be the kinds of thing that would lead someone to increase the amount of force. But -- and most importantly, the simple fact is, force would need to be consistent throughout and reevaluated throughout an encounter with law enforcement.

So if someone stopped resisting or was lifeless, ultimately, the officer would need to recalibrate the force that they used, and he can see at that point as well. So, yes, he was an affirmative witness for the defense, but on a number of instances, when challenged, he conceded points. And so I don't think this was an overwhelming win for the defense and the prosecution prepared the world for this all through last week by putting their own witnesses on first.

BLITZER: That's a good point. You know, Major Franklin, does that testimony line up with what you know for more than three decades of experience in law enforcement?

FRANKLIN: Absolutely not, Wolf. And as a certified expert, I'll tell you, he was far from -- I'm going to say this, being what I think of as an expert and many of the experts that are within my circle regarding experts in the use of force -- I'll tell you, it's already been said that he was tripped up on cross time and time again, even talking about risk versus threat.

[17:35:23]

And it -- as it was previously mentioned, talking about the prone control position, you know, but most important, I think, in cross was dealing with the department policy.

And it was -- as we just heard talking about, if they're in your custody, they're in your care. And we all know that not just the Minneapolis but from coast to coast in this country. And he failed dramatically at that. Chauvin failed dramatically at that to assess and to reassess as the people on the sidewalk were trying to get him to do, as his own fellow officer tried to get him to do to place Floyd in the recovery position. Great cross examination, the jury is not going to be fooled by this so called expert.

BLITZER: We'll see how the defense continues its evidence tomorrow. All right guys, thank you very, very much.

Just ahead, a new U.S. intelligence report outlines a growing list of global threats to American security. We'll have an update. Plus, President Biden announces a firm deadline for U.S. withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan nearly 20 years after the war there began.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:40:39]

BLITZER: We're following two major national security developments unfolding tonight. I want to bring in our Pentagon Correspondent Oren Liebermann and our Senior National Security Correspondent Alex Marquardt. Oren, first to you, two decades after the September 11th attacks, the United States will now withdraw completely from Afghanistan marking a very symbolic end to the longest war in U.S. history. What are you learning specifically about the timeline?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a senior administration official says the U.S. will begin that withdrawal even before May 1st, so that means any immediate future the U.S. can begin withdrawing the last 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. That withdrawal will be complete before September 11, before the 20th anniversary of 911. President Joe Biden is expected to make that announcement sometime tomorrow.

And it comes, while the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense are overseas meeting with NATO allies, they too are a part of this withdrawal. A senior administration official said in together, out together. It's clear Biden wanted out of Afghanistan, but that doesn't mean this was an easy decision.

It's a decision he wrestled with for months taking into account many meetings across the interagency as well as differing opinions on what the final position in Afghanistan should be. In the end, that position is now clear Biden wants out and that will happen on a very symbolic day, the 20th anniversary of 911, the U.S. will be out.

2,500 U.S. troops there right now. There will be a military presence there to protect the diplomatic presence, to protect the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. It's also unclear, Wolf, what will happen to special operations forces in Afghanistan, but the withdrawal is moving forward.

BLITZER: Certainly is. Alex, let's talk a little bit about what the U.S. intelligence community did today. They put out a very detailed report detailing the global threats facing the United States right now and there are many, obviously. What are the most dire warnings we learned today?

ALEX MARQUARDT, SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. This is the annual threats assessment. It's an annual report, except that it didn't come out last year under the Trump administration. It says among other things that China is one of the major threats, a near peer rival, as they call them.

They say that Russia is looking to undermine the United States to talk about Iran and North Korea. But they save some of the most dramatic and distressing language for the pandemic, all of these major threats in the world against the backdrop of COVID-19.

They write in part, "The economic and political implications of the pandemic will ripple through the world for years. The pandemic is raising geopolitical tensions, and great powers are jockeying for advantage and influence".

Now, Wolf, normally, this report comes out before what are known as the worldwide threats hearings, in which the heads of the intelligence agencies go before Congress and testify about these major threats. That's going to happen tomorrow in front of the Senate, and on Thursday in front of the House.

It did not happen last year because back in 2019, under President Donald Trump, when this happened, the heads of the intelligence agencies essentially got up there and contradicted the President on issues like Iran and North Korea. And he was infuriated, he tweeted that they should go back to school. So when it came time for these hearings and this report last year, essentially the intelligence agencies didn't want to do it. They didn't want to put themselves out there to become targets for the President again.

The Director of National Intelligence at the time offered to do the hearing in private, but that did not happen. Now, thankfully, it is happening this year. And I say thankfully, because these are threats that the American public in the world need to hear about from the intelligence community. For example, in 2019, this report warned about a flu pandemic that the U.S. would be vulnerable to that would cause widespread deaths. Of course, Wolf, that came to pass.

BLITZER: Yes, sadly, it did. You mentioned, Alex, the threat the intelligence community sees from Russia. But President Biden spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin today and actually proposed that they have a summit meeting in a third country. What are you learning?

MARQUARDT: That's right, Wolf. Of course, this is a very contentious relationship. Russia amount today a huge influence campaign during the election to denigrate Joe Biden in favor of President Donald Trump. When Biden came into office, he called Putin a killer.

So this relationship did not get off to a good start. But here we have this phone call that happened today. President Biden, we understand, proposed a summit between him and the Russian President in a third country. So not in Russia, not in the United States, it's unclear where that would happen or when that would happen.

[17:45:01]

The White House said that it was looking to make the relationship stable and predictable to focus less on the adversarial side of things and focus more on the issues. So they are looking to make that summit happen. Wolf, it's not quite the reset that we saw between President Obama and Medvedev back in 2009. But it is -- it does appear the U.S. is trying to lower the temperature a bit.

BLITZER: Yes, it could be really, really significant. Let's see what happens and where they meet. All right, thanks guys very, very much.

Coming up, why the U.S. and China are both flexing military muscle right now in the Taiwan Strait.

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[17:50:01]

BLITZER: We're following developments in the Taiwan Strait right now where the United States and China are both flexing military muscle and raising tension over Taiwan. CNN's David Culver is in Shanghai. He's joining us with the late breaking developments. David, CNN, I understand is learning that President Biden is making a new show of support for Taiwan. What are you learning?

DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Wolf. Taiwan is no question the most sensitive issue involving China. They consider it to be the red line that the U.S. and others should not cross. Now with regards to this unofficial visit that you mentioned, it's playing out right now, as you and I are talking. In fact, in Taiwan, there's an unofficial delegation from the Biden administration, they're there to reaffirm their commitment to the self-govern democracy.

But this unofficial visit comes just 24 hours after a record number 25 aircraft of Chinese fighters and bombers breached Taiwan's Air Defense Identification zone. And now it's up to U.S. in a position of trying to figure out how exactly to respond.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CULVER (voice-over): China is flexing its military might, releasing through state media a flood of dramatic video clips like these. They show Chinese naval exercises that U.S. officials say are aimed to intimidate the people of Taiwan.

ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETART OF STATE: And what is a real concern to us is increasingly aggressive actions by the government in Beijing, directed at Taiwan.

CULVER (voice-over): Under the One China policy, the People's Republic of China and its ruling Communist Party considered Taiwan to be part of its sovereign territory.

XI JINPING, PRESIDENT OF CHINA: (Foreign Language)

CULVER (voice-over): President Xi Jinping has vowed to never allow the self-govern democracy to become formally independent, and he will not rule out the use of force if necessary to take the island back.

CAPT. CARL SCHUSTER, U.S. NAVY (RET.): He's also signaling to the United States we can prevent you from helping Taiwan.

CULVER (voice-over): In recent months, the People's Liberation Army Navy showcasing its capabilities just off Taiwan's eastern coast. Military experts say that is a pointed effort to demonstrate that China can cut the island off from U.S. military support. From above, near daily occurrences of multiple PLA aircraft entering Taiwan's Air Defense Zone from the west, a coordinated move that is alarming to some experts. It has sparked strong words from Taiwan's foreign minister.

JOSEPH WU, FOREIGN MINISTER OF TAIWAN: We are willing to defend ourselves and is without any question. And we will fight the war if we need to fight a war. Taiwan's military is no comparison to China's where the PLA boasts more than a million soldiers.

Taiwan only has 140,000 troops. China has got roughly 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles and more than 200 nuclear warheads. Taiwan has neither. That is why the island is so heavily reliant on allies, most especially the U.S.

BLINKEN: And we have a commitment to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act to make sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself.

CULVER (voice-over): But Biden administration officials stopped short of guaranteeing U.S. military intervention, should Beijing make a move on Taiwan. Instead, the U.S. has been using its Pacific fleet to showcase its own strength. This photo from last week showing a Navy guided missile destroyers commanding officer sitting feet propped up as one of China's two aircraft carriers sailed by.

And while the PLA has focused its exercises to Taiwan's east, the USS John McCain cruise to the west of the island last week, that guided missile destroyer passing through the Taiwan Strait, right between the Mainland and Taiwan. In response, Chinese officials said the U.S. was stirring up trouble.

U.S. military leaders believe a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be just years away.

ADM. PHILIP DAVIDSON, COMMANDER, U.S. INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND: I think the threat is manifest during this decade, in fact, in the next six years.

ADM. JOHN AQUILINO, COMMANDER, U.S. PACIFIC FLEET: My opinion is this problem is much closer to us than most think.

CULVER (voice-over): The Biden administration facing mounting pressure on the matter as tensions at sea rise. But some analysts believe much of what we're seeing is unnecessary hype.

BONNIE GLASER, SENIOR ADVISER FOR ASIA, CSIS: The near term goal is to deter independence, and China has largely achieved that goal. And I don't believe that the Chinese are likely to use force within the next few years. I think they do not want to pay the price.

CULVER (voice-over): Whatever the intention, former Navy captain and U.S. Intelligence Officer Carl Schuster says China's messaging is clearly directed to a specific audience.

SCHUSTER: They want the American people and the American government to see the cost of helping Taiwan as exceeding the benefits.

CULVER (on-camera): You will know, Captain, you're going to have Americans who will look at this and they'll say why should Americans be involved in anything over there? Why should they care what's happening with Taiwan? To that you would say?

SCHUSTER: If you really will defend a 70-year partner from violent aggression, then other countries who look at it and believe we either are not capable or not willing to sacrifice anything for them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[17:55:14] CULVER: No question, Wolf. It is an increasingly uneasy situation for the U.S. and its allies in this region. But while we continue to talk about the rising tensions, we should also say there are points of cooperation and even collaboration between the U.S. and China. And that's going to play out here in Shanghai in just 24 hours.

We expect John Kerry who's serving as a special envoy representing the Biden administration to be here to discuss how the two countries can work together to combat climate change. So one area where they are seeming to work together.

BLITZER: We'll see what happens on that front. David Culver, excellent reporting as usual, thank you very much.

Coming up, police resignations in the wake of the fatal shooting of a young African American man. We'll have the latest on the outrage over the death of Daunte Wright. We'll be right back.

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