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The Situation Room

March Madness Arrives; Interview With Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor; Putin Set to Speak With Trump; Trump Escalates Trade War. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired March 17, 2025 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:32:15]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: President Trump says that there won't be any exemptions from his 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum, despite swift retaliation from Canada and Europe.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: The president is also doubling down on reciprocal tariffs. He's set to impose those in just two weeks. Here's what he said about them yesterday aboard Air Force One.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They charge us and we charge them. Then, in addition to that, on autos, on steel, on aluminum, we're going to have some additional tariffs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Now, the administration argues that short-term economic pain is worth it for the long-term impact.

Here's how the president and vice president explained their position.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The biggest win is not the tariff. That's a big win. That's a lot of money. But the biggest win is if they move into our country and produce jobs. That's a bigger win than the tariffs themselves.

J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Unless you're willing to use American power to fight back against what those countries have been doing for a generation, you are never going to rebuild American manufacturing and you're never going to support the American worker.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Every day this week, we're taking a closer look at these different industries, steel and aluminum, copper, pharmaceuticals, lumber, and cars. We will break down just how realistic the Trump administration's

argument is that tariffs will bring American jobs back. It's a SITUATION ROOM series of special reports.

Let's go to...

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Yes, go ahead.

BROWN: We're going to go to CNN's business and politics correspondent, Vanessa Yurkevich.

Vanessa, let's start with the steel and aluminum industries. Bottom line, can those jobs come back to the U.S.?

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and this is a key component of President Trump's trade war. He wants to bring all of these manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.

Let's take a look at the steel industry, where it stands right now. In 1969, we were the biggest producer of U.S. -- of steel in the entire world. Look at 2020. We have dropped down to fourth position. And who's the leader right now? China is the leading producer of steel in the world. Let's take a look at aluminum. Here's where we stand with that.

Just in 2000, we were the largest producer of aluminum. In 2021 and since then, we have been the ninth largest producer of aluminum. The U.S. accounts for just 2 percent of all aluminum production around the world, the leader again, China. China leads the way in production of steel and aluminum.

Why is this? Why has there been such a shift? Well, there's a key component here. We in the U.S. do not have enough raw materials to make things like aluminum. A key ingredient called bauxite -- that's what that looks like right here -- we don't have enough of it here in the U.S. Also, steel production is really behind in technology and advancement and energy efficiency.

[11:35:04]

This is so key in order to produce aluminum in particular. We haven't had a major technology upgrade since 1980. And because of that, look at this. It just costs so much more to produce steel and aluminum here in the U.S. compared to other countries. The number one importer of steel and aluminum into the U.S. right now is Canada.

That's why you hear, Wolf, so much made about our trading partners Canada and Mexico. They are critical to the U.S. for steel and aluminum.

BLITZER: They certainly are.

What's the projected impact, Vanessa, that these tariffs will have on the overall economy? YURKEVICH: We have heard from President Trump that he wants to bring

these industries back to the U.S. because he wants to create more jobs. But just look what happened in 2018, when he put a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum.

Jobs in the steel industry actually went down. And look at what the projections are saying for 2025. According to the CEO of Alcoa -- this is an aluminum company here in the U.S. -- he projects that with tariffs in 2025, we will lose about 20,000 direct jobs in the aluminum industry, and then a byproduct of that, another 80,000 jobs lost.

And here he is. Here's the CEO of Alcoa. This is what he says about whether or not it's actually possible to bring these industries and these jobs back to the U.S.

He says: "It's very hard to make an investment decision without knowing how long the tariffs will last." He went on to say that if he knew tariffs were going to be in place for 30 to 40 years, they could make better business decisions about jobs and productions. But with tariffs being on and off again, Wolf and Pam, it's just very hard for them to plan for the future and what kind of demand there will be in the industry.

BROWN: Yes, a lot of questions. It's really important reporting there, Vanessa Yurkevich. Thank you so much.

BLITZER: Thanks from me as well, Vanessa.

Just ahead: a call with the Kremlin tomorrow. President Trump is set to speak with Russia's Vladimir Putin. We will have the latest reporting on what they might say to each other about a possible cease- fire in Ukraine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:41:39]

BLITZER: Tomorrow, President Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin are scheduled to speak as the U.S. pushes for a cease-fire in Ukraine.

The president says the question of Ukrainian territory will be on the agenda. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. I think we will be talking about land. It's a lot of land. It's a lot different than it was before the war, as you know. And we will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants. That's a -- it's a big question.

But I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides...

QUESTION: You will ask him...

TRUMP: ... Ukraine and Russia.

QUESTION: You will ask him...

TRUMP: We're already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right, let's get some serious analysis right now from the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor.

Ambassador, thanks so much for joining us. The president appears to be offering Putin, as we just heard, some Ukrainian territorial concessions before the two leaders even speak. They're scheduled to speak tomorrow. Is that the right approach?

WILLIAM TAYLOR, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: So, Wolf, the Ukrainians recognize that the Russians occupy some 20 percent of their country illegally. They recognize that that's the facts on the ground. The Ukrainians will never recognize that as legal.

They will never accept that this is a legal occupation. But that conversation has been taking place about what can happen over time. That is, the Ukrainians have talked about not trying to get that back militarily, but willing to get it back through diplomacy. And so that's the conversation, I think, that will go on tomorrow.

BLITZER: Because President Trump is clearly eager for a deal, a cease-fire deal right now. The Ukrainians are on board. He's waiting to see if the Russians will be on board. Could Putin take advantage of that?

TAYLOR: Putin could try to take advantage of that by dragging it out. But if he drags it out, it runs into President Trump's view that he wants to solve this quickly.

So that's a problem for Putin to be seen to be obstinate, to be seen as the problem. And that gives President Trump, I think, some leverage over Putin.

BLITZER: The Ukrainians have accepted this U.S. cease-fire proposal. They did so last week. But the Russians don't seem to be especially interested right now. What can President Trump do to force Russia to the table and accept this cease-fire proposal?

TAYLOR: You're exactly right. The Russians don't seem to be eager.

And so what the administration can do and what the Europeans can help do is put more sanctions on Russia, which they have threatened to do. They can also threaten to provide more weapons to the Ukrainians, so that if the Russians don't come to the table, the Ukrainians are even stronger. That's leverage on both the military side and the economic side.

BLITZER: Is it realistic that Trump's going to do that?

TAYLOR: He has said he's willing to do that. And even his secretary of Treasury has said he's ready to do more sanctions. If they -- if the Russians don't come to the table, they're facing that kind of pressure.

BLITZER: Because, as far as weapons are concerned, he had a pause in weapons. That pause is now over. He had a pause in sharing sensitive military intelligence with Ukraine. That's now over as well.

So is he moving in the right direction?

TAYLOR: He's moving in the right direction. That pause was a problem for the Ukrainians. And the Ukrainians were very pleased that the pause is lifted and both the intelligence and the weapons are now flowing.

[11:45:03]

BLITZER: What do you think is a realistic timeline for a temporary cease-fire in Ukraine right now, if not necessarily a comprehensive, full-scale peace deal?

TAYLOR: You're right to point out the difference between a cease-fire and a comprehensive deal. The cease-fire could happen -- again, if the Russians stop blocking it, it could happen within weeks.

BLITZER: So how do you see ultimately all of this playing out?

TAYLOR: So after a cease-fire, if the pressure puts -- comes on Putin, and he comes to the table, makes a deal, stops the fighting, which is what President Trump is after, then there will be months of negotiations about the other parts of the question about a final settlement.

One of the big things, Wolf, is going to be the Europeans' willingness, which they have said they are, to come into Ukraine with force, put a European force on the ground in Ukraine to enforce the cease-fire and to stop the Russians.

BLITZER: And the Russians have warned these European countries, if they do that, that's bad.

TAYLOR: That's, of course -- of course, they're going to say that. That's what the Russians would say. And the Europeans don't need the Russian permission to put a force into Ukraine with the Ukrainians' approval.

BLITZER: All right, we will see what happens.

Ambassador Taylor, as usual. Thanks very much for your expertise.

TAYLOR: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: And we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:50:55] BLITZER: It's the most wonderful time of the year for those of us who are college hoops fans. March Madness is here. And the best men's and women's teams are vying for a national championship in San Antonio and Tampa respectively.

BROWN: So we got to turn to the expert for guidance, right, on these potential upsets, dark horses and Cinderellas.

Christine Brennan, sports columnist for "USA Today," joins us now -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, let's talk a little bit, Christine.

What -- with that, I'm excited to share my Final Four on the men's side. And I will put it up on the screen right now. I'm picking Duke, Houston, Florida and Auburn. What do you think?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: I think that those are good choices, Wolf.

And I think Duke in particular with, of course, Cooper Flagg, the freshman phenom who missed the ACC Men's Tournament with an ankle sprain, Duke still won it, and he is supposed to come back for the tournament. And if in fact he does, I think Duke truly is the favorite.

The other thing, of course, you have got Florida. I think did you say you also have Auburn, right, in your Final Four?

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Duke, Houston, Florida and Auburn. And I have Duke in Florida in the championship game and I'm suggesting that Duke will win.

BRENNAN: Yes, I think -- well, we're in agreement on that.

And it's important to mention the SEC, because they actually have -- they had 14 teams, 14 out of the 16 teams in the SEC, which we used to think was a football conference. Well, it's men's basketball now because 14 of the 16 made the tournament. That's extraordinary, obviously bigger conferences now because of the super conferences that have been built.

But the SEC is strong and so that's why I think it certainly makes some sense that they would have one or two teams in the Final Four.

BLITZER: Good point. Pamela has her picks.

BROWN: I have to say, first off, I have a big issue with this. You know why?

BLITZER: Yes, because you went to UNC Chapel Hill.

BROWN: I went to UNC Chapel Hill. I grew up in Kentucky.

BLITZER: So, she's not a big Duke fan.

BROWN: I was a kid when Christian Laettner brought it home for Duke against Kentucky.

BLITZER: Yes.

BROWN: And I will never forget that. I will never forget that. So I have been born in bred to, let's just say, not be a Duke fan. So I feel like my accent's coming out because I'm talking about Kentucky.

All right, so in my four, I have got UNC, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky. Obviously, I have those.

BLITZER: She's from Kentucky. She grew up in Kentucky. So that's why she's a Kentucky fan.

BROWN: Yes, and then went to UNC. So what do you think about this?

Now, I had a really hard time choosing who would win between U.K. and UNC. But last year I did U.K. So this year I got to do UNC. I go back and forth. What do you think, Christine?

BRENNAN: Pam, UNC got very lucky to get in the tournament and there's a lot of complaining about Indiana or West Virginia not making it. But that happens every tournament, of course. Every time, there's going to be a few snubs or controversy about them.

Yes, I don't know that UNC is going to win the whole thing. I'm going to -- that would be quite an upset if they do. But you're -- certainly the idea of the ACC and my Big Ten -- I'm a Northwestern grad, as you know, and look out for Michigan State, because Tom Izzo always, always brings his game and then Michigan State can up their game, even though they lost the Big Ten Tournament.

So I think -- but I'm afraid, Pam, that your ACC and my Big Ten are not going to win the men's tournament this year.

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: Do you think there's going to be any Cinderella stories?

BRENNAN: Oh, there always will be. And in fact we could talk a week from today and there will be names that we really have never even heard of, Wolf, that will then be, of course, household names, at least for 24 hours, 48 hours, some great shot.

That's always the case. I think the blue bloods, what we're talking about here, we're talking about pretty traditional powers with the fact that Auburn is clearly newer to the top of the heap, so to speak. And on the women's side, I think one of the things we should definitely talk about is, of course, moving in, the last year, the women had four million more viewers than the men for their final game, obviously, because of Caitlin Clark, who is now in the pros.

But the NCAA did something really interesting by putting UConn with Paige Bueckers and Southern Cal with JuJu Watkins in the same region, which means one of those two superstars will not make it to the women's Final Four, which I think is just an awful turn of events. You have got to make sure that both of them have a chance if you want those TV ratings and the viewership to continue in the post-Caitlin Clark women's NCAA world.

[11:55:26]

BROWN: And we should note that, on Wednesday, we're going to do our women's bracket. So I want everyone to know that. We're going to do that on Wednesday, when they're set to play.

BLITZER: We're not ignoring the women's brackets.

BROWN: No, absolutely not. Well, today, we got the men's, Wednesday, women's, and looking forward to having that conversation.

Christine Brennan, as always, thank you.

BLITZER: And, to our viewers, thanks very much for joining us this morning. You can keep up with us on social media @WolfBlitzer and @PamelaBrownCNN.

We will see you back here tomorrow and every weekday morning for our expanded two-hour SITUATION ROOM 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

BROWN: "INSIDE POLITICS WITH DANA BASH" is next right after a short break.