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The Situation Room

Russian Attack Sparks Large Fire at Ukrainian Fuel Facility; Putin Agreed to "Robust Security Guarantees" Says Witkoff; White House Joins TikTok After Delaying Enforcement of Sale-Or-Ban Law. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired August 20, 2025 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

GOV. JOSH STEIN (D-NC): -- readync.gov/erin. Our American sign language interpreters today are marked --

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: North Carolina issued a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Erin. And you heard there talking about life- threatening surf and rip currents for the rest of the week. So, I want to bring back in Drew Pearson, the director of Dare County Emergency Management in North Carolina. Clearly, the governor has a warning for residents to stay safe, have their disaster kits, don't drive. There are mandatory evacuation orders in certain places like where you. Are people heeding these warnings?

DREW PEARSON, DIRECTOR, DARE CO. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Hi, Pamela. We believe they are. We cleared out our county pretty good about visitors. They've gone home. Our residents are ready. Those of that haven't evacuated are ready to weather the storm. We're ready to take care of the people. But we do encourage everybody to realize that we may not be able to get to them and they need to be ready to shelter in place. Just like the governor said, having those disaster kits in hand and ready to do that. But we're ready. And we do appreciate our state's support.

BROWN: I wonder, is it more difficult to convince people of the danger when, still at this point, the storm is so far off from land?

PEARSON: Pam, well, this one's been a tough one. It's going to be a sunny day here and the threats are coming from afar. This is a distant storm that's bringing threats of life-threatening storm surge and swells. But we're messaging it, we're getting the information out, and we are -- you know, the mandatory evacuation that we ordered back on Sunday has really helped us to get people to go and get people out of harm's way and to keep people out of the ocean. Just like the governor said, we need people to stay out of the ocean, to make sure they're not at risk of losing their lives (ph) or putting others at risk that need to go safe.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: As you know, Drew, this is one of the most rapidly intensifying storms in Atlantic history, exploding from a category 1 to a category 5 in little more than 24 hours. This rapid acceleration has become more common as the planet warms, that's what we're told by the experts. Do coastal residents in North Carolina where you are need to be more prepared to evacuate than in previous decades?

PEARSON: Well, everybody needs to be prepared all the time. We drive our preparedness message each and every day to make sure people are ready. We are seeing rapidly intensifying storms. We're also seeing 12 storms. We need to be ready for those. And even in the winter, we need to be thinking about it. Northeastern come. Our environment has changed and we need to change and address it, and we are.

BLITZER: All right. Well, good luck to you. Good luck to all the folks in North Carolina who clearly have issues right now in dealing with this Hurricane Erin. Thanks very, very much, Drew Pearson, for joining us.

PEARSON: Thanks for having me, Wolf and Pam. And North Carolina is on it. We're going to manage it locally and we're going to take care of our folks. Thanks so much.

BLITZER: All right. Good luck.

BROWN: Thank you. And new this morning, a massive explosion caught on camera there in North Carolina.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God.

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BROWN: So, that was the scene in Wilmington after officials say a car crashed into a gas line at a veterinary center that was under construction. And you can see the explosion sent debris and smoke hundreds of feet into the air.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It knocked me across the street. It was so loud. I've never heard anything so loud. And it's just -- you could feel it through your chest.

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BROWN: The driver fled the scene but was eventually detained. And three firefighters were injured. One with severe burns to his arms and hands.

BLITZER: Yes, awful situation now there in North Carolina. Coming up Pamela, an intense fireball in Ukraine. Shocking video of yet another Russian attack as we're learning new details about a potential to -- clear where potential meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy.

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[10:35:00]

BLITZER: New today, the Kremlin is publicly criticizing European leaders after their meeting Monday with President Trump. The foreign minister of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, says Russia hasn't heard any constructive ideas, his words, any constructive ideas from Europeans on resolving the Ukraine conflict. He blasted their discussions with President Trump as, quote, "clumsy and unethical," direct quote, and claim, "they will lead nowhere." These remarks come just hours after Russia launched another drone attack on one of Ukraine's energy facility, sparking a massive fire and injuring one person.

Joining us now is CNN's Senior Political and Global Affairs Commentator Rahm Emanuel. Rahm, thanks very much for joining us. We see Russia continuing to launch these like these as even the U.S. and Europe are trying desperately to end this brutal war. Trump says he thinks Putin wants to make a deal. Do you see any evidence of that?

RAHM EMANUEL, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR, FORMER CHAIR, DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, FORMER OBAMA WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF, FORMER CHICAGO MAYOR AND FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN: Well, you know, Wolf, I look at this in both from Friday through the earlier part of the week, and I think there's two takes here because they're slightly contradictory or slightly complimentary, and that's why the coverage is all over the board. I can't tell if President Putin is just playing President Trump or if President Trump is playing along with President Putin.

Remember, there's two parts here, which is the ability to continue to wage the war that Russia wants to do, but avoid sanctions. And for basically four different times, the president claimed he was going to sanction Russia secondary sanctions, and he hasn't done it. So, President Putin has slipped the noose there. And yet, he has the latitude of time to continue to prosecute the war.

So, part of me believes and exampled by the president walking out of the European leaders to make a call to President Putin that I think President Trump is playing along with what exactly President Putin wants, more time, no sanctions. And that's the consequences here. And you see it right here in the pictures that you're showing on the kind of explosion at the energy facility in Ukraine.

BLITZER: Yes. The Russians clearly have not stopped launching drones and ballistic missiles at various targets inside Ukraine.

EMANUEL: Yes.

BLITZER: Even as these talks are underway. Go ahead and make your point.

EMANUEL: Well, Wolf, the one thing I was going to say is what brought President Putin to Alaska besides coming out of the diplomatic ice that he was, in the freezer? What's the fact that the -- you know, President Trump was finally saying, OK, we're going to go to sanctions. Four times he has said he's going to go to sanctions and he's backed off. It's the new TACO as used in the discussions on tariff. Every time he claims he's going to do sanctions, he doesn't do it. So, President Putin avoids the sanctions and the economic hardship and yet, has the time and latitude to prosecute the war. And that's what you can see. And that, beyond all the performative of meetings, that's the fact, and that was what we know. BLITZER: Rahm as you know, the White House publicly says, President Putin is open to security guarantees for Ukraine. But how do you actually do that if Ukraine won't be admitted, for example, to NATO? And can Putin be trusted to potentially keep his word?

EMANUEL: Yes, there's three -- well, no, because I think you need to have a trust, but verified, to quote president Reagan. I think there's a couple things that I think are essential. Fast track Ukraine into the E.U. economically. That solidifies both its sovereignty and its independence.

[10:40:00]

Two is you do put troops from different countries that make up the European continent into Ukraine as a trip wire or as a first line of defense with American logistics, military and air logistics, air and intelligence support for the troops that are on the ground.

And then third is you don't allow President Putin have a checkmate on the security of Ukraine. Their ability to buy weapons, their ability to produce weapons, their ability to mobilize their armed forces, things that exactly President Putin wants a veto on, he is not allowed to have a country veto. And I think the best model here is the finished model from a hundred years ago. You cede territory, but you keep your sovereignty and you keep your independence. That is the key benchmark and that's what should be looked at as a replication for Ukraine.

BLITZER: Rahm, you're not only a former member of Congress, you're a former mayor of Chicago, you're a former U.S. ambassador to Japan. You recently gave an important interview to the Wall Street Journal about your Democratic Party, and you said Democrats have been, quote, "absent from the family room and kitchen table issues." The only room they were in, you said, was the bathroom. You went out to say, you'll attract new people to the party, but how do you plan to do that?

EMANUEL: Yes. Well, first and foremost, I mean, it's also in combination there. As you probably saw there's a story today in The New York Times about the reduction in people registering as Democrats. People have their backs against the wall, Wolf, economically. They can't buy a home. They can't save for their kids' education. They're taking money out of their 401(k) to make their paycheck extended. And they're -- literally the number one cause of bankruptcy is healthcare costs. The four pillars that make up the American dream, their backs are against the wall and they rely on Democrats to come to their help. And we were nowhere to be seen on the primary issues of being able to afford to buy a home or to save for your kid's education and we were caught in a cul-de-sac of cultural issues that were secondary to the American people, but we communicated they were primary to us.

And the American people voted and made it clear that they were unhappy with us. And also, they continued to not register as Democrats. And so, to me, the primary thing is focus on the American dream, focusing on making -- focus on making it affordable, accessible, and that anything short of that is unacceptable to us. And the -- and it's not an accident, Wolf, that the moment the American dream, buying a home, which was the first step towards the American dream, this should not be the type of struggle it is, it should be something you attain Today, you just run in place.

And so, to me, that's the primary thing that Democrats have to focus on because that's what the American people are focused on.

BLITZER: Yes, it's a good point indeed. Rahm Emanuel, as usual, thank you very, very much.

EMANUEL: Thank you, Wolf. Thanks, Pamela.

BLITZER: Pamela.

BROWN: All right. Wolf, just ahead, a Situation Room Health alert, why you might need to check your freezer for, get this, possible radioactive shrimp. You heard that right. Details ahead.

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[10:45:00]

BROWN: Well, new this morning, hundreds of current and former workers at the Health and Human Services Department are urging Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to, quote, "stop spreading inaccurate health information." They say it's putting them in danger inside of the shooting earlier this month at the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta. Authorities say the shooter blamed the COVID vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal and wanted to send a message.

CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell joins us now. Meg, tell us more about this letter and what the people who signed it hope will be done as a result.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Pamela, they are asking for a response from Secretary Kennedy saying in addition to the request for what they say is for him to stop spreading inaccurate health information, they say they also want him to affirm CDC'S scientific integrity and to guarantee the safety of the HHS workforce across the entire Department of Health and Human Services. This was signed not just by current and former CDC staffers, but also folks really across the entire HHS, other health agencies like NIH as well.

This comes after, of course, that August 8th shooting at the CDC where a shooter fired hundreds of rounds into buildings at CDC's headquarters in Atlanta. And the Georgia Bureau of Investigations said that the shooter had expressed discontent with the COVID vaccine and wanted to make his distrust known. And so, what the workers here in this letter are taking issue with is what they call a history of spreading false or misleading claims about vaccines from measles to mRNA from RFK Jr. Also, his previous comments like calling CDC a, quote, "cesspool of corruption."

Now, we haven't heard back from the Department of Health and Human Services yet this morning. RFK Jr. did post on X the day after that shooting that, quote, "We are actively supporting CDC staff on the ground and across the agency," saying, "Public health workers show up every day with purpose, even in moments of grief and uncertainty."

But, guys, his response was criticized by people in the public health world, including from a former surgeons general under President Trump, who called it delayed and tepid. Guys.

BROWN: All right. Meg Tirrell, thanks so much. Wolf.

BLITZER: And we have a Situation Room Health alert right now. FDA officials are now warning people not to eat certain types of frozen shrimp sold at Walmart because there's a chance it could be radioactive. Yes, radioactive.

[10:50:00]

The great value of white shrimp was sold in 13 states and has a Best Buy date of March 15, 2027. The shrimp came from Indonesia and some of the shipping containers and a sample of shrimp turned out to be contaminated with radioactive material. If you have any in your freezer at all, don't eat it. Toss it out right away or take it back to the store.

BROWN: Listen to Wolf Blitzer's warning.

BLITZER: Good advice.

BROWN: Good advice from Wolf Blitzer. All right. Coming up right here in the Situation Room, the White House is now on TikTok. What this could mean for the app's future in America, next.

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BLITZER: New this morning, the White House is now on TikTok.

BROWN: Yes. So, as you're scrolling through viral dancing and cooking videos, the Trump administration is hoping you'll catch their debut clip.

[10:55:00]

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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Every day I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation. I am your voice.

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BROWN: So, this is also notable because it comes as yet another deadline is quickly approaching for TikTok's Chinese parent company to sell it to an American company or be banned. CNN Business Tech Writer Clare Duffy joins us now. Clare, President Trump has been all over the map on whether TikTok should be banned. What's the latest there?

CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS TECH WRITER: Yes, Pamela and Wolf, I think this is fairly a confusing move given the fact that TikTok is on the hook to find a new owner by September 17th, just a few weeks away, or face a ban in the United States.

And look, I think this does reflect President Trump's sort of shifting views on the TikTok issue. It was President Trump who first tried to ban the app back in 2020, but since he took office this time around, he has repeatedly delayed enforcement of this ban or sale law that is just a few weeks away now from going into effect, but there is still no indication that China is willing to play ball with a sale. I want to give you a sense of how his position on this has shifted. Just take a listen to this.

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TRUMP: TikTok is moving along. We'll see what happens. It'll either be closed up or they'll sell it. So, we'll either close up TikTok in this country for security reasons or it'll be sold.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a deadline --

TRUMP: I'm not extending deadlines. No. It's September 15th.

We'll take a look at TikTok. You know, I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok.

As of today, TikTok is back.

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DUFFY: Now, President Trump has credited TikTok for building support among young people with this latest election, but a lot of people now on TikTok are frustrated. There's angry comments on these new videos because people are feeling frustration over the uncertainty of the app's future I think. Back to you.

BROWN: Yes. I mean, for a lot of people it's their livelihood, right? So, that's understandable. Clare Duffy, thank you so much.

BLITZER: And coming up after the break, we'll get the latest update on Hurricane Erin from the National Hurricane Center. The East Coast here in the United States is already seeing the storm's impact. Stay with us. You're in the Situation Room.

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