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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: Trump Ambushes President Ramaphosa; Trump's Unsubstantiated Claims of "White Genocide"; Hamas De Factor Leader Probably Killed Last Week; Aid Trucks Begin Deliveries in Gaza; Jury Dismissed for the Day in "Diddy" Trial; Two Mexico Mayor's Aid Killed in Broad Daylight; Tottenham Hotspur Wins First European Trophy. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired May 21, 2025 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade in for Jim Sciutto. Good to
have you with us. You are watching "The Brief."
Just ahead this hour, President Trump ambushes South African President Ramaphosa over the discredited claims of white genocide. Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the de facto leader of Hamas was probably killed last week in Gaza. And Tottenham Hotspur win their first European
trophy in more than 40 years as they beat Manchester United for the Europa League crown.
But we begin with the drama in the Oval Office of the White House. What started as a friendly meeting between the South African president and the
U.S. president took a sudden turn into what could be described as a multimedia ambush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Turn the lights down. Turn the lights down and just put this on. It's right behind you. Johann.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Now, the video here suggested that there have been mass killings of white South Africans, President Trump repeatedly pushing those debunked
conspiracy theories about farmers being murdered and driven from their land.
Well, there is a lot of violent crime in South Africa, but CNN has looked at the official statistics and has found no evidence of genocide against
white farmers. President Ramaphosa noted that most murder victims in South Africa are black, but Mr. Trump doubled down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Look, these are articles over the last few days. Death of people. Death, death, death, horrible death, death. You're taking people's land
away from them.
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: We have not. We have --
TRUMP: And those people, in many cases, are being executed. They're being executed. And they happen to be white and most of them happen to be
farmers. And that's a tough situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, afterwards President Ramaphosa added this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAMAPHOSA: The issue of whether what he terms as genocide can be equated to the struggle. And of course, it cannot because there is just no genocide
in South Africa. And of course, it is an issue of how one looks at it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, our Stephen Collinson joins us now for more on this. Good to have you with us, Stephen. So, it's been called a lecture, an ambush, a
setup. How unusual is it to see two world leaders in the White House acting like this?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, until Donald Trump came back to the White House earlier this year, it was very unusual. An
invitation to the Oval Office was once one of the most coveted diplomatic invitations in the world and that it conferred respect and honor on the
leader that was coming. But we've seen, not just today, but on several previous occasions during this presidency of how the president of the
United States has ambushed world leaders and almost used them as a prop to impress his MAGA base voters. I'm thinking particularly of President
Zelenskyy of Ukraine.
But if you remember, the king, Abdullah of Jordan, was forced to sit there while the president talked about making Gaza the Riviera of the Middle
East, which was an exceedingly excruciating political moment for him.
So, the president is using these sit downs in the Oval Office to create political moments for his voters back home to showcase the more extreme
elements of his foreign policy. And you do begin to wonder, I think, whether foreign leaders, especially those of more vulnerable countries that
seem to get a more hostile reception will think twice about the political ramifications of sitting down with the president on TV in the Oval Office.
KINKADE: And of course, Stephen, we saw the South African president dispute those claims by Donald Trump. How would you say he handled that
compared to the Ukrainian president who got a similar dressing down?
[18:05:00]
COLLINSON: I think President Ramaphosa was, I would, say bemused more than angry. He didn't react in the same way that President Zelenskyy did when he
was told by Vice President J. D. Vance, for example, to be more grateful about U.S. support. I think some of that is understandable on Zelenskyy's
part in February, given the fact that he's been through three years of grueling war with many civilians killed and that he felt that the United
States didn't fully understand what Russia was doing.
So, I think perhaps President Ramaphosa learned a little bit from how Zelenskyy behaved and how he got kicked out of the White House and how
that's forced him to moderate his language somewhat with relation to Trump since. The South African president also brought a delegation with him who
seemed quite prepared for what actually unfolded. The white agriculture minister, for example, tried to explain the real situation to the
president.
At the end of the day, you know, South Africa has many problems. It's faced a lot of shaky and perhaps corrupt leadership since the presidency of
Nelson Mandela and the ending of apartheid. Whatever we think about what the president said today, it doesn't seem that this meeting did very much
at all to improve the situation for South Africa.
And I think a lot of foreign policy analysts will look at this and say, well, you know, South Africa is a country that's being courted by America's
enemies, Russia and China. This seems to make it even more likely that it will listen to them and this could end up hurting more U.S. influence in
the continent of Africa.
KINKADE: Yes, you make a good point. Stephen Collinson, as always, good to have you with us from D.C. Thanks.
And we are going to stay on this story. I want to welcome Joel Cabrita, director of the Center for African Studies at Stanford University. Good to
have you with us.
JOEL CABRITA, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR AFRICAN STUDIES, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: Thanks so much for having me on. Glad to be here.
KINKADE: So, can we start with the facts, the truth. Donald Trump, of course, claiming that there's genocide in the white farming community in
South Africa. True or false?
CABRITA: I think it's unequivocally false, and I think any observer or commentator with any basic knowledge of South African politics and current
affairs would recognize that to be an ideologically motivated claim that is not based in any kind of fact.
KINKADE: Donald Trump used articles and images in the White House to try and make these claims, at which point the South African President said, I
didn't even recognize where those images were taken. One of those images, Donald Trump claimed, was the burial side of 1,000 white farmers. Do we
know where that image came from?
CABRITA: I have to say that's not an image that I was familiar with either. And it does sound to me like Donald Trump is receiving a very
curated display or narrative of South African current events from right- wing sources, presumably within South Africa itself, but really in terms of the actual number of white South Africans who died as tragic as those
deaths are, it's absolutely minuscule and in no way does it amount to anything meeting the definition of genocide, which, you know, I'll remind
our listeners is the systemic extermination of an entire racial, ethnic, or national group. We just don't see that happening in contemporary South
Africa.
KINKADE: Donald Trump did go into claim that the government, by decree, is taking land from white farmers and therefore after the fact they're getting
executed, his words. Just briefly explain for us the land reform initiatives following the end of apartheid.
CABRITA: I think you really have to go back about a hundred years ago to the implementation of the Natives Land Act by the colonial government,
which dispossessed the majority of South Africans of their land. And a tiny white minority received over 90 percent of the land. And that state of
affairs persisted throughout the 20th century. And so, of course, land reform and ensuring a more just distribution of farming land, in
particular, was one of the primary concerns of the new government that came in under Nelson Mandela in the 1990s.
Land reform, for various reasons, has been very slow, very halting. Not enough progress has been made in distributing land. Currently, the white
South African population, which is about 7 percent of the entire population of the country, still own around three quarters of South Africa's farming
arable land. So, clearly something does need to be done and I think we can see the latest Expropriation Act that the government passed last year and
which is still under judicial review as one of the ways of trying to grapple with this very real problem, the legacy of apartheid and equal land
ownership in South Africa. It still persists along racial lines.
KINKADE: Joel Cabrita, we'll leave it there for now, but we really appreciate your time and expertise. Thanks so much.
CABRITA: Thank you. Bye-bye.
[18:10:00]
KINKADE: Well, I want to turn to Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says, his country probably killed the leader of Hamas. Israeli
sources told CNN Mohammed Sinwar was targeted in a strike on a Gaza Hospital last week. He replaced his brother, Yahya Sinwar, after the
Israeli military killed him last year.
CNN reached out to Hamas for comment. During that same news conference, the prime minister again said that Israel will take control of Gaza. Take a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Our forces are capturing more and more territory to clear off mass terrorist
infrastructure. And at the end of this process, all the areas of the Gaza Strip will be under Israeli security control.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, multiple countries are criticizing Israel after soldiers in the occupied West Bank were firing warning shots at a group of diplomats.
Well, the Palestinian Authority says the delegation included representatives from more than 20 countries. Including the U.K., France,
and Canada. The Israeli military says the group had deviated from an approved route and entered a restricted area, adding a, quote, "regrets the
inconvenience caused." No injuries were reported.
The head of UNRWA in the West Bank saying that the incident raises, quote, "serious concerns over how the Israeli military treats Palestinian
civilians."
Our Jeremy Diamond is following all these developments and joins us now live. Good to see you, Jeremy. So, let's start with that. The first news
that we're hearing from Israel that they say the Hamas leader is likely dead, possibly killed a week ago. What else is Israel saying and have you
heard anymore from Hamas about this claim?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Hamas has yet to confirm or deny that Mohammed Sinwar, who is Hamas' de facto leader in
Gaza, whether or not he was indeed killed in that Israeli strike on the European hospital in Khan Younis, which killed at least 28 people and
injured 50 others.
The Israeli prime minister tonight, for the first time, saying that it seems that Sinwar was likely killed in that strike, although the Israeli
military itself has yet to actually confirm that. As I understand it, the Israeli military has been conducting checks on intelligence, verifying
information to try and get a final determination here, but they have yet to reach that final determination.
We actually heard similar comments from the Israeli prime minister last summer in the wake of the killing of Mohammed Deif, Hamas' military
commander, with the prime minister also making similar remarks about the likelihood of him having been killed before -- a few weeks later, the
Israeli military actually confirmed that that was the case.
KINKADE: Jeremy, what else can you tell us about Israel's long-term strategy in light of the fact that Netanyahu is again saying that Israel
would take control of Gaza?
DIAMOND: Well, the Israeli prime minister tonight, once again, made quite clear that he has some very serious hardline demands as it relates to the
aims that he's trying to achieve in Gaza, not only, once again, making this vow that the Israeli military will seize total security control of the Gaza
Strip as Israeli troops are now moving on a new offensive that is involving tens of thousands of Israeli troops, but the prime minister also making
clear that he will only end the war under very specific conditions, some of which are red lines for Hamas, including, for example, this notion of
Hamas, disarming of the Gaza Strip, being entirely demilitarized.
But in addition to that, the prime minister tonight adding a new condition to the list, saying that he wants to ensure that Trump's plan is carried
out. And what he's referring to there is this idea of, quote/unquote, "voluntary migration" of Palestinians in Gaza outside the Gaza Strip. In
other words, the mass and potentially forcible displacements of Palestinians from Gaza following a period of time during which conditions
in Gaza will have been made unlivable. And so, that was new to hear that from the prime minister.
And if he continues along this route, then you are going to see the kind of pressure that we are already witnessing this week from France, Canada, the
United Kingdom, and several other countries continue to mount.
KINKADE: Yes, we will stay on this story. Jeremy Diamond, good to have you joining us live. Thanks so much.
Well, humanitarian organizations are beginning to deliver aid inside Gaza. For the first time since Israel began its blockade of more than 11 weeks
ago. Israel allowed aid trucks to enter Gaza starting Monday. However, up until just hours ago, the United Nations said it was still waiting for
Israel's permission to distribute it.
[18:15:00]
Humanitarian groups say today's deliveries are just a drop in the bucket. The group, Doctors Without Borders, says that this new aid is insufficient
and just a smoke screen to pretend the siege is over.
Well, my next guest is the president and CEO of Save the Children U.S. Her organization is warning that thousands of babies could die without
immediate aid.
Well, I want to welcome Janti Soeripto. Thank you so much for joining us. I want to start just on that, the dire situation, how desperate the people
are in Gaza right now, especially the children. Just describe the situation for us.
JANTI SOERIPTO, PRESIDENT AND CEO, SAVE THE CHILDREN U.S.: Yes. The situation is as desperate as it has ever been, and it was pretty desperate
before. As you said, since March 2nd, nothing has come in. The initial announcement that this week, aids would be allowed back in was, of course,
very much welcomed. But so far, we haven't seen a huge amount of trucks being let in. I think the first day were about five or six, and again --
and then some more the second day. But again, none of those trucks -- or very few of those trucks have been allowed to be distributed.
So, maybe they are on the Gaza side of the border, but it doesn't mean they've actually got it into the hands of the parents and the children who
desperately need this food.
KINKADE: Yes. And despite Israel's agreement to allow that humanitarian aid into Gaza, no way it has reached the Palestinians for 11 weeks until
now. Just explain the situation and the difficulties of trying to get aid in.
SOERIPTO: Look, our teams are on the ground and we have over a hundred people still there work -- trying to work every day to make something
happen. We have -- still have some supplies available to us in our warehouses, which came in the period of the ceasefire. We are trying to
keep children in a few child-friendly spaces, as we call them, to help them be kids where we can.
We're running out of supplies. Mothers are telling us that they are putting grass or animal (INAUDIBLE) chopped up in food for children to make it last
longer. They're telling us that they're feeding their children at night so they don't have to go to sleep hungry. So, that at least they can get some
sleep on a somewhat fuller tummy.
But clearly, you know, none of this what's happened so far, even this week, has been nearly enough to address the real risks of widespread starvation,
which, you know -- and that is happening as we speak.
KINKADE: Yes. The U.S., of course, built a pier at a cost of $320 million to deliver aid to Gaza via the sea. Whatever happened to that? And are
there any other avenues to get aid in?
SOERIPTO: Yes. And at the time, this was last year, we and many other organizations on the ground expressed our sincere concerns about that. And
said it was an incredibly expensive way to deliver aid whilst there are perfectly fine opportunities to go via land, as long as we open those gates
with monitoring of aid, of course, and supplies. But why do something really expensive and try something new whilst there are, you know, workable
mechanisms on land.
And so, it turned out to be -- I think the pier was operational for almost of 20 days, then whether -- inclement weather also turned out made the
whole thing operationally impossible. And we're sincerely concerned at the time also with the safety and security protocols around it. So, again, that
whole alternative to delivering aid on the ground did not work, was a distraction to actually making work what we know works and what works
during the ceasefire.
From January until March 2nd, when there was a ceasefire, over 600 (ph) trucks per day came in and the humanitarian community -- all agencies were
able to deliver aid at scale to a desperate population. We treated children for malnutrition. We vaccinated them against polio. We helped pregnant
women with their -- with births, with their antenatal and postnatal checks, et cetera. Of course, the situation was still desperate, but it wasn't as
desperate as now when thousands of children are on the brink of starvation.
KINKADE: Yes, I hope you can get some aid and more aid in quickly. We appreciate your time today and all the work that you do. Janti Soeripto,
president and CEO of Save the Children U.S., thanks so much.
SOERIPTO: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, top House Republicans say Congress will vote in the coming hours on a major tax in spending bill. President Trump met earlier with
some of the Republicans who refused to support the big, beautiful bill.
[18:20:00]
These are pictures of the holdouts arriving at the White House. Well, they're concerned about the bill's impact on the deficit among other
issues. House Speaker Mike Johnson said after the meeting that he believes his party will have enough votes to put the bill to a vote either tonight
or tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: The plan is to move forward as we expected. That was a very productive meeting at the White House. I
think we're in a very good place. I think that all of our colleagues here will really like this final product and I think we're going to move
forward. The ball be surprised there's not much changing here because the underlying product we thought was so well done.
REP. STEVE SCALISE (R-LO), U.S. HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: He talked about the political dynamics in the realities of the members in our conference who
aren't for those things, and that ultimately, we have kept this bill on a very delicate balance in a way that both sides can ultimately agree on all
the things that are in it and add anything new, you got to get that same kind of agreement. So, we're keeping -- you know, keeping this process
moving forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, the Congressional Budget Office warns that the bill, as it stands, would add $3.8 trillion to the national deficit over the next
decade by extending the tax cuts pasturing President Trump's first term.
Well, Larry Sabato joins me now. He's the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Good to see you, Larry.
LARRY SABATO, CENTER FOR POLITICS DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Nice to see you, Lynda.
KINKADE: So, many lawmakers have expressed their concern about the ballooning deficit, as I just pointed out. The bill that is proposed could
potentially increase the federal deficit by $3.3 trillion over the next decade. Is that sustainable?
SABATO: Oh, absolutely not. And the markets were trying to send a message about that today, and there have been loads of studies on it all suggesting
the same thing, they may differ about whether this is adding 2 trillion or 5 trillion. I think that the estimate of 3 to 4 trillion is probably pretty
good. But we need to be going in the opposite direction. And of course, that's what President Trump said he would do, and that's what Congress said
they would do.
Now, some of the fighting from the conservatives, the super conservatives and the Republican caucus in the house is about this. They may be right on
that. But on so many other topics, they're on the extreme and the moderates are trying to get pieces in the legislation that will save their seats in
2026.
KINKADE: And, Larry, this bill also proposes a significant reduction to Medicare funding and also imposes new work requirements for those benefits,
potentially leading millions to lose coverage. Just describe the impact of that.
SABATO: This is something that Republicans from even slightly competitive districts are worried about. Because today, because of the Trump vote,
which draws heavily from the working class, people who support Trump, who vote for Trump actually are as if not more inclined to use Medicaid.
They're the ones who are going to be hurt. They're the ones who are likely to take it out on Republicans who are on the ballot in 2026. So, it's a
major problem.
But what do you do? You've got so many factions demanding so many things. I think some version will pass in the end because they really have no choice.
Otherwise, they kill Trump's domestic agenda. But it's going to be a controversial bill that will have all kinds of implications and
consequences that are only partly imagined today.
KINKADE: And we heard from House Speaker Mike Johnson who said he had about 45 minutes sleep last night because he was trying to get Republicans
to come to this bill in an agreement to vote it through. He said the vote could happen as soon as tonight. Do you think that's likely?
SABATO: Well, it depends on how exhausted they are. It's actually better for them to be exhausted. They're more inclined to vote for it so they can
get out of town. But I don't know whether it'll happen tonight, but whenever it happens in the next couple of weeks, I'm sure President Trump
will be delighted with it. He may not be so delighted in a year or two or three.
KINKADE: Yes, it is. We are approaching a long weekend here in the U.S. So, I'm sure they're hoping to put this to bed before that happens. Larry
Sabato, as always, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, thank you.
SABATO: Thank you, Lynda.
KINKADE: Well, still to come here on CNN, the company behind ChatGPT and a former Apple hardware mastermind adjoining forces. The goal, to create a
new generation of A.I. gadgets. We'll discuss their brand-new partnership next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:25:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us. Well, U.S. stocks fell sharply Wednesday. All the major averages
dropping by well over 1 percent. Stocks came under pressure from rising U.S. bond yields. A disappointing afternoon bond auction helped accelerate
the sell off. Well, investors are demanding higher yields over a worsening fiscal outlook. They're also wondering how President Trump's proposed
spending bill will impact debt levels.
The uncertainty, also helping to fuel a big rally in Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency rising to a record high. It's currently trading at more than
$108,000 per Bitcoin.
Well, the man who helped design some of Apple's iconic products is teaming up with the company behind A.I. sensation ChatGPT. OpenAI announcing that
it's buying Jony Ive's startup, IO, for a reported $6.5 billion.
Ive was Apple's chief design officer for years. He began collaborating with OpenAI's Sam Altman two years ago. And today's announcement cements that
partnership. Both men hope to develop a new generation of products to help people access artificial intelligence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAM ALTMAN, OPENAI FOUNDER, CEO: Jony recently gave me one of the prototypes that the device for the first time to take home, and I've been
able to live with it and I think it is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.
JONY IVE, FOUNDER, IO PRODUCTS: The products that we are using to deliver and connect us to unimaginable technology. They're decades old.
ALTMENT: Yes.
IVA: And so, it's just common sense to at least think, surely there's something beyond these legacy products.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, OpenAI says, Jony Ive will have, quote, "deep, creative and design responsibilities." Well, Lance Ulanoff joins me now. He's the editor
at large TechRadar. Sorry about that. How you doing?
LANCE ULANOFF, EDITOR AT LARGE, TECHRADAR: Good, how are you?
KINKADE: I'm good. So, Lance, alongside Steve Jobs, Jony Ive helped design all the Apple products that we love and enjoy, like the iPad, the iPhone,
the Apple Watch. So, there's a lot of buzz, right, about what he could potentially do in this new partnership.
ULANOFF: Yes. And you know, it's very interesting you talked about legacy products since he developed -- designed a lot of those legacy products, in
particular the iPhone. And recently Jony Ive's kind of indicated that maybe there are some regrets about the impact of some of the devices he designed,
which may have indicated the iPhone, because both him and Altman are very interested in pulling us away from our screens and somehow combining the
power of ChatGPT with consumer devices that maybe we just wear, put on our bodies, wearing glasses or have some other -- you know, some other way of
interacting with them that does not involve looking at and touching a screen.
[18:30:00]
KINKADE: Wow. Yes. I want to ask you more about that because when you look at the current tech trends and you see the sort of things that it could do,
I mean, what do you expect him to focus on in the next iteration of A.I.?
ULANOFF: Well, you know, obviously right now what's happening -- what we're seeing an influx of A.I. in wearable technology in particular
glasses, right? We just had Google iOS, big keynote, and Android XR, and we're seeing glasses come from Samsung and Warby Parker and other
companies. It look just like glasses, but they'll have Gemini embedded in them.
You have to imagine that this is one of the target areas for Jony Ive and Sam Altman because they want it to be natural. They want it to be part of
you and to be able to react to the world around you because that's the power of A.I. And I think that's area -- and the other area is software
because Jony Ive has had impact on the software design of all the Apple products he use, and he will certainly be looking at all of the software
that OpenAI has.
KINKADE: Yes, they certainly want to try and personalize the A.I. Just in terms of the size of this deal, $6.5 billion, put that in perspective for
us.
ULANOFF: Well, you know, A.I. is the center of the universe. It's where the value is. It's where people see the growth. And even though -- you
know, I don't know particularly what that company has produced. I know -- do know that LoveFrom, which is the other company that Jony Ive owns, just
helped Airbnb redesign its site.
So, we know that, you know, these companies are really critical and they're critical to the future. And if you look at what everyone's doing, you know,
when Apple is kind of stumbling a little bit in its Apple intelligence development, in particular with Siri, everybody's paying attention and
pretty upset about that.
So, these companies that are doing this work are going to be the most important companies over the next five to 10 years.
KINKADE: All right. Certainly, a lot of interest. We'll keep talking about it. No doubt. Lance Ulanoff of TechRadar, good to have you with us. Thank
you.
ULANOFF: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, still to come, the jury is dismissed after another day of compelling testimony in the trial of Sean Diddy Combs. We'll have the
latest on the case when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:35:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Lynda Kinkade. Here are more international headlines we're watching today. South African President Cyril
Ramaphosa says he held a good meeting with the U.S. President at the White House, despite tensions escalating after the U.S. president claimed that
there's a white genocide occurring in South Africa, a claim disputed by its leader. The visit comes as South Africa aims to reset relations with the
U.S. and advanced trade.
And President Trump met today with Republican holdouts reluctant to back his so-called big, beautiful bill. Hardliners are calling for more spending
cuts and they say they're concerned that the bill could add trillions of dollars to the U.S. National Debt. House Speaker Mike Johnson says he's
hoping to hold a floor vote in the coming hours.
Israeli forces fired warning shots at a group of European and Arab diplomats near the Jenin Refugee Camp. The Israeli military says the
delegation had deviated from an approved route and entered a restricted zone. No injuries were reported. The incident in the West Bank drew
immediate international condemnation, while the Palestinian foreign ministry called for accountability. The IDF says it, quote, "regrets the
inconvenience caused."
The jury has been dismissed for the day in the criminal trial of Sean Diddy Combs a former assistant of the music mogul, George Kaplan, has been giving
testimony saying he picked up drugs for Combs on two occasions. Kaplan also said he would travel with Combs and make sure hotel rooms had specific
supplies, including liquor and baby oil. Kid Cudi is expected to testify after Kaplan. The rapper had a brief relationship with Combs' ex, Cassie
Venter.
Well, Elizabeth Wagmeister is following the case and joins us from New York. Good to see you, Elizabeth. So, the court is wrapped for today. Combs
pleading not guilty, obviously, to those charges of racketeering, conspiracy, and sex trafficking. What does the prosecution need to do in
order to prove a guilty verdict?
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Look during opening statements, the defense came right out of the gate and they said, you don't
have to like our client. You don't have to agree with the things that he does in his private bedroom. In fact, they went out and they said, he has a
very strange sex life. They also said from day one, our client, is a domestic abuser and it is indefensible.
But what they also said is this is not a domestic violence case. This is not a case where he is facing a sexual battery charge, as you said, he is
facing charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. So, what the prosecution has to do here is they
have to prove that this was not just some peculiar, freaky sex life that he engaged in, that this was not consensual, that this actually was him
running a criminal enterprise.
Remember that the prosecution has said that these so-called freak offs are at the center of their case. These freak offs, according to the government,
are drug fueled sex parties, where Combs allegedly forced women, including his ex, Cassie Ventura, into having sex with male escorts. So, what we have
seen so far in the trial is, of course, some grueling testimony from Cassie, along with corroborating witnesses who have corroborated parts of
her account.
But today, what we saw in court was the special agent who oversaw that search warrant of his home in Miami. You remember back in 2024 when his
home was on both coasts were searched. Well, this special agent, he took the stand and he talked about the items that were seized. I believe that we
have some images of what the jury saw. He said that there were guns that were seized from the home. In fact, two AR-15s, we see pieces of them right
there. Two AR-15s were found in the closet of Combs' master bedroom in this Miami mansion.
They also showed photos of drugs. Combs had a Gucci pouch where he kept his drugs in this, according to the testimony from the special agent. They also
found many bottles of baby oil. This special agent said that 25 bottles of baby oil were found in just one closet. That's not what they found in the
entire house.
[18:40:00]
So, the prosecution, they are painting this picture of the world that they allege Combs built, but it's not illegal to have baby oil. It may be
strange. So, how is the prosecution going to prove that these supplies and these items that they seized were actually used as part of this criminal
enterprise and used to force these women into these freak offs? So, that is what they have to prove.
KINKADE: Certainly, a lot of interest in this case. Elizabeth Wagmeister, good to have you on the case for us. Thanks so much.
WAGMEISTER: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, I want to go to Mexico now. A shocking new incident in the Capitol. Two top aids for the Mexico City mayor were ambushed in broad
daylight and killed on Tuesday. Political violence has been on the rise in the country with a record number of victims reported last year. Mexico's
president has offered her support to the investigation and promises that justice will be served.
Here's CNN's Valeria Leon. And we will need to warn you that you may find some of the images disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Murder in broad daylight on their way to work. Two Mexico City officials, the mayor's private secretary
and an adviser, were ambushed on Tuesday morning on a busy avenue in the country's capitol.
CCTV capturing the moment when a gunman approaches Ximena Guzman's car just as her colleague, Jose Munoz, is about to get in and shoots them both.
The country's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, was seen learning about the attack during her daily press conference, breaking the news live minutes
later.
We express our solidarity and support for the families of these two individuals who have worked in our movement for a long time, Sheinbaum
said.
Authorities said they're investigating the motive for the killings and added that they've seen a motorcycle near the scene and a vehicle nearby
that may be linked to the incident.
Mayor Clara Brugada was basically emotional when she paid tribute to her two aids, with whom she said she shared dreams and struggles. She described
Ximena as quote, "a wonderful, tireless and very good woman." And Jose known as Pepe, as, quote, "one of the most intelligent and responsible
people I've ever met."
To investigate, clarify, and to ensure there is no impunity, the mayor said, this is our commitment.
LEON (voice-over): As mayor of Mexico City, Brugada holds the second most powerful political position in the country after the president. The two
women are allies in the Morena Party. Less than two weeks ago, Yesenia Lara Gutierrez, a mayoral candidate in the State of Veracruz, also from the
ruling party, was gunned down during a live stream alongside three other people.
And last year, Mexico saw a record number of victims of political violence, that's according to the Human Rights organization, Data Civica, which
reported a total of 661 attacks on people and facilities.
But while the targeting of politicians is a common crime across the country, attacks in the capitol are rare. Making the assassination of
members of the mayor's inner circle particularly shocking.
Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, still to come on CNN, Tottenham triumphant. A stunning result for the Spurs in the Europa League Final. We'll have a live report
next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:45:00]
KINKADE: A triumphant night Tottenham Hotspur who have just won their first major trophy in years beating Manchester United in the Europa League
Final. Well, Don Riddell is following all the action and rounds it up for us. Don, good to see you. Take us through the game.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Hey, there. It has been an understatement to say, a long-awaited triumph for Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs fans are among the
most long suffering in sports, a proud club with big ambitions. They hadn't won anything since the League Cup all the way back in 2008, and their
Premier League campaign this year has been little short of disastrous, but against Manchester United on Wednesday, a chance for redemption in Bilbao.
Brennan Johnson was credited with the only goal of the game late in the first half, propelling Spurs towards not just a trophy, but also a return
to the Champions League. Just as important as the goal though, was this just incredible goal line clearance from Micky Van De Ven, which kept Spurs
in the game.
Now, Tottenham had already beaten United three times this season, and they needed another really big clearance to make it four out of four. This
coming up is a really big save from goalkeeper, Vicario, just seconds from the final whistle.
So, to put all this into context, Spurs are going to finish just above the relegation zone in the Premier League. But despite that, this has ended up
being one of their best ever accomplishments. Football really can be a funny old game.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRENNAN JOHNSON, TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MIDFIELDER: I'm so happy right now. Honestly, this season hasn't been good at all, but I swear not one of us
players right now care about that. This is what it's all about. This club hasn't won a trophy for 17 years. Honestly, this is what it means. It means
so much.
All the fans get battered. Get battered. We get battered for not winning a trophy, not winning anything, but we had to get the first one in a while
today. And, hey, I'm happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: This is just such a great story for so many different reasons, Lynda. It is remarkable. The Spurs are going to be in the Champions League
next year because they were so awful in the Premier League this year. Their critics would say that they don't deserve it, but that's what happens when
you win the Europa League trophy, and this really is just absolute vindication for their Australian manager. Ange Postecoglou, in his second
season with Spurs. He has been absolutely maligned by so many people in the media, sports reporters, a lot of the fans as well. They think he's out of
his depth, that he doesn't know what he's doing. And yet, here he is, despite all that he's had to endure, he has ended up having the last laugh
tonight.
KINKADE: He certainly has. He has ended up on top. It's really a remarkable result. But it is disappointing for Manchester United currently
just two places above the relegation zone in the Premier League. What does this mean for Ruben Amorim's side?
RIDDELL: You know, yes. It's fascinating that both teams found themselves in such a similar position, you know, performing way below their
expectations in the Premier League, and yet both ended up with a chance of redemption. You know, it would've been a completely different story for
Manchester United tonight if they'd won this game, they would've salvaged something. They would've been back in the Champions League next year, but
they're not. It's been a disastrous season for them, arguably more so than Spurs, and they have ended up with absolutely nothing.
So, I mean, Ruben Amorim, he arrived kind of midway through the season. So, I think he'll be given a bit more time to try and kind of make this club or
this team kind of what he wants to. But I think United are going to have to spend more money, I think, than they really want to get this team back into
the upper echelons of the Premier League. And this one is going to really, really sting for them I think for quite a while.
KINKADE: Yes, I can see the disappointment on the faces of their players. Don Riddell, good to have you with us as always. Thank you.
RIDDELL: All right.
[18:50:00]
KINKADE: Well, still to come after a quick break, time to go green.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Why are there so many --
KERMIT THE FROG: Songs about rainbows and what's on the other side?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Sara Sidner there singing with Kermit the Frog who shares lessons in life that we all need to hear. Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, the DoorDash driver sparked a security alert at Chicago O'Hare Airport after taking what appears to be a few wrong turns. The man
entered secure zones potentially crossing runways before someone spotted him from the air, the traffic control tower. Police confirmed that 36-year-
old's actions but deemed it to be a mistake. So, fortunately for him, no charges were filed.
Well, one Chinese swimmer is being described as a 12-year-old sensation. Yu Zidi clocked the fastest time ever by a 12-year-old in the 200-meter
individual medley. She swam an astonishing 2:10.63 at the Chinese National Championships on Sunday. She finished second behind two-time Olympic bronze
medalist Yu Yiting. Yu would've qualified for the semi-finals at last week's Paris Olympics.
Well, in today's Good Brief, the most famous amphibian of them all, Kermit, we'll be this year's commencement speaker at the University of Maryland.
Muppet creator Jim Henson, graduated from that school in 1960. Well, our Sara Signer got to sit down with Kermit and have a little sing along and
ask the little green puppet -- or the Muppet rather, about the secret of his success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: I would like to start with a song.
KERMIT THE FROG: OK.
SIDNER: Why are there so many --
KERMIT THE FROG: Songs about rainbows and what's on the other side? That's pretty good.
SIDNER: I try. I try. I'm so glad we began this with the song, Kermit. There's a lot going on in the world, Kermit, as you've well know.
KERMIT THE FROG: Yes.
SIDNER: So, what would you say to someone if they said frogs and puppets and public television weren't really worth the money?
KERMIT THE FROG: Well, you know, what I would say I think all that stuff is part of the arts, and the arts are for everyone, you know, even a little
-- humble little frog from the swamp. You know, I'm not sure who I would be if I wasn't an artist. And art and creativity have helped me find out what
I'm good at and meet my people and make millions of people happy.
SIDNER: Your people? The Muppets?
KERMIT THE FROG: Yes.
SIDNER: How do you stay calm while leading a group of totally chaotic all over the place friends?
KERMIT THE FROG: Yes, yes, yes. That's the Muppets. All right. When you're -- you know, you're in something together with friends and with like-minded
folks, it kind of feels less intimidating, I think, you know, that kind of is something that's a little calming.
[18:55:00]
And you know, when it's not possible to be with friends and like-minded folks, like I said, you know -- and I'm on stage alone and I just kind of
remind myself that I have those friends out there somewhere and they believe in me. So, why shouldn't I believe in me too? And that kind of
makes me calm.
SIDNER: I love that. This is a bit impromptu because I was just thinking about it, but when you blow your top, it actually makes me feel better,
because sometimes I blow my top.
KERMIT THE FROG: Oh, really?
SIDNER: Yes.
KERMIT THE FROG: Well, I try not to, but sometimes the feelings come out, you know, and it's better not to just kind of bury those feelings down deep
inside, just kind of like let them out, you know. I mean, it can be frustrating. You know what I'm saying?
SIDNER: I know exactly what you're saying.
KERMIT THE FROG: I'm really sorry doing this in an interview situation. You touched the nerve a little bit there.
SIDNER: Oh, OK. Are you going to be all right?
KERMIT THE FROG: No, I'm going to be fine. Yes, I'm going to be fine.
SIDNER: Oh, OK. Just want to make sure nothing wild happens while we're doing this.
KERMIT THE FROG: No, nothing wild is going to happen, I assure you. Animal is not in the room, is he? No.
SIDNER: I don't see him, but I love Animal. I think he's my spirit animal.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our thanks to Sara Sidner and Kermit the Frog for that. And thanks so much for joining us. I'm Lynda Kinkade. You have been watching
"The Brief." Stay with CNN. Much more news ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
