Return to Transcripts main page
The Brief with Jim Sciutto
Supreme Court Limit Ability Of Judges To Stop Trump; Enriched Uranium Was Not Removed From Nuclear Sites, Says Trump; U.S. House Gets Classified Briefing On Iran Strikes; Haaretz Reports Israeli Commanders Orders Soldiers To Shoot Palestinians Waiting For Food; U.S. Ends Trade Talks With Canada; Rwanda And D.R. Congo Sign Peace Deal; Belarusian Opposition Figure Freed; Ukraine's Boxing Heavyweight. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired June 27, 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]
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all over the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. And you're watching "The
Brief."
Just ahead this hour, President Trump's power gets a big boost after the Supreme Court limits the ability of judges to block his policies with
nationwide injunctions. Freedom after five years in jail, my exclusive interview with the newly released Belarusian opposition leader's husband,
who's now thanking President Trump for his intervention. And in sport, we will hear why the Ukrainian boxing champion is preparing for more than just
fighting in the ring. All that and plenty more coming up.
We do begin though with a major six to three decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. Before lower courts could pause the government from enforcing its
policies across the country as cases made their way through the legal system. Today's ruling limited the ability of plaintiffs to ask for those
nationwide orders or injunctions. The ruling will make it easier for the White House to rule now by executive order. President Donald Trump
immediately called the decision, quote, "a giant win."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We can now properly file to proceed with these numerous policies and those that have been wrongly enjoined on a
nationwide basis, including birthright citizenship, ending sanctuary city funding, suspending refugee resettlement, freezing unnecessary funding,
stopping federal taxpayers from paying for transgender surgeries, and numerous other priorities of the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Today's ruling arose out of President Trump's executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship for children born in this country,
including two undocumented migrants. Three district court judges issued injunctions to block the enforcement of that order nationwide.
The high court, we should note, did not rule on the legality of that order, the merits however it likely will have to eventually. The U.S. attorney
general, Pam Bondi, says she is confident the Trump administration will win that case as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: We're very confident in the Supreme Court. But again, it's pending litigation and that will directly be
determined in October, but it indirectly impacts every case in this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: It was a busy day because the Supreme Court also issued important rulings. One upholding a Texas Age verification law for pornography, siding
-- and siding with parents who want to opt their kids out from books containing LGBTQ material. They also rejected a legal challenge to
Obamacare.
Joining me now to help digest it all. Joan Biskupic, our chief Supreme Court analyst. From 30,000 feet to begin, is this a significant expansion
of presidential power?
JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN CHIEF SUPREME COURT ANALYST: It is. It is. Donald Trump who usually exaggerates things, was actually right to say he had a huge win
today. A really big one.
You've paired this ruling today, removing substantial power from U.S. district court judges to check the president on his executive orders, you
add that to the immunity ruling last year that said that Donald Trump was substantially immune from, you know, any kind of criminal prosecution, that
really bolsters the presidency. It happened -- it bolsters any presidency, but it's all on Donald Trump's watch.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Someone who has shown his willingness to stretch the bounds of that. I mean, let's start with birthright citizenship, because as I
understand it and listening to you and read folks from both the right and left, reading the language of the 14th Amendment, it's quite clear that
people born in this country are citizens of this country.
Now, the court did not rule on the merits of that. But I wonder, in the meantime, does this allow Trump to suspend birthright citizenship for some
parts of the country?
BISKUPIC: Not immediately. Not immediately because it -- not immediately because this order has been put on hold. It was already put on hold
essentially with the executive order saying it wouldn't take place for 30 days anyway.
[18:05:00]
And now, Jim, we've already seen immediate challenges in lower courts to try to expand the people who could be covered by this. But it in theory, it
opens up a great threat to anyone who gives birth to a child in America, who -- anyone who isn't a lawful citizen right now or was here on a
temporary visa, what he wants is for those children not to have automatic citizenship, as has been the case, you know, for more than 150 years.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
BISKUPIC: Now, Amy Coney Barrett, as she read her opinion from the bench, she started out by saying, this is not about birthright citizenship. But
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who then read parts of her dissent for more than 20 minutes went on to say, you know, don't be fooled. At its core, it's
still about individual rights. It's still about birthright citizenship, because that now hangs in the balance, as do so many other individual
rights because of what this conservative majority has done to really reign in the power of U.S. district court judges to check the president.
And these nationwide injunctions have been controversial, for sure, under, you know --
SCIUTTO: Under the Democratic presidents as well. Yes.
BISKUPIC: Lots of presidents. But the problem is that President Trump has come to his second term with such a robust aggressive agenda with, you
know, dozens of executive orders, that this has been the one -- kind of a firewall, not to block them permanently, but to say, while litigation plays
out on the constitutionality of these, at least temporarily about them.
SCIUTTO: It at least raises questions. Yes.
BISKUPIC: yes.
SCIUTTO: I do want to ask one question about this decision on LGBTQ books.
BISKUPIC: Sure.
SCIUTTO: Does this, in effect, allow parents in a school to say, listen, I'm not comfortable with that book that has a page showing a same sex
couple. Therefore, don't expose my child to it?
BISKUPIC: Well, that's the practical effect is -- in this case, because it came from right here in Montgomery County, Maryland, which is nearby to
where we're sitting right now, where parents, for religious reasons, said they didn't want their elementary aged kids. Now, I should say this was
elementary aged kids exposed to books about transgender lifestyles and gay rights and gay wedding.
Both Justice Alito, who read for the majority, and Justice Sotomayer, who also dissented in that case from the bench, they both read excerpts from
books that were controversial. And Justice Alito started, you know, giving this rendition from a trans book and, you know, did it in such kind of a
mocking way, as if would you want your child exposed to this?
SCIUTTO: Right.
BISKUPIC: Justice Sotomayor, on the other hand, said, it's not trying to indoctrinate anyone, it's not trying to persuade anyone, it's just trying
to encourage acceptance and to say that, you know -- she picked up on a little book called "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," and it was about a gay couple.
And she said the message there is just that gay people can have love and acceptance from relatives in their lives.
So, it's sort of where you come at this thing, and the parents who objected to this on religious ground said they did not want these instructional
materials at all near their children. They didn't want them part of reading hour. And what Justice Sotomayor said is, that this is going to cause lots
of upheaval in public schools because you're going to have parents objecting to a range of things based on assertive religious grounds and
kids will be assure in and out of class and teaching materials.
SCIUTTO: Well, it's a practical thing, but it's -- you know, it's also a question of just expansion of religious freedom, right? You know, what is
defined as religious freedom as a way to restrict a whole host of things. Joan Biskupic, really appreciate it.
BISKUPIC: Thanks.
SCIUTTO: I know it's not the last time we talk about it.
BISKUPIC: Right. Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Well, let's go now to CNN Senior White House Correspondent Kristen Holmes. Kristen, watching the president live earlier in the day as he
celebrated this decision, I wonder, should we expect a flurry of new executive orders intended to take advantage of this newfound expansion of
power?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I wouldn't be surprised, Jim. I mean, they're watching this very carefully. You have to
remember that some of his biggest executive orders are the ones that have been paused. So, the first step that they're going to take now is to make
sure that they're all actually going forward the way that they want them to with the Supreme Court ruling.
And that was one of the things you heard President Trump talking about when he was first talking about the Supreme Court ruling, saying that this was
going to enable him to go forward with a long list of executive orders, ending birthright citizenship, as we know, but also suspending refugee
settlements, ending sanctuary city funding, stopping funding for transgender surgery, which is just some of what they are now hoping is
going to go forward.
But also, his team is going to take another look at making another pass at various executive orders that might have gotten held up in the court. One
of the things that our Supreme Court reporter chief correspondent, Paul Reid, has been talking about is the fact that we really heard from a lot of
lawyers early on in Trump's administration saying, if we can get this forward to the Supreme Court, we think we will win. So, they knew some of
these were going to get held up. But now, the question is, are they going to ramp up on that?
And truly, they believe this is a huge win for President Trump because you're looking at all of this idea that the reason he feels as though he
hasn't been able to enact some of his agenda is because of these lower court rulings, is because of these lower court injunctions. And so, they
were celebrating today. You heard that in his voice.
The other part of this that I thought was so interesting was talk -- hearing him talk about these conservative justices that he appointed, some
of them, obviously, not all of them. But two in particular, he talked about Justice Roberts said thank you to him and he also thanked Amy Coney Barrett
who wrote the decision, that was interesting for me to hear as somebody who reported just a few weeks ago that privately he had been bashing Justice
Amy Coney Barrett in particular, saying that her ruling -- she was not ruling with him all of the time. This is not how she presented herself when
she wanted this position.
And we know that not only President Trump, but members of his administration have hit out at Justice Roberts, saying that he's political.
They've gone after him when he's made comments recently. So, it was interesting to hear him now, all of a sudden, saying thank you to these
judges -- or justices, many of whom he himself appointed.
SCIUTTO: Kristen Holmes, he does tend to thank those who agree with him. Thanks so much for joining. Well, President Trump says he would consider
bombing Iranian nuclear sites again if he thought it was necessary. This as he reiterates his claim that among other things enriched uranium was not
removed from those sites ahead of the U.S. strikes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Nothing was moved from the site, by the way. To do that is very dangerous. It's very, very heavy material. Those cars were most likely the
cars of masons because they were pouring concrete at the top at the hatch. As you know, the hatch going into the nuclear site. They wanted to
reinforce it, and they had some masons there pouring concrete.
By the way that concrete was obliterated, it hit exactly at the concrete. It was -- I don't think it had a chance to dry. But everything's down
there. It's under millions of tons of rock.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine told senators yesterday the U.S. military did not use bunker-buster bombs on one of Iran's nuclear
sites because that site is so deep, the bombs would likely not have been effective.
Today, the House of Representatives received a classified briefing on the outcome of the military action in Iran. Republicans are reinforcing their
statement that the U.S. strikes were effective following the briefing. Many Democrats expressed skepticism just about the extent of the damage. No one
is questioning that there was damage. The question is, suppose how far did it go?
Joining me now, Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House, permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressman, thanks so
much for joining.
REP. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI (D-IL): Thank you so much.
SCIUTTO: I'm not going to ask you to go into classified information. But big picture, does the intelligence support the president's claim that the
entire Iranian nuclear program was obliterated, the word he's liked to use?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: No, I don't see that. And I didn't hear a single person at the briefing or anywhere else say that the nuclear program has been
obliterated. Have facilities been severely damaged and maybe even obliterated? Sure. I think that there's evidence of that, but the program
itself remains, I believe.
But more than that, we can't account for hundreds of kilograms of enriched uranium and we can't account for other components, centrifuges, other
facilities and other places. We know they cheat. So, they have probably developed other sensitive sites.
Look, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapons program. That is period -- that is the most important principle here. And the only way that we're going to end
it is at the bargaining table because a military solution is not sufficient, as we found out last week.
SCIUTTO: Let me ask you this, because the president, as you heard just prior, said that none of the fissile material was moved prior. Is he
claiming that with any basis?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, I know he's a very stable genius, but I think that in this particular context, I have not seen proof. We need proof. Look, this
is a very weighty question. Does Iran's nuclear program exist and how far away are they from building a nuclear weapon?
[18:15:00]
Right now, the evidence is murky, in part because the battle damage assessment, or bomb damage assessment has yet to be completely performed,
but we know that their nuclear know-how and their ambitions are there. And so, if that is the case, you can't bomb their know-how out of existence.
And so, we have to come to the table and we have to negotiate a lasting agreement to end their nuclear program once and for all.
SCIUTTO: And that's, of course, the concern. That's why you want to know how much is still left because it informs decisions on next steps. Are you
concerned about the precedent that this has set for the Intelligence Community, in effect, that it's got to back up the president's statements
retroactively, rather than the president makes statements backed up by the intelligence?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: That's exactly right. Remember, we went down this road in the 2003 to 2005 timeframe with weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The
Intelligence Community shaped its opinion shaped, the facts, shaped its reporting to match what then-President George W. Bush wanted. And then we
went on a horrible misadventure in the Middle East with Iraq. We can't go down that road again.
We need an Intelligence Community that is comprised of truth tellers who just called balls and strikes. And for the most part, that's the vast
majority of the people in the Intelligence Community. But I'm concerned that they're being unduly pressured right now to kind of change the way
they do business. And it's -- in my opinion, it's a dangerous way of doing their jobs.
SCIUTTO: If I could change subjects now and ask for your reaction to the Supreme Court decision today, specifically on nationwide injunctions, are
you concerned that this removes an important backstop to President Trump's expansion of executive power, particularly these series of executive orders
that he's been issuing?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, I think what it's going to do is it's going to encourage an incredible amount of litigation where, you know, essentially
there's going to be whack-a-mole. You know, one executive order comes down, then a litigation is filed to stop it. But then, there's a question of,
what is the jurisdiction of that order or what's -- what area does that cover geographically and what parties? And then, the administration files
another suit somewhere else, and it goes on and on and on.
And there's so much instability as to exactly what the law is that people aren't able to arrange their lives. They're not able to conduct their
affairs properly.
SCIUTTO: Let me ask you a question. I'm not trying to be alarmist here. I just -- I want to get a sense of the effects. Because you've heard a lot of
talk in this second Trump term about the courts being really the only reliable backstop to over extensions of presidential power.
As that court power is diluted somewhat, I wonder, do you believe there's still a limit? I mean, what if Trump were to, I don't know, cancel or delay
a national election or run for a third term based on his own interpretation of the 22nd Amendment? What -- do you believe and have confidence in the
courts that they would include the Supreme Court, that they would stand in the way?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: I would hope so. I mean, Justice Roberts has made various pronouncements that indicate that although on certain issues he's going to
rule, in my opinion, ideologically, on others, it appears that he's an institutionalist. I would hope that that part of him would help guide his
decision making with regard to rulings going forward and how he cast his vote and shapes opinions.
All that being said, at the end of the day, it's elections that matter. OK. And so, the fact that we don't have a check in Congress, we don't have one
House of the Congress matters, and the fact that we don't have the White House matters.
So, putting on my political hat for one second, we need a project 2028. We got to take back the White House to really kind of bring some stability
back to our institutions and hopefully end some of this chaos.
SCIUTTO: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, thanks for joining and I hope you get a weekend.
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Hey, thank you so much.
SCIUTTO: Well, today marks the first Friday prayers since the U.S. strikes on Iran, and thousands came out for those prayers to express their anger at
the United States and Israel. CNN's Fred Pleitgen joins from Tehran.
[18:20:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here at Friday prayers, the prayer leader has been ripping into the United States and
ripping into Israel as well. The Iranians are saying they believe that they imposed the ceasefire on the U.S. and Israel because their military was so
strong. Many of the folks here chanting death to America and death to Israel.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): The great nation of Iran showed resistance in these 12 days, he says, bringing the enemy to its knees. God willing, the weak
enemy will be defeated even more.
And he says we will roll you out of this region with the permission of God.
PLEITGEN: The concept of martyrdom is hugely important here in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
We're currently at an event where hundreds of mothers hold their babies into the air to show that they're willing to offer them as martyrs for God
and for Imam Husayn. And this goes back to the early days of Shiite Islam, where Imam Husayn, when he was besieged in Karbala, he held up his newborn
baby and asked the enemy that was besieging Karbala to give the baby water, and instead the enemy killed the baby. It's a very important story here in
Iran.
And of course, all of this takes on an even greater importance now that Iran is involved in that standoff with Israel in the United States.
This is an annual event that takes place every year, but folks that we've been speaking to say that for them this year, it's even more important.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): We want to show them we are not scared of anything, she says, and will support our state until they are destroyed. And she says
they need to know that Imam Husayn is our everything, and we should sacrifice our lives for Imam Husayn.
This is a symbol saluting Imam Husayn, she says, who's the leader of all the oppressed who stand against oppressors and don't submit.
PLEITGEN: And just to show how big this is in Iran right now, the crowd here was chanting death to America, death to Israel, and there was even a
children's choir that was singing songs as videos were shown of Iran's missile program in action against Israel. And of course, also when the
Trump administration carried out those strikes against Iranian nuclear installations.
In total, right now, as this conflict is taking place, all of this extremely important to the folks here.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: The Israeli military is denying an explosive report just out from the Israeli Haaretz newspaper. It reports that Israeli commanders ordered
Israeli soldiers to shoot unarmed Palestinians waiting for food aid in Gaza. All this amid word that Israel is now blocking aid into Northern
Gaza, accusing Hamas once again of stealing it. Nic Robertson has more from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, these are incredibly serious allegations and the period of these allegations over the
past month times out with a significant uptick in the number of Palestinians being killed as they go to get aid from the new aid
distribution points set up by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a humanitarian body established by the United States and Israel.
According to Palestinian health officials over that period, since late May, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed either on their way to these
aid collection points, near the aid collection points, waiting to get aid from trucks. We're also hearing from Meson Frontier, Doctors Without
Borders who say that over the past month they've noticed what they describe as a stark increase in the number of gunshot injuries from people that have
gone to collect food from these humanitarian distribution points.
What the Haaretz article alleges is that soldiers that Haaretz says it's talked to, IDF soldiers, say that they were ordered by a commanding officer
to fire at the people, unarmed people waiting at the aid distribution points, waiting to get aid. According to one of the soldiers Haaretz says
they interviewed, he described it as a killing field.
Now, the IDF rejects these allegations. Their prime minister, the defense minister called them blood liables, that it's an effort to tarnish the
image and undermine the IDF. But according to Haaretz, the IDF's military advocate general has tasked the military body to investigate whether the
laws of war were broken to see, in essence, if war crimes were committed, that's what Haaretz says is happening.
If this were -- if these allegations that Haaretz has uncovered here were proven to be true, this would be a huge blow for the Gaza Humanitarian
Foundation's aid effort. It would be a huge blow for the IDF and the Israeli government.
[18:25:00]
But at the moment, it is being completely rejected top down. Haaretz is standing by their reporting.
Nic Robeson, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Thanks to Nic for that reporting there. Coming up, a new twist in the trade battle war even between the U.S. and Canada. President Trump
making an unexpected announcement just a few hours ago about the future of trade negotiations. All that and more coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." U.S. stocks rose to records on Friday, capping off a strong week of gains on Wall Street. The S&P 500 hit
its first record high since February. The NASDAQ also a rose to records with A.I. related stocks outperforming. Stocks powering ahead despite mixed
news on trade. U.S. and China have formalized an agreement that will get Chinese rare earth exports flowing into the U.S. again.
Late in the day, however, President Trump announced that he has broken off trade talks with Canada in a dispute over a digital services tax set to
take effects next week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Canada has, in his words, not been acting in good faith.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: As of Monday, they're going to implement a retroactive tax, and we think that -- we don't like the taxes
and obviously, we think it's patently unfair to do it retroactive. This was something from the Trudeau years. So, we were hoping as a sign of goodwill
that the new Carney administration would at least put a break on that during the trade talks. They seem not to have. President Trump has
responded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Joining me now from Ottawa, Paula Newton. And so, first, Paula, can you explain the root of this dispute over the digital services tax?
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Listen, Jim, this has been brewing for years since the Trudeau government introduced this. It's a digital services
tax, 3 percent on all digital companies that operate in Canada, not just American ones. But you heard what he said there, it's retroactive. What
does that mean? It means that next week, American digital companies owe Canada about $2 billion U.S.
And, Jim, to be clear, this was an irritant as well with the Biden administration and there are many business groups in Canada that also do
not like this tax. I want you to listen now though to President Trump in the Oval Office just a little while ago.
[18:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They were foolish to do it. And so, I said, we're going to stop all negotiations with Canada right now until they straighten out their act. We
have all the cards. You know, we do a lot of business with Canada, but relatively little. They do most of their businesses with us. And when you
have that circumstance, you treat people better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: The hard truth for Canada, Jim, is that the President Trump doesn't have all the cards, but he has many of them. With this economy now
teetering, not at recession, but kind of close to it, completely chilling. And yet, you saw, Jim, that Mark Carney, Donald Trump, having such a good
rapport at the G7. I want you to listen now to Mark Carney's response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK CARNEY, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: Look, we'll continue to conduct these complex negotiations in the best interest of Canadians. It's a negotiation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: What's always difficult to know here, Jim, is just how far the president will go. You heard Scott Bessent there, they want this digital
tax lifted and lifted immediately. It's not clear if that's a condition to, you know, continue those negotiations or whether or not there is still a
negotiation. Because remember, steel and aluminum tariffs in this country are still quite high given what the president has initiated, Jim.
SCIUTTO: So, what happens now is the threat to ramp up tariffs even further by the U.S. on Canada?
NEWTON: I think that that is the issue. You know, the president in social media posts said seven days and they would tell Canada what they would be
paying on tariffs. Now, look, some of this might be negotiating and posturing. But, Jim, I can also tell you that Canada, at that point, would
be left no -- really no choice but to also reciprocate and also escalate, maybe not in kind, but certainly, they would have to do something.
What's so extraordinary about this, Jim, is that these talks seem to be on the right track. And all of a sudden, the president just blew them up. And
I think it is a good indicator to other allies going forward on what they can expect to what are very complicated trade negotiations for almost
everyone.
SCIUTTO: No question. And listen, the president has repeatedly promised a series of trade deals with a number of countries, just haven't come to be
yet. Paula Newton in Ottawa, thanks so much.
Just ahead, the White House brokers a peace deal between Rwanda and the Congo as President Trump promotes himself as the peacemaker. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:35:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are more international headlines we're watching today.
The U.S. Supreme Court has curbed the power of federal judges to block President Donald Trump's and other president's executive orders. He calls
it a monumental victory, vowing to press ahead with a raft of controversial policies and executive orders. The ruling limits the ability of federal
judges to issue nationwide injunctions. A dissenting justice says, no right is safe in this new legal era.
The Ukrainian military says Russia's building up its troop presence near the strategic Eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. Russian forces have been
trying to capture that city for almost a year. Ukrainian military chiefs says Russia has now amassed some 110,000 troops there. He calls the town,
quote, "hottest spot" along the frontline, which runs across the east of Ukraine.
The defense has made his closing arguments in the Sean Diddy Combs sex trafficking trial. Combs' defense attorney argued that prosecutors
exaggerated their case and showed no evidence of a criminal enterprise. The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Monday.
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed off on a peace agreement brokered by the White House. It's meant to stop fighting in the
Eastern DRC, which is partially occupied by a militia, allegedly backed by Rwanda. However, they are not party to that agreement. Larry Madowo has the
details from Nairobi.
We don't have that tape now, but we'll get that fixed. Actually, here's the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump taking a victory lap after this major peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
He's previously said he thinks he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for helping make this happen. He called it a dangerous part of the world and praised
his senior adviser on Africa, Massad Boulos, for getting it across the line. Massad Boulos is also the father-in-law to his daughter Tiffany
Trump.
He hosted the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, their foreign ministers. He said they were very honored to be at the White House.
The parties have agreed to a raft of things. The key part of it is the text here is important, includes the provisions on the respect for territorial
integrity and the prohibition of austerities, the disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of ground state armed groups. And
they will also establish a joint security coordination mechanism, which would be important to implement this, because there have been previous
peace deals that have failed between the DRC and Rwanda.
Crucially, the M-23 Rebel Group are not a party to this. They are the group that the DRC accuses Rwanda of arming and supporting. Rwanda wants the DRC
to disarm and stop supporting the FDLR, which they accused of planning to overthrow, the government of President Kagame.
But President Trump also said something that raised a lot of eyebrows in Kinshasa, across the region, and in the continent.
TRUMP: We're getting for the United States a lot of the mineral rights from the Congo as part of it. They're so honored to be here. They never thought
they'd be coming to. Look, this is a very tough part of the world. They never thought -- they were just telling me they never thought they'd ever
be coming to the White House. And they're so honored.
MADOWO: The Democratic Republic of Congo has the world's largest reserves of cobalt, which powers everything from mobile phones to electric cars. And
the question here is, how did the DRC put those minerals as part of this agreement? It didn't come up in the official signing that was led by Marco
Rubio, the secretary of state, and the two foreign ministers. But suddenly, the text will be scrutinized to see exactly what they gave up there.
There's a lot of criticism of Western countries aiming and vying for African minerals, and this suddenly fits that description that's often
criticized here. Whether this deal does work still remains to be seen, and the question of, how was this signed in Washington, not in an African
capital? Previous mediation efforts here in Nairobi and the Angola capital Rwanda did not bear fruit.
Larry Madowo, CNN, Nairobi
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[18:40:00]
SCIUTTO: Coming up on "The Brief," a prominent opposition figure in Belarus now freed from five years in prison. His experience behind bars and his vow
for what comes next. My interview with Sergey Tikhanovsky, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: After five painful years for him and his family, Belarus has now freed Sergey Tikhanovsky, a prominent opposition figure there, and the
husband of the exiled opposition leader who took up his mantle after he went into prison, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya. This after a rare visit to
Belarus by a senior U.S. official. He was reportedly released with 13 other political prisoners.
After President Trump's envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, met with the Belarusian president, Aleksandr Lukashenko. I spoke with both Sergey and
Svetlana earlier today. They are vowing to continue their fight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Sergey, let me begin with you to ask, what was your treatment like in prison? I understand you said your children didn't even recognize you.
SERGEY TIKHANOVSKY, BELARUSIAN OPPOSITION FIGURE: For five years I spoke only at four walls and to prison guards. I was even afraid that I will
forget how to speak. What we do in prisons with Belarus with people is statue. I was freezing. I was not allowed even the ban (ph). Lost half of
my weight.
In prison, they told me everyone forgot about you. They told me you'll die here in prison. Propaganda, disinformation, lies every single day. But I
never believed them. I refused to sign a pardon letter Lukashenko. I refused to sign a paper on cooperation with his KGB. They didn't break me
and will never break Belarusian people.
SCIUTTO: Svetlana, I was going to ask you what it was like for you, given all these years you've been waiting and fighting and weren't even able to
speak to him for two years.
SVETLANA TSIKHANOUSKAYA, BELARUSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER: You know, of course it's absolutely happiness, you know, for me to meet my husband, to see how
he can hug our children. Honestly speaking, my daughter, younger daughter, she was only four when she saw him last time, she couldn't recognize him.
He lost half of his weight.
[18:45:00]
And of course, you know, that's more than two years. I haven't heard a word from my husband. I wasn't sure if he's alive. And now, I see him alive and
not broken.
SCIUTTO: Sergey, why do you believe that the Lukashenko government freed you now?
TIKHANOVSKY: I'm tremendously grateful to President Trump. Thanks to him and his efforts I'm free now and I can continue fight for Belarus. I know
he even tweeted about me. Thank you. President Trump has huge power. Lukashenko is afraid of him. He can release all political prisoners just by
one word, believe me. He can say, if you don't release all prisoners tomorrow, I will impose devastating sanctions. You will see, Lukashenko
will release all tomorrow.
SCIUTTO: What happens now? Do you continue, both of you, Svetlana and Sergey, to fight to represent the Belarusian people?
TIKHANOVSKAYA: Of course, we stay together. You know, we are not competing to each other. My husband is a leader and was a leader who encouraged
millions of people to stand against Lukashenko. And he already been exhausted. He's ready to contribute, to jump in our fight, to release the
rest of the people.
TIKHANOVSKY: It's only six days I'm free. I have to learn what happened in last five years. You know, movie "Back to the Future? I was like, in this
movie, parallel reality. I know for sure that I will continue to fight with my wife, for free Belarus. I will meet people. I will make content on
YouTube. I will show the truths about Lukashenko and his regime. I have many ideas, many plans. I want Belarusians to see how there is a how. We
will crush this regime.
SCIUTTO: Wow. Svetlana, was there a time when you feared you might never see Sergey alive again?
TIKHANOVSKAYA: Absolutely. You know, my husband was five years in jail as we will remember and you know, that city was among the terrorist enemies of
this regime, the person who challenged Lukashenko in 2020. And I thought that they will put revenge on my husband. And it was so surprised for me to
see him free and, of course, hear many factors influenced this release, first of all, leadership of President Trump and Trump's administration and
of course, firm and principled and strong position of Transatlantic unity. All these years, the world has put pressure on the regime making him to
release people.
SCIUTTO: Do you have hope that Belarus will be free democratic?
TIKHANOVSKAYA: Absolutely. I know that Belarusian people have not given up. For all these five years we keep this unity of democratic forces. We are
coordinating our actions with people on the ground and in exile. And honestly speaking, you know, the release of my husband will give new boost
to Belarusian movement because so many people are inspired on my husband and he's ready to communicate to people, to energize Belarusian society.
And we haven't stopped believing a single day that our freedom is closer and closer.
But of course, our law depends on the world leaders now and the hope that democratic society, democratic leaders will help Ukrainians, first of all,
to win this war, but also help Belarusian to win our country back.
SCIUTTO: Before we go, there's an impression that Lukashenko really survives or doesn't survive based on Vladimir Putin's backing. Sergey, do
you have any words for Vladimir Putin?
TIKHANOVSKY: I fully support Ukraine. I support President Zelenskyy. He's my hero. What I pass through is nothing compared to him. He fights for
Ukraine. Ukraine fights for all of us. We have to support Ukraine fully. We must stop Putin's Russia. If not Russia and Putin, we would live in
completely different world now. And Belarus would be free. I support our Belarusians fighting in Ukraine, for Ukraine. I support all Belarusians who
resist the dictator. Victory of Ukraine will mean victory for Belarus too.
[18:50:00]
TIKHANOVSKAYA: Jim, you know, Lukashenko always was on the side of Putin, and he always will be. So, Lukashenko doesn't deserve any trust. And I'm
sure that our American partners understand this and have not to care about Lukashenko's future. He's a criminal. A criminal who dragged our country
into the war, who unleashed the most brutal terror our country have seen for many, many years. And he has to be punished.
Because impunity actually embolden dictators. And I think that world leaders have to shape -- have to show to the tyrants that crimes, that
criminals will not stay unpunished.
TIKHANOVSKY: Down with the tyrant.
SCIUTTO: Well, Sergey, good to see you free. And, Svetlana, it's good to see the two of you reunited. Thank you.
TIKHANOVSKAYA: Thank you.
TIKHANOVSKY: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: A portrait of strength and resilience there. Well, another portrait of such strength pushing his physical limits. That's not new for
the Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champ training for his next big bout. But the fighter says his mental motivation comes from outside the boxing world.
That story just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: It is much more than just a boxing match for Ukraine's world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, as he gets ready to battle for the
undisputed heavyweight title. CNN's sport correspondent Amanda Davies has more,
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT (voice-over): He is arguably the best boxer in a generation, preparing for one of the biggest fights of his life.
OLEKSANDR USYK, UKRAINIAN BOXER, WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Look, mom, I can fly.
DAVIES (voice-over): But family and country inescapable for Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk.
DAVIES: Tell me this, what is this?
USYK: It's signed the only Ukrainian hero.
DAVIES (voice-over): The military flag filled with inspirational messages with one he's keen to point out.
USYK: It's signed mama, for Ukrainian soldiers.
DAVIES (voice-over): That's from Oleksandr Matsievskyi's mother, a Ukrainian soldier whose defiance moments before he was executed by Russian
soldiers became legend.
USYK: This man stayed like this. Russian, what do you want to say? This guy take cigarettes. Slava Ukraine. This guy -- killed.
DAVIES (voice-over): We're 2,700 kilometers from Kyiv at this training camp in Southern Spain that Usyk has made his home away from home, but with
Ukrainian symbols everywhere, the war is very much front of mind. And though he says he tries not to read the news, he's well aware of Ukraine's
daring drone strike on Russian air bases.
USYK (through translator): I would like to express my deep gratitude to Vasyl Vasilyevich (ph). Boss, great job.
DAVIES (voice-over): A shout out for the head of Ukraine's Security Services. One of the many military figures Usyk crossed paths with while
serving his country. He joined the Territorial Defense Forces when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 and has visited the frontlines
several times since.
His success in the Ring has seen him become a source of inspiration, but also of some respite for those at the front.
[18:55:00]
DAVIES: What are your friends on the frontline saying to you? What are they telling you in terms of the mood, how they are doing?
USYK (through translator): They're more interested in what I'm doing. When I ask them questions, they say, wait, wait, wait. Tell us about yourself.
What's going on with you? We try not to talk about the scary things they do to defend our country. What is happening there, what kind of shelling is
happening, how they're being attacked, how they're heroically defending our country.
DAVIES (voice-over): Out of sight, out of mind, well, not quite for most Ukrainians and neither for Usyk. His sons may be here within arm's reach
safe, but some of his family remain at home.
USYK (through translator): The girls, my two daughters and my wife, they are in Kyiv and it's a little difficult to balance things.
DAVIES (voice-over): Three and a half years after Russian troops marched on Kyiv, Usyk is still unbeaten in his professional career.
USYK (through translator): It's difficult, but I can switch off to do my job so that I can help my country more later on.
DAVIES (voice-over): The next challenge. July's heavyweight fight against Britain's Daniel Dubois at Wembley. A moment to send a message around the
world.
USYK: Easy day. Today, it's easy day.
DAVIES (voice-over): Amanda Davies, CNN, Gandia, Spain.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: A true fighting spirit. Thanks so much for your company this week. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do
stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
