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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: China to Hold One of the Largest Military Parades; Judge Says Trump's Use of Military in L.A. Illegal; Putin and Xi Hold Formal Bilateral Meeting in Beijing; Trump Announces Space Command Will Move to Alabama; Suntory Holdings CEO Resigns; Parental Controls Coming to ChatGPT; Israel Weighs Annexation of West Bank. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired September 02, 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, we are counting down to China's show of military and political might in a Victory Day Parade marking 80 years since the end of
World War II in the Pacific, known in the west. As VJ Day. President Donald Trump makes his first public appearance in a week to move Space Command to
the State of Alabama, creating, he says 30,000 jobs there. Plus, ChatGPT announces new parental controls as chatbots are accused of promoting self-
harm among teens. We're going to have that conversation and plenty more coming up.
First though, a show of strength and unity. Beijing set to hold a massive military parade in just a few hours to commemorate the 80th anniversary of
the end of World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended this week's summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is expected to
sit right next to the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, on the stage in Tiananmen Square. One of the other big guests, North Korea's, Kim Jong Un. He arrived
in Beijing on his armored green train alongside his daughter, Kim Ju Ae. A big show of power among those three nations.
Here in Washington, President Donald Trump says he does not see China's move and this parade as a challenge at all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: China needs us. And I have a very good relationship with President Xi, as you know. But China needs us much more
than we need them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: We're continuing to follow the story and we'll continue to discuss the importance of this meeting. Joining me shortly, Victor Gao, professor
at Soochow University, vice president of the Center for China and Globalization. For now, though, let's have a look at this story.
A federal judge has ruled Trump's military deployment to Los Angeles over the summer was illegal. In June, the president sent thousands of U.S.
Marines and members of the National Guard to L.A. following protests there over his aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. Today's ruling, we
should note, is limited just to California.
However, it is a potential warning to the Trump administration over the legal limits as he attempts to send troops to other cities, all of which
are run by Democrats. Here's CNN's Crime and Justice Correspondent Katelyn Polantz.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump cannot just send the military into cities to create a national police force where
he's the chief, that's the decision by the judge in the federal court in Northern California today.
This decision, it is blocking the ability of the Trump administration, the Defense Department, to send additional troops to the State of California if
they are just going to show up and do essentially local law enforcement.
What the judge here is saying, this is Judge Charles Breyer in the Northern District of California. He says that when Donald Trump was sending military
troops, the National Guard, Marines, into Los Angeles and Southern California throughout the summer and keeping them there, it was because --
it was for the purpose of establishing a military presence, a top-down effort where local law enforcement didn't want the federal military's help
and could have been doing that job. That's illegal, this judge says. And so, he's blocking this sort of action from the federal government in the
State of California going forward.
There will be able to be some National Guard troops that remain in Southern California, about 300 or so that are there now, that's because they're
doing things that would be typical of the National Guard. Things like protecting federal government buildings. But this idea of militarizing
cities with federal troops as a way to send a show of force, that's just not going to fly in California under this judge's ruling.
[18:05:00]
It's also very likely that this will come into play in the political conversation moving forward because Donald Trump, the administration, has
insinuated that they may want to send troops to other cities. The mayor of Chicago has pushed back. And so, we'll see exactly what happens more with
this court decision, what appeals might take place as well. As of now, though, it's a pretty significant ruling out of the federal court in
California today. Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: We should note that President Trump continues to threaten to send forces troops to the city of Chicago, another city run by Democrats. Please
do stay with us. Right after this break, we'll have more on China's military parade, which is coming up just a few hours.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: We are less than three hours now to a major military parade on a major show of force in Beijing, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, hosting
the leaders of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and North Korea as well, Kim Jong Un.
Joining me now, Marc Stewart, who covers Beijing and China for us. Marc, it's quite a big day. China is no stranger to big shows of public force,
and I think in this case, we could safely say unity. China standing alongside Russia and North Korea. I wonder how the Chinese state media is
portraying this parade and that show of unity?
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, Jim, this is happening at a time when China, despite this very outward show of force and strength, is
also dealing with a number of domestic issues, mainly economic. People are still having a hard time finding a job. There is an ongoing issue at the
housing market.
So, the messaging that we are hearing from Chinese citizens as well as the broader state media is really this issue of pride, that China has something
to be proud of, especially when we are about to see tanks and weapons and missiles going through the streets of Beijing. It's quite a big deal here.
People are staying home from work. Schools have been canceled. There's even been flight cancellations. Just to give you an idea of how big of a deal
this really is.
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You know, I was thinking back to last year, I went to a space launch of a Chinese rocket that was headed to the moon, and there was so much pride and
national feelings, nationalism, you know, surrounding this. I remember talking to a young man who said, China, we are strong. We're able to send
someone to the moon. I think we're going to hear a lot of the same themes here from state media and from Chinese citizens.
But really, in the hours ahead, this is also going to be a big lesson in optics. As you alluded to, we're going to see Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin,
and Kim Jong Un all standing together in front of Tiananmen Square. And they're going to send two messages as this unified force. Number one, that
there is an alternative to the western point of view and that aligns such as NATO, these American-led efforts don't necessarily have the teeth and
the strength as we've seen in the past.
And then two, it's a chance for China to really establish itself as the leader of a new world order and to portray itself as a strong, stable and
predictable force, amid so much political turbulence that we've been seeing in the United States.
But, Jim, to sum things up, I think the symbolism here is going to be the big story, and that's certainly going to be projected, especially in state
media as this parade is broadcast to the billions of people who live here in Mainland China, Jim.
SCIUTTO: You know, something you just said there stuck in my mind, this idea that -- of Xi projecting this idea that the U.S. is not the power it
once was, right? And I wonder, in your experience interacting with the members of the Chinese public, is that national pride intertwined at all
with a sense that the U.S. is going in the opposite direction, right, less of a challenger than it was in the past?
STEWART: Well, I think that Chinese citizens certainly are aware of what's happening to the -- in the United States, but not necessarily to the
extent. They're very much focused on their daily lives, doing what's best for their family, for themselves, worried about their wellbeing and their
health.
At the same time, some of this turbulence with the United States can't be ignored. I think it really depends where you are in China. It was just a
few months ago that we were in Southern China, where there are factories, where there are wholesale showrooms where Chinese businesses are dealing
with the impact of tariffs and realizing that many strong business relationships that they had with American companies and firms, well,
they've dissolved. They're not just there anymore.
This is something that China has wanted to do long before the Trump presidency or the Trump 2.0 presidency. And I think how it's being received
is also going to depend on where you are in China. Obviously, this is the capital city. So, these national feelings are strong and the focus is more
on China than, let's say, the United States as a whole. Jim.
SCIUTTO: Marc Stewart in Beijing, thanks so much. Well, joining me now, as I mentioned earlier, is Victor Gao. He's a professor at Soochow University,
also the vice President of the Center for China and Globalization. Victor, it's good to have you.
I wonder, as we see in just, well, two hours and 45 minutes time or so, the leaders of China, Russia, and North Korea alongside each other, viewing
this parade in this show of unity, is it your sense that those three countries believe they have the upper hand in terms of their competition
with the U.S.?
Victor, do you hear Jim Sciutto?
All right. We'll try to correct those audio problems.
President Trump has reversed a decision by former President Joe Biden on the location of U.S. Space Command in this country. The president says its
headquarters will move from the U.S. State of Colorado. To Huntsville, Alabama. Space Command is a joint command that pulls in forces from across
the military, not exclusively Space Force. We should note, the president chose Alabama during his first term in office. The Biden administration
decided to keep it where it has been for a number of years in the State of Colorado.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It just works because we have so much else there. And having a central -- you could call it a central command, but it really is a command
station. Also, even locationally where it is and when you think about flying distances, if you can save a half an hour as fast as some of these
planes go and things go, and even the rockets go, if you can save by having the best location. So, we went out, as you know, to experts and we had four
different groups of experts say -- they all said this was the best location.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[18:15:00]
SCIUTTO: Kristen Holmes is at the White House. And, Kristen, it's worth noting, Colorado is more and more a blue state. Alabama is a red state. I
wonder -- and by the way we should acknowledge that there are long deep ties of the U.S. space industry to the State of Alabama going back to the
Wernher von Braun, the first missions to the moon, et cetera. But was there a political element to this decision at all?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, President Trump seemed to imply that there was. One, he made a joke for saying that
he had won Alabama by such a big margin, and maybe that played into his decision, but then he said something much more serious, which was the fact
that Colorado did mail-in voting, saying that they had a corrupt system, and that that played into his consideration for this.
The reason why this is so fascinating is, as you mentioned, President Trump had decided to move this headquarters to Alabama during his first term.
Then when Biden came to office, there were questions about how that decision was made, and Biden reversed the decision, keeping those
headquarters in Colorado. Now, of course, President Trump is reversing them once more.
But this idea of questioning how you got to a decision and then having President Trump, not once, but twice in that Oval Office meeting, talk
about how the Colorado voting system is corrupt, how they do everything by mail-in voting, and they shouldn't do it, how that played into his decision
was really fascinating to see play out here.
And one of other things to note, you know, you talk about politics, could it be that it was because he won by this huge margin? Likely not. But the
people in his ear are the people who were standing behind him during that meeting, and that included two very influential Alabama senators who talked
to him all the time, Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville. So, they were likely in his ear pushing for this as well. And of course, you know, he's just not
going to have -- or Democrats in Colorado are not going to have the same sway with him.
SCIUTTO: No question. And, Kristen, Holmes, as the president watches and is briefed on this military parade taking place in Beijing in -- well, just
under three hours' time now, with this public show of force among China, North Korea, and Russia, I know he has said publicly, he doesn't consider
this a challenge to him, but does his administration recognize in any way the message that Beijing appears to be sending here with that group of
leaders together?
HOLMES: Yes, and it's not just Beijing. I mean, first of all, let's look about what happened yesterday. If you talk about Prime Minister Modi being
there, I mean, that itself was a shot across the bow. We know that India has been very unhappy with the tariffs, so that was uncomfortable for the
White House to see Modi with both Putin and the leader of China there before we even saw Kim Jong Un coming across the border and ending up in
China. So, this is something they're watching very, very closely.
Now, President Trump has grown increasingly frustrated, particularly when it comes to Vladimir Putin. This is not something that he is enjoying watch
play out, particularly because, as we know, we were there in Alaska covering that summit, Putin made promises to President Trump but then he
reiterated next Monday when he was on a phone call with him about ending the war in Ukraine, about having a sit down or leading to peace talks, and
none of that has been done.
So, what you're seeing here is a lot of frustration and anger from the White House, one, yes, witnessing these leaders together, sitting there
having these conversations. But two, on different fronts, seeing Putin there, not following through on anything that he has said, seeing Modi
there as his tariffs kind of linger and as Modi is supposed to be one of the partners of the United States doing business deals with both Russia and
China.
So, there are a lot of messages being sent to Washington right now, and none of them are being taken well by the White House.
SCIUTTO: Yes. And it -- listen, all three of those countries, we should say, on that stage in Beijing are contributing in some way to Russia's
ongoing in invasion of Ukraine. Kristen Holmes at the White House, thanks so much.
Well, Wall Street got off to a rough start on the first trading day of the month, after the H holiday weekend. U.S. stocks fell across the board
following weakness in Europe and much of Asia. A weak U.S. manufacturing report, as well as overvaluation concerns weighed on sentiment and so did
this, higher bond yields, that's been a concern for some time.
The U.S. benchmark 10-year yield rose further above 4 percent amid ongoing uncertainty over the economic impact of Trump's tariffs. Most of those
tariffs were ruled illegal last week by a federal appeals court. President Trump says he will challenge that decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're going to be going to the Supreme Court, we think tomorrow, because we need an early decision. It's a very important decision. And
frankly, if they make the wrong decision, it would be a devastation for our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Stocks in the news include Kraft Heinz. The shares fell almost 7 percent after the company announced plans to split into two firms. Warren
Buffett, the company's largest shareholder, says he's disappointed by that move.
[18:20:00]
Shares of Alphabet, of course, the parent company of Google, are rallying in afterhours trading after the company won a big antitrust case. The
federal judge who ruled that Google was a monopoly will not force it to break up. Google will be able to keep its Chrome browser and its Android
operating system. However, it'll be forced to share search data with competitors and it will be barred from entering into exclusive search
deals.
Swiss food and beverage giant Nestle announced on Monday it fired its CEO for what it called an inappropriate relationship at work. Today, the head
of another global conglomerate, Suntory is out the door. Hanako Montgomery has more on his sudden resignation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a stunning move, Suntory chairman and CEO, Takeshi Niinami, has resigned following allegations that he
purchased products containing illegal substances.
Suntory is one of Japan's most famous brands, selling beer, whiskey, and energy drinks. And Niinami was just as prominent. He's an outspoken
business leader, often seen as the face of corporate Japan and a frequent guest on our air. So, news of a police investigation into possible drug
possession is shocking, especially in a country with zero tolerance cannabis laws.
According to Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, police searched his Tokyo home, suspecting he had received items from an acquaintance overseas that
may have contained THC. Investigators are now examining whether he knew the substance is tightly regulated in Japan.
At a press conference Tuesday, Suntory executive said Niinami disclosed the investigation to colleagues on August 22nd. He offered to resign on
September 1st, citing personal reasons, and the company accepted immediately. Niinami reportedly told the company he believed the
supplements he purchased were legal. CNN has reached out to Suntory and the police for comment.
What's important to remember here is that Japan enforces some of the world's toughest cannabis laws. Possession alone can mean up to seven years
in prison with even harsher penalties for smuggling or trafficking, and the country makes no exception for medical use. That's why even the suspicion
of purchasing a product containing THC was enough for Niinami to step down.
Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: OpenAI plans to launch parental controls for ChatGPT within the next month. The company says it will allow parents to, among other things,
link their account with their child's account, manage how ChatGPT responds to questions from their child, disable features such as chat history and
memory, as well as receive notifications if the system detects, quote, "a moment of acute distress." Why? This comes after the parents of a 16-year-
old fired -- filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT advised their son as he was contemplating suicide.
Lance Ulanoff joins me now. He's the editor at large at TechRadar. Lance, thanks so much for joining.
LANCE ULANOFF, EDITOR AT LARGE, TECHRADAR: Thanks for having me.
SCIUTTO: I mean, the most basic question here, following OpenAI's admission that its safeguards became less reliable, particularly in longer chats. Do
these fixes in your view correct the problem?
ULANOFF: Well, they're a start. I mean, you know, this is the whole picture of A.I. right now, it's like everything goes forward and they kind of mop
up later. Things are happening so quickly on A.I. time that suddenly everybody's using A.I., including young people who have been talking to
A.I. as if it's a friend.
And I think that the people who developed this, OpenAI and other companies, even Google with Gemini, and they didn't anticipate that this would happen.
I don't think they anticipated the adoption this quickly. So, you know, even before this, we saw GPT-5 come out, and one of the things that was
part of it is it being sort of more time pondering answers.
So, it, one, doesn't hallucinate, but also, it doesn't sort of -- even if it gives you the right answer, it's kind of not thinking through
situationally, what is going on here with this person? So, you know, that's how, you know, certain situations, you know, come about. And you know, we
don't really know what happened with this young man, this tragedy, but obviously, there are a lot of people talking to these A.I.s and their young
people, and these controls are necessary.
They're not coming out right away. We've got to wait at least a month for them to show up. And then to see how they really work in real-time with
these generative A.I.s.
SCIUTTO: Listen, I got to tell you as a parent with children who use these functions, the last thing I want discussion -- discussing mental health
issues with my kids are, you know, a still developing technology. It just seems like it's rife with danger.
[18:25:00]
As you know, the tech industry has, at best, a mixed record at handling concerns over teen safety, when you look at YouTube, you look at TikTok,
you look at Meta with Facebook. How does OpenAI's response compare so far to how we've seen tech companies behave in the past, in the midst of crises
like this?
ULANOFF: Well, I would say it is actually happening on A.I. time. because it's much more quickly than some of what we've seen with social media,
right? It took years for some of these controls to appear. You know, and we had, you know, the CEO, you know, Marc Zuckerberg, standing up in front of
Congress and literally turning around and apologizing to parents because it took so long. So, this is happening more quickly. That doesn't mean it's a
solve, but at least it's a start.
I mean, we really have to understand how it's working and also know that probably the kids who are using this, the teens who are using this, know
better how to use it than their parents do.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
ULANOFF: And you know, one of the other things that we know is that there's an epidemic of loneliness, and that's why these kids are talking to these
A.I.
SCIUTTO: I'm certain kids can figure out ways to get around these controls. I mean, you see it in so many contexts. Before we go, you have this Google
ruling. So, not requiring the breakup, but it must at least share search data. Can you explain the significance of that, what that will actually
mean?
ULANOFF: Well, I mean, look, Google doesn't want to share its IP, right? It doesn't want to share its private information. But you know, right now the
wording of this, with qualified competitors, you know. So, Google's going to be like, well, we'll decide who that is. And maybe there's going to be a
committee that will help them identify it.
But this is some very fuzzy area. Honestly. I see this ruling mostly as a win for Google because they don't have to break anything up. They don't
have to divest from Android or Chrome. And they still get to do these really sweet deals with big companies like Apple. They just have to make
sure they're not exclusive.
SCIUTTO: Yes
ULANOFF: So, it's still mostly a positive for Google.
SCIUTTO: It reminds me all those years back of Microsoft and Explorer. I mean, you know. Anyway, history repeats itself. Lance Ulanoff, thanks so
much.
ULANOFF: Pleasure.
SCIUTTO: Still ahead, there are growing tensions between President Donald Trump and Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro as the U.S. says it killed a
number of people on what it called a drug vessel narco terrorist, they use that phrase, leaving Venezuela. We'll have more just after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are the international headlines we're watching today.
China is just hours away from a huge military parade in Beijing. The event marks 80 years since the end of World War II in the Pacific, known in the
west as VJ Day. Joining Xi on stage, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, right alongside the Chinese leader. There
will be no high-level western dignitaries in attendance however.
French actor Gerard Depardieu facing another trial for alleged sexual assault. 76-year-old film star is accused of the alleged rape of an actress
in 2018. Gerard Depardieu has denied wrongdoing. In a separate case, back in May, he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set.
Depardieu was given an 18-month suspended sentence, which his lawyers said at the time he would appeal.
The Brazilian Supreme Court has begun hearing closing arguments in the case of former President Jair Bolsonaro, a close ally of U.S. President Donald
Trump. Bolsonaro is on trial for attempting to overthrow the 2022 presidential election, which he lost to the current Brazilian president,
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, currently under house arrest, denies any wrongdoing.
President Donald Trump described what he called a strike against, quote, "narco terrorists" in the Southern Caribbean. Trump posted this video on
social media. He says, it shows a boat carrying what he said were Tren de Aragua gang members in international waters. The airstrike killed 11
people, according to the president.
Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. had targeted an alleged drug vessel, you see the strike there, that had departed Venezuela.
The U.S. has been amassing military assets off the coast of Venezuela, which have drawn harsh criticism from Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro.
Joining me now, Stefano Pozzebon. And I wonder, Stefano, as you watch this, do Venezuelans, including the government, do they see this as purely about
the drug trade or do they see this as an attack on the Venezuelan government?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Oh, no, Jim, they perceive it -- they will proceed it as an aggression against the Venezuela, or that is the
language that we've been hearing from Caracas in the last few days and weeks ever since the U.S. deployed these heavily armed flotillas to the
Southern Caribbean waters. We're talking here, Jim, about seven warships as well as a nuclear power, the submarine, that are currently roaming around
the southern stretches of the Caribbean Sea in front of the coast of Venezuela.
And we understand from the White House that the alleged -- the purpose of the mission is to stamp the drug trafficking that the White House alleges
is occurring from Venezuela up north towards the United States. But the Maduro government has time and again rejected, denied all of these
allegations and said that the U.S. are preparing for a geopolitical move, they're preparing to go after Maduro personally.
We're looking and tracking the story very critical as it's breaking right in front of our eyes. The killing of 11 people is frankly unprecedented in
recent years. And I'm seeing that Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan State TV is showing images of Nicolas Maduro in an event in Caracas. It's hard for
us to understand whether they're actually live images when it comes to Maduro or whether it's a prerecorded message and maybe these messages
exactly what the state TV apparatus puts out to calm the situation after this dramatic escalation from the White House.
We were thinking yesterday, we were analyzing what could happen whether indeed the United States would take unilateral action, what red lines the
U.S. was ready to cross when it comes to this mission, whose purpose is once again allegedly to stem the flow of drug trafficking out of Venezuela?
[18:35:00]
Well, today we have seen that the White House has taken a dramatic step, a dramatic escalation with this message from the -- from Donald Trump
himself, the president, saying that a speedboat has been taken out, and publishing that video on Truth Social. I don't want to say that it's been
released because it's just posted on social media, but that video is clearly a message to anyone in Caracas, anyone within Venezuela that the
United States are ready to take the excessive action against the current government.
Let's remember that Nicolas Maduro himself is facing charges of narco terrorism and drug trafficking from an attorney general -- from the
attorneys in the Southern District of New York. And currently, there is a bounty of $50 million on Maduro's head. That's more than double what it was
on Osama bin Laden's head after 9/11. It gives you, Jim, I think, the idea of how seriously the White House is taking this confrontation with
Venezuela.
SCIUTTO: No question. And given -- using the same language regarding those smugglers and the leader of the country at least opening the door, right,
to a sense of the threat. Stefano Pozzoben, thanks so much for joining.
Just ahead, Israel is considering annexing at least parts of the West Bank. Under what justification? Crucially, what would it mean for Palestinian
Statehood? We're going to take a closer look just after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Israel is now considering annexing parts of the West Bank, that according to two Israeli officials who tell CNN. The government has made no
final decision yet. They say this would be retaliation for a number of nations announcing plans to recognize Palestinian Statehood. France, the
U.K. and Australia just a few in a growing list of countries who say they will recognize Palestinian Statehood at the U.N. General Assembly later
this month in New York.
Joining me now is Arwa Damon. She's president and founder of INARA, the International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance, formerly of CNN,
reporting on conflicts all across the region. Great to have you back, Arwa. Thanks so much.
ARWA DAMON, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR AID, RELIEF AND ASSISTANCE: Thank you.
[18:40:00]
SCIUTTO: First, I wonder, in your experience, and you've been there a number of times, Gaza, the West Bank, and your group does a lot of work in
both places, do Palestinians see the expansion of military -- Israeli military action in Gaza as well as this talk of annexing the West Bank as
connected, in effect, part of a broader plan to expand the territory of Israel and effectively kill the idea of a two-state solution?
DAMON: Oh, well, Jim, I would say that most Palestinians, at least those who I've been talking to, would say that the idea isn't just to kill the
concept or the possibility of a potential two-state solution, but actually to kill and eradicate all Palestinians, and that is especially a sentiment
that is prevalent inside Gaza, understandably, given everything that they have been subjected to for nearly two years right now.
Let's not forget the constant bombardment, the constant threat of internal displacement, living on the edge of constant fear, having that uncertainty,
that sense of terror, quite literally, permeate every single fiber of your being compounded by the constant hunger that is gnawing at everyone's
intestine. So, for a lot of them, especially those that are inside Gaza right now, it's quite clear that Israel, one, doesn't want a two-state
solution and that, two, does not want anything or anyone named Palestine or Palestinian to survive any of this.
SCIUTTO: Wait, wait. Do they believe that Israel wants to kill all Palestinians or expel all Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank?
DAMON: They believe that, ultimately, especially when it comes to Gaza, that Israel's goal is to expel and/or kill anyone who remains, and they
will point to the fact that there is no safe space in Gaza. Look, a lot of the areas, in fact, all of the areas that Israel keeps telling people to
move to, this hypothetical, completely theoretical, you know, safe zones or humanitarian zones that are constantly also being targeted and bombed along
with marketplaces, children waiting in line for water, people at these, you know, aid distribution points or any kind of gathering, hospitals are
constantly struck and under threat. And if you look at what's happening in the West Bank, people there too also believe that Israel wants them to be
forced off of the land. And if they don't move, they will be killed.
Look, when you're Palestinian, you look at what's happening around you right now, if you're in Gaza or in the West Bank, the message that Israel
is sending is clear, get out or die.
SCIUTTO: Give us an update. I know you were last in Gaza a number of months ago, but your organization does a lot of work there and you're in touch
with people on the ground, what is the state of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza today, and are any of the steps that have been discussed in recent
days and weeks, including airdrops of aid, making any real dent in the need there?
DAMON: Well, actually, the airdrops pretty much stopped as part of, you know, Israel's efforts to prep for this Gaza City offensive that everyone
is bracing themselves for. And airdrops were never really effective to begin with. It takes dozens of airdrops to really equate what a single
truck would be able, not to mention that they're very dangerous in terms of what's actually getting into Gaza, I mean, it's almost laughable if the
situation weren't so tragic because there is not enough to deal with the crisis that Palestinians that are facing, never mind actually begin to
reverse the impact of the ongoing starvation campaign that has been enforced by Israel on the population there.
And so, you continue to have people dying of malnutrition or of illnesses due to malnutrition that end up being exacerbated because their bodies are
just too weak to be able to fight that off. You continue to have people unable to access, you know, medical care for illnesses that should be
treatable. They're dying because of that too.
And keep in mind, Jim, that that death toll of people who are dying of illness and disease does not make it into the daily death toll that we're
hearing right now. That is upwards of 63,000. And so, no, the bottom line is humanitarian aid is not getting into Gaza in sufficient levels and
people that are continuing to suffer the consequences of severe and extreme hunger, illness, disease, and bombardment.
SCIUTTO: Well, it's -- we appreciate your -- sharing the latest on that situation, which just seems to go on with so much suffering. Arwa Damon,
president and founder of INARA, thanks so much for joining.
Today, September 2nd marks 80 years since World War II ended in the Pacific with Japan's formal surrender. Ceremonies held to mark the occasion. These
are pictures from the World War II Memorial here in Washington, D.C. where veterans and others gathered to honor the fallen.
[18:45:00]
The conflict pitted Allied Forces led by the U.S., Britain, and at the time the Soviet Union against the axis powers to Germany, Italy, and Japan
between 1939 and 1945. The surrender documents were signed on this day in 1945 aboard the battleship USS Missouri. A commemoration held the
Missouri's current dock in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii to mark the exact hour the piece was signed.
CNN Stephanie Elam joins us now from Honolulu. And, you know, Stephanie, one thing in these anniversaries as the numbers keep ticking up is that
fewer and fewer veterans are alive to mark the occasion. So, tell us how they marked it today, these 80 years later.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're right, Jim. I mean, they were planning on having a big celebration for the 75th anniversary, but that
happened during the COVID pandemic. So, it didn't happen at all. So, then, there was another five years until this 80th.
And so, there are eight remaining servicemen who were on the USS Missouri who served on it, saw battle time, saw kamikaze attacks, were here for the
surrender as well, that they could still locate. All eight of those men came today for that ceremony. And I got the chance to speak with five of
them. And I want to introduce you to one gentleman right now who was actually in command of 25 sailors on that day when they found out that
Japan was surrendering. But take a listen to some of the harrowing accounts that he shared with me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDGAR BUFFMAN, SERVED ON USS MISSOURI DURING WWII: Edgar Buffman.
ELAM: How old were you when you were on the Missouri?
BUFFMAN: 18. Gunner's mate third class. I was in charge of a battery of five 20 millimeters. Five guys on each gun.
ELAM: Tell me about the first time you got on the USS Missouri.
BUFFMAN: Just walking down to the dock and they were just still building pieces of the Missouri.
ELAM: So, you're an original?
BUFFMAN: That's right. I volunteered to go in and land on Japan. We went up in the mountains. We were up there and told to sleep in the cave, which we
did. If anybody comes up that valley and they have a white band on, Japanese, a white band, don't shoot them. If they don't have any band,
shoot them.
ELAM: The kamikaze attack on the USS Missouri, did you see anything that happened?
BUFFMAN: The kamikaze came in on the starboard side. Came in low. The ship shook and it was just tremendous. The pilot was cut right in half and all
sprawled all over the deck. There was smoke and flames. It was just terrible, because we were worried about the ship going under.
So, I walked back. So, my 25 guys, believe it or not, I remember like it was yesterday, all looked at me and said, Buffman, what's it like over
there? What happened? I said, we got hit, but everything's fine.
ELAM: Tell me about when you found out that the Japanese were going to surrender.
BUFFMAN: We were at battle station and the captain, Callahan, came on and said, the war's over. I had such a great feeling there, a thrill. And you
know, most of these guys, you know, they don't want to be staying on the Missouri, they want to go home. And I just said, guys, the war's over.
You're going home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELAM: It is absolutely amazing how much recall all five of the men I spoke with had and what they remembered of what they experienced 80 years ago and
more. I want to show you right there, that awning back there. We see the people who are the visitors, that's where the surrender happened. There's a
plaque in the ground that shows you right there on the ship where it happened.
This here is Pearl Harbor. This is the water which the Japanese first attacked the United States, drawing the United States into World War II in
December, 1941, and this ship that is docked just on the other side of the USS Arizona that was attacked, this ship is where the war ended.
Really poignant to visit history like this and to talk to these men and many of whom, they understand that this is likely the last time they're
going to be on the USS Missouri, so they were keeping their health up, going through physical therapy to make sure that they could be here today,
Jim.
SCIUTTO: Wow. 98 years old, if I have my right -- my math right on that vet there you spoke to. What a what an amazing account.
ELAM: Somewhere in there.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Stephanie Elam, thanks so much. And we'll be right back.
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[18:50:00]
SCIUTTO: We're turning now to our top story, Chinese leader Xi Jinping holding a massive military parade in Beijing just over two hours from now.
Xi will be joined by Russia's Vladimir Putin. They recently attended the China -- South China -- Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in China,
which Beijing has used to promote itself as an alternative to the western- led order. Crucially also attending, North Korea's Kim Jong Un. Xi reached a deal with President Vladimir Putin just a short while ago to build a new
gas pipeline sending Russian gas to China through Mongolia.
Joining me now, Yun Sun, a senior fellow and director of the China program at the Simpson Center. Thanks so much for joining.
YUN SUN, DIRECTOR, STIMSON CENTER'S CHINA PROGRAM: Thank you for having me.
SCIUTTO: So, this is clearly a show -- a very public show of connection and unity among China, Russia, and North Korea to have them there hand in hand.
Is that -- and perhaps alliance is too strong a word, but is that friendship substantively as strong and close right now as they're
attempting to show by joining each other there in Beijing?
SUN: I think the message is unequivocally clear, right? Well, we know that they're not having alliance, they don't have mutual defense, which means
that when Russia is in war in Ukraine, China is not joining the war to fight with Russia. But China has provided revenue. China has provided
support. And North Korea, we have seen that they are actually sending their soldiers to the frontline to fight for Russia.
But in terms of this particular military parade, the political message is extremely clear that these three countries are sitting together, they're
having each other's back, and they are positioning themselves as a stabilizing force in a time of uncertainty of international affairs.
SCIUTTO: You wrote recently in Foreign Affairs, quote, "That Beijing assumes that Washington's own policies will dismantle the foundations of
U.S. global hegemony." Is that something that perhaps China, Russia, and North Korea share a sense that the U.S. is declining and effectively
contributing to its own decline? Is that their view of that competition right now?
SUN: I think there's certain level of shared views that U.S. is dismantling its own global leadership role and dismantling its own global alliances and
partnerships. But I think the three countries also have different endgame that they have in mind, right? In fact, for North Korea, in North Korea has
in the past wanted to counterbalance their overdependence on China. And if you look at the China-Russia relations, Russia has not been particularly
pleased or satisfied with the fact that it is now the junior partner in this bilateral relations.
So, I would say that for the three countries, the biggest factor that's anchoring their alignment is indeed the geopolitics. It's a shared threat
perception about the United States being their most significant national security challenge. But under the surface, as in the three countries also
have differentiated views about what they eventually want to see.
[18:55:00]
SCIUTTO: Trump claims close personal relationships with all three of those leaders, Xi, Putin and Kim, do they believe the same?
SUN: I think all three leaders certainly appreciate the relationship that they have had with President Trump, because while having a one-on-one
meeting with Trump for every single one of these three leaders means parody, means that they are the peers to the U.S. president, and that's
unprecedented opportunity for them to demonstrate to their domestic audience, and remember, to the global audience, that they're the peers of
the United States and of the U.S. president, and they can claim legitimacy both at home and abroad.
So, I think in that sense, all three leaders, they enjoy the opportunities to meet with Trump, to develop a personal relationship with President
Trump, and also to claim that they are indeed peers of the U.S. president, who is the leader of the free world.
SCIUTTO: Yun Sun, thanks so much for walking us through it. Just over two hours now before the parade, which we will be covering live on the network
here.
Thanks for your company this hour. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN for special coverage
beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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