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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: Iranian Journalist Yalda Moaiery Gets 15-Year Prison Term; Huge Russian Strikes Kill At Least 17 in Kyiv; Fiscal Groups Warn of Unsustainable U.S. Debt; Monaco Bomb Target Speaks to CNN; N. Korea Fires Barrage of Ballistic Missiles into Sea; Trump Vows "Crushing Economic Operation" Against Iran. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired August 20, 2026 - 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, "THE BRIEF": Hello and welcome to our viewers, joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, and

you're watching "The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, my conversation with a journalist inside Iran who has now been sentenced to 15 years in prison. You'll hear directly from Yalda

Moaiery about her work and how she's mentally preparing for prison. Kyiv hit by massive Russian drone and missile strikes as Moscow takes advantage

of Ukraine's dwindling missile defenses. And North Korea launches more than 10 ballistic missiles as U.S. President Donald Trump says he plans on

meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year.

Well, sources telling CNN tonight that the USS Abraham Lincoln is now heading back to the U.S. The move comes after the USS George Washington

arrived in the Middle East to relieve the carrier. The Lincoln has been at sea for an extended deployment during the Iran war, sparking concerns after

reports of the crew's worsening mental health.

Here in Washington, President Trump announced what he calls an economic D- Day on Tehran. He vows to impose, quote, "The most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country." He's also pledging to crack down

on any country that throws Iran a lifeline.

Well, Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moaiery has been sentenced to 15 years in prison now. Authorities accuse her of acting in the interests of Israel

and the United States after searching her home, seizing her electronic devices. She has documented social and political events across Iran.

Regular viewers of this program may remember that she spoke with us twice earlier this year. Yalda Moaiery just spoke to me about her legal case and

the difficult situation in Iran today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Yalda, of course, we've been following your case closely here at CNN. First, can you tell us exactly what the Iranian authorities are

accusing you of and what they've communicated to you?

YALDA MOAIERY, IRANIAN PHOTOJOURNALIST: I mean, these photography activities that I did as a photojournalist, all of them constructed as a

gathering intelligence for foreign entities and, I mean, aiding the Israel and America regime. And they sentenced me to 15 years in jail.

And I think the only problem is that I'm not going to -- I'm not willing to work as a person in that framework of propaganda that they want to force

all the journalists to be there. This is the main problem. But all of my interviews, all of my photos, all the things that I did as a

photojournalist, you know, is like crime for them. And these are all of my charges, including talking with you.

SCIUTTO: Well, given that, you know the risks here. Do you have any concern that by talking to us again, it puts you in greater danger in any

way? Why do you continue to speak out?

MOAIERY: Yes. They just tweeted me hours before that if you talk again with someone, of course they didn't mention your name, but if you talk to

someone about this case, we are coming to your home again and we're going to raid your home again and we're going to take your cell phones. I do not

care.

I mean, of course I'm scared of the things that's going to happen. 15 years is a lifetime. But this is the risk that I'm accepting. This is the risk

that I was accepting in my whole life to tell the truth, to show the truth, to be an independent journalist and photojournalist. I'm not giving up. I

do not have any regrets.

[18:05:00]

SCIUTTO: Your strength is remarkable. Do you believe that public or international attention to your case will help you in the long run?

MOAIERY: Oh, of course. Of course. This is this is my belief. We do not have the as a journalist, as an independent journalist. We do not have any

kind of beacon. We have only the media and truth. And this is this is the thing that I always try to keep.

And I think when I inform the people about what is happening in my country, what is happening about me or my case, it will help to the other

journalists all around the world who are living under the authoritarian, you know, the dictatorial regime and countries. I think it's like a global

solution for all of us. And, of course, it will help.

SCIUTTO: You told us earlier during the war that many Iranians you speak to were hoping that the conflict might lead to the regime falling. Do you

still have any hope of that?

MOAIERY: No, not at all. And people do not have. I have to tell you that the time that we were talking, I think it was during the war. And I knew

many people that they were building that this war continues. But it's really changed these days. And people are not thinking like this. I mean,

I'm talking about the majority of the people or the middle class because I'm connecting with them.

They do not think like this. They really want to get stopped. I mean, most of them thinking about the economy situation, the economic situation that

you know about it. People cannot afford the very basic needs. And I mean, the real war is here. The real war is the economy right now.

SCIUTTO: Do you believe that the war ultimately and people that you interview as a journalist and a photojournalist there, do they believe the

war has made the Iranian regime weaker or stronger?

MOAIERY: Stronger. Unfortunately, we are facing with a very, very dangerous and, you know, I mean, the most the most worst version of the

Islamic Republic that I haven't seen. I mean, I am the child of the Islamic Republic. I was born some years just after the regime took the power. But

I've never seen such a thing in my life.

The very new version of the Islamic Republic is much, much more angry, much more tough. And I cannot remember 40 years ago very clearly. But when I'm

hearing from my parents or the elderly, this is this is even harder than that time.

SCIUTTO: Has your family or your friends discouraged you, told you not to speak to the international media, including CNN, because of the risks?

MOAIERY: Yes, a lot. Most of them are trying to stop me from talking with the media, because everyone thinks that this silence will be -- this

silence will help in my process to get better situation. But I don't think so.

SCIUTTO: You believe that if you were to stay silent, the regime would still come after you?

MOAIERY: I think so. I think so, because, you know, that it's not about one year or two years. It's like 26 years of work. It's like a way that I

passed for 26 years. And they know that I'm not going to stop. And I'm I know that they are not going to stop. Unfortunately, they cannot tolerate

any kinds of journalists. Even me as a person that I'm anti-war person. I'm always trying to support peace and everything. But they cannot tolerate a

person like me even though, you know. So, this is what happened these days.

[18:10:00]

SCIUTTO: Well, as I listen to you here, I am amazed at your strength and your courage, frankly. How do you manage with the prospect of going to

prison, perhaps for many years, 15 years?

MOAIERY: Thank you so much. First of all, Jim, you were always very kind to me. This is really kind of you. But I'm trying to -- you know, I had an

appeal, I had a request for appeal, but I have another court on Sunday, which my lawyer thinks that everything's going to approve again.

So, I'm trying to get ready for maybe 15 years in jail. I don't know. But I prefer to be jailed, to be free and work as a propaganda of the Islamic

Republic, because there is no any third way. You have to be this side or that side. So, I prefer to be in my side.

SCIUTTO: Well, listen, we at CNN wish you the very best, and we hope that you're safe and that you emerge from this soon.

MOAIERY: Thank you so much. Don't forget me. Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Don't forget me, she says, a brave account from inside Iran. Well, Russia is taking full and deadly advantage of Ukraine's dwindling

missile defenses. Massive Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, have killed 17 people and injured dozens more. A

children's hospital, several schools, warehouses and residential buildings were struck.

The attacks spilled into neighboring Romania and Moldova. Romania says it scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to take down an explosive laded drone near

its Neptune deep gas project in the Black Sea. Joining me now is Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Toiu. Minister, thanks so much for taking

the time.

OANA TOIU, ROMANIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Thank you for having me.

SCIUTTO: So, first, Romania's president has directly blamed Russia for these incursions, saying, quote, "I strongly condemn the intensification of

these types of irresponsible incidents on the part of the Russian Federation." Are you saying, is the Romanian government saying that this

was a deliberate attack by Russia on Romania?

TOIU: What we're saying is that Russia is responsible for the risks that they pose at the Black Sea, the risk that they pose this time to the energy

infrastructure that we have on the Neptune deep gas project at the Black Sea. The drone was extremely close to the energy platform. A lot of workers

were there. And we are proud of the Romanian pilots on the F-16 that had eliminated the maritime drone.

But we do know it was carrying explosives and it was very close to the energy platform itself. And in that case, what's very important for us is

to ensure the security of our citizens, of our energy key infrastructure projects, but also for the region to reach again the stability it once had.

And for that, we need peace in Ukraine. And Russia now is the sole responsible for the fact that that has not been achieved.

SCIUTTO: Earlier this month, U.S. intelligence assessments found that Putin could try to test NATO's resolve with attacks on NATO allies within

the next few years. Should we look at an attack like this as part of that? In other words, have those kinds of attacks already begun?

TOIU: We are looking at it as a hybrid interference. This is how we handle it in our strategy. And we need to be ready to answer to it. And what do I

mean by that is increased deterrence on the eastern flank, including the Black Sea. This is something that has been at the top of the agenda of my

meetings in Congress and with the administration. And it is at the top of the NATO agenda as well.

And also recognize these hybrid threats and threats that are often accompanied by campaigns of disinformation. It has been the case now as

well. For example, it is often the case that we do see a campaign online where there is a try to attribute drones falsely to Ukraine. This time, we

know it was not a Ukrainian drone because there is a direct channel between the Army of Romania and the Armed Forces of Ukraine to be able to identify

these types of risks, but also because the radars and the visual sight of the drone from the F-16 planes was very clear in identifying the type of

drone that was used.

[18:15:00]

SCIUTTO: Romania says Russian drones have now breached its airspace 28 times. You also know of other NATO allies where drones and even missiles

have sometimes struck their territory. Has NATO's response been strong enough since these strikes have begun to deter further strikes, or are you

concerned that Russia calculates, well, we can get away with it?

TOIU: Well, we have actually seen on both air, land, and sea more than 100 incursions, be it remainders of drones or drones that have entered our

airspace or sea drones. Four of the drones have been shot down when it came to air interferences on maritime drones. This is the second time we

neutralized drones close to the Constanta port, or in this case, close to the energy platform.

In terms of what we are doing in NATO, and we're working closely with the other allies and SACEUR, is we have a clear plan on increasing the presence

of capabilities on the eastern flank. We're also currently working in the bilateral relationship with the United States, our strategic partner, to

make sure that in the posture review of U.S. presence on European soil, the Black Sea and the eastern flank are treated as a priority, maintaining or

increasing the current presence.

SCIUTTO: Before we go, I do want to ask you about Ukraine. As you know, Russia has been ramping up its attacks on Ukraine, quite deliberately,

knowing that Ukraine lacks the interceptors to take these missiles down. President Zelenskyy says Ukraine has only a tenth of the interceptors it

needs. We've heard a lot of talk of Europe stepping up. The U.S. has not done so. Is Europe supplying more interceptor missiles to Ukraine? And if

so, when and how many?

TOIU: At the beginning of the war, Romania was among the first countries to supply with a Patriot system. We're, at this moment, inside NATO and

inside the European Union, analyzing how we can support Ukraine with increased air defense.

But I want to be very honest here in saying we do not collectively do enough to be able to support their air defense. And this is something that

is very obvious, not just by the increase in the attacks of Russian drones, but also by the weaker air defense that is currently in place.

And another topic of concern, where we prepare collectively in Europe for the support, is the fact that winter is coming. And in that case, we

expect, again, interferences or direct attacks to the energy infrastructure of Ukraine. And that means that now, through the summer, beginning of

autumn, we need to prepare for that as well. And that, for us, means a better energy grid integration and also European Union support, including

loan and financial level support.

SCIUTTO: Oana Toiu, foreign minister of Romania, we appreciate you joining the program and you're welcome back.

TOIU: Thank you for inviting Romania.

SCIUTTO: Well, still ahead, $40 trillion and rising. The U.S. national debt crosses a troubling new milestone. Why fiscal groups say a full-blown

economic crisis is possible without quick action by Congress.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back. In today's Business Breakout, U.S. stocks fell across the board Thursday as oil prices rose more than 2 percent, and U.S.

bond yields resumed their climb. Long-term yields rose well over 1 percent, despite the U.S. Treasury Department's attempt to ease market pressures

with its bond-buying announcement this week.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the buyback operation could surpass the initial $4 billion target. Bessent also says he's not concerned the

U.S. national debt has just surpassed $40 trillion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: There's nothing magic about the $40 trillion number, and we can grow our way out of that. Our message to

our allies, our trading partners, is that global growth is the way to take care of this mountain of debt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Bessent says that short-term issues that have triggered increased U.S. borrowing, such as tariff refunds, will soon pass. But for many, that

$40 trillion debt milestone is a symbol of just how unsustainable the U.S. fiscal position has become, and the hard choices Congress must make to

control spending and increase revenue.

And Candidate Donald Trump had this to say about the national debt in 2015, when it was less than half what it is now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, THEN-U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We owe $18 trillion. It's going to soon be $22 trillion. When it hits $24 trillion, that's the magic

number. That's called the point of no return. A couple of you folks from the Wharton School of Finance, I see you nodding. You understand. $24

trillion is the point of no return. It's going to be very hard to come back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Well, now it's $40 trillion. Joining me now is Shai Akabas. He's the vice president of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Shai, thanks so much for taking the time.

SHAI AKABAS, VP OF ECONOMIC POLICY, BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER: Thanks for having me.

SCIUTTO: So, Treasury Secretary Bessent says, as I've often heard from this administration and from Republicans in general, we can grow our way

out of the debt crisis. The fact is, the federal budget deficit is $2 trillion this year. That's four times what it was a decade ago. It's gotten

worse under this administration. Do the markets believe those words, we can grow our way out of this?

AKABAS: Growth is absolutely an important part of the equation. It will be impossible to fix our fiscal problems if we don't have strong economic

growth. But at the same time, growth is not by itself going to be enough. There is no way that we can grow fast enough based on historical standards

that we are going to solve this $40 trillion debt problem that we have today. That is going to take very difficult decisions about how we spend

our money and how we raise revenues to pay for it.

Those are decisions that we have put off for far too many years. We've been digging this hole for a long time, and we're going to need bipartisanship.

We're going to need to address this sooner rather than later.

SCIUTTO: Yes, put off and actually reduce, right? Because taxes have gone down. So, your organization has launched a new project with the National

Governors Association intended to put the U.S. on this path. So, tell us what the steps are.

AKABAS: Yes, that's right. So, this new project is intended to lay out some of the options that could reduce spending, raise revenues, and perhaps

most importantly, do that consistent with a strong, robust economy.

Far too often, we also don't talk about this problem and how it affects the downstream elements of government, state and local governments. They're the

ones who get stuck with a lot of this fiscal squeeze when it comes to the federal government. They have to borrow lots of money to fund

infrastructure projects, housing -- or excuse me, hospitals, educational institutions, all sorts of other infrastructure. And when they aren't able

to do that -- or when there are higher interest rates, they have trouble doing that.

[18:25:00]

So, we really need to come up with a solution set that takes into account both the federal challenge as well as state and local challenges and

acknowledge that this is affecting Americans today in their daily lives. It's affecting mortgage rates. It's affecting student loan rates. It's

affecting car loans, credit cards. All of these are tied to the interest rates that we are facing at a federal level that the Treasury borrows on.

And until we get that under control, Americans are going to continue feeling this in their pocketbooks.

SCIUTTO: No question. You say part of what's necessary is being willing to say the quiet part out loud. What is that quiet part?

AKABAS: That it's going to take difficult decisions. There's a lot of programs that Americans rely on, and they have done immense good for the

financial security of the U.S. over the years. So, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and on. And we have a tax code. People don't like

paying higher taxes. But ultimately, we're going to need to bring those two lines, the spending line and the tax line, closer together. And that's

going to involve tough decisions that affect Americans over time.

But we can do that, and we can do that in smart ways. So, for example, if we're making adjustments to Social Security gradually, not overnight, but

if we're making adjustments there, then we can also help people save more on the private side for their retirement to help them offset the

difference. That's not going to work for everyone. That doesn't mean that we can adjust benefits for the people who rely on them most.

But for people who are in the upper, middle-income groups, those folks are already saving a lot for retirement and over their career can probably

afford to save a little bit more to make up the difference in the changes that are going to need to be made to Social Security in the long run.

SCIUTTO: You say that A.I.-related disruption could push the U.S. over the edge into a full-blown fiscal crisis. Why that specifically?

AKABAS: Well, A.I. is a really important dynamic that's affecting our economy in myriad ways today. But it's yet to be seen how that will impact

the labor force, how that will impact the revenue base that we have. Of course, much of the revenues that we collect at the federal level are based

on people's income. And, you know, if some of that income is being replaced by A.I. over time and there aren't revenues being collected on that, that's

going to eat into the revenue base. So that's a unique factor.

But more broadly, the economy is doing relatively well right now. And aside from the conflict that we have in the Middle East, it's a relative time of

peace. There's no global conflict. There's no global pandemic right now. Thank goodness that there are lots of benefits that we have working in our

direction. And at this time, this is when we need to be making progress on the problem, not digging the hole deeper.

So, that's why for all those reasons, the uncertainties that lie ahead, we need to be fixing this problem while the sun is shining.

SCIUTTO: Those require unpopular political decisions as well. No question. Shai Akabas, thanks so much for joining.

AKABAS: Appreciate it. Thank you, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Checking some of today's other business headlines now. Retail giant Walmart says higher gas prices are forcing Americans to cut down

overall spending. The company reported its weakest quarter of sales growth since the earliest months of the COVID pandemic. One thing that helped

boost the bottom line, almost $3 billion in U.S. tariff refunds. It says the money will be used to lower prices for customers.

Chinese state media says the founder of one-time real estate powerhouse Evergrande has been sentenced to life in prison. Hui Ka Yan was found

guilty on several charges, including financial fraud and inflating asset valuations. He was once one of China's richest citizens and the symbol of

China's economic boom, until unsustainable debt pushed the firm and the country into a full-blown property crisis.

A long-anticipated IPO from Chinese online retailer, Shein, appears to have been put on hold. The company had been aiming for a launch date in Hong

Kong as soon as next week, but sources tell Reuters shares will not begin trading until early next month. Delay comes amid slower growth and rising

costs for the company.

Still ahead, he narrowly survived a mysterious bomb attack in Monaco. Now, he's speaking exclusively to CNN about the attack that badly injured him

and his family, and who he thinks is behind it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto and here are the international headlines we're following today.

Massive Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine's capital Kyiv have killed 17 people and injured dozens. A children's hospital, several

schools, warehouses and residential buildings were damaged. Attacks also bled into Moldova and Romania. Romania says an explosive-laden naval drone

believed to have been launched by Russia targeted one of its offshore natural gas projects.

Iran is condemning President Trump's new threats to crush its economy and punish nations that do any business with Iran. Sources tell CNN that the

USS Abraham Lincoln has now begun its journey home after an extended deployment that led to reports of mental health issues among its crew

members. USS George Washington has arrived in the Middle East and will now replace the Lincoln.

The U.S. Geological Survey says a powerful 6.7 magnitude earthquake has struck Peru. The quake's epicenter was a mountainous region in the southern

part of the country. Authorities say no one was hurt and there are no reports of damage.

The target of a recent bomb attack in Monaco, which also injured his partner and son, is now speaking out. In his first television interview

since the June attack, Vadym Yermolaiev tells CNN that rogue Ukrainian intelligence agents may have been paid to assassinate him or attempt to and

he's urging authorities in Kyiv to step up their investigation. CNN's Matthew Chance has this exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a glamorous playground for the super-rich. One of the world's tiniest

nations, Monaco promotes itself as a haven of wealth and tranquility on the picturesque shores of the Mediterranean.

But one evening in June, as a Ukrainian-born businessman walked home with his family, that carefully manicured image of security and calm was

shattered, plunging the principality into violence and chaos.

CHANCE: Well, this is the exact place where the explosion took place. You can still see the impact of the shrapnel, the stucco plaster work here

around the door has all fallen off. And, you know, if I lift up the tarp here, you can see the marble steps and the brickwork is all shattered.

[18:35:00]

We've also made contact with the target of the attack, and despite his grave injuries, he's agreed to speak out.

VADYM YERMOLAIEV, BUSINESSMAN (through translator): When the explosion went off, I saw my partner, Ana, lying on the steps with badly injured

legs. My son was waving his bloodied arms, and I had burns across my whole body and was missing pieces of flesh. I'm not a confrontational person.

I've always tried to avoid any sharp conflicts, so I don't understand the reason why this happened.

CHANCE: There's a suggestion in Ukraine, and there are reports in Ukraine that this assassination attempt was linked to your involvement, alleged

involvement in organized crime. How do you answer that?

YERMOLAIEV (through translator): I personally have never in my life had anything to do with that. The Monaco police also asked me if my family

could be involved, which was almost funny, as everything I own is already registered to my wife and children.

CHANCE (voice-over): But clearly, someone wanted to send a message. This is the face of the bomber, a 39-year-old single mother from Ukraine,

Anastasiia Berezovska. She even recorded herself planting the device, in what investigators say was part of a complex international plot. They're

still trying to unravel.

CHANCE: Well, these narrow, twisting streets snaking through tiny Monaco are some of the most heavily surveilled anywhere in the world. There are

more than 1,400 surveillance cameras, basically watching everything anybody does, and a police officer for every 60 residents of the principality. The

bombing appears to have been carefully planned to bypass all of that tight security.

CHANCE (voice-over): And Monaco's police department is now under intense pressure to understand what went wrong. Multiple theories are being

explored. The police chief admitted, though he refused to elaborate or discuss the glaring connections with Ukraine and its security services.

Within a Kyiv court those connections have become impossible to ignore. Two men, a serving officer with Ukrainian military intelligence and a former

security agent, now stand accused of executing Anastasiia Berezovska and burying the Monaco bomber in a shallow grave after she fled home.

For the Ukrainian authorities fighting a bitter war with Russia, it's a potentially embarrassing link that risks straining relations with its

European backers. Ukrainian military intelligence say the suspects are just criminals. But fueling speculation, Vadym Yermolaiev is sanctioned by

Ukraine for doing business with its Russian enemies, though he's ruling out any link to his bombing.

YERMOLAIEV (through translator): I can't imagine it had anything to do with the Ukrainian sanctions against me, because that would mean our state

is potentially engaged in extrajudicial executions, and I just can't believe that.

CHANCE: After the bombing, you accuse the Ukrainian security services of being behind it. Is that still your view?

YERMOLAIEV (through translator): That's not just my view; all the facts point to it. But I think this was a contracted hit. Someone privately hired

military intelligence specialists who know how to do this, and they took it on for money.

CHANCE (voice-over): In both Monaco and Kyiv, investigations are now in full swing to uncover the facts, including the possible role of Ukrainian

guns for hire or rogue agents, making one of the world's most glamorous enclaves feel a lot less secure.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Monaco.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: A frightening blast there. Well, still to come on "The Brief" tonight, North Korea responding to President Trump's diplomatic overtures

by, what, waunching missiles. What's happening and why, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:40:00]

SCIUTTO: South Korea says it detected a barrage of North Korean missiles fired into the sea at a time of heightened tension between the two nations.

Top officials in Seoul held an emergency security meeting and condemned the latest move by Pyongyang. The missile launch took place near the end of

this week's joint military drills by the U.S. and South Korea. You'll remember President Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce those

exercises as he touted his warm relationship with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Joining me now is Sydney Seiler, a former National Intelligence Officer for North Korea and former U.S. Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks. He's now

a senior adviser at CSIS. Sidney, good to have you.

SYDNEY SEILER, SENIOR ADVISER, CSIS KOREA CHAIR: Thank you for the invitation.

SCIUTTO: So, President Trump trims down those exercises, much as he did in the first term, as a diplomatic overture, it seems. He wants another

summit. North Korea fires more missiles. Should we take that as a no from Kim?

SEILER: I don't think so. I think overall the answer may be no, but it's not limited to a single proposal coming in from the president and Kim

looking over and deciding to say no to it. They have for a long time now said they have no reason to talk to the United States. They are a sovereign

state with a nuclear program that's justified. And just as we exercise, they will exercise. And just as we launch missiles, they will launch

missiles.

So, overall -- and they sent this in the one statement that somewhat looked key to respond to it. They're not interested in the offer as it stands as a

way to break through the current deadlock.

SCIUTTO: As you know, and you were involved in the Trump administration's diplomacy in the first term, President Trump tried reducing U.S. joint

U.S.-South Korean military drills. In fact, he gave Kim not just one, but three summits and got no nuclear agreement. In fact, intelligence shows

North Korea actually expanded its nuclear arsenal during that time period.

Why should we think another overture this time when North Korea perceives itself to be stronger would work?

SEILER: So, I think the first meeting impressions, the first discussion between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, when Donald Trump had an opportunity

to ask face to face, so what's the problem here?

[18:45:00]

At the top of that list was the U.S.-ROK military exercises, not because the exercises are, in essence, some type of immediate existential threat to

North Korea. We've been doing them for decades. They train, they exercise during the same period. But they're symbolic of the closeness of the

alliance and they're symbolic of the reality that no more, no matter how much of a deterrent Kim Jong-un succeeds in developing, we're countering it

with strong U.S.-ROK cooperation.

But in the president's head, he walked away, particularly from that Singapore meeting, with an impression that exercises were a top priority

for Kim Jong-un. He otherwise thought they were needless, they were expensive. Our allies, free rider, all that package kind of feeds this

prejudice that the president has toward exercises, particularly given Kim Jong-un's recurring claim that they are one of the significant obstacles

between the United States and the DPRK.

SCIUTTO: He thinks that, but what's the evidence of that? Because, I mean, North Korea, as a host of reasons, it seems, for building its nuclear

arsenal, it thinks that it protects it from U.S. military strikes like Iran, which, of course, does not have nuclear weapons, does not have yet.

And since President Trump's first term, North Korea has strengthened its relationships with both Russia and China, Russia to the point of deploying

forces in Europe and now missiles in Europe. What -- I mean, is the president operating off an old playbook?

SEILER: But I think the talking point would be -- talking point meaning that this is how the administration would justify what they're trying to

do, but not necessarily because they believe this. But first of all, that there came an end to long-range missile launches, particularly ICBMs, as

well as nuclear tests after the Singapore summit. So, since we agreed to reduce our exercises out of that, we got a suspension of the missile

launches that most threatened the United States mainland, a willingness to not move on to a seventh nuclear test.

And as you look at the rhetoric, as it's been designed toward the Trump administration during term two, it's certainly not as harsh and critical

and, by name, vicious as their attack on South Korea and South Korea president, Lee Jae Myung.

And so, they have shown some rhetorical restraint towards the United States that the president appears to be grabbing onto, saying that he's got some

influence with Kim and he can move the ball towards peace and eventual denuclearization, although that's way down the road. But he's the man to

talk to Kim.

And of course, you had that constant reminder that don't you want to have the phone number and email address of your adversary so that when there's

some type of crisis, we can reach out and have somebody to talk to. That's another way that the president would justify it. Even if the calculation is

another summit is not going to yield a lot of benefits and outcomes in favorable in the direction of denuclearization.

SCIUTTO: It just seems that it's working off an outdated view. I mean, when I speak to South Korean analysts, they believe that the ask for a

summit now would be that the U.S. recognize North Korea as a nuclear state. I mean, that's not moving anywhere closer. It's moving further away from

denuclearization.

SEILER: Although some would say that, you know, it's a reality that North Korea has nuclear weapons, the president has used this type of language.

It's a reality. They are a nuclear power. And he's now thrown out a number, 57, to emphasize the fact that we've got a real problem in Korea.

In the case of Iran, we had a program that had not come to fruition yet and we had an opportunity to move to seek to curtail Iran's progress towards a

nuclear device. With North Korea, he was handed a program of this scale and size by predecessors that failed to stop it like he could have wisely done.

So, right now, what we have to do is address the immediate urgency of reducing tension and trying to secure some direction toward peace so that

the weapons aren't used.

SCIUTTO: Sydney Seiler, thanks so much for joining.

SEILER: Great, thank you.

SCIUTTO: Still to come on "The Brief" tonight, another surprise from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, what King Charles is saying about their return

to the U.K., just ahead.

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SCIUTTO: Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are moving back to the U.K., as we reported last night. The move has surprised many, and

their return could be just days away. The couple's decision to relocate comes after six years of calling California home. They stepped back from

their royal duties back in 2020. King Charles has made clear his younger son and daughter-in-law are welcome back, but will be operating as private,

non-working members of the royal family. The big question remains, why now? And what's behind the sudden change? CNN's Max Foster has the latest from

Buckingham Palace.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a move nobody saw coming. Prince Harry and Meghan returning to the U.K., six years after they

stepped back from official royal duties and fell out with other members of the royal family. Both the Duke and the Duchess of Sussex have spoken out

repeatedly about the unfair treatment they believe they received in the U.K., including tabloid intrusion and racism in the British establishment.

In April, Meghan told young people during a visit to Australia --

MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: For now 10 years, every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the

entire world. I'm still here.

FOSTER (voice-over): Why the couple have decided to return now is unclear. A source close to the couple only remarked how much they enjoyed their

visit to the U.K. last month.

In July, King Charles hosted Harry, Meghan and their children at his private country residence in Gloucestershire. It was the first time in four

years that the King had seen the whole family. However, Harry has made several solo trips back to the U.K. since moving to California, including

after King Charles' cancer diagnosis.

FOSTER: CNN understands that when the family moves over to the United Kingdom, they'll be staying in a private residence, not a royal residence,

and they won't be returning to their full-time royal roles. Where that residence will be is a mystery at this point, but the British media are

speculating it could be in the affluent Cotswolds in the countryside in Oxfordshire. It could be near Althorp House, which is the Spencer family

ancestral home where Princess Diana, Harry's mother, is buried, or it could possibly be near friends that they've retained here in the United Kingdom.

The other big question is about security, how that will be afforded. Prince Harry recently lost a case against the government's decision to downgrade

their taxpayer-funded security.

FOSTER (voice-over): In a BBC interview last year, he said the decision made it impossible for return to the U.K., with his family explaining --

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point. No matter how

much private security I have around me, there's only so much that I can do and operate and function within the U.K. when it comes to supporting my

charities, visiting my friends, all of these things.

FOSTER (voice-over): However, the couple's children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, have now been enrolled at British schools. The

new school year begins in September, meaning their move is likely to take place soon, possibly within a matter of days.

MEGHAN: Are you feeling excited for your parents --

[18:55:00]

FOSTER (voice-over): Once back, the couple are expected to carry on the kind of charity work they've been doing in California and outside the U.K.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Australia.

FOSTER (voice-over): It's not yet clear how long they'll stay or how closely they'll coordinate with the royal household to avoid clashes in

public engagements and how they'll be folded into private royal family events.

CNN understands the king was only told on Sunday about their decision to move back. The Sussexes may have kept their secret until now, but how much

privacy they can hold once they're back in the U.K. remains to be seen.

Max Foster, CNN, Buckingham Palace, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Thanks so much for joining us tonight. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.

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