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3 U.S. Soldiers Killed In Jordan By Drone Strike, Biden Promises Retaliation; Several Countries Suspended Funding For UNRWA Following Claims Of Staff Members Implicated In Hamas Assault On October 7; Israel-Hamas War; Biden Faces Expanding Confrontation In Middle East; One-On-One With White House Press Secretary Karine Jean- Pierre; Defense Secretary Austin Speaks At Pentagon; 2024 U.S. Election Race; Teasing Presidential Candidacy, Senator Manchin Takes Jabs At Biden White House; Haley Urges Biden And Congress To Protect U.S.-Mexico Border; King Charles And Princess Of Wales Discharged From Hospital. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired January 29, 2024 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: So, let me just say that first. Look, the President -- you heard it from the President yesterday. I know you've been showing the clip of what the President said in South Carolina. He said we shall respond. I'm going to let the President -- I'm not going to infringe on the President's decision here. The President has always been very clear as Commander in Chief, one of the things that he focuses on, obviously, is making sure that we protect our troops.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: Has the President spoken to the families of those lost?

JEAN-PIERRE: Don't have anything to share at this time, John, on any conversation that the president may -- has had or may have had with the family members. Obviously, we send our deepest, deepest condolences and our prayers to the friends and families of the three service members that we lost yesterday.

BERMAN: The U.S. has suspended funding for UNRWA after allegations from Israel that several UNRWA employees inside Gaza participated in the October 7th terror attacks. What would it take for the U.S. to reinstate that funding?

JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we're obviously deeply troubled by that, obviously, by our action by pausing any of the funding. We want to make sure UNRWA looks into what happened, investigate, get to the bottom of it. I don't have anything else to share on what will -- what the next steps of that will be but investigation needs to happen. They need to look into it. We're deeply, deeply troubled by what we've heard.

We're in touch, obviously, with the U.N. We're in touch with Israel and others. And so, that's -- we're going to continue to have those conversation and stay in touch. BERMAN: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that some of the protests here in the United States against the Israel-Hamas war are supported by or connected to, in some way, Russia and Vladimir Putin. What evidence has the White House seen of anything along those lines?

JEAN-PIERRE: So, I'm going to let the speaker speak for herself. The former speaker, obviously, speak for herself. I don't have anything to add to what the speaker has laid out. We've been very clear here on where we stand with our -- where we stand with Israel in making sure that they are able to defend themselves.

Obviously, after the horrible, horrible attacks on September 7th by Hamas, they're -- the terrorist organization who have said -- leaders in that organization have said that they would do October 7th over and over and over again. Obviously, we want to make sure that they protect innocent lives in Gaza, the Palestinian lives. One life lost is too many, so we're going to continue to have those conversations.

But I just don't have anything to say as it relates to protest. The president has been clear. We have been clear here at the White House. We believe that Americans have the right to peacefully protest, to voice their concerns. And so, I'll just leave it there.

BERMAN: So, you don't have any evidence that Putin's behind it?

JEAN-PIERRE: I just don't have anything else to add. I will just let the speaker -- the former speaker speak for herself on that.

BERMAN: There are negotiations right now, or there were negotiations in the Senate among this bipartisan group of senators who may have a bill on the border before the Senate this week. The president put out a statement a few days ago that said that this bill would shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law. Is the border overwhelmed now?

JEAN-PIERRE: So, here's the thing, I -- just to -- just lay this out just a little bit, John. So, on the first day of his administration, the president took this very seriously. And when it came to immigration, when it came to border security, he put forth a comprehensive piece of legislation, that was almost three years ago. If Congress House Republicans didn't get in the way and they actually took action, we probably would be in a different place today.

Now, what we're seeing in Congress is -- in the Senate, Republicans and Democrats together are working towards a bipartisan deal, which is, by the way, what Americans want to see. 75 percent of Americans want us to take action on immigration, a broken system in immigration really secure the border. You heard from the president this weekend. You saw his statement on Friday. He said, give him the new enforcement authorities, right, new authorities and he'll use it. He will use it to secure the border.

And here's the thing, you have Speaker Johnson and -- House Republican Speaker Johnson, in particular, saying that the president already has this authority. But that's not what he said not too long ago during the Trump administration when he said, President's need legal authority in order to secure the border. So, he lifted that up during the Trump administration. He was very clear then as Congressman. And we're agreeing with him that the Congressman who said that, right, back then, during the Trump administration, is that, yes, we would -- we need those new authorities in order to secure the border. And the president said that he will use that.

So, look, we are making progress with a bipartisan agreement and in the Senate, and you know, Speaker Johnson should not get in the way of that. He should work with us on actually doing something that 75 percent of Americans want us to do, which is deal with a broken immigration system, actually secure the border.

[10:35:00]

BERMAN: So, Senator James Lankford from Oklahoma, who was the Republican leading these negotiations has been sanctioned by the Oklahoma Republican Party for his efforts there. What does that tell you about the prospects for achieving some kind of successful compromise?

JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we have heard from both Democrats and Republicans, even yesterday, saying how this deal is important. This deal is a fair deal, right? It would be, they say, it would be a fair deal. It would be a comprehensive deal. It would be a historic piece of legislation to deal with a system, an immigration system that was broken in the last administration and for decades.

And so, we're seeing a bipartisan camaraderie here, if you will. People coming together in the Senate side -- on the Senate side, saying, hey, let's work on getting something done for the American people. That's what the president wants. He wants to get something done for the American people. He's not playing political games here. This is something that Americans want to see. Majority of Americans want us to do the job here in Washington, D.C. and get things done.

Congress needs to act. Congress must act. And we are very grateful to senators, both Republican and Democrats who have been having these conversations, these negotiation conversations with us for the past two months.

BERMAN: With your permission, "The New York Times" wrote a long article today about the president's re-election campaign. And I counted four paragraphs inside that article about efforts to get Taylor Swift involved in the president's re-election.

I said, with your permission and forgiveness here, one sentence said, one idea that's been tossed around a bit in jest, sending the president to a stop on Swift's Eras tour. So, what would Swift support --

JEAN-PIERRE: Well --

BERMAN: -- give the president any plans -- any plans to go on tour?

JEAN-PIERRE: So, let me first say, I got to be really mindful. I'm a federal employee, as you know. There is something called the Hatch Act, so certainly, I cannot speak to anything that is related to 2024 and upcoming elections. So, you're going to be super, super mindful. Obviously, there are a lot of -- I know in my shop and the press's office shop, there are a lot of Swifties, if you were -- if you will, fans of Taylor Swift. And so, I'm just going to leave it there. I'm not going to get into the president's schedule at all from here as it relates to the 2024 elections.

BERMAN: The first time the Hatch Act has been invoked in regards to Taylor Swift. Karine Jean-Pierre, thank you for your time. Appreciate it very much.

JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks, John. I appreciate it.

BERMAN: All right. Moments ago, we did hear from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, I believe, who was at the Pentagon. Let's listen to what he said. This is the first time we will have heard from him since his absence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Well, good morning, everybody. Let me start with my outrage and sorrow for the death of three brave U.S. troops in Jordan and for the other troops who were wounded. The President and I will not tolerate attack on U.S. forces, and we will take all necessary actions to defend the U.S. and our troops.

Now, at this important time, I'm glad to be back at the Pentagon. I feel good and recovering well, but still recovering. and I appreciate all the good wishes that I've received thus far.

And welcome back, Mr. Secretary General.

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: Thank you.

AUSTIN: It's great to see you. It's a pleasure to get to host you here today. You know, over the past three years, we've worked closely together. And I want to thank you for your leadership, and you heard me say that a number of times and it is heartfelt. I have really watched you lead at -- lead the alliance through some very challenging times. You've kept NATO united and resolute through the most serious threat to transatlantic security since the end of the Cold War.

Over the nearly two years since Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, NATO has grown stronger and more united than ever. NATO became even more capable last year when Finland joined. And I'm very pleased that the Turkish parliament voted last week for Sweden to join NATO as well. And we're looking forward to welcoming Sweden to NATO soon.

Now, we'll talk today about ways to further strengthen transatlantic security as we look to next month's defense ministerial meeting in Brussels, and to the 75th anniversary summit that we'll host here in Washington later this year. Deterrence and defense will always be job number one for NATO. And we've always -- and we've made excellent progress on implementing the decisions that our leaders made at the Vilnius Summit.

With our approved regional plans, we're ensuring a theaterwide, multi- domain deterrent. And if any adversary challenges that deterrent, the alliance is ready to fight and to win. So, I look forward to some frank discussions with you and --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right. That is Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin there meeting at the Pentagon with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

[10:40:00]

Now, this is the first time that we have seen the Defense Secretary since his absence, since his surgery. He did say he is feeling well, still recovering though, and he made no comment on the kerfuffle over how the White House and the country was informed of his absence from the job. We will keep on monitoring this and let you know if any news develops there. Much more, stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:45:08]

SARA SIDNER, CNN HOST: This morning, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia says, he can absolutely see himself as president. Manchin has spent months teasing the possibility of launching a third- party presidential bid this year, but his path to the ticket would lean on support from the No Labels group, which is right now experiencing some turmoil, to say the least.

CNN's Isaac Dovere joins us now to share some of your reporting. Can you sort of give us an idea of what is going on exactly with the No Labels group?

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, look, that group has put itself forward as the third way alternative, thinking about a unity ticket, and they have been getting ballot lines all across the country on states for a ticket. But they have set their own deadline as mid-March for when to decide what they're doing.

I asked a number of leaders of No Labels. How this would work? Who would be involved? How's -- who's going to make the decision? How you pick the people who are going to make the decision? Couldn't get clear answers on any of that. And that's with weeks to go before this is all supposed to go down.

And it's also as Joe Manchin, as you said, is going around the country. Starting to talk about how he might actually go forward with the presidential run, telling people privately he sees a potential path if Donald Trump gets convicted and Joe Biden has a health scare. But very much not wanting to be a spoiler. Very much not wanting to be what leads to Donald Trump being back in the White House.

These are all coming together when, obviously, there is a lot going on as this campaign starts to take shape. Really, it looks like as a likely Biden-Trump rematch.

SIDNER: Yes, it's interesting, sort of, to see this and how it's playing out. March seems a bit late in the game, but you never know what's going to happen. Isaac, thank you so much for your reporting and walking us through all those details. Appreciate it.

Kate.

DOVERE: Thank you.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: Joining us now for more on this is CNN Senior Political Analyst and Anchor John Avlon and CNN Opinion Contributor Sophia Nelson.

So, John, Joe Manchin, getting into this race, maybe, maybe not. What -- it does what?

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, look -- I mean, it is one of the many X factors that could utterly change the outcome of the race. I don't think -- I think -- take Manchin and his word. His intention is not to be a spoiler that re-elects Donald Trump, and that's the X factor with an unprecedented number of independent candidates running.

You don't know how that ball's going to bounce in any number of the different swing states. I think he sees himself -- he's trying to be the net beneath the election. If a bunch of X factors occur through court or, you know, health scares, that there's a centrist alternative. I just think that this is no ordinary time.

BOLDUAN: Yes, it's --

AVLON: You know, yes, polarization is a major problem in our politics. So, is hyper-partisanship. But if these independent third-party candidates are opening the door to potentially electing Donald Trump who's running on an autocratic platform, that's a step too far at the wrong time.

BOLDUAN: And looking -- Sophia, looking -- reading through Isaac's reporting this morning and yesterday, I was kind of sitting there wondering, is this more than a thorn in the side of President Biden and his campaign? I -- it's just something that I'm kind of wondering with, just having this, kind of, lingering out there even though he says he doesn't want to be a spoiler but, kind of, having this when he says that -- kind of, he -- he's, kind of, set the agenda. He's -- he is everything behind what President Biden's agenda.

SOPHIA NELSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Listen, Kate, I think what Dean Phillips is doing and what Joe Manchin and others in this third-party context are doing is dangerous. It's dangerous to democracy in this moment because as John correctly says, Trump is running on a very openly hostile autocratic platform and President Biden's going to need to keep a coalition together.

This is not the time to be breaking off and splitting off even, say, four percent, five percent or more of the vote could tip the election in a different direction than I think the majority of the country wants to go. So, I do think it's more than a thorn in his flesh. I think it's a real problem if they follow through on these third-party candidacies.

BOLDUAN: Let's talk about some of the policy that has become central in the primary and will be in the general, which is border policy. You've got a deal that is -- they say the deal is done. They need to write the text. Democrats, Republicans coming together in the Senate to try to work out this border deal that's linked to Ukraine funding. Some Republicans now bulking in the Senate. The House Republicans definitely bulking. And this is after Donald Trump started speaking up and speaking out against it.

I mean, some of the litany of what he said was last week, a border deal now would be another gift to the radical left. Maybe suggesting what his intentions are here and saying no deal right now. I want to play what Nikki Haley said this morning about the border deal in the works when she was on CNBC. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Secure that border. It -- I don't care what political chances it does, do the right thing. This is not the time to sit there and wait until November when you've got people coming through.

BECKY QUICK, CNBC, "SQUAWK BOX" CO-ANCHOR: Is the Senate bill the right thing?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: That's not what Donald Trump said, what do you think of that John?

AVLON: I think she's right. I mean look, if you do not think that something's a crisis, then there's urgency to solve it.

[10:50:00]

You got the Senate operating like it actually should, right? Reasoning together, Democrats and Republicans finding the middle 60 votes to get something done. And of course, Ukraine and Israel aid also tied to this.

What Donald Trump is doing is trying to destroy a deal because he doesn't want bipartisanship and Joe Biden to get credit for solving a problem. That's just -- that is so bizarre a world cynical and yet it's what we've come to expect. He's putting himself before the country. It's not even party before the country. It's himself, then party, then country.

And so, the cynicism of this, the fact he's playing his supporters who care about the border for fools, by saying, he would rather have it fester for a year so he could get the political benefit. That's exactly what's wrong in our politics, and the people who are working together to try to solve problems across party lines are what could be right in our politics. Message to Washington, do your job. Do your job.

BOLDUAN: Is it -- Sophia, do you see -- if we're talking purely -- pure politics in the presidential, is it a zero-sum game if they reach a deal that Democrats would get the credit, Joe Biden would get the gain and not Republicans? Can't they -- can't -- am I being Pollyanna, because that is rare if I am? If they could all get credit for doing something here?

NELSON: Kate, candidly, I think it depends on what network you're watching. And I'm being serious about this because, for example, if you have a news outlet that's going to say no matter what that this was not a bipartisan deal, that it is a bad deal, and that it isn't good for the border in the country, and that's just drummed in day and day and day. That's one perspective.

If, however, we're truth tellers, and we know that the Senate is so tight that nothing can get done without bipartisanship, and that there has to be a deal where the President agrees to sign it, it has to be passed by both chambers of the Congress. The House seems to be obstructionist here, and that's going to be the real challenge. The Senate and the President are going to work together.

So, is it a zero-sum game? No, because the reality is nothing gets done in this Washington, D.C. without bipartisanship because the margins are too tight. But if people don't understand that, then they buy into the Trump crazy. And you saw what Oklahoma did, right, to Senator Lankford? They -- the Republican Party there slapped him with a censure resolution because he didn't bow down to Trump and he wants to get a border deal. It's ridiculous.

AVLON: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Lankford is, you know, as conservative as they come, and he is also working really hard.

NELSON: Very.

BOLDUAN: And has gotten a lot of credit for working really hard to get something done, get it across the line, which would be good for everyone when you're staring at what's going on at the border. It's good to see you both. Thank you so much.

John.

BERMAN: All right. New video as King Charles returns home. Just two of the senior royals, and I'm talking the most senior royals, released from the hospital this morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:57:23]

BERMAN: All right. Just this morning, two senior British royals were released from the hospital within hours of each other. Moments ago, King Charles waved as he left following treatment for an enlarged prostate, that came hours after the Princess of Wales went home. She had abdominal surgery about two weeks ago and spent 13 days in the hospital.

CNN's Anchor and Chief Royal Correspondent Max Foster is in London with the very latest. What do we know this morning, Max?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Two very different exits. King Charles coming out the front door with the cameras, looking really well. I think the message there is that the head of state is well and everything went as planned.

According to a statement from Buckingham Palace, the King was this afternoon discharged from hospital following planned medical treatment and has rescheduled forthcoming public engagements to allow for a period of private recuperation. So, he's off work as it were. We're not being told where he's going to recuperate. They very much want the media, actually, to leave them alone at this point.

Kate actually left earlier in the day without anyone noticing, which is remarkable considering that hospital they were both in was surrounded by cameras. She had been in there for 13 days, but she now has a period of recuperation in Windsor, the home that they stay in when the kids are at school. And we're told that Prince William is off work as well, supporting her.

So, both of them coming out of hospital at the same time, but looking pretty well. So, positive news from here in the U.K.

BERMAN: All right. Max Foster, we, obviously, wish them both the best in their recoveries. Thank you very much.

Much more straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)