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Inflation Slows More than Expected; Kardashian Testifies in Robbery Trial; Right-Wing Media Bash Trump's Jet Deal. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired May 13, 2025 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[09:33:03]
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, breaking this morning, the opening bell just rang moments ago on Wall Street, and investors are responding to brand new inflation numbers. You see a little bit of a mixed bag there. Nasdaq, up. S&P, up. The Dow, down just by a bit.
But there is new data that just landed from the Labor Department showing inflation year over year actually slowed to the lowest annual inflation rate since February of 2021.
CNN's Zain Asher, wearing the color of money this morning for us.
What can you tell us about that?
ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR AND BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I have a habit of doing that, by the way.
SIDNER: You do. You look -- you're the money lady. You got to.
ASHER: So, these numbers are actually tricky because when you think about it, CPI obviously is hugely important because it tells us the impact of Donald Trump's tariffs on rising prices. It also is a key metric for the Fed as it determines how to handle monetary policy going forward.
But the key thing about this particular report is that it is backward looking. It's looking at April. And so what that tells us is that these numbers don't show the full weight of Donald Trump's tariffs just yet. That doesn't mean that they won't in the future. A lot of economists are saying that by next month we'll really see the impacts of these tariffs come alive.
I want to show you what the numbers actually show. So, year over year -- if we could go back to the previous graphic, year over year, 2.3 percent. That is the lowest level, just in terms of inflation, in four years.
SIDNER: Yes.
ASHER: As you pointed out, February 2021. Also, when you look at the monthly figure, 0.2 percent, that is much
better than expected when you consider March, which came in at 0.3 percent.
And actually, what I think is really interesting is, when you look at core inflation, which is -- basically strips out things that are really volatile, like energy and food costs, when you look at core inflation, that number also really solid.
You had a lot of economists that were saying to themselves, OK, let's look at car prices, new car prices, used car prices specifically, because that is where we're going to see price hikes. And we didn't even get that this time.
What I think is really important is that we are not out of the woods just yet. When you think about what's happened since April 2nd, we've had all these different pauses.
SIDNER: Yes. Yes.
ASHER: A pause -- a 90 day pause on reciprocal tariffs. A 90 day pause on the triple digit tariffs against China.
[09:35:02]
These are just temporary pauses, Sara. So, they could easily snap back. What will that mean for rising prices?
It's also worth noting that even though the worst of the tariffs -- we've sort of dodged a bullet with the worst of them.
SIDNER: Yes.
ASHER: Think about the fact that we have 30 percent tariffs against China still in effect. We've got 10 percent tariffs on much of the world still in effect. We have 25 percent tariffs on steel, on aluminum, I want to say, but you Americans say aluminum.
SIDNER: Aluminum. Aluminum.
ASHER: Is it spelled -- is it spelled different? I need to find out if it's actually spelled --
SIDNER: It's spelled the same. It's spelled the same.
ASHER: Is it spelled the same? OK.
SIDNER: Yes.
ASHER: So, 25 percent tariffs on aluminum. I'm going to get that word correct.
SIDNER: It's fine. Say it your way.
ASHER: And -- and 25 percent tariffs on autos. All of that still in effect. You have to understand that that does have an inflationary effect on the economy.
SIDNER: Sure.
ASHER: So, just because it hasn't shown up in the data just yet doesn't mean that it wont at some point.
SIDNER: One thing that we know, that this will probably be touted by the White House. They're looking at these things and saying, hey, everyone's saying doomsday, but look at the numbers.
ASHER: Right. Right.
SIDNER: Even though they are backwards.
ASHER: Backwards looking. We saw the same thing with the jobs report as well.
SIDNER: Exactly. It is so wonderful to see you speaking the queens English, our Zain Asher here.
ASHER: And I'm going to get my aluminum.
SIDNER: You can -- you say it your way, girl, aluminum.
ASHER: You know, yes -- you know what, I'm -- I'm a rebel. And so, I do what I want.
SIDNER: I love it. Excellent.
ASHER: OK.
SIDNER: I support that. Thank you, darling.
ASHER: Thank you.
SIDNER: Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, guys.
Coming up -- coming up for us, an attorney who represented Donald Trump in his 2024 criminal trial, now appointed to lead the world's largest library. We'll be right back.
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[09:41:07]
BERMAN: All right, breaking news from Paris, where Kim Kardashian took the stand in a trial of ten people accused of tying her up, holding her at gunpoint and robbing her nearly nine years ago. She faced the defendants for the first time.
Let's get right to CNN's Saskya Vandoorne, who is outside the court in Paris.
What did she say? SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR FIELD PRODUCER: Yes, John, I mean she is
recounting, in great detail, what happened inside that room nine years ago. She said that she believed she was going to be raped. That she believed she was going to be killed. We're really getting a sense of how traumatic this was for Kim Kardashian. She said she believed that Kourtney, her sister, who was out clubbing at the time, would come home to find her dead on the bed.
She's also spoken about how violent it was. That she was duct taped, handcuffed and placed in the bath. John, at one point she broke down into tears -- in tears. Let me read it to you what she said. "They put the gun to my back. And that's the first moment when I thought, should I run for it, down the stairs, but it wasn't a good option, so I stayed and I realized I should probably do whatever they say."
Now, Kardashian says that this really has changed her life. That she is now much more cautious about what she puts on her social media, and that she pays a lot of attention to her security.
John.
BERMAN: What is known about the defendants?
VANDOORNE: Yes. So, it's week three of the trial. There are nine men and one woman on trial and they're accused of orchestrating and executing that robbery. Now, they have been named the Grandpa Gang because a lot of them are over 60, and many of them are in very poor health. The alleged mastermind, Aomar Khedache, he needs a walking stick and he's having the entire proceedings transcribed for him because he is partially deaf.
We also know that the defendants have -- have a long history of crimes. Khadache, who I was just telling you about, he's been in and out of prison since he was 20. Now, Khadache has pleaded guilty to armed robbery and kidnaping.
Yunice Abbas, he's another defendant, he's pleaded guilty to some of the charges. But the remaining eight say that they had nothing to do with the heist.
John.
BERMAN: All right, Saskya Vandoorne, in Paris, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
Sara.
SIDNER: All right, gift or grift? Coming up this morning, even staunch allies of President Trump are turning on him, condemning his plan to accept a $400 million jet to be used as Air Force One from Qatar.
And we're monitoring the breaking news. President Trump is in Saudi Arabia on the first day of his Middle East trip, and he's expected to speak in the coming hour.
Those stories ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:48:21]
SIDNER: Several dozen white South Africans, 59 to be exact, who were granted refugee status over claims of discrimination, are now in the U.S. And the White House is expediting their processing after President Trump says they're victims of genocide. No one, including the United States, has deemed there is a genocide in South Africa. At the very same time they're getting special treatment, the administration has pretty much suspended other refugee resettlement, including those who the U.S. actually does deem are facing genocide in Sudan. The president of South Africa says the dozens who are in the U.S. right now do not fit the definition of a refugee. He claims they are not being persecuted or treated badly in South Africa.
All right, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is now the acting librarian of Congress. He also served as President Trump's lawyer during his criminal trial last year. He steps into the role following the firing of Carla Hayden. Now, she was the first black woman and first black person to be librarian of Congress. And she has about just a year and a half left in her 10-year term before being fired.
Rapper Tory Lanez is recovering after being repeatedly stabbed in the California prison where he is serving a ten year sentence for shooting hip hop star Megan Thee Stallion in the feet. A prison spokesperson says Lanez was rushed to the hospital after yesterday morning's attack. A post on his verified social media said he was stabbed 14 times and both of his lungs collapsed. That same post said he's in pain but in good spirits and is pulling through.
[09:50:01]
And this morning, an investigation is underway after a semitruck carrying 10,000 gallons of crude oil slammed into a home in Utah. It happened early Monday in Wellington, about 120 miles from Salt Lake City. Troopers say the driver ran off the road, hit several parked cars, a utility pole and fire hydrant before crashing into that house. A couple inside was hurt. Their 12-year-old grandson was in there as well, but he was not harmed. Authorities believe the driver may have just fallen asleep at the wheel and this is what happened.
Also, a semi loaded with eggs crashed, causing a heck of a mess in Aurora, Colorado. Police say the driver swerved because traffic had suddenly stopped yesterday. He has just minor injuries, but the cleanup took hours, and part of the highway stayed blocked through the morning rush hour, causing some major traffic delays there. Yikes.
All right, Kate.
BOLDUAN: So, President Trump is now facing bipartisan backlash for his plans to accept that luxury jet as a gift from the Qatari royal family. In a rare public break from the Trump administration, some of Trump's most vocal and loyal supporters in right wing media are also now criticizing him, calling this move a stain on his administration even. CNN's Brian Stelter is tracking this one for us.
And, Brian, what are you seeing?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: This is the biggest break that I've seen in the first four months of Trump's return to office, between his pro-Trump propaganda machine, those pro-Trump stars that are always supporting him, and the president. This is a dramatic break. Not among every single MAGA media star out there, but among many of them.
It's one thing for Democratic lawmakers to be calling this profoundly unethical and possibly illegal. We've heard a lot of that. But some MAGA media commentators are saying the same things. In the past 24 hours we've heard prominent pro-Trump media stars call this plan to accept a jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One, a, quote, "bribe," a grift and a stain on the administration. And this is even coming from figures like Laura Loomer, the far right provocateur, who has a direct line to Trump. I mean these are people who are usually steadfast supporters of the president. But in this case, they're speaking out against the deal.
Let me show you two examples. One is from Ben Shapiro, who co-founded "The Daily Wire." He's a prominent podcaster. The other is Erick Erickson, the radio talk show host.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN SHAPIRO, CO-FOUNDER, "DAILY WIRE": That's not America first. Like, please define America first in a way that says you take -- you should take sacks of cash from the Qatari royals who are behind Al Jazeera. It just isn't America first in any conceivable way.
If you want President Trump to succeed, this kind of skeezy stuff needs to stop.
ERICK ERICKSON, TALK RADIO HOST: My problem with taking this plane from Qatar is I do not think the president of the United States of America should sit and fly on a plane purchased with the same money used to murder American citizens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STELTER: As you hear there, a lot of the criticism centers on Qatar, which has been a home for Hamas leaders for a number of years. Though the country reportedly kicked out those Hamas officials back last November, right after Trump won the election. So, a lot of the criticism is about Qatar and about what Qatar is trying to get from President Trump.
Some of the other commentators are focusing on the optics of this, the appearance of conflict. Ben Shapiro, for example, was saying to his viewers yesterday, what if the Bidens did this? What if it was Hunter or Joe Biden? And trying to say this is hypocritical and trying to take a principled stand. You know, since we're talking about an airplane, here's an airplane reference, right? There's different wings of right wing media. There's different cabins on this plane. There are conservative outlets, like "National Review" that support lots of -- parts of Trump's agenda, but are often critical of the man himself. So, "National Review" is out with an editorial this morning calling this a poison plane, saying this gifted 747 is ethically suspect and made worse by the fact that Qatar is no friend to the U.S. That's "National Review."
But even figures who are very closely aligned with the president, I mentioned Laura Loomer, she has been outspoken on X, on the social media platform, in the last two days, almost trying to get Trump's attention, trying to get him to change his mind.
What I have not seen a lot of, though, is a lot of television coverage of this on Fox News. So, if the president is watching Fox on his trip abroad, he's not hearing a lot of this criticism, but it is definitely prominent all across right wing social media and the podcasting realm, Kate.
BOLDUAN: So, I mean, there are -- who is speaking out supporting? Is it -- how -- who is speaking out, defending the president's move here?
STELTER: Right. That's the other interesting thing about this. I'm talking all about the condemnations. There's not a lot of defense. There's not a lot of support out there. You're not seeing lots of editorial writers or columnists on the right who are defending this proposed jet gift. Instead, those figures are just ignoring this, trying to pretend like it's not happening.
And of course, we don't know for sure if it will happen. Qatar has pushed back on some of the reports. And the White House says this is still under review.
[09:55:01]
So, it's quite possible this deal could fall apart over time.
However, we know the president really does want a new version of Air Force One. He's been very loud and outspoken about this. And yesterday he said you'd be stupid not to take a free gift.
So, I've seen some right-wing media outlets just amplifying that Trump message and blaming the media. But what's notable here is that there's mostly just an ignoring sort of reaction going on, trying to pretend this isn't happening. So, you either have a lot of criticism from the right, or you have folks trying to pretend that it's not going to happen at all.
But figures like Erick Erickson, who you heard from a moment ago, Erick Erickson thinks this could end up getting Trump in legal trouble going down the road. So, there are figures who are supportive of the president, who want him to succeed, but they think this is actually going to hurt him. And that's why you're hearing so much criticism.
BOLDUAN: Interesting, Brian, thank you so much. It's good to see you. BERMAN: Don't miss the "Reliable Sources" newsletter, everyone. Go
sign up for it right now.
SIDNER: That was a good plug.
BERMAN: You like that?
SIDNER: And now it's time to plug someone else because we here are done on CNN NEWS CENTRAL, but "THE SITUATION ROOM" is hard at work for you, and it's up next.
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