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Trump Exploring Normalizing Relations With Syria After Key Meeting; Soon, Cassie Ventura Begins Day 2 of Testimony in Combs Trial; Menendez Brothers Resentenced, Opening Door for Possible Parole. Aired 7-7:30a ET
Aired May 14, 2025 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Up until the wee hours of the morning on social media defending the gift of a $400 million jet that has a lot of Republicans very publicly, very skittish The president arriving in the country where he can thank them in person.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And back on the stand, Cassie Ventura returns to court for a second day of testimony. So far, her retelling of what she says was a long, abusive relationship with Sean Combs has been emotional and graphic.
And breaking overnight, freedom for the Menendez brothers is now a real possibility after a judge gave them a new sentence. What that means for the parole hearing they already have scheduled for early June.
Sara is out today. I'm Kate Bolduan with John Berman. This is CNN News Central.
BERMAN: All right. Breaking this morning, a live look at the tarmac in Doha, the capital of Qatar, that is where President Trump is arriving in his second leg of his trip to the Middle East. There, he might accept the gift of a $400 million aircraft that has earned him unusual bipartisan criticism and apparently kept him up all night posting on social media, 2:50 A.M. More on that in just a moment.
First, his historic meeting before leaving Saudi Arabia, he sat down with the new president of Syria after announcing he's lifting sanctions on that country, a move that inspired celebrations in the streets of Damascus overnight. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two nations in 25 years.
Just six months ago, the US had a $10 million bounty on Ahmed al- Sharaa's head. Now, the former jihadist, who seize control after the fall of the Assad regime, is being welcomed by Trump with open arms. This is what the president said after the meeting.
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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We are currently exploring normalizing relations with Syria's new government, as you know, felt very strongly that this would give them a chance. It's not going to be easy anyway, so it gives them a good, strong chance. And it was my honor to do so. So, we will be dropping all of the sanctions on Syria.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So, that decision to lift sanctions, a potential seismic shift in US policy in the Middle East.
Turning now to Qatar that the President is arriving there very shortly, he will get a chance to thank the Qataris in person for their offer of the gift of a $400 million luxury jet to use as Air Force One and maybe beyond.
CNN's Becky Anderson joins us now live from the Qatari city of Doha, where the president will be very shortly, Becky.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: That's right. No official statement on the offer of that plane, but certainly this trip here by Donald Trump an effort to underscore the importance of the relationship with Qatar. After all, Qatar holds a myriad of mediation files, which suit this U.S. administration, and those in the past, not least, of course, that on Gaza and the mediation between -- indirect mediation between the Israelis and Hamas. I say indirect, until very recently, of course, because we now are aware that the U.S. has been talking directly to Hamas. And the result of that was the release of the only living American hostage in Gaza to be released just last week, Edan Alexander.
I've been told by a source, very familiar with the matter with knowledge of the matter that there is an Israeli delegation here on the ground in Doha, along with Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler, who is, of course, the hostage negotiator for the United States in the Trump administration. Indirect talks going on once again with Hamas here in Doha, just ahead of the president's arrival here, and we do expect that in the minutes to come.
He has left Riyadh where he once again underscored the importance of regional stability for the big players here, those in Riyadh for the leadership here in Doha.
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And he will make the same comments, I'm sure, when he gets to the UAE. These are nations with very ambitious economic visions, and what they have said today and what they've been saying for years is they cannot realize those economic ambitions unless they see de-escalation around this region, an economic integration. And that's really important to them.
The big news of course, coming out of Riyadh has been the lifting of sanctions on Syria and the meeting, which lasted just over 30 minutes, between the U.S. president and the Syrian president from the Syrian side. That was about ensuring that they get support for recovery and reconstruction of the Syrian economy. Once those sanctions are lifted, this country needs something like $400 billion in aid in order to get itself back on its feet. It's been decimated as an economy over the years under the stewardship of Bashar al-Assad. So that, that the big news to date, but do expect the files on Gaza to be discussed here, the U.S. and Iran, Qatar really playing a really important mediation role on Syria, on Lebanon, around this region.
So, if we are seeing the intersection of sort of business opportunities, economic security, and opportunities for President Trump, we are also seeing the emergence of a lot of regional diplomacy and possibly the turning of the page by the U.S. administration in U.S. policy right on the Middle East. John?
BERMAN: Becky Anderson in Doha, we will be following the president's trip step by step. Becky, thank you very much. Kate.
BOLDUAN: Also this morning, after hours on the stand already, in testimony that was raw, emotional, and graphic, Cassie Ventura is returning to continue testifying today against her former boyfriend, Sean Diddy Combs, in his sex trafficking and racketeering trial.
Ventura is the woman that Combs is seen attacking in that hotel video in 2016. She is seen as a key witness for the prosecution's case here. And for nearly five hours yesterday, she detailed what she says were years of sexual and physical abuse by Combs, and to her crying on the stand as she described the drug-fueled, days-long sexual encounters with male prostitutes that were orchestrated, she says, Combs in what he called freak-offs. She said that they made her feel disgusting and humiliated. And also, quote, the freak-offs became a job where there was no space to do anything else but recover and just try to feel normal again.
Ventura testified that the attack caught on hotel video came after she had tried to actually leave one of those sessions early and saying that Combs had attacked her in the same way, quote, too many times to count.
Combs' lawyers argue that the sexual arrangements were consensual. We'll continue to hear that. But on what we learned yesterday and what that means then for another day of what will be riveting testimony.
Joining me right now is CNN Legal Analyst and Criminal Defense Attorney Joey Jackson. So, Joey, let's talk about yesterday, because it will inform what will continue this morning. What are your biggest takeaways from the beginning of testimony from this star witness for the prosecution?
JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, Kate, it certainly will. Good morning to you. I think we have to look at first the nature of the relationship, right? First, you're going to examine the power dynamic as between the two, and that was described in chapter and verse because a lot of what we've heard, certainly you mentioned it is raw, right? It concerns the nature of how they engaged in their activities, who orchestrated the activities, what was expected and anticipated what they do, baby oil, the type of baby oil, the type of drugs, the safe and guns, et cetera.
But I think critical to that is when you look at the issue of consent, you're looking to see whether she said, no, I'm not going to do this, I don't want to do this, leave me alone, or did she say no (INAUDIBLE) upon who he was and who she was. And so first you're going to examine that. That's first and foremost.
Second, you're going to pivot to the issue when you talk about force, fraud or coercion. Now, we know the relationship itself was really very complicated and it was a relationship, and when you talk about what he did to her, wow, right, awful stuff and certainly things that should never occur. The issue then is whether it's a federal crime. Was the force, fraud or coercion to otherwise sex traffic her? We heard about relations and being engaged in New York, in Miami, in Los Angeles, right, other places. And that gets you to the interstate. Were you moved there by force, fraud or coercion? And then, finally, Kate, as it relates to all of this, whether or not we heard about his assistance and he had many people who would help him, was this part of a criminal enterprise?
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So, I think we want to keep our eyes on the prize and not only examine the horrific nature of the relationship, but examine whether or not that creates a federal offense. That at the end of the day is what we're here for, and that's what prosecutors have to prove.
BOLDUAN: And the prosecution continues with testimony today, and then after that she will face cross-examination from the defense, and we're going to be here for all of it.
Joey, thank you very much for starting us off. We'll be leaning on you for more on this. Thank you. John?
BERMAN: All right. Breaking overnight, quote, I killed my mom and dad, I make no excuses. Lyle Menendez speaking out in court as a judge, for the first time, opens the door to the possibility of parole for the Menendez brothers.
And how much would it actually cost to convert the $400 million free gift of a luxury jet into Air Force One.
And 150 children rescued from a flooded elementary school.
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BERMAN: All right. Breaking overnight, the two California brothers convicted in serving a life sentence for killing their parents now potentially have a chance at parole. This for the first time, a judge re-sentenced the Menendez brothers to 50 years to life in prison for the 1989 killings, and the ruling does make the brothers eligible for parole. It comes after more than three decades behind bars.
Joining us now live and early, frankly, from the West Coast, our friend, Nick Watt. This was something to see, Nick.
NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, it was an extraordinary day in court, particularly when we heard directly from Lyle and Erik Menendez, who appeared in court via video link from where they're being held in a facility down near San Diego.
Listen, John, the bottom line here is, for many years, the Menendez brothers had no hope of getting out. They were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Now, they have some hope.
There are a few more hurdles for them before they walk free. For a start, there is going to be a clemency hearing on June 13th. It is up to the parole board of California and the governor of California now to decide whether they actually walk free.
Now, their lawyer, Mark Garagos, who you see in that picture there, he came out after the session yesterday and said, 2025 is going to be the year that these brothers get their freedom. They've been behind bars 35 years or so.
Now, when we heard from Lyle and Erik, the first thing that Lyle Menendez said was on August 20th, 1989, I killed my mom and dad. He said, I make no excuses. Erik Menendez also spoke and said, I assumed that I would die behind bars. That has now changed.
Now why? Well, the judge said for a start, I'm really impressed with everything that they've done in prison. While they had no hope of getting out, he also said, I don't think that they will ever commit a serious crime again. And he said he was frankly bowled over by all of the letters he received and support of the brothers, from correctional officers who said that they'd never written such a letter in the past. They wrote one on behalf of the Menendez brothers saying they were ready to be freed.
We also heard from family members. Now, a cousin spoke and said that, universally, all the living members of the family have forgiven the brothers, believe that they should be given a second chance at life. They say 35 years is enough.
So, governor, parole board, this isn't over, but now the Menendez brothers have hope, John, of getting out. Back to you?
BERMAN: Yes. For the first time, you make such a good point. These next two steps will be interesting and, frankly, politically precarious for those involved as well.
Nick Watt, great to see you. Thank you very much.
All right, this morning prices are falling. Sounds like good news, but new reports show something more worrisome could be behind the drop- off.
And this morning a woman with cancer is speaking out about how she says the Trump administration's health cuts are stalling her treatment and risking her life.
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BOLDUAN: All right. You're looking live right there of Air Force One. It's landed in Doha, Qatar, the president's plane just landing and we're expecting him, obviously, with the door open and the staircase there. The president will be getting off and deplaning very soon to begin his second day and second stop of his three country tour of the Middle East landing in Qatar, you know, and defending all along the way his decision, he says to accept a $400 million gift of a new jet to be offered by the Qatari royal family.
We're going to be monitoring this and bringing you everything that is coming out from this trip, because there has been quite a bit. So, we're keeping a close eye on those live pictures from overseas.
And also here in the United States, here are some of the things that we learned this week about the U.S. economy. New data in showing inflation slowed this week to its lowest rate in more than four years. Also, egg prices are finally falling. The price of eggs fell 12.7 percent last month, the biggest monthly decline since 1984.
This is good news. But these good signs may also be signaling some warning signs of what is to come.
That's what CNN's Matt Egan has been looking into and here to explain. What are you seeing?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Kate, look, four-year low for inflation, that is definitely very good news. But it's also helpful to understand what is driving inflation lower. Now, some things are getting cheaper and it is encouraging to see this. So, you mentioned eggs, eggs dropping by 13 percent, the most since the 1980s. This reflects the fact that there's less bird flu out there, right? And this has helped to lower grocery prices, also used cars and clothes falling in price despite tariffs. We have to wait to see how long that lasts, but, again, this is all nice to see.
However, there's been some other price drops that are raising some eyebrows because they speak to weaker demand from consumers. For example, hotels and airfare falling in price, airfare for the third straight month, sports tickets falling by 12 percent between March and April, that's the most on record.
Now, this is notable, right, because it comes at a time when consumer confidence has been low. We've been looking for signs that maybe the consumer is starting to crack, that this consumer spending is under pressure and that this does sort of speak to that, that suggests that some places maybe have to lower their prices just to lure in customers.
I talked to RSM Chief Economist Joe Brusuelas, and he said, look, these are telltale signs of consumer stress. This is the never ending daily chaos, exacting a cost on the economy.
Now, other economists I talk to, they're less concerned, right? They say there could be other factors, there could be shifts in the calendar, and also they note that some really timely indicators, like restaurant reservations and jobless claims, they remain at healthy levels. But, clearly, Kate, this is something that we're going to have to monitor as we try to figure out just where this economy stands.
BOLDUAN: There're signs to watch, unclear what it all adds up, what picture it actually these puzzle pieces are going to put together for us. But that's what we need more time and more data. And, clearly, there will be -- add to that more uncertainty.
EGAN: Yes.
BOLDUAN: It's good to see you, Matt. Thank you so much.
Coming up for us, President Trump has just arrived in Qatar, as we mentioned, and appears laser-focused on defending his decision to accept that $400 million jet as a gift from the Qatari royal family, a move that would require said gift to be retrofitted to meet the specs of an Air Force One. How much could that cost American taxpayers?
And this morning airlines are meeting with the FAA to address the delays plaguing Newark Airport for three weeks now. We'll be right back.
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