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Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Escalates; Will Trump Pardon Ghislaine Maxwell?; Trump in Europe. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired July 28, 2025 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:00]

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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Touting trade deals. President Trump claiming credit for a new deal on tariffs with the European Union, but, as we watched moments ago with the president visiting European leaders, the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are dominating his trip abroad.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And that includes a new deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Trump now says Moscow has just 10 to 12 days to reach a cease-fire deal with Kyiv.

And there's the controversy that he still can't get away from, the fallout from the Epstein files and new questions dogging the president over whether he might pardon Epstein's associate, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SANCHEZ: Thank you so much for sharing your afternoon with us. I'm Boris Sanchez, alongside Brianna Keilar, in the nation's capital.

And we begin this hour with breaking news, President Donald Trump on the world stage touting a major victory while also facing urgent crises that threaten to overshadow that achievement. The president meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer today after the U.S. announced a significant trade agreement with the European Union.

But much of their talk, as Trump himself acknowledged, focused on the humanitarian emergency in Gaza. The World Health Organization says malnutrition-related deaths are spiking there this month, 63 reported in July alone. And yet, speaking about the enclave on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued there was no starvation.

Trump today notably breaking with Netanyahu, offering direct U.S. support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So we're going to set up food centers and -- where the people can walk in and no boundaries. We're also going to make sure that they don't have barriers stopping people. You have seen the areas where they actually have food, and the people are screaming for the food in there.

We can save a lot of people. I mean, some of those kids are -- that's real starvation stuff. I see it. And you can't fake that. So we're going to be even more involved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: President Trump is also shortening the deadline for Russia to reach an agreement with Ukraine, citing a lack of progress as fighting there intensifies yet again.

But he's also facing significant political fallout back home, because the president is once again choosing not to rule out a possible pardon for convicted sex trafficker and Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny is covering the president's trip in Scotland.

And, Jeff, talks there quickly turning to the situation in Gaza, as we noted. What more are you hearing?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, the crisis in Gaza was the first order of business between the British prime minister and the American president when they met. In fact, that was the central reason for the prime minister coming to visit the president on what otherwise has been a mix of golfing, as well as diplomatic work here.

But it was the idea of the British prime minister sort of applying some pressure to the American president, Donald Trump, to put some pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to think harder about what is happening in Gaza and work toward a cease-fire, but the president acknowledging those images that we have all seen around the world of starvation of the children, really a direct contradiction to what Netanyahu claimed over the weekend, that there was no starvation.

So that perhaps was the biggest goal of all for European leaders, particularly British prime minister Keir Starmer, to get the American president on one page, on his side, and vowing to open food centers to try and alleviate some of the pain and suffering there.

Of course, it's very much an open question. The president talked through how difficult it has been to get food on the ground where it is needed there, but certainly him acknowledging that is one step closer toward perhaps a policy change.

SANCHEZ: And, Jeff, the president also made a major announcement about the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. He talked about shortening that 50-day window that he's given Putin to agree to a cease-fire. What more is the president saying?

ZELENY: Boris, the frustration was clear in President Trump's voice there as he spoke about really his relationship with Vladimir Putin that has just unraveled.

Of course, the relationship from the Trump side has always seemed more friendly and more favorable, but clearly growing frustrated with the ongoing bombing campaign. So President Trump made clear he's running out of time, and there's a new deadline for Putin.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm going to make a new deadline of about 10 -- 10 or 12 days from today. There's no reason in waiting. There's no reason in waiting. It's 50 days. I want to be generous, but we just don't see any progress being made.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: So, initially, a 50-day deadline was mentioned by the president back two weeks ago today on July 14. That would have extended into early September. Now it is just 10 or 12 more days before President Trump said he is going to impose new sanctions and secondary sanctions and tariffs as well.

That is on countries and companies that do business with those already being sanctioned in Russia. So, that could be a significant change in policy as well. But just hearing President Trump talk about his relationship with Vladimir Putin, he said he was disappointed over and over.

Of course, he ran for reelection on the promise that he has these relationships with leaders around the world and could end that conflict initially. Of course, it's been anything but that now more than six months into this administration -- Boris and Brianna.

KEILAR: Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much for the report from Edinburgh for us. We appreciate it.

So, the president's meeting in Scotland is happening after this U.S. and European Union deal that was reached, Trump calling it the biggest deal ever made. The two sides agree on the framework for a trade deal that would see most E.U. imports to the U.S. tariffed at 15 percent.

And at the same time, Chinese and U.S. officials are trying to hammer out their own deal at a meeting in Stockholm as an upcoming deadline is nearing.

SANCHEZ: Let's bring down the details with CNN's Matt Egan, who joins us now live.

Matt, what's been the reaction to this new trade agreement between the U.S. and the E.U.?

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Boris and Brianna, I think the reaction on Wall Street has been one of relief. Investors are relieved that a potentially disastrous transatlantic trade war has been averted here.

And they're also relieved that there's a bit more clarity on tariffs, although that's a pretty relative term. But I do think that's why we have seen the S&P 500 on track for its sixth record gain in a row. And the Dow is down a few points right now, but it's still flirting with all-time highs. This will be the first record close for the Dow since last December if it could gain about another 120 points or so.

Now, there's still a lot of details here about this trade framework that are murky, right? This is not a legally binding agreement. So that does mean that some of this can change. But one thing we do know is the tariff rate. The U.S. tariff on E.U. imports, according to this trade framework, will be 15 percent.

And that is significantly lower than the 30 percent rate that the president said would kick in on Friday if there was no agreement. But I think as that chart shows, those two left bars show that the 15 percent, that is higher than the current tariff rate of 10 percent on the E.U., and it is way higher than the 1.2 percent average rate from the U.S. last year.

So let's make no mistake this is not a cut to tariffs. This is an increase. And there's a lot at stake here. The E.U. is the biggest source of imports into the United States. The U.S. bought more than $600 billion of goods last year alone from the E.U., everything from pharmaceuticals and cars to car parts, aircraft, machinery, and alcohol.

And, listen, economists, trade experts, they tell me that, at the end of the day, these higher tariffs, they're not going to be paid by Europeans. They're paid mostly by Americans, right? Mary Lovely, she's a trade expert over at the Peterson Institute. She told me that U.S. businesses and consumers still remain the biggest losers from these deals.

Now, the White House is holding up this trade agreement as a win, a win for manufacturers, for farmers and fishermen in the United States, because it calls for a zero percent tariff on U.S. exports to the E.U. Of course, that's also a win for European consumers, who can buy U.S. goods with no tariff at all.

The White House is also pleased that the E.U. has agreed to look at cutting some red tape here as well. But, listen, I think, at the end of the day, this is another example of a trade agreement that cements in place higher tariffs, not lower. It's just a question going forward whether or not all of these higher tariffs are going to really impact consumers in the form of higher prices.

The White House does not think they will. A lot of the economists I'm in touch with, they say that prices will go up on imports.

SANCHEZ: Yes, will they be inflationary, the big question.

Matt Egan, thanks so much for the update.

[13:10:00]

Breaking news into CNN, attorneys for Ghislaine Maxwell made a final pitch to the Supreme Court. They're asking justices to overturn her 2021 conviction for conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse young girls, saying it violates an agreement that Epstein made back in 2008 that shielded any co-conspirators from prosecution.

The Justice Department wants the High Court to reject her appeal, but Maxwell's attorney said this in a statement -- quote -- "We're appealing not only to the Supreme Court, but to the president himself, to recognize how profoundly unjust it is to scapegoat Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein's crimes, especially when the government promised she would not be prosecuted" -- end quote.

Meantime, a source tells CNN that Maxwell received limited immunity to talk with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about the Epstein files last week. Those discussions were not mentioned in today's filing.

Now, this morning, President Trump said that he is not ruling out a pardon for Maxwell, saying that he just hasn't been approached. Here's more from the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, I'm allowed to give her a pardon, but nobody's approached me with it. Nobody's asked me about it. It's in the news about that, that aspect of it. But, right now, it would be inappropriate to talk about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Let's get some perspective on all these developments with retired New York Supreme Court Judge Diane Kiesel.

Judge, thanks so much for being with us.

So, Maxwell asking the Supreme Court to review her conviction, are you anticipating that justices will take up this appeal?

DIANE KIESEL, FORMER NEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: Hard to say.

It's really a very simple issue. But Ghislaine Maxwell says that the government has promised that future co-conspirators would not be prosecuted. Depends on your definition of government, actually, because there are 93 United States attorneys in this country. Only one, Mr. Acosta in the Southern District of Florida, signed off on this agreement.

And the question becomes whether that binds the United States attorney in the Southern District. The Justice Department for years has said it does not. The Second Circuit, which is the circuit in which Ms. Maxwell was tried, says it does not, as does the circuit, which is the Midwest.

In the brief to the Supreme Court, Maxwell's lawyers indicate, well, there is some split in the circuits, and certainly the Supreme Court can elect to adjudicate when there is a split in the circuit. The question becomes, is this enough of one? Is this a big enough case that they would want to do that?

SANCHEZ: So there are two avenues that her attorneys are pursuing. It's not just this filing before the Supreme Court. It's also, in their statement, this direct appeal to President Trump for what they view as justice.

Her attorney is suggesting that she should receive a pardon, perhaps, with Trump saying that he has the power to do so, but he hasn't been approached about it. I wonder, what, if anything, in your eyes might justify a pardon for her?

KIESEL: Well, let's remember what she was convicted of. She was not convicted of assisting Jeffrey Epstein in procuring, if you will, women.

These were children. These were girls. This is the sex trafficking of children. Yes, Donald Trump is correct. Legally, he can give her a pardon if he wants. I think it's playing with dynamite, particularly since it's his base that ignited this latest firestorm about a lack of disclosure in the whole Epstein debacle, right?

So I think it would be a difficult move for him to make. It doesn't mean he wouldn't make it. Also quite interesting is the fact that, while he may be considering a pardon, his Department of Justice has filed a response to Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers, saying that her prosecution was perfectly justifiable under the law. Very interesting.

SANCHEZ: Yes. On Friday, we should also note that she was given limited immunity to talk to the deputy A.G. A source described that immunity as standard. Why would she need immunity at this point to take part in that interview?

KIESEL: Well, because she's still -- she's got an appeal pending, right? In addition, someday, if she doesn't get pardon, she will be up for parole and she wants to be sure that whatever she may say will not be used against her.

That's pretty standard. The interesting question here, though, is, Todd Blanche is the one speaking to Ms. Maxwell and her lawyers. What role is he playing right now? Is he the president's former lawyer, or is he representing the United States of America as a high-ranking official in the Department of Justice?

[13:15:13]

It's all a big question mark, isn't it?

SANCHEZ: Judge Diane Kiesel, thank you so much for your perspective.

KIESEL: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Brianna.

KEILAR: We're following some breaking news out of Reno, Nevada, where investigators say there was a police-involved shooting at a casino -- a casino and resort, multiple injuries reported here. The victims' conditions are unknown at this time, but police say that an adult male suspect was in custody and had also been hospitalized. His condition as well as unknown. The Reno Police Department is warning residents to stay out of the

area. We are going to stay on top of this. We will bring you any developments as they become available.

And still ahead, we're going to take you to Ukraine to get the latest reaction to President Trump shortening the deadline that he's given Russia to end its war there.

SANCHEZ: Plus, much more on the president breaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying there is real starvation in Gaza. What this could mean for the U.S.' role when it comes to the dire situation in the enclave.

And police in Michigan still searching for a motive after 11 people were injured during a stabbing attack at a local Walmart. What we're learning about the suspect and the brave bystanders who helped to stop him.

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KEILAR: Top Ukrainian officials are praising President Trump's new ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin today. He was pushing up this deadline for Moscow to agree to a cease-fire with Ukraine, now insisting on one in 10 to 12 days.

Earlier this month, Trump gave Putin 50 days to reach a truce.

SANCHEZ: Now a top aide to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Trump is -- quote -- "standing firm and delivering a clear message of peace through strength. When America leads with strength, others think twice."

Let's go live to Eastern Ukraine with CNN's Nick Paton Walsh.

Nick, I imagine it's being received well there, this -- Trump's new demand of Putin.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think in terms of how it heightens the pressure on Moscow to engage in meaningful diplomacy and probably puts this issue higher on the radar for many in the world community and possibly in the White House too in the weeks ahead.

But does it really change anything here on the ground immediately? Absolutely not. And, in fact, that 10-to-12 day deadline, you might argue, is an exceptionally short window to achieve the kind of meaningful peace deal or cease-fire that Putin has ignored, frankly, for the last six months of bids by this White House to get some kind of peace deal together.

Also, remember too, Boris, that the sanctions potentially that follow if Putin doesn't go along with this particular deal are not entirely aimed at Russia. They are secondary sanctions or tariffs that will ultimately end up imposing some kind of penalty on China and India for buying Russian energy products.

Now, that will also damage the global energy market, probably raise energy prices for American consumers too. China, a key Russian ally, utterly dependent on Russian energy, India, a key U.S. ally also dependent on Russian energy, and ultimately allowed to buy it through lots of complex mechanisms to keep the global oil price down.

So if Trump does impose the secondary sanctions, because, frankly, so far I don't think many people believe Putin's going to magically find a cease-fire deal in the next two weeks, then this will be of huge consequence and arguably a more strident step than his predecessor, Joe Biden, indeed took.

But there is a change here, of course, because the window that Trump originally gave of 50 days essentially (AUDIO GAP) almost the entire fighting season of the summer to continue its summer offensive. What this does is mean there's now two weeks until an intense, important diplomatic decision by the United States, which may begin to change Moscow's calculus.

It might indeed end up with Beijing pressuring Russia to come to some kind of deal. But be in no doubt at all. Russia is seeing significant progress along the front lines. And I know we keep talking about incremental, tiny changes at huge cost to Russian soldiers because they keep hitting places again and again regardless of how many troops they lose.

What we have been seeing, though, over the past few days and hearing from officials is three key points on the eastern front line in real trouble. The town of Pokrovsk that Russia's fought for, for months may soon, some say, be in their hands, in a matter of weeks, possibly days, possibly even before this deadline, even expands.

Lots of speculation about how long the Ukrainians can hold out. To the far north, Kupiansk seeing the Russians move round to the north of that very fast. And we were just in Kostyantynivka, which too is seeing the situation change rapidly, advances on two separate fronts there by the Russians that have changed the picture and how close they are in simply a matter of days.

So this new deadline speeds up the urgency of the need for peace. Does it really change, though, what Moscow is going to do when it seems to be winning and winning in ways that really change its position across the front line? Huge doubts about that -- Boris.

KEILAR: Nick Paton Walsh, thank you so much for that report from Eastern Ukraine.

And we're going to turn now to the Israel-Hamas war, President Trump making a critical fact-check of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over whether people in Gaza are starving. The president said -- quote -- "That's real starvation stuff, and you can't fake that," contradicting what Netanyahu said yesterday.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Israel is presented as though we are applying a campaign of starvation in Gaza. What a bold- faced lie. There is no policy of starvation in Gaza and there is no starvation in Gaza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: With us now is Arwa Damon, the founder and president of the International Network for Aid Relief and Assistance, also known as INARA. She has visited Gaza at least four times since the October 7 terror attack in Israel. So far, she's been barred from visiting this year.

And she tweeted this video that we're watching right now from her team in Gaza earlier this month. It shows twin babies who are suffering from rashes as their family is struggling to find safe formula for them.

And, Arwa, you are, of course, my former colleague as well. And I thank you for taking the time for us today at such a critical time.

You heard what Trump said and what Netanyahu said. What are you hearing about what's happening on the ground?

ARWA DAMON, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR AID, RELIEF AND ASSISTANCE: Look, what's happening on the ground for those of us in the humanitarian sector, for those of us who are listening to our colleagues, be it Palestinian colleagues or those who are traveling in from outside, working at the hospitals, working tirelessly on the ground, the message has consistently and constantly always been the same.

Starvation is happening in Gaza. We are seeing an increasing number of children dying due to malnutrition. And food is not getting into Gaza and most certainly is not getting into the hands of the Palestinian population there.

Look, it's not the first time that Israel or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself have come out and said something that is in complete contradiction to what we're seeing with our very own eyes.

In fact, Israel has long maintained that, for example, Hamas is stealing the aid and that is why they had to set up this alternative aid distribution mechanism, these four hubs that were established by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that has absolutely no recognizable humanitarian standard, when, at the same time, the European Commission spokeswoman just a few weeks ago came out and said that they have no evidence that Hamas is conducting large-scale stealing of the aid.

And, in fact, a recent U.S. government report stated the same as well. For those of us who are working in Gaza, who have organizations, who have staff on the ground, we're constantly getting messages from our colleagues that are heartbreaking because it's a single sentence: "I'm hungry. I'm sorry. It's very hard for me to get up and go to work today, but I'm going anyways," not to mention how difficult it is for us to get assistance to those that we're either trying to distribute to or those who are showing up, in the case of my organization, for example, at our medical clinic.

It's very clear for us right now that one thing and one thing only has to happen. And that is that the borders need to open, our aid trucks need to be allowed through and we need to be allowed to do our jobs.

KEILAR: Yes, we have heard that time and again from NGOs and nonprofits. The helpers are at risk now, which is incredibly alarming.

Talk to us, Arwa, about what you think this should look like, because Israel announced this tactical pause on Sunday. Jordan was airdropping supplies. That's very controversial and a lot of people look at that and they say, it's not enough. You have Trump talking about U.S. setting up food centers in Gaza. You would expect that would take some time, right?

So talk to us about what this should look like, how nonprofits and NGOs should be involved and how to do this in a way to create a number of sites that are safe for Palestinians to get the aid they need.

DAMON: Well, look, Brianna, this is a case of, it doesn't make sense, because why would you want to reinvent the wheel when it's already been established?

During the cease-fire, humanitarian organizations were highly effective at getting aid to the people when the trucks were being let in. Look, the United Nations plus other organizations have more than 400 aid distribution points across all of Gaza. We know how to do our job.

We don't need the U.S. to set up extra hubs, nor is it entirely clear at this point if what President Trump is talking about is the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is being backed by the U.S. and Israel and again has proven to be much more of a death trap than anything that resembles humanitarian assistance.

More than 1,000 Gazans have died just trying to get aid from these four sites that have been set up with the expectation that somehow 2.2 million starving people are going to be able to access them and get the food that they need.

The Israeli publication "Haaretz" recently published a piece where it's quoting IDF soldiers and contractors talking about how they have been ordered to shoot at will at people trying to get aid from these locations. So, the point is that the system already exists. The system has been proven. We, as humanitarians, just need Israel allow us to implement the system that already exists.

The World Food Program alone has enough food either in the region or en route to the region to feed more than two million people for three months.

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