Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Trump Extends Current Trade Deal With Mexico for 90 More Days; Witkoff, Huckabee Traveling to Gaza Tomorrow to Inspect Aid Delivery and Finalize Plan for More; Key Trade Deals Still Not Done as Trump's Deadline Looms; Trump Administration Official Denies Maxwell Clemency Currently on the Table. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired July 31, 2025 - 14:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:01:17]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": When is the deadline not a deadline? President Trump gave countries until midnight tonight to agree to a trade deal or face higher tariffs. But he's already backing down on that ultimatum for one of the country's biggest trading partners. And from the Hall of Fame to out of work, ESPN fires one of its biggest names, Shannon Sharpe. The former football star shown the door after he settles a sexual assault lawsuit. Now he's speaking out.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": There is a lot nowadays that'll make you anxious -- climate change, war, famine, artificial intelligence. And how about this? Radioactive wasps, a radioactive wasp nest found at a site being used to store nuclear waste. So we have that to look forward to. We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to "CNN News Central."

KEILAR: Mexico getting a last-minute reprieve. But right now, there are still major American trading partners staring down President Trump's tariff deadline with no agreements in place. At this point, only 11th-hour deals can be struck and hanging over it all is a battle in court over whether or not his tariffs were even legal. The president's emergency argument already being met with skepticism by the appeals court judges. Let's go to CNN's Jeff Zeleny.

All right, Jeff, where does the White House say negotiations are right now ahead of this tariff deadline?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, we've seen so many deadlines in the President's on again, off again tariff policy. But he says this August 1st deadline, which is an extension in and of itself, is going to hold firm except for Mexico. The president had a conversation this morning with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and because of the specific issues involving the border, and he believes that there's good cooperation at hand, the U.S. is going to allow Mexico more time, effectively 90 more days to make a deal. But in other instances, Canada in particular, more time is not going to be allowed. At least that's what the White House is saying. Just a short time ago, white House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, fielded this question about the tariff deadlines.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he looking to provide any more extensions today after his phone call with Mexico? Is there any other conversations like that?

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I do know that other foreign leaders around the world have reached out. And if you -- if the president decides to share the conclusions of those calls with all of you, he will do so himself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: So of all the instances of deals being made or not being made, one thing is different this time around. Countries actually are rushing to try and reach some type of a deal. We saw that earlier this week in the president's trip to Scotland. The European Union agreed to a 15 percent across the board deal, effectively ruling out a transatlantic trade war that could have started as early as tomorrow. So, we will see how all of these other deals are coming in place.

Meanwhile, the White House is also keeping a close eye on Gaza and saying for the first time that the Israeli Ambassador -- the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, of course, the former governor of Arkansas, as well as the Presidential Envoy, Steve Witkoff, will be visiting Gaza tomorrow, they said, providing more details on those -- on the USF food centers that President Trump has promised. So considerable interest on Gaza, of course, but it's the trade deals and the deadline is looming, the clock the White House says is ticking. Brianna?

KEILAR: All right, we'll be watching for that. Jeff Zeleny, thank you. Boris?

SANCHEZ: Let's discuss all the headlines and more with CNN's Smerconish -- the CNN Political Commentator, Michael Smerconish, the Host of "Smerconish," I should say.

[14:05:00]

Michael, great to see you as always. You take calls from Americans across the country every day. So, how are they feeling now about four months after Liberation Day?

Well, great to see you as always. You, you take calls from Americans across the country every day. So how are they feeling now about four months after Liberation Day?

MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND HOST OF "SMERCONISH": Well, I think some of them are surprised that the bottom hasn't fallen out, and Bill Maher made a comment in line with that a couple of days ago that kind of went viral. In other words, when we saw the tumble that first resulted in the market as a result of the president implementing these tariffs or announcing that he would do so, I think many feared what was coming for the economy. But on balance, when you take a look, you see interest rates are stable. It looks like inflation has been tamed. Unemployment still at about 4 percent, and the markets most importantly have been robust.

So, it kind of defies logic at one point. And as I'm evaluating what might happen in the court today, or when we find out the outcome of this decision that is an appeal from the Court of International trade, I'm not sure whether even that decision is going to upset the relative stability that the markets have shown.

SANCHEZ: There is stability in markets, but we keep hearing these prognostications that are all over the place, right? There's a lot of uncertainty out there. It's part of the reason that the Fed hasn't dropped interest rates the way that the president would like. And I think you're starting to see a reflection among voters that the economy is a question mark, at least among independent voters. We have this poll from Gallup that shows that 68 percent of independents disapprove of President Trump's handling of the economy.

I wonder if any of the uncertainty that lingers over the long-term view of the economy is hurting the president's brand as this deal maker, as we face this looming deadline for tariff deals.

SMERCONISH: I think that we give presidents too much credit and sometimes we give presidents too much blame. I know that if the spring trajectory of the market had continued, people would be largely blaming President Trump. I blamed President Trump when the market dipped because of the, as I say, tumult that seemed to surround the implementation of the tariffs. I feel like by right, when the market is now more robust, if I blamed him then, I think parity demands that I give him credit for where things are now.

I get your point about the instability and this legal decision that's looming over this entire process. Very simply stated, does the president have the authority to impose the tariffs that he has? I can only imagine what will come months down the road if it's determined that he doesn't, because then it's going to go to the Supreme Court of the United States and/or Congress ultimately to have to clean this up. And I don't know that if the Congress will be inclined to do so.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, you also have to wonder what it does to relationships with trading partners all over the world and the United States' credibility as well. I wanted to ask you about another persistent issue for the president that you've been outspoken about, and that is his previous ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex trafficker. You actually started your program last Saturday offering the president some free advice on this issue. You don't seem to like the way that Trump has handled this.

(LAUGH)

SMERCONISH: It mystifies me because if there's nothing illicit, if he has nothing to hide, let's give him the benefit of the doubt that this guy was a crumb and he was his friend, and that he ultimately distanced himself from it. And that's all there is. If that's the story, then I think he ought to be handling it different. He ought to own it. He ought to pretty much say what I just said, instead of trying to be at odds with whether Pam Bondi told him in May that his name appears in the files. Of course, his name appears in the files. It would be odd if his name didn't appear in the files given that they had a relationship.

And similarly, I have no doubt that there exists a leather bound book that was assembled by Ghislaine Maxwell with birthday greetings for Epstein. If Trump is in there and if he participated in it, he ought to say so and move beyond it. But to offer the blanket denial and then to file the lawsuit, I think only raises more questions that he'll now have to answer under oath.

SANCHEZ: Well, it, it seems like President Trump, with the help of some of his -- some of the folks in his administration, his Intel Chief, the FBI Director, some Congressional Republicans, they've been trying to pivot the conversation back into the Russia probe and the origins of theory of Russian collusion in the 2016 election with the Trump campaign. Does it seem to you that they are trying to replace one conspiracy with another by dangling some sort of red meat in front of their supporters?

SMERCONISH: Totally. And it becomes a game of whack-a-mole if you're going to chase every one of these different things that gets raised. Ultimately, in this case, I don't think it's going to work. This -- Boris, this seems different than any controversy and there have been so many that have arisen pertaining to President Trump or even when he was out of office, and he can't seem to get ahead of it.

[14:10:00]

And the best explanation, it's not my original thought, but the best explanation that I've seen as to why he's struggling with it is that he finds himself now on the wrong side of the populace and the elites. In the context of this debate and this dispute, he's on the side of the elites, and I think that the populace is sick and tired of seeing people in high places get away with bad conduct. And so, that's the risk that I think that he runs.

SANCHEZ: Michael Smerconish, always appreciate hearing your perspective. Thanks for sharing your afternoon with us.

SMERCONISH: Thank you, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Brianna?

KEILAR: Today, a senior Trump Administration official is telling CNN the president is not currently considering clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's convicted associate, saying "no leniency is being given or discussed." The family of Epstein accuser, Virginia Giuffre, is now responding after the president said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: He took people that work for me and I told him, don't do it anymore. And he did it. And I said, stay the hell out of here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, did one of those stolen persons, did that include Virginia Giuffre?

TRUMP: I don't know. I think she worked at the spa. I think so. I think that was one of the people. Yeah, he stole her. And by the way, she had no complaints about us, as you know, none whatsoever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Giuffre's family telling The Atlantic, "It makes us ask if he, meaning Trump, was aware of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal actions, especially given his statement two years later. They're talking about a quote that Trump gave to New York Magazine in 2002, two years after a then 16-year-old Virginia Giuffre was approached by Ghislaine Maxwell at the Mar-a-Lago spa about applying to a masseuse job with Epstein. That was in 2000. And that's what Trump's talking about when he says that Epstein "stole her" meaning Virginia Giuffre.

And this apparent stealing of employees is why Trump says he ended his relationship with Epstein. But here's the quote that Giuffre's family is pointing to, in 2002, Trump telling New York Magazine, Epstein is a terrific guy who likes women on the younger side. 2002 was also the year that Giuffre said she escaped Epstein's sex trafficking ring. In 2003, The Wall Street Journal reporting, Trump sent Epstein a lewd birthday card. Trump denies this.

Then in 2004 is when Trump had previously said he and Epstein had a falling out but over a property deal. In 2006, Epstein was indicted and it was national news. Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. We have defense and trial attorney Misty Marris with us now to talk more about this. So we lay out the timeline there, Misty, what questions do Trump's comments about Epstein stealing his Mar-a-Lago employees raise, considering what we just looked through there as those years? Go on.

MISTY MARRIS, DEFENSE AND TRIAL ATTORNEY: Well, of course, because there is -- the question really is, who knew what and when, and that's the critical question that everybody wants to know with regard to Epstein. And so when this timeline is laid out, and then you have that quote coupled with those other instances relating to their relationship, although nothing has been alleged, the question becomes, was anything known at the time? That is such a critical time period when it comes to Epstein.

And obviously, we know we've had whiplash from what's gone on publicly here, the DOJ saying nothing to see here, but no reason to even go into these files. Now, it's a Ghislaine Maxwell sitting down for nine hours with the Department of Justice. It begs the question, did anybody have additional information about Epstein or others who could have been involved? KEILAR: Yeah, and it's also the who ignored the obvious, right? Who downplayed certain behaviors to the point where they may have been normalized. That is one of the huge questions that has come out of this whole Epstein saga. And so, I guess, I would ask you, Misty, if someone is aware that a grown man, I mean, almost 50 at this point in time, we're talking about Jeffrey Epstein was in 2000, when Virginia Giuffre goes from the Mar-a-Lago spa to then, to his employ, illegal employ. She's 16-years-old. If someone is aware that something like that is happening, how might they proceed?

MARRIS: Absolutely. Well, there could have been, at the time, and maybe even connection with civil lawsuits, something about the willful disregard of that type of conduct.

[14:15:00]

From a legal perspective, there could have been liability based on those factors. And I think looking at that timeline, and then fast forwarding to 2008 when Epstein scores the sweetheart deal with Florida prosecutors, that's the subject of Ghislaine Maxwell's SCOTUS application, seeking to overturn her conviction. Obviously, those years are very critical and whatever was known during that time is going to be information that's pertinent to not only Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's cases, but to the extent that others were involved.

And Brianna, isn't that the point of this inquiry, right? That there's this large-scale human trafficking, sex trafficking ring that involves minors? Well, obviously, if there's a conspiracy, there's other conspirators, and who are they and what information do people have whether or not they're involved or just bystanders who have information that the federal government could use to bring charges. So obviously, this calls into question that time period specifically, which is the time period that was so critical with respect to Maxwell and Epstein and the cases against them.

KEILAR: Yeah, because from 2000 to 2005, when they are investigating, 2006, he's indicted, so many more victims, right? I do want to ask you, as you see, lawmakers looking for documents, people out there just demanding that DOJ release documents, DOJ is asking the grand jury documents, be released. Does any of that, would that speak to this timeline?

MARRIS: Well, so the grand jury documents, there's -- and the courts have denied the applications with respect to unsealing grand jury documents. And now, we learn that those grand jury documents weren't really going to contain much, which is not a surprise to me, because knowing the process, there's not going to be a whole heck of a lot of information outside of what we already saw in the indictment. So, that was never really a pathway to lead to "new information" that wasn't publicly available.

And right now, probably the most pertinent information lies in that nine-hour meeting that was held with the DOJ, which would be memorialized in what's called a 302 document, which is when the Department of Justice conducts an interview that's memorialized. I doubt that when that interview was conducted, that there -- the -- a lot of what was said wasn't already known because, remember, the DOJ has access to all of these records that the public does not.

So, is there an avenue where we learn more, maybe with respect to that record of the interview. If Ghislaine Maxwell were to testify before Congress, she's not going to do so unless she has immunity. No lawyer would let her do it unless she has immunity. And then, Brianna, there's a big question mark about credibility. Remember, she's spending 20 years behind bars. It would probably serve her to say whatever she needs to say if she was given immunity to get herself out of jail. And so, there's a lot of question marks about what could practically be found from any of these particular sources.

KEILAR: Yes, very, interesting, as you raise those questions, what could indeed be raised? Misty Marris, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

And when we come back, crowds and law enforcement lining the streets in the Bronx to honor the fallen NYPD officer who was killed during Monday's mass shooting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:23:32]

KEILAR: We are looking at live pictures out of New York, as a large crowd of mourners has gathered for a final farewell to slain NYPD Officer Didarul Islam. He was killed by a mass shooter inside a Park Avenue office building on Monday. Officer Islam's remains will be carried from a mosque in the tight-knit Bronx neighborhood where he lived to his final resting place. We have CNN's Omar Jimenez, who is on the path of the procession there in New York. And Omar, you have been monitoring this service, a very tough day for the department, a tough day for that community. Tell us about it.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I mean, look, on a number of levels, obviously this is a New York police officer. And so we have seen officers even in the pouring rain here, standing as this procession begins here. This is essentially a block away from the mosque where the funeral proceedings took place. And we are under essentially, what's going to be a flood threat here in New York, but that hasn't stopped what has been a continuous honoring. We've had moments of silence here.

Of course, throughout the funeral proceedings, we've heard from a number of different people from New York City Mayor Eric Adams to New York Governor Kathy Hochul to the Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch as well. But we've also heard from those close to the family. Just take a listen to some of what we heard over the course of the service.

[14:25:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WIFE OF DIDARUL ISLAM: To the city, he was a proud NYPD officer who served with compassion and integrity. He lived -- he lived to help others and he gave his life protecting them. Though my heart is broken, I find comfort knowing that his sacrifice may have saved others in that lobby, people who were able to go home to their families that day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: And again, Didarul Islam, 36-year-old, father of two, was on the force a little bit over three years. His wife now a widow, expecting a third child. And this was an immigrant from Bangladesh and there's a heavy Bangladesh population in this part of New York City. And just speaking with one of the residents earlier said that this was an officer that they've gotten to know pretty -- and see pretty frequently in the neighborhood, whether it was at coffee shops or in different parts of the area.

So, very much known again at the New York police level, but also at the community level. This also highlights the reality that we are going to see for those affected by the shooting. Yes, there are investigative steps that are playing out and they need to, but there are also families that are planning funerals. Obviously, we've been monitoring this one.

We saw one for Julia Hyman. She was the graduate from Cornell in 2020, working for the real estate firm that owned the building. She was killed in this. Her funeral was yesterday. Wesley LePatner, she was the Blackstone executive, along with Aland Etienne, security officer. Those that love them are now trying to figure out and process ways to move forward, a process that we've seen play out firsthand. And that is still ongoing.

We're expecting, again, this proceeding to go down that way. That's why you sort of see the officers lined up the way they are. This processional event, of course, go toward what we expect to be the officer's final resting place, as we have seen him flanked by those close to him, members of this community and of course, members of the New York Police Department.

KEILAR: A very touching moment there, Omar, as we are watching them carry his casket. Omar Jimenez, thank you so much for that live report. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)