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CNN International: Trump Preps for Debate Against Biden; Biden Focusing on Substance and Stamina During Debate Prep; U.S. Reporter Evan Gershkovich's Trial in Russia Underway; Assange Headed to Australia After Plea Deal with U.S.; Police Kill at Least Five People in Finance Bill Protests in Kenya. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired June 26, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump should be focused on three key issues. One of them being the economy and inflation, also immigration, crime. They are trying to convince Donald Trump to stay on message.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope that the fact that we've been able to free Julian Assange today against all the odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to all journalists and publishers who are imprisoned around the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iranians are gearing up to elect a new head of government. While this country will be getting a new president, one thing that's unlikely to change is Iran's foreign policy.

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ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Max Foster. It is Wednesday, June the 26th, 9 a.m. here in London, 4 a.m. in Atlanta, where CNN will host the first U.S. presidential debate of the 2024 election between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Thursday in our Atlanta studio.

Mr. Biden and his team are preparing, busy preparing at Camp David, a source tells CNN they're holding mock debates of varying lengths and focusing on both the substance and the stamina he'll need for the rematch against Trump. We've heard a lot about Biden's debate preps, but not so much about Trump's until now.

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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think I've been preparing for it for my whole life if you want to know the truth. And I'm not sure you can lock yourself into a room for two weeks or one week or two days and really learn what you have to know. I think we'll do very well. We've done well in the past, and I think we'll do very well. I know the subject matter, but I don't think, Corey, you can just lock yourself in a room like some people do and think you're going to come out OK. It doesn't seem to work that way.

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FOSTER: We've also been hearing about what Trump needs to do to prepare for the debate.

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MARC CAPUTO, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, THE BULWARK: So we have a little sense of the things that he's interested in talking about or preparing to talk about. One of them is abortion. Foreign policy is another. Immigration, obviously another and trade. So what he does and how he responds to some of these other questions, like it's going to be in Georgia, so he's probably going to be asked about whether he won Georgia or not. Obviously, he didn't. We don't know how he's going to respond, but I'm sure that they're expecting that question to be asked.

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FOSTER: Well, we'll hear more from CNN's Kristen Holmes, who is covering the Trump campaign in Florida. But first, CNN's MJ Lee has this report on what Biden is focusing on as he prepares at Camp David.

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MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Even though domestic issues are really top of mind for the Biden team, I'm told by a source that the debate prep sessions at Camp David have also focused on foreign policy, with Jake Sullivan, the president's national security adviser, taking the lead on those discussions. As the president is prepared for the possibility of foreign policy issues coming up. One campaign official telling me that when it comes to foreign policy, the contrast that President Biden will try to draw against Donald Trump really could not be more stark. This is what the official said.

They said: President Biden stands up to dictators and defends freedom. Trump is a loser who is too dangerous and reckless to ever be anywhere close to the Oval Office again.

Now, one famous line from Donald Trump that one source had said could come up on Thursday night is his claim that he would be a dictator on day one.

And we should note that one challenge, a potential challenge for the Biden team as they are preparing to go up against Donald Trump on foreign policy issues, is that his positions are not entirely clear or sometimes murky and ambiguous, including on the conflict in Gaza. He hasn't actually said much about that situation. On Ukraine, he has previously said that if he had been president, Vladimir Putin wouldn't have invaded and he would have been able to resolve the conflict in one day without actually elaborating on how. Now, CNN has also learned that mock debates at Camp David has also started. We know that President Biden is using a podium as a prop, and we know that other aides are filling in and standing in for Donald Trump and Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, the moderators on Thursday night. And all of this, of course, is trying to replicate the experience that President Biden could have on Thursday night. It is testing him on substance and stamina as well.

MJ Lee, CNN at the White House.

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KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In a call with reporters on Tuesday, Donald Trump's team, his senior advisers, sought to really temper expectations around Thursday's debate after months of saying that President Joe Biden was incompetent, that he couldn't string a sentence together. They were singing quite a different tune, saying that he had shown himself to be a good debater, saying that they thought he could show up on Thursday.

Now, when it comes to Donald Trump's own preparations, we are told that his allies and advisers have really sought to hone in that Donald Trump should be focused on three key issues, one of them being the economy and inflation, also immigration, crime. These are all issues that, according to recent polling, show Donald Trump leads Joe Biden on. They know that they are going or they expect that they are going to get questions on abortion, on democracy, particularly on the insurrection on January 6th.

They are trying to convince Donald Trump to stay on message, particularly those three topics, and continue to pivot back to that no matter what the moderators ask. They think this is a winning strategy.

Now, Donald Trump, when talking about preparation, actually got fairly candid for the former president, saying this about his preparation.

Saying: It's very hard to prepare. You've got to know this stuff from years of doing it. And I know all the leaders, and I know what I know. I think debating is an attitude more than anything else.

But when it comes to his attitude, that's something that he has clearly reflected on. He also said in the same interview that he believed he interrupted Joe Biden too much in 2020, something that we have been told also by allies and advisers who have revisited those 2020 debates between Biden and Trump as they are gearing up for Thursday.

Now, dependent on what happens on Thursday, that's all going to be who shows up or what version of Donald Trump shows up. While his advisers are hoping that he get this focused on message Donald Trump, they know that anything is possible.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

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FOSTER: The CNN U.S. presidential debate is tomorrow night. You can watch it live, 9 p.m. Eastern in the U.S., 9 a.m. Friday in Hong Kong, 2 a.m. here in London.

The trial of U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich is underway in Russia. The Wall Street Journal reporter accused of espionage, a charge that he denies. The U.S. government says he's wrongfully detained. No media, family, the U.S. embassy personnel are being allowed into the court for the closed door proceedings.

Clare Sebastian has reported extensively on Russia, joins me now. Do we understand the charges against him? And can you explain why he doesn't have any of his people in the room?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So it's a closed hearing. It's happening behind closed doors. That is justified in Russia because of the charges, which are espionage.

So, allegedly, you know, state secrets could emerge as part of this trial. But this is not an independent judiciary, so, essentially, they can close the doors whenever they want. That is an important part of the backdrop.

As for the charges, the judge approved the indictment about 10 days ago. They said that the FSB has proof that he was acting on instructions from the CIA when he tried to obtain secrets about a major Russian tank factory. And that was in the region where he is currently facing trial.

Obviously, the Wall Street Journal has strenuously denied it. I want to read you a portion from the editor-in-chief in an op-ed this week, Emma Tucker.

She said: the trial, it will be held in secret. No evidence has been unveiled. And we already know the conclusion. This bogus accusation of espionage will inevitably lead to a bogus conviction for an innocent man who would then face up to 20 years in prison for simply doing his job.

So, you know, these are very serious charges against him. The maximum sentence is 20 years. Russia is a country where really less than 1 percent of criminal trials end in acquittal.

And as I said, closed doors. So we're going to have to read the tea leaves, the length of the trial, the eventual sentence, assuming that he's not acquitted, as to how Russia feels politically about this and how urgent they feel it is to advance beyond this legal process to potential diplomatic negotiations.

FOSTER: If they do convict him, it gives them a bargaining chip, Russia, doesn't it? I mean, without reading too much into the motivation behind this trial, ultimately that is the case, isn't it? And they've used bargaining chips in the past, particularly with the U.S.

SEBASTIAN: Yes, and look, he was a bargaining chip before the trial. But I think this is a way in Russia to sort of lend an air of legitimacy to this. And obviously, the more serious crime they convict him of, the higher value he is essentially in a potential trade.

There's been, you know, open talk of it. President Putin said in his interview in February with Tucker Carlson, you know, there's no taboo around this. We're looking for a way to solve it. And then he specifically, without naming him, but alluded to an individual, Vadim Krasikov, who is a convicted murderer held in a prison in Germany at this point.

FOSTER: By the Germans.

SEBASTIAN: By the Germans, right. And I think that complicates this, right? Because while Russia has been able to build up this collection of Americans in custody, the U.S. doesn't have the same. So they may end up having to rely on third countries to negotiate a swap. And that complicates even further. In terms of a verdict, it could take several months.

In the case of Paul Whelan, who is the last American to be tried on espionage charges, it took almost three months for the trial.

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FOSTER: He looks well, doesn't he, in when the cameras are allowed to see him after all of this time? Because the cameras, I believe, were allowed in before the hearing started.

SEBASTIAN: Very brief sort of press call right before. And you can see him. He's in, this is what Russians affectionately refer to as the aquarium, in these courtrooms.

He looks calm, collected. There was even a smile and a wave. He may know one or two of the photographers or media people there in this relatively small circle of foreign reporters in Russia.

But he has had his head shaved, which is different. And of course, all of this shows pretty impressive resilience after what we know to be very difficult conditions that he's faced in Moscow's Lefortovo prison for the last 15 months.

FOSTER: OK, Clare, thank you. We'll keep everyone updated on that.

We could hear from Julian Assange for the first time since he became a free man earlier today in the Northern Mariana Islands.

The WikiLeaks founder is on board a flight to Australia, where a press conference is scheduled in about three hours' time. Assange pleaded guilty to a single espionage-related charge for publishing leaked U.S. military documents and diplomatic cables starting in 2010. The U.S. judge sentenced him to 62 months, equal to the time he's already served in a London prison. Let's bring in journalist Alex Thomas following developments live from Canberra. Hi, Alex. How do you expect the day to play out? Will we hear from Assange himself?

ALEX THOMAS, JOURNALIST: Max, in just over an hour's time, Julian Assange is going to land here at Canberra Airport as a free man back on his home soil here in Australia for the first time in well over a decade after a huge ordeal involving seven years of self- incarceration, if you like, as he claimed political amnesty in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, and then five years in Belmarsh prison when that came to an end. And he was battling against the extradition process to the United States.

It won't exactly be a hero's welcome. We haven't seen crowds of well- wishers gathering here at the airport to welcome him back, although his father certainly will be here to welcome him back, and he can't wait to see his wife and two young children as well.

But certainly at the very highest levels of Australian government, there is a feeling that this has gone on long enough. The prime minister himself, Anthony Albanese, has played a central role in securing Assange's release, which came as something of a surprise when it was declared that he'd made a plea deal with the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this week.

And this is what Anthony Albanese had to say in Parliament here in Australia a little bit earlier.

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ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: Now, regardless of your views about his activities, and they will be buried, Mr. Assange's case is dragged on for too long. I've said repeatedly that there was nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration. And I am pleased that he is on his way home to Australia to reunite with his family here.

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THOMAS: Julian Assange is still someone, Max, who divides opinion. Even here in Australia, there have been some political opponents of his, saying that he still did something wrong and that him fighting extradition for so long is what increased his traumatic experience over these many years. But we're going to hear what Julian Assange himself has to say and thinks about it all, as you say, in just over three hours' time, when he holds a press conference after landing here, here in Canberra, which is the capital of Australia and the home of all its politics as well.

So no surprise, perhaps, that he chose to come here rather than Melbourne, say, where he spent many of his teenage years growing up, although he's from Townsville in Queensland, away from the politics, as I say. He's certainly keen to resume family life. He met his wife while he was still imprisoned, if you like, and had his two sons all the time while not a free man and fighting this legal process -- Max. FOSTER: A lot of his defenders are saying this is a trial for journalism, because if he'd gone to the U.S. and faced all these espionage charges, it would have set a dangerous precedent for journalism. But there is a precedent here, isn't there, because he's pleaded guilty to an espionage related charge. Do we know the nature of that and what impact that would have, actually?

THOMAS: Yes, I mean, there were several counts he was initially charged with when the indictment came down during the Trump administration in 2018. But he eventually reached this deal to plead guilty to one count. And when the judge in Saipan earlier dealt with his case, it only took a few hours.

They agreed that the sentence could be time already served in Belmarsh Prison in London. She did say, the judge, that if she'd been dealing with this case back in 2012, when legal proceedings were first undertaken, that maybe she'd have had a very different view when it was still fresh, those leaked documents, the hundreds of thousands of leaked documents on WikiLeaks.

Yes, those who are his supporters say that Assange is a journalist and published that information, that the world had a right to know the way any newspaper did.

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And of course, many newspapers around the world did subsequently publish the same claims, although many would argue they were redacted more than the just blanket approach that WikiLeaks took. Others say that Assange is not a journalist at all, was doing it for his own fame and publicity.

So I think the debate will continue. It will be interesting to hear what the man himself has to say. But certainly even the judge themselves admitted that no harm was done to any single individual.

And that's the U.S. Department of Justice also said that that is an end to all legal proceedings now. It is done. It is over. Assange is free.

FOSTER: Alex Thomas in Canberra. Thank you.

Democratic voters in New York have made their decision in the most expensive House primary on record. CNN projects George Latimer will defeat incumbent Jamal Bowman in the 16th congressional district. The 70 year old Westchester County executive entered the race at the urging of pro Israel groups. He spoke with CNN about his victory.

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GEORGE LATIMER, U.S. DEMOCRATIC HOUSE CANDIDATE: When you lose touch with your district, when you're not on the ground enough and when you're more concerned about your national profile that you're on, you know, the major media outlets, but you're not in the neighborhoods that you need to be in all the neighborhoods you need to be in, then you lose the focus and you lose support in your district. (END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Bowman, a member of the progressive squad, has been a vocal opponent of Israel's war in Gaza. He says his opponent may have won this round, but his battle for justice and humanity will continue.

Authorities in southern Minnesota say an aging dam is still standing after heavy rains drenched the U.S. Midwest. Flooding on the Blue Earth River caused part of the dam to fail on Monday, and officials say the dam remains in imminent failure condition. You can see the flooding near the dam is also threatening a family home there. Officials say there are no plans for mass evacuations just yet though.

Still to come, a deadly crackdown in the Kenyan capital. We're live with the latest on the anti-government protests.

And the tit for tat balloon battle on the Korean peninsula escalating. CNN meets a South Korean activist who's putting a high tech spin on that feud.

And later, pomp and pageantry on display at Buckingham Palace as King Charles welcomes the Japanese royal couple.

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FOSTER: These were the scenes, would you believe, inside Kenya's parliament. On Tuesday, crowds storming the government offices, trashing and setting fire to parliament, Nairobi City Hall, also the governor's office. They've been protesting against a controversial finance bill approved by lawmakers for more than a week. Now it would increase taxes.

Tuesday's protest devolved into chaos, with Kenyan police shooting and killing at least five people, with dozens more injured. CNN teams witnessed police beating and arresting paramedics who tried to help the protesters. The events have made some of them even more determined.

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KENNEDY SANKARA, PROTESTER: They are here brutalizing innocent citizens who are unarmed, who are only speaking, because the president has successfully captured parliament. He has successfully captured the judiciary. The only surviving sovereign power is the people.

Now he's trying to brutalize us. We will demonstrate you can't kill all of us. You can't abduct all of us.

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FOSTER: CNN's Victoria Rubadiri joins us live from Nairobi. Obviously, extraordinary scenes yesterday, and the protesters really suffered as a result, didn't they? Larry was reporting amidst those big crowds and the shooting. But has it put them off? Will they be out again today? VICTORIA RUBADIRI, CNN REPORTER: Well, Max, we are monitoring the situation right now. Things appear to be relatively calm. We're right now next to one of the key government installations that was attacked yesterday.

That's the Supreme Court of Kenya. Lots of broken glass, stones and other debris that's now being cleaned up in a massive clean-up exercise. Of course, the president was extremely resolute and stern when he talked about protecting lives and property.

He called out the criminal elements that infiltrated the demonstrations that happened yesterday. Here's a bit of what he had to say yesterday.

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WILLIAM RUTO, KENYAN PRESIDENT: I hereby put on notice the planners, financials, orchestrators and arbiters of violence and anarchy that the security infrastructure established to protect our republic and its sovereignty will be deployed to secure the country and restore normalcy.

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RUBADIRI: Well, normalcy is what they're trying to get to, Max. But let me just show you a quick picture of what's behind me. Heavy police presence. This police truck actually wasn't here about two hours ago.

We were able to go past and through that road that heads to the parliament buildings. That now has since been closed off. They're possibly anticipating some more activity if things do escalate a bit later on in the day.

This continues the seven days of rage that was declared by the protesters as they call for justice for one of the individuals that was killed during last Thursday's protest. And they're calling on the police to take action.

FOSTER: Victoria Rubadiri in Nairobi. Appreciate it. Back with you on any updates on that.

Now the current U.S. president and a former president will go head-to- head in their first debate this year. We saw them in a face-off four years ago, of course, but a lot has changed since then. Details on that just ahead.

Plus, Iran is gearing up for its presidential election later this week. Coming up, we'll hear what issues voters are most concerned about in a live report from Tehran.

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FOSTER: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. Here are today's top stories.

In less than 48 hours, U.S. President Joe Biden and Donald Trump will face off in the first debate of this election season. Both men have been preparing for the 90-minute debate, which will air right here on CNN.

The espionage trial for Evan Gershkovich has begun in Russia. The Wall Street Journal reporter denies the charges, and the U.S. government says he's being wrongfully detained. The 32-year-old has been in prison since March last year.

Julian Assange is on his way to Australia as a free man. He pleaded guilty earlier to one felony charge. Related to his role in one of the largest U.S. government breaches of classified material, he was sentenced to 62 months, time he's already served, in London's Belmarsh Prison.

On the first U.S. presidential debate of this election cycle, the last time that Joe Biden and Donald Trump met on the debate stage was during the 2020 election campaign, and many crucial things have changed since then.

Here's CNN's Brian Todd.

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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: How are you doing, Wolf?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The pressure on each man to perform Thursday is evident, but it's the profound changes in America's political climate from 2020 which could be a deciding factor in the Trump-Biden debate.

JOHN DAWSEY, POLITICAL INVESTIGATIONS REPORTER, THE WASHINGTON POST: 2020, Biden successfully and effectively made the election a referendum on Trump's leadership.

This time, he's trying to make it a referendum on Trump again. Do you really want this guy back in office? And Trump has tried to make it a referendum on Biden's record.

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