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CNN International: Leaders Formally Declare Support For Ukraine To Join Alliance; Biden To Hold First News Conference Since Debate Disaster; Gaza Ceasefire & Hostage Release Talks Wrap Up In Doha. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired July 11, 2024 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": Hello, and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, and this is the CNN Newsroom.
Just ahead, President Joe Biden hosts NATO leaders in Washington, D.C., as the chorus of Democrats calling for him to withdraw from the 2024 race gets louder. A man suspected of killing three women with a crossbow has been taken into custody in London. And as Gaza ceasefire talks wrap up in Qatar, UN humanitarian officials say evacuation orders in Gaza City are causing mass suffering.
A critical news conference is looming for U.S. President Joe Biden when the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. wraps up later on. Some observers say it could be a make or break event for the President's reelection bid. His every word is coming under intense scrutiny after last month's poor showing in the presidential debate. Mr. Biden's political woes have somewhat overshadowed the summit's declaration supporting Kyiv. It formally says quote, "Ukraine's future is in NATO".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: This new pledge sends an unmistakable message to the world that every NATO member is committed to doing their part to keep the alliance strong. We can and will defend every inch of NATO territory, and we'll do it together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Surrounded by the pageantry and protocol of the White House, NATO is also blasting China, calling it a decisive enabler of Russia's war in Ukraine.
We've got team coverage for you. CNN's Fred Pleitgen is standing by in Kyiv. But first, let's go to Nic Robertson live from London. Nic, what is the feeling? Is this a feeling of success during this NATO summit in Washington?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Success in delivering a message, a concern that the message may not be breaking through the background chatter, if you will, about President Biden's capabilities. I think this issue of China that you just mentioned, this was something I was looking for in the communique.
If you go back just a couple of years, you see how the language and concern about China is growing. In 2022 the Madrid summit, they talked about a systemic challenge from China. In 2023 in Vilnius, the NATO communique talked about this strategic partnership that was growing between China and Russia and being a problem. And now they call it a decisive enabler, a decisive enabler they say because the no-limits partnership is allowing Russia's military machine to work at speed and at pace, produce weapons and armaments that make it a greater threat to the region, a greater threat to NATO. So, that, to me, that's one big take out of the message that's landing. But, it's perhaps not one that's going to reach public because of the conversations about President Biden. Maybe he can lay those to rest in the press conference this afternoon.
But, another thing that's an interesting takeaway that's referenced perhaps the United States' position in NATO and commitment to it changing in the future, there is language in the NATO communique that talks about an more important EU-NATO conversation about defense procurement, speeding that, simplifying it within Europe. This is NATO speaking specifically about making Europe better able to produce weapons potentially to compete with Russia or whomever, but better able to be -- have this strong defensive posture that the United States is such a part of. But, this in a way is preparing Europe, maybe, maybe to have to rely on itself more.
WHITFIELD: And Fred, there from Kyiv, is there a feeling that not only was there kind of illusion of promise, but almost assurance that Ukraine is going to find itself embraced by NATO?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Fredricka. I think the Ukrainians have to be pretty happy with the pretty much all the things that they got out of that NATO summit. I mean, we did hear the NATO summit say that there was an irreversible path for Ukraine into NATO that its future was within NATO.
What they didn't get, of course, was some sort of timeline for that to happen. I think that's one of the things that might be slightly disappointed about how long is that going to take. Some of the other language was quite interesting, where they said that the reforms obviously here in this country need to continue. They praised Ukraine for the reforms that have already been conducted, but said that those reforms need to continue, and they also said that all NATO members need to be in agreement.
[08:05:00]
Of course, that's something that could also be easier said than done if you look at countries like Hungary with Viktor Orban at the helm, for instance. Nevertheless, I think for Volodymyr Zelenskyy and for the Ukrainians, this was a pretty successful NATO summit, not just because of the wording that they got that there was an irreversible path into NATO, but also, of course, some of the pledges that they got as well. As far as the F-16s are concerned, those fighter jets where the Ukrainians are saying they've gotten pledged more than they had originally hoped for, and also that those fighters apparently will be available to the Ukrainians for the battlefield and on the battlefield or above the battlefield by the summer of this year. So, that's pretty near future.
But, especially, Fredricka, as far as air defense is concerned, I think there were some really important pledges for the Ukrainians, and they certainly see it that way as well. If you look at, for instance, those long-range surface-to-air missile systems like the Patriots, where they've gotten to pledge to get five more of those four Patriots, and when similar system that comes from the Italians, but then also dozens of medium and short-range surface-to-air missile systems.
That's really important right now, as Russia has expanded its campaign of attacking Ukraine's infrastructure, especially the critical infrastructure here in this country, heating plants, electrical plants, those sorts of things, where the Ukrainians are really concerned that if this continues on that trajectory, a lot of people could be freezing and without electricity once the winter comes, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Fred Pleitgen and Nic Robertson, thanks to both of you, gentlemen. Appreciate it.
All right. President Joe Biden's news conference scheduled for later on today comes as he faces increasing opposition to his reelection bid from inside his own party. The number of elected Democrats calling for Biden to step aside as the party's nominee hits double digits, and it now includes a sitting Senator, Vermont's Peter Welch. Democrats are said to be stunned at how things have seemed to unravel for the President in the past 24 hours. Sources say several deep-pocketed Democratic donors say they won't contribute to his campaign for now. Still, other Democrats on Capitol Hill are unwavering in their support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): He is the only person to ever beat Trump's ass an election. I'm proud to stand with Joe Biden. And I'm showing up tomorrow with brass knuckles.
SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): At this point, I think he has a strong campaign and a strong message to deliver. And I believe he is going to move forward. I'm going to support him,
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): He is going to be our nominee at the convention. He is going to be our candidate for President in the fall. He is going to be our next President of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Let's bring in CNN White House Correspondent Arlette Saenz. No doubt that the President is seeing and hearing all of this. Is this at all shaking his confidence, especially leading up to this news conference today?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far, Fred, President Biden and his team have really been sticking to the previous statements that he has said, declaring that he is not bowing out of this race, despite the growing Democratic pressure to do so. And the President himself will face a key test for his campaign today, as he is set to hold that solo news conference, as he is looking to save his candidacy. Now, these solo news conferences have been a rarity in the Biden administration. It will be only the 15th time he has stood by himself before reporters for a formal press conference, and it will be the first time he is holding a solo news conference this year.
But, it comes as many allies have really encouraged President Biden to hold press conferences, to hold town halls, to try to show voters that he can engage in these impromptu, unscripted questions to try to put some of those concerns stemming from last month's debate to rest. But, it comes as the President is facing significant pushback from key corners of the Democratic Party. You have a growing number of lawmakers who have publicly called for him to step aside in this race, including, as you mentioned, the first Senator to do so, Senator Pete Welch of Vermont. There is also private concerns expressed by lawmakers as well about the path forward, not just for Biden, but also Democrats in November, if he were to stay at the top of the Democratic ticket.
Then you had those curious comments from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday, who seemed to leave open the possibility that Biden could still decide to bow out of this race, even though the Biden campaign feels like that's a closed case, that the President has reiterated that he is running for President in November. But, there is also concerns when it relates to donors and whether the campaign will be able to muster up enough financial support heading into the coming months. And then there was that major OpEd from actor George Clooney, who isn't just any random celebrity but someone who headlined a fundraiser for Biden back in in Los Angeles in June. He wrote in that OpEd that the President he saw at that fundraiser was the same President he saw on the debate stage, and it was time for President Biden to step aside.
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So, all of these statements from various Democrats are adding to the concern about President Biden remaining in this race, though, so far, he and his team have been defiant. And really, this news conference today will be a key test for Biden, where he is trying to achieve two key goals, really trying to convince American voters that he is up for a second term, but also trying to keep any further Democratic dissent in check.
WHITFIELD: All right. Yeah. A lot on the line. Arlette Saenz at the White House, thanks so much.
All right. The aid organization "Doctors Without Borders" says its last health facility in northern Gaza is closing following evacuation orders by the Israeli military. The IDF issued the order on Sunday, urging hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza City to flee to what it's calling safe zones. It comes as Israeli forces move forward with a military offensive in the area. But, the United Nations warns the evacuation order will only fuel mass suffering for Palestinian families, many of whom have been displaced several times. Meanwhile, Gaza ceasefire talks have wrapped up in Doha. It's not clear if any progress was made.
CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is joining me now live from London. So, how does anyone gauge progress in those negotiations right now?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think it's important to note, Fredricka, first of all, that these negotiations are still very much ongoing. Yes, the Doha portion seems to have closed for now. But, you still have diplomats shuttling around the region, trying to work with the various actors. Remember, the key mediators are Egypt and Qatar.
And the other thing to know is that there was some "cautious optimism", that was the quote from U.S. officials, cautious optimism around this round of talks. Bigger picture here, what are we speaking about? We're speaking about a deal that was first proposed by President Biden. That is a three-phase deal. The talks were around the first portion, which would potentially be a six-week ceasefire that would see a certain number of Israeli hostages, women, elderly, the sick, the most vulnerable exchange traded for potentially hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. We could also see during this six-week ceasefire, Israeli troops withdraw from some population centers and potentially some Gazans able to return to their homes.
But, this is all about working out the details here. How many hostages will be released? How many Palestinian prisoners will be released? What is the sequence of events? How does the logistics of this play out? In the past, Fredricka, these exchanges, these negotiations have taken years. We're now hoping, these diplomats are hoping, that they can resolve this in a matter of days or weeks. And of course, time is of the essence.
You have a situation on the ground that gets more and more dire by the minute. You mentioned that Israel's military has expanded its offensive on Gaza City in recent days. Israel's military has also ordered the evacuation of every single person in Gaza City. But, just imagine what it's like to be a family trying to flee your home into an active war zone through what Israel calls are "safe routes" but have led, people have died on that route to the south where, again, bombardment continues, where there is no sanctuary, where there is no safe place.
You also have the worsening health situation on the ground, the UN seeing famine is now spreading through the Enclave. So, you're seeing more and more desperation inside Gaza, these intense diplomatic efforts to get a resolution underway, but still no progress.
WHITFIELD: And then, Salma, I wonder, you mentioned days or weeks. Does that mean there might be another scheduled talk or meeting anytime soon?
ABDELAZIZ: We expect that that will take place. Again, there is a lot of detail to work out here. And this is only phase one of what is proposed, which is a three-phase ceasefire. And I think it's important to remember here what's happening on the ground. Hamas has pointed to the Israel's ramped-up offensive on Gaza City and says this takes the talks back to square one. Others may say, other analysts have said, no, this strengthens Israel's hand on the negotiating table. So, you have this conflict continuing to play out on the ground, continuing to claim lives. The negotiation process is ongoing. It is open. The talks do continue with those two key mediators, again, Egypt and Qatar. But, when does the next meeting happen? We have yet to know.
WHITFIELD: All right. Salma Abdelaziz, thank you so much, from London.
All right. We're learning more about a deadly Israeli strike on a school complex near Khan Younis. A CNN analysis of video from the scene determined Israeli forces carried out the attack with U.S.-made munitions, the same type of munitions used in at least two other Israeli strikes in recent months.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more. And a warning, his report contains graphic images.
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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amid the cheers and whistles of a summertime soccer match, the war seems far away in this Gazan school yard, until another bomb jolts everyone back to reality, and the sights and sounds of war fill the air once again. People running for their lives, the cries of women and children growing louder and louder, and bodies strewn on the ground.
An Israeli air strike has hit the other side of the al-Awda school near Khan Younis, where thousands of displaced Palestinians were sheltering. In the backs of pickup trucks and crowded ambulances, the dead and the injured arrive at Al-Nasser Hospital. Among them are the bodies of children, limp, bloodied and blackened. They are rushed inside a quickly overwhelmed emergency room. At least 27 people were killed and 53 injured in the strike, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The Israeli military said its target was a Hamas militant who took part in the October 7 terrorist attack, but provided no additional details. It said it is looking into reports that civilians were harmed.
It doesn't take long to find evidence of civilian harm amid the wreckage, where these women are inconsolable over the loss of their father. "Your death broke me, father", one of them cries, as she looks at a photo of him on her phone. At the site of the strike, Um Muhammad (ph) explains that everyone here were simply trying to make a living. This was Bilal's (ph) area, she says. He was operating a charging point. He had a stall here and he tried to make a living from charging batteries and cell phones. His body was torn to pieces by the blast alongside the outlets he used to make a living. Look at what is happening in Gaza. Every country is asleep and the whole world is asleep and we die here.
The strike is part of a troubling trend. It is the fourth strike on or near a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in the last four days, killing 47 people and injuring many others. There is also the latest in a series of strikes to use this American-made munition, the GBU-39 small diameter bomb, identified by two weapons experts who reviewed this footage. It is intended to minimize casualties. But, this is the aftermath when it is dropped on a densely populated area, body bag after body bag as relatives mourn. Life is gone. Muhammad is gone, this mother wails, another mother's unbearable grief.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And the White House is explaining the decision now to permanently remove the troubled floating pier off Gaza. It was being used to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid to the Enclave, but had been plagued by rough seas, forcing it to shut down multiple times. The Pentagon says it will be removed as early as next week after the remaining aid has been unloaded. A top White House official told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, the pier did not work as well as they had hoped.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR: We said from the beginning that that wasn't exactly what this pier was designed to do over a long period of time, and that it would be a hard and complicated task. It proved to be that. It's also very susceptible to the weather. We can get this ceasefire deal in place and we've got negotiators in Cairo right now talking about this. It would give us six weeks of calm in phase one, which will allow for a much more freedom of movement of that humanitarian assistance inside Gaza.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Still to come, three British women killed in an attack that authorities say involved a crossbow. Now, the suspect has been found in a quiet north London neighborhood. We'll have a live report straight ahead. Plus, a firsthand account of what it's like inside an international children's camp in North Korea, where a big part of the curriculum is hatred for the U.S.
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WHITFIELD: Tributes are pouring in for three women killed in what police say was a crossbow attack north of London. The victims were the wife and two adult daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt. Police believe the suspect in the attack, who was -- who has been identified as 26-year-old Kyle Clifford, was known to the three women. Police located Clifford in north London on Wednesday after an extensive search.
CNN's Nada Bashir joining me now from London with more on this crime that has shocked the UK. What more are we learning about the suspect, the motivation, how this happened?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it really has sent shockwaves across the country. Police are still, of course, carrying out questioning and further investigations. But, of course, what we have learned over the last day is this tragic news that the three women involved in this targeted incident, as it has been described by British police, were in fact killed in the incident. Carol Hunt and her 20-year-old daughter Hannah, her 25-year-old daughter Louise, were all found badly wounded in their home in Hertfordshire just yesterday, just outside of London, by emergency services, who, of course, later confirmed that they had all died as a result of their injuries, which, of course, led to a huge manhunt yesterday, searching for the suspect in question, 26-year-old Kyle Clifford.
Police said at the time that they believe that the three women were injured as a result of a crossbow attack, but that also other weapons may have been used. Of course, the suspect in question, 26-year-old Clifford, was found by police late yesterday in north London. He was taken to hospital to receive treatment for other injuries as well. We are still waiting for more details from police and other officials with regards to the outcome of their ongoing investigation. But, as you mentioned, tributes have been pouring in. This was the wife and two daughters of a BBC sports commentator John Hunt. We have been hearing tributes from the BBC and others alike. Take a listen to this tribute from earlier this morning on BBC Radio 5 Sports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF MARK CHAPMAN, BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORT PRESENTER: This has been a heartbreaking day. John Hunt is our colleague, and our friend. Not just to the current 5 Live sport team, but to all those who have worked here with him over the past 20 years, and also to all of you who have enjoyed his superb commentaries. So, on behalf of everybody connected to 5 Live Sport, our love and thoughts and support are with John and his family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Fredricka, the BBC has also issued a statement just yesterday saying that the news about John Hunt's family is utterly devastating. Our thoughts are with John and his family at this incredibly difficult time, and we will provide him with all the support that we can. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Yeah. That's incredible and incredibly sad. All right. Nada Bashir in London, thank you so much.
All right. Back in the U.S., testimony will resume in the coming hours in Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial. On Wednesday, prosecutors argued the actor was reckless with the use of a gun on the set of Rust in 2021. The film's cinematographer was killed when the prop gun Baldwin was holding fired a live round. Baldwin has pleaded not guilty.
CNN's Sherrell Hubbard has details.
[08:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One female shot in the chest.
SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A seemingly normal day on set turned tragic in 2021 when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot. It happened on the set of the Western film "Rust".
(VIDEO PLAYING)
HUBBARD (voice-over): Alec Baldwin was holding the gun.
ERLINDA JOHNSON, PROSECUTOR: When someone plays make-believe with a real gun in a real-life workplace, and while playing make-believe with that gun violates the cardinal rules of firearm safety, people's lives are in danger, and someone could be killed.
HUBBARD (voice-over): The five men and 11 and women of the jury will eventually have to decide if Baldwin is innocent or guilty. He has pleaded not guilty and says he didn't pull the trigger on the prop gun, which his defense team said in opening statement had been deemed quote, "cold or safe".
ALEX SPIRO, ALEC BALDWIN'S LAWYER: There were people responsible for ensuring the safety of the set in the firearm. Those people failed in their duties.
HUBBARD (voice-over): In this film, Baldwin was also a producer before the trial. The prosecution argued that that role made him responsible for the overall safety on set. The judge ruled that Baldwin's role as a producer on the film should not be considered by the jury, a win for the defense.
SPIRO: He was an actor acting, playing the role of Harland Rust.
HUBBARD (voice-over): After both sides delivered opening statements, the prosecution called its first witness, Responding Officer Nicholas LeFleur. Jurors saw his body cam footage of Baldwin and several crew members.
UNIDEITIFIED MALE: You were in the room when the lady --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was holding the gun, yeah.
HUBBARD (voice-over): I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Also happening today, a jury will soon decide the fate of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez. Closing arguments are expected to wrap up in his corruption trial in the coming hour. Menendez is accused of taking bribes in exchange for his influence. He faces a plethora of charges, including extortion, wire fraud and bribery.
On to North Korea now, where hatred for perceived enemies is a primary lesson taught to children. CNN has received a firsthand account of what it's like inside an international children's camp there. Will Ripley spoke to a Russian graduate student, who attended as a
teenager.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Russian and North Korean leaders' budding alliances at full speed for the world to see, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un toasting a stronger partnership than ever before, intent on taking down the U.S.
YURI FROLOV, RUSSIAN GRADUATE STUDENT IN U.S., & VISITED NORTH KOREAN CHILDREN'S CAMP: My President is also a murderous dictator. So, there is no surprise.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Yuri Frolov is a Russian graduate students studying in the U.S. He was in high school in Russia in 2015 and 2016 when his parents sent him on two summer trips to North Korea, Russia, one of the only nations Pyongyang still allows in on government- controlled sightseeing trips.
FROLOV: We landed in Pyongyang and we spent two days in the capital. They showed us some attractions. They showed us like their museum. They showed us like dolphins.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Frolov says he is not surprised to see rising Russian tourism in Kim's heavily-sanctioned secret state.
FROLOV: Russian tourists is one of the pipelines they can use to get this currency in the country, because once I was there, it was one of their purposes just to use the people like milk cows just to get like the most -- the money they wanted.
RIPLEY (voice-over): He visited the same souvenir shops I did on my 19 reporting trips to North Korea.
RIPLEY: You don't need to read Korean to know what this means here, the U.S. Capitol there. Symbolism says it all.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Shops overflowing with anti-U.S. propaganda.
FROLOV: It wasn't like straightforward propaganda. It was brainwashing you like in -- through different ways.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Frolov spent two weeks at this international children's camp on North Korea's east coast, summer fun mixed with daily chores like cleaning giant statues of the late leaders.
FROLOV: Which was also very strange. It was like six o'clock in the morning and we'll just call to clean some dust out from this monuments.
RIPLEY (voice-over): After morning chores, mandatory music lessons.
FROLOV: Sometimes, the people were forced just to sing propaganda songs about like the great leaders of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong Un, and basically we were forced to speak the songs as well, but they were like in Korean but they were translated into Russian.
RIPLEY (voice-over): He says even the video games had an anti-American theme.
FROLOV: They were like driving tanks, like destroying the White House in the U.S.
RIPLEY (voice-over): It reminds me of this exchange with two North Korean campers playing that same video game.
[08:30:00]
RIPLEY: Who do you want to fight?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (Interpreted): To fight the sworn enemy, Americans.
RIPLEY: What if I told you I'm an American? Do you want to shoot me too?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (Interpreted): Yes.
RIPLEY (voice-over): A lesson from Kim and Pun (ph) to the next generation.
Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Still to come, every day is now a test for U.S. President Joe Biden, and what could be the most crucial one is just hours away. We'll explain straight ahead. And as Donald Trump denies any connection to a controversial conservative project, a CNN investigation finds some of his closest allies are among its key authors. That story, when we come right back.
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WHITFIELD: All right. More now on our top story. There won't be a script or a prompter when U.S. President Joe Biden goes in front of reporters later on today to wrap up the NATO summit in Washington. This will be the President's first news conference since his poor debate performance last month, and it's seen as crucial to his reelection bid. This comes as NATO announces formal support for Ukraine, saying its future is inside the alliance.
Fabrice Pothier is a former Director of Policy Planning at NATO, and he is also the current CEO of Rasmussen Global, and a Senior Consulting Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He is joining us right now from Arles, France. All right. Good to see you. So, President Biden's domestic headlines, I mean, this is upstaging a lot of what has happened during the NATO meeting. But, would you surmise that this has been a rather successful meeting and perhaps even maybe reassured allies?
FABRICE POTHIER, FORMER DIRECTOR OF POLICY PLANNING, NATO: I will not go that far. But, I will say it's been an important photo op, photo opportunity for President Biden to show that he is the one that brings back the kind of community of democracies together. However, reading through the summit communique and looking at the main decisions and announcements, I think we're still looking at a pretty weak summit in terms of deliverables here. So, this is important, celebrating historic summit, but this is not a summit that is making historic.
WHITFIELD: So, that Kyiv at least is receiving some assurances that there may be a path forward for NATO. Do you see that as being just one of a few victories?
POTHIER: I think it's the least we could have --
[08:35:00]
WHITFIELD: All right. We have lost audio. I thought perhaps it was just me, but it looks like we've all lost audio. So, we'll try to return to Fabrice if we're able to re-establish that momentarily.
All right. Donald Trump, meantime, is doing everything he can to distance himself from Project 2025. If you haven't heard of it yet, Project 2025 is a roadmap written by prominent conservatives for remaking the U.S. government under a Trump presidency. And though Trump has repeatedly claimed that he knows nothing about it, that denial could be a tough sell. A new CNN investigation shows that at least 140 people who previously worked for Trump are involved in Project 2025, including six of his former cabinet secretaries, four of his former ambassadors, and his former Deputy Chief of Staff.
Our Steve Contorno was a major part of this CNN investigation, is joining us right now with more. So, Steve, tell us more about how many appear to be involved, know about this Project 2025, despite the fact that Trump says he didn't.
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Well, Fredricka, when Trump said last week that he didn't know who was behind Project 25, we decided to take a look at the roster of people and organizations involved in it to see just how deep his ties to this project go. And it's quite deep. As you mentioned, many of his former cabinet secretaries were involved, several people who were ambassadors.
When we counted it all up, 140 people who worked in the Trump administration were involved in some capacity with writing or contributing to Project 2025's 900-page manifesto for Trump's second term. That doesn't include dozens of other individuals who we found were working for or associated with some of these conservative organizations that helped advice it. There was about 110 of these organizations who are part of putting this project together. And people involved in these organizations include those like his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, his longtime advisor Stephen Miller, as well as many people who have helped him throughout his political career, from his campaign through his transition, all the way to the White House.
Now, we took this information to the Trump campaign and they said, look, just because these people worked for Donald Trump in the past, it doesn't mean that they work for him now or that they'll work for him again, and they certainly don't speak for Donald Trump. They told us that if you want to know what Donald Trump believes should be done in a second term, look at the agenda he has posted on his website or the Republican Party platform that past this week.
WHITFIELD: OK. And so, Steve, what are some of the controversial ideas that are being associated with Project 2025?
CONTORNO: Well, it's interesting. There is quite a bit that's actually aligned with Donald Trump. In fact, a big chunk of Project 2025's playbook is just arguing to revert back to many of the policies Trump put in place that were undone by President Biden. There is also very aligned with Trump on immigration and purging the federal government of bureaucrats and people who are disloyal to Trump. They both proposed getting rid of the Department of Education.
But, there are quite a few other things that it has put out there that Trump has not voiced support for, including things like banning pornography or making it more difficult to get medicine for abortions or contraceptives. They've also been much more harsh on gay marriage, transgender, access to transgender care. So, those are some of the areas where, specifically as we get into these culture wars, where Trump has been trying to push the party platform to not adopt those kinds of policies because of the fear that Democrats will latch onto them, because they know they're unpopular and will use it to drive a wedge between Trump and voters.
WHITFIELD: All right. Steve Contorno, thank you so much for your reporting.
All right. Let's get back to that NATO summit in Washington, D.C., that's wrapping up today. Fabrice Pothier is back with me. He is a former Director of Policy Planning at NATO. Sorry that happened. But, sometimes it happens. All right. So, Fabrice, where we were? We were talking about I wonder whether the President's political battles may have upstaged any progress that may have been made during NATO. You said not a whole lot of deliverables from this NATO summit. But then, I wonder, Biden's demeanor, his interaction with allies, did that at least offer some reassurances in terms of his dedication to NATO and whether that is in step with what they might be able to expect after Election Day?
POTHIER: Quite frankly, I think this is very much a matter for the American people and especially the Democratic Party.
[08:40:00]
So, I will think that the NATO allies were holding their breath to see what's going to happen after, as former Speaker Pelosi hinted at that, let's hold on judgment and comments during the summit. But, I think there is an expectation that after the summit, there might be some form of resolution as to whether Biden is indeed the candidate for the Democratic Party or whether there will be alternatives.
WHITFIELD: All right. And then quickly back to Ukraine, how do you think Zelenskyy leaves this summit feeling? POTHIER: I think -- I will hope that he feels that he has got enough to protect his population from Russian missile and bomb attacks. But, he does not have enough to win this war. And this is where we are, in a way boxing ourselves in, which is we are doing -- always, we're pursuing a survival strategy, but we're not pursuing a winning strategy. So, I think there is some good to it. He is in a much better place than he was six months ago in terms of arms supply and air defense systems. But, this is not enough to get him through the winning finishing line.
WHITFIELD: And then, is there a collective consensus about how to deal with China?
POTHIER: There is clearly some strong comment and statement in the NATO communique about China, including as an enabler of Russia's war in Ukraine. But, it falls short as to say what should be the cost and consequences of Chinese support for Russia, simply because NATO cannot do much on its own. And it's very much a bilateral matter between the United States and China, and to an extent between the European Union and China. So, I think it belongs more to these powers to really see how and whether they're willing to put some economic cost on Chinese support for Russia or not.
WHITFIELD: All right. Fabrice Pothier, former Director of Policy Planning at NATO, coming to us from Arles, France. I just want to say that city again.
POTHIER: Pleasure.
WHITFIELD: All right. All right. Still to come, Texans are fed up and frustrated, as many face another day without power and its scorching temperatures. The latest on restoration efforts straight ahead. Plus, a dangerous heatwave turns deadly in the western states. When they can expect to see some relief from the record-breaking temperatures, straight ahead.
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WHITFIELD: All right. Two NASA astronauts who are spending extra time on the International Space Station are praising the spacecraft that took them there. Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams spoke from the ISS on Wednesday more than a month after their arrival.
[08:45:00]
The trip was originally supposed to last for about a week, but their Boeing Starliner spacecraft is having technical issues. So, their return flight is on hold until that's resolved. And so far, there is no timeline for their return.
All right. More than one million people across Texas are still without power, three days after Beryl slammed the Gulf Coast. Frustration is mounting, as Houston residents are fed up with the main utility company saying they should have been more prepared for a Category 1 hurricane. This as many Texans suffer another day in sweltering heat with no power. Emergency officials say they have received more than 200 calls about carbon monoxide poisoning, as residents use generators to cool their homes. Houston's mayor says it also affects first responders.
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JOHN WHITMIRE, HOUSTON, TEXAS MAYOR: We have nine fire stations closed, had to relocate because when the power went out, they didn't have generators. Great cities should not operate like that. It's neglect. It is severe neglect, and we're going to fix it as we go forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Meteorologist Derek Van Dam has more on the heat affecting not just Texas, but other western states as well. I mean, look at that pooch right there trying to get some cool air.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, not only impacting people, but also our furry friends as well, right? So, there has been lots of stories on social media about how people are trying to keep their pets cool during this moment of no power and storm cleanup after what was Hurricane Beryl earlier this week.
I just arrived back from Houston. It was a difficult situation and continues to be so because the heat index value there, which is a factor of the humidity and the temperature, is just so high and so unbearable. Without electricity, the ability to cool yourself off makes it very, very challenging. So, people are using generators to cool small rooms within their home. And of course, that's got its limitations as well. Not only do we have to cool our pets, but also let's say family members with medical needs. How about their oxygen tanks that require batteries to be recharged? That's the difficulty that people are facing.
There is still about 1.3 million customers statewide throughout Texas. But, in Harris County, where Houston is located, there is just over a million customers without electricity still and that's ongoing. And this is amongst a heatwave that has overspread across the region. So, heat indices up over triple index heat. So, this is dangerous for the body. The authorities there are asking people to recognize the concerns with heat-related illnesses, whether it's heat exhaustion or heat stroke, you've got dizziness, headaches, you got muscle cramps, confusion. These are all telltale signs that your body is reacting negatively to the heat, and you need to cool down immediately, seek help, seek shelter, shade, perhaps water, and if you can get a hold of ice. Of course, that would help cool your body as well.
Current temperatures right now is what it feels like on your body, in the lower 80s. But, it's climbing steadily. And through the course of the day in Houston, we will be just shy of the 100 degree mark. Of course, local pockets just outside of the city center could easily atop the triple digits. Now, it's not just Texas. It's the western parts of the U.S. as well. Look at this, Las Vegas. Do you see that shading of purple across southern Nevada and the Central Valley of California? That is extreme heat risk for the elderly and for the more vulnerable of our population. In Vegas alone, we have had five consecutive days where the mercury in the thermometer has reached 115 degrees or higher. In fact, there was an all-time record high set earlier this week.
That puts it into context, another 100 record-high temperatures possible through the rest of the week. Look at the scorching temperatures. This is just downright dangerous. And if you combine that with no air conditioning, it makes it that much more difficult. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Oh my Gosh. That is unbearable indeed.
DAM: Right.
WHITFIELD: I can't believe. You said Houston area, it's already in the 80 degree kind -- it's like 7 a.m., 7 a.m. hour --
DAM: Exactly.
WHITFIELD: -- there right now.
DAM: Just getting there.
WHITFIELD: That's hot. OK. Derek Van Dam, thank you so much.
All right. Still to come, the Euro 2024 final match is set after a dramatic goal by England in the 90th minute, details after this.
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[08:50:00]
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WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. England's football team has a chance to do what it hasn't done since 1966, win a major title. On Wednesday, the Three Lions secured a spot in the Euro 2024 final after a victory over the Netherlands there went down to the wire.
Patrick Snell has details.
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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: So, the final of the European Football Championship is now set. Spain will play England on Sunday in Berlin at the Olympiastadion, as the two countries battle it out to be crowned kings of Europe. On Wednesday night in Dortmund, a dramatic meeting between Holland and the Three Lions, the Dutch ahead after just seven minutes, it's a stunning strike there from Xavi Simons, a superb hits right into the back of the net. It flew past a shocked Jordan Pickford, approaching the 20-minute mark. A moment of controversy. England's Harry Kane gets his shot away as Denzel Dumfries challenges for the ball in the box. Penalty given. Kane takes it himself and knocks it in perfectly. He is now the all-time top scorer in knockout games in this competition, with six.
And then high drama, as the English went into stoppage time, Cole Palmer with the assistant, Ollie Watkins producing a superb finish right into the corner. It's a sensational strike. What a moment? What a way to win it. Look at the joy there for the Aston Villa man, England and their delirious fans, England 2-1 winners and into the final.
So, it's England who will face Spain. Then, in Berlin on Sunday, La Roja is seeking to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time. England, their first Euro's title beckoning. They hope they're going to get past Spain first, though. But, for now, it's right back to you.
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WHITFIELD: Pat, that's some excitement there. Patrick Snell, thanks so much.
Al right. Colombia will fight for the title in the Copa America final after coming out on top in the semis against Uruguay. The Colombian team sealed the spot, thanks to this header in the 39th minute, which gave it a 1-0 victory on Wednesday. They are celebrating there. Colombia will play Argentina for the trophy in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Sunday.
But, the semifinal game was rather testy, with some players from Uruguay getting into a scuffle with fans after the game, as you see right there. The team's captain claims the players were defending their family members from Colombian fans.
All right. We'll talk about never being out of headlines, which is true when it comes to Boeing. An American Airlines flight had to abort takeoff after multiple tires exploded right there on the runway, smoke billowing from the wheels at the Boeing 737, as it abruptly stopped its departure from Tampa. No injuries were reported, but certainly a lot of shaken nerves there.
And tourists in Barcelona face having water sprayed at them by protesters who don't want to welcome them. Last weekend, the city saw a demonstration against tourism's impact on the cost of living and quality of life. And these complaints are becoming more and more common in tourist hotspots around the world.
CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau has that.
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BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): This summer is on track to break records when it comes to tourism. But, increasingly, it's the locals who need the break. In Barcelona, spraying holidaymakers with water to chase them away from cafes, posting fake warning signs on the beaches of Mallorca, tired of being pushed out of city centers where rents have skyrocketed and prices have increased so much that residents no longer feel at home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We come here to demonstrate against (inaudible) touristic vacation here in Barcelona. In the last years, the city has turned completely for tourists and what we want is a safety for citizens and not in service of tourists. NADEAU (voice-over): This sentiment is echoed in busy tourist havens like Venice, where authorities have taken drastic measures, charging an entrance fee to the city on busy weekends.
[08:55:00]
NADEAU: Here in Rome, tourists are important to the city's economy, but the price is often high. Visitors have caused damage to these famous Spanish steps, gone swimming in historic fountains, and even carved their names in the ancient Roman Colosseum.
NADEAU (voice-over): Overtourism has spread to all corners of the world. In one Japanese city, locals have blocked the view to Mount Fuji to dissuade visitors, and Austria blocking tourists from taking selfies, and in Amsterdam, cutting down on the city's famous river cruises to try to wrestle back control of the city. Many tourist cities clamping down on short-term rentals.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (Interpreted): Unfortunately, they live with this conflict. Those who live in the historic center complained because there is too much tourism. But, if there is no tourism, there are no restaurants or hotels to offer work. Therefore, I believe they have to make peace.
NADEAU (voice-over): As important as tourism is to many local economies, striking a balance for those who call these popular places home and those who want to enjoy them is an even bigger priority.
Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Pretty serious conundrum.
All right. Thank you so much for joining me here in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Connect the World with Becky Anderson is up next.
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