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Trump To Arrive In The Middle East In Coming Hours; Freed Israeli-American Hostage Reunites With Family; China & U.S. Agree To Drastically Slash Tariffs For 90 Days; Turkish Militant Group Disbands, Ends Struggle with Turkey; Trump Defends Plan to Accept Luxury Jet from Qatar; First Witnesses Called on Day One of Testimony of Sean "Diddy" Combs' Trial; India and Pakistan Both Claim Victory after Historic Fighting. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired May 13, 2025 - 01:00   ET

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

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[01:00:27]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Trade deals galore. No stop in Israel but there is a luxury new jet. Ahead on CNN Newsroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: You could argue this is more than just a presidential trip.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The U.S. president on a four-day visit to the Middle East focusing on trillions of dollars in new trade deals while sidestepping Israel yet again.

A 583 day long nightmare is over. The last living American hostage held in Gaza by Hamas released and reunited with his mom.

While the U.S. President has banned entry for all asylum seekers, there are exceptions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They happen to be white but whether they're white or black makes no difference to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Fifty-nine men, women and children all white and none according to the South African government under any form of persecution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.

VAUSE: U.S. President Donald Trump expected to arrive shortly in the Saudi capital for the start of a four-day Middle East visit which notably does not include close ally Israel. From Saudi Arabia the U.S. president will travel to Qatar and then to the United Arab Emirates. All three countries are expected to focus on new trade deals as well as announcing substantial new investments in the U.S. economy. Saudi Arabia was the first country Donald Trump officially visited during his first term in office and planned to do so again until the death of Pope Francis and his funeral last month in Rome.

And unlike his first term this visit comes as war continues to rage in Gaza with neither Israel nor Hamas any closer to a ceasefire and Israel increasingly sidelined by the Trump administration on a number of key issues especially negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. Let's go now live to Riyadh that is where the president is expected on his first stop of this tour. CNN's Becky Anderson is standing by with all the details. Welcome back.

ANDERSON: That's right John. President Trump due to land here in the next couple of hours he sees the kingdom and the neighbors Qatar and the UAE is offering huge opportunities for his America first policy that frankly he doesn't get elsewhere. Opportunities across geopolitics, business and investment that is one regional commentator described to me ticks all the right boxes in terms of the U.S. president's transactional approach to foreign policy.

And from the Gulf States perspective and very specifically from the kingdom's perspective it is time to secure greater privileges in their relationship with the world's most powerful nation. Writing in an op- ed for "The Washington Times" this morning, the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. says quote, in the kingdom we believe that a sustainable partnership begins with reciprocity. Together, we are mediators, allies and stewards leveraging our strengths to foster peace and security.

That is what makes Mr. Trump's visit so timely. His agenda of trade, investment, energy, security and counterterrorism is in sync with our goals, she wrote. We're joined now from Doha by Adel Abdel Ghafar, who is director of the foreign policy program at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs.

Good to see you. We'll be in Doha tomorrow as Donald Trump's trip continues from here to Qatar. And I want to start with this idea of reciprocity.

Donald Trump's made it quite clear he wants a trillion dollars from the kingdom in investment but they are signaling here that that kind of massive investment is not a blank check. They have -- they have genuine economic and security interests at the negotiating table as well at this point. So I just want you to talk us through what the kingdom is or might be looking for on this trip.

ADEL ABDEL GHAFAR, DIR., FOREIGN POLICY PROG., MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS: So I think as you mentioned, Becky, the kingdom is really looking to strengthen its bilateral security cooperation with the U.S., increase its investments. President Trump is seeking as you reported $1 trillion. A big part of that would be also on defense equipment. Put simply there's been a view that the U.S. has been in a retreat in the region and U.S. security guarantees are no longer as ironclad as they used to be. So I think the Saudis from their perspective want some more ironclad security guarantees. And if you recall in the first Trump administration actually Saudi Arabia was attacked. Aramco facilities were attacked and there was a not a big response.

[01:05:11]

So I think really the Saudis want to enhance the bilateral defense component, enhance their own defense capability and deter Iran and non-state actors. And Becky remember $1 billion -- $1 trillion can be promised. They don't have to be delivered. They can sign MOUs but the MOUs do not have to be actualized. But this is a presidency where the optics really matter. So I think Trump wants to go back to his own constituency and highlight this $1 trillion even though it will not fully materialize.

ANDERSON: Yes. And -- and there will be some window dressing of course across the three four days of this trip. There's no doubt about that. But there is a whole slew of U.S. executives coming into town for what is the Saudi U.S. investment forum happening later today. We are expecting to hear Donald Trump's keynote speech there as well as words from the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The executives and CEOs from OpenAI, NVIDIA, BlackRock, Uber and many more here, the challenge for the kingdom really at this stage is to nail more foreign direct investment into this country to power what is this hugely ambitious economic vision. So I just wonder what you believe success will look like at the end of this leg of the trip.

GHAFAR: Well, I think success is a two-way street as the kingdom will put in some investments in the American market. I think there should be some reciprocity and that's why all of these executives are also in town. You know Saudi Arabia has a very ambitious vision, Vision 2030 that the Crown Prince has been working on. So they also want technology transfer and want long-term development you know.

And one key issue between both sides that there's no agreement on is oil prices. Oil prices are down. Of course President Trump wants oil prices to be down, bring down inflation, the price of eggs and so on. But actually as oil prices go down this would impact the kingdom's ability and budget and finance as well. So I think some sort of equilibrium also on oil prices I assume would be discussed between both sides.

ANDERSON: Yes absolutely. The Saudi ambassador to the U.S., Reema Bandar Al Saud, underscoring her country's growing role in mediating on the global stage. She wrote an op-ed for "The Washington Times" this morning which is well worth a read. And when she talks about mediating of course she's talking about not least on -- on Russia and Ukraine, even behind the scenes on the recent Pakistan-India ceasefire, but very specifically for this region and its security going forward.0

We're talking U.S.-Iran talks behind the scenes. We are seeing the Foreign Minister of Iran here as well as of course with Steve Witkoff in Oman over the weekend. And very specifically, the Saudis looking for a long-term solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict. Without de-escalation around this region, these big economic visions here, in the UAE and elsewhere are simply not going to work. So the entire region is obviously looking for de-escalation at this point. And these very worrying spots, very specifically Gaza, then Lebanon, Syria, all playing on the minds of these regional leaders.

Can you -- can you just explain why mediation is such a strategic pillar very specifically for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?

GHAFAR: Well the kingdom really wants to play a bigger role on the international stage and want to host these Russia-Ukraine talks. And this is also a reflection not just on Saudi Arabia but also in the other Gulf players such as Qatar, Oman. Even the UAE, Trump's letter to -- to the Supreme Leader in Iran came via the UAE as well.

So I think the Gulf countries want to play a mediating role because we have to connect the economic visions with regional stability. There's not going to be any economic development if there's a threat of war in the background. So I mentioned as well the Iran talks. I think this will be critical. There's some serious will from the U.S. administration to engage with Iran. There's been multiple rounds of talks.

And I think these are going well. You know, there's been talks within the administration, pressure to strike Iran. I think the President has sort of sidelined some of these voices and is focused on finding some sort of deal. The big difference between the first JCPOA and any potential new agreement is that actually Saudi Arabia and UAE are on board with any potential deal. So I think there's an interest from players across the board, except Israel, for some sort of resolution on the Iranian file.

And within the Saudi context itself, the Saudis really want to focus on the Saudi Vision 2030 development and the transition to a post-oil economy. So the regional stability piece is important. So not just on Iran but also on the situation with Gaza, this ongoing genocide and conflict. I think really the Saudis want to send a signal that they want some sort of resolution and a potential pathway to a two-state solution in Palestine.

[01:10:22]

ANDERSON: Adel Abdel Ghafar, it's always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed for your insight and analysis, extremely important today. John, last year, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia came very close to what would have been a landmark defense and trade pact, which includes cooperation in the civil nuclear program, which is a key pillar for this kingdom as it diverse -- diversify away from its heavy reliance on hydrocarbons.

The Biden administration tied these massive bilateral trade and defense deals to Saudi normalization with Israel. And the deals stalled. The kingdom unequivocal until they see a credible pathway to a Palestinian state, there will be no normalization. It's dead on arrival at this point. Donald Trump's team has reportedly conceded that, at least while, as one source told me, quote, there is no credible partner on the Israeli side.

So expect those U.S. Saudi agreements on defense and trade to progress without that. And that is a really big deal. And watch this space for more on whether, going forward, Israel reveals a credible partner to talk a two-state solution at this point. John?

VAUSE: They came so close to normalization of diplomatic relations and yet is still so far away now after the war in Gaza.

ANDERSON: Absolutely.

VAUSE: Becky, thank you. As always, good to see you.

ANDERSON: Yes.

VAUSE: Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage in Gaza, has been reunited with his family following his release by Hamas. And this was the moment when a 19-month-long nightmare was finally over. Edan was serving in the Israeli military when he was taken hostage by Hamas during their terror attack October 7th. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more details now, reporting in from Tel Aviv.

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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): To Yael, Edan Alexander isn't just the last living American hostage in Gaza. He's her son. And this reunion is more than 19 months in the making.

Alexander, an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas on October 7th, released unconditionally in a gesture that U.S. officials say could unlock a deal to free more hostages and deliver a ceasefire in Gaza. Before that emotional reunion, a phone call to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's cell phone assuaging a mother's worst fears.

You're out. My soul, you're out, she tells him, grasping at this new reality.

YAEL ALEXANDER, MOTHER OF EDAN ALEXANDER: They just released a photo of you. You look unbelievable. Wow. You look beautiful. I love you so much.

DIAMOND (voice-over): That photo of Alexander alongside a Red Cross official and masked Hamas militants gave his family the first confirmation that Edan was alive and well. In Tel Aviv's hostage square, hundreds joining in the family's joy, cheering at the first sight of the hostage whose name, Edan, they've all come to know.

TRUMP: His parents are so happy. They're so happy.

DIAMOND (voice-over): President Trump making clear he expects Alexander's release to lead to much more. Writing on social media, this was a step taken in good faith to put an end to this very brutal war and return all living hostages and remains to their loved ones. Hopefully, this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.

A week after announcing plans to launch a major new offensive in Gaza next week, the Israeli prime minister now agreeing under U.S. pressure to send a delegation to Qatar to negotiate. But he is also vowing those negotiations will continue under fire.

For the families of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, their fight continues.

EINAV ZANGAUKER, SON HELD HOSTAGE IN GAZA: Mr. President, sir, all of the Israeli people are behind you. End this war. Bring them all home.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Yehuda Cohen's son Nimrod is the same age as Edan Alexander. They were even posted at the same base on October 7th. But Nimrod is still captive in Gaza.

YEHUDA COHEN, FATHER OF ISRAELI SOLDIER HELD HOSTAGE IN GAZA: My son has only two titles, Israeli citizen and Israeli soldier. The only difference is the American citizenship.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

[01:15:02]

VAUSE: A 90-day pause in the U.S.-China trade war has brought a relief rally to the markets and hopes of avoiding a global recession.

Wall Street posted the biggest single-day gain in more than a month Monday. U.S. stocks have now recouped all their losses since Liberation Day. That's when the U.S. president announced a 10 percent tariff on almost all imports entering the United States.

This Wednesday, the U.S. will lower record high tariffs on Chinese imports from 145 percent to 30 percent. While China will reduce its imports by 25 percent on American imports to just 10 percent. That will only last 90 days. This detente comes after a breakthrough in talks this past weekend, marking an unexpected shift by the Trump administration, which just days ago seemed to be digging in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're not looking to hurt China. China was being hurt very badly. They were closing up factories. They were having a lot of unrest. And they were very happy to be able to do something with us. And the relationship is very, very good. I'll speak to President Xi maybe at the end of the week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Despite the jubilation on Wall Street, CNN's Kristie Lu Stout reports that there are still risk factors which remain.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Global markets have been rallying after the U.S. and China agreed to slash tariffs for an initial period of 90 days. And Chinese President Xi Jinping is saying there are no winners in a trade war, but there is uncertainty, especially for businesses that remain in a tariff holding pattern.

Starting on Wednesday, May the 14th, for the next three months, the U.S. will lower tariffs on some Chinese goods from 145 percent to 30 percent. China will lower tariffs on U.S. goods from 125 percent to 10 percent. In an interview with "Fox News," the U.S. trade representative said that China also agreed to lift export countermeasures after April the 2nd, including curbs on rare earth ingredients.

U.S. tariff rates on small packages from China, this is known as de minimis, will also be decreased. All this comes after a weekend of high-stakes trade talks in Geneva, the first face-to-face meeting between the U.S. and China since the latest trade war escalated in March. Investors have been cheering the move, Chinese state media as well, and addressing a Latin American trade forum in Beijing today, the Chinese leader Xi Jinping repeated that well-worn line, there are no winners in a trade war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT (through translator): The century- defining transformation is accelerating across the globe, with multiple risks compounding one another. Such developments make unity and cooperation among nations indispensable for safeguarding global peace and stability and for promoting global development and prosperity. There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars. Bullying or hegemonism only leads to self-isolation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: But businesses, investors, they want more clarity and reassurance. Look, 30 percent tariffs on China is a sharp drop from 145 percent, but it will still mean higher prices. Major U.S. trade concerns remain, like the trade deficit and Chinese subsidies for capital and labor, and the lower tariffs are in place only for a temporary period. Look, Hong Kong-based economist Zhiwei Zhang points out this, quote, this is only a three-month temporary reduction of tariffs, so this is a beginning of a long process.

And Jane Foley, head of FX Strategy at RoboBank, adds this, quote, the overall scenario is not as bad as it could have been, but we still have a fair amount of uncertainty about where these tariffs will settle, their impact on world growth, and central bank policy. So 90 days is a welcome break from the trade war, but the clock is now ticking. The U.S. and China now have three months to reach a final trade deal.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

[01:18:48]

VAUSE: Still to come here on CNN, dozens of white South Africans welcome to the U.S. as refugees, with the U.S. President claiming they're victims of racial discrimination and genocide.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) VAUSE: The first white South Africans ever granted refugee status have arrived in the United States. Their approval process was expedited by the Trump administration, claiming the group of 59 are victims of discrimination, violence, even genocide. All of that denied by the South African government, as well as white South African Christian leaders who describe those claims as outright lies. At the same time, a ban remains in place preventing entry to the United States for real victims of genocide.

New laws allowing the South African government to seize and redistribute property and farmland without compensation in some cases has angered many white South Africans, especially farmers. Officials say they are righting the wrongs of apartheid, which ended more than 30 years ago. Notably, currently black South Africans make up more than 80 percent of the country's population, but they own just 4 percent of private land.

Jeremy Konyndyk is president of Refugees International, an independent group which advocates for the rights of refugees around the world. And thank you for being with us.

JEREMY KONYNDYK, PRESIDENT, REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL: My pleasure.

VAUSE: So I want you to listen to the U.S. President explaining why this group of 59 South Africans were granted refugee status and allowed entry into the United States. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: It's a genocide that's taking place that you people don't want to write about. But it's a terrible thing that's taking place and farmers are being killed. They happen to be white. But whether they're white -- white or black makes no difference to me. But white farmers are being brutally killed and their land is being confiscated in South Africa.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:24:59]

VAUSE: That would be a terrible story if it's happening, but it is not happening to the white population of South Africa. It has never happened to the white population of South Africa. But this is a fake news story. It has been doing the rounds for years now, and it just won't go away. So apart from that, is there any other explanation here as to why these South Africans were granted refugee status?

KONYNDYK: Well, look, there are a lot of people around the world who have really strong need for protection in the United States. And the beauty of the refugee program is that it strengthens America. It -- it -- it helps us create more Americans and enable people to flourish in America while protecting people who genuinely need it. You know, when I look at the many different refugee populations around the world, you know, I won't say there's no reason why people would need to come from South Africa, but there are certainly a lot of other refugees around the world who badly need protection. And at the very moment that the Trump administration is, with great fanfare, on a charter jet bringing Afrikaners to the United States, they are denying refugee resettlement to literally anyone else from around the world. And even just today, they revoked temporary protections for Afghans in the United States. So it is very hard to see any charitable explanation for why Afrikaners and only Afrikaners are seen by this administration as deserving of -- of protection in the United States.

VAUSE: And South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa had a very different explanation as to why this group ended up in the U.S. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: Those people who have fled are not being persecuted. They are not being, you know, hounded. They are not being treated badly. And they are leaving ostensibly because they don't want to embrace the changes that are taking place in our country in accordance with our constitution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So just to explain that, it seems to me that he's saying they just don't want to live in South Africa, which is no longer under the apartheid system.

KONYNDYK: That's certainly what it sounds like. I can't, you know, I can't speak to the individual motivations of these -- of these 59 people. What I do think this represents is a -- a huge expansion of the criteria, kind of the eligibility criteria for what constitutes valid refugee resettlement in the U.S. And, you know, at the same time as the Trump administration is moving heaven and earth to bring these people to the United States as rapidly as possible, they are moving heaven and earth in the courts to fight a court order that is requiring them to move forward on resettling 12,000 refugees who have been through a years-long approval process, who have been security vetted, who have been reviewed by the U.S. government extensively and had been approved for resettlement prior to January 20.

So, again, it's hard to find a charitable explanation for why they would put such priority on these 59 South Africans while fighting so hard against resettling anyone else here.

VAUSE: And during President Trump's explanation as to why they are here, he used that word genocide. The U.N. defines genocide as a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group in whole or in part. That is not happening to this population of white South Africans, especially the farmers.

But there are many places where genocide is allegedly taking place right now most recently in Sudan, according to the U.S. State Department. So the real victims of genocide are not being granted refugee status in the -- in the U.S., whereas the ones who have very dubious claims to being refugees and -- and victims of genocide are. How did we get to this point? Because it seems like there are two different tracks here that have now merged.

KONYNDYK: Well, it sure sounds like President -- President Trump is repeating some things that he -- he may have heard from Elon Musk. You know, there is no world in which the -- the condition of the white population of South Africa could be characterized as genocide. And frankly, it cheapens the term. It cheapens the meaning of the term to argue or to -- to claim that it is -- it is offensive to people who are and who have lived through that experience, people who have lost relatives and loved ones to mass killings and genocides.

You know, it's just a deeply offensive and wholly inappropriate use of that term. And, you know, if that is what he truly believes, that's a kind of a frightening reflection of his understanding of the reality of what's underpinning the arrival of these people.

VAUSE: Yeah, especially on the day that the Afghan temporary status was revoked. That is quite the, unfortunately, I guess, coincidence. Jeremy, thank you so much for being with us.

KONYNDYK: Thank you.

[01:29:51]

VAUSE: The Kurdistan Workers Party, also known as PKK, says it will end decades long insurgency in Turkey, abandoning hopes of an independent homeland.

On Monday, officials announced the group will disarm, disband and ultimately dissolve, partially because of, quote, "current developments in the Middle East".

Here's reaction from the Turkish president.

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RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): With the complete disengagement of terrorism and violence, the doors of a new era in all aspects especially regarding the strengthening of the democratic capacity of politics, will be opened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Hours after the announcement, in the largest city of Turkey's Kurdish region, families of PKK militants gathered holding photos of their loved ones, among tens of thousands who were killed during decades of conflict.

In a moment here on CNN, coercion or consent? That's the key question posed to a federal jury day one of the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, who faces charges of sex trafficking.

[01:30:47]

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VAUSE: Welcome back. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. President Donald Trump visiting the Middle East this week. First stop,

Saudi Arabia, where he's expected to land shortly. He'll travel to Qatar later in the week. And the country has made Mr. Trump an interesting offer -- a super luxury jumbo jet. And the U.S. President is defending his decision to accept that gift from Qatar's royal family. The president plans to use the newer Boeing 747 to replace an aging Air Force One.

But this very expensive gift is raising some ethical and legal questions and backlash from U.S. lawmakers and even among the MAGA supporters.

CNN's Tom Foreman has details.

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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The possibility of a $400 million gift jet from Qatar to serve as President Trump's new Air Force One is drawing lightning strikes of criticism.

"Trump's latest grift, it's not just bribery, it's premium foreign influence with extra leg room."

And from the vice chair of the Senate Ethics Committee.

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE), VICE CHAIR, SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS: This is almost exactly the sort of gift that our founders had in mind that Americans shouldn't accept. And I'll remind you, other federal employees can't accept even $50.

FOREMAN: The plane would appear to fly in the face of the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause which says, "No person holding any office shall without the consent of Congress, accept any present of any kind, whatever from any king, prince or foreign state."

Asked about that, Trump hit back.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: TRUMP: It's not a gift to me. It's a gift to the Department of Defense.

FOREMAN: Analysts say the gift plane would likely have to be entirely stripped down and rebuilt to make sure it does not hold technology detrimental to presidential security.

After all, Qatar has long ties to Hamas, a terrorist group in the eyes of the U.S. government.

TRUMP: The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level.

RICHARD PAINTER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE ETHICS LAWYER: Why is the United States of America accepting a gift of this magnitude from a foreign government that supported terrorist organizations?

FOREMAN: In his first term, Trump hit upon the idea of revamping Air Force One, upgrading it, changing the color. TRUMP: You know what colors we're using? Take a guess.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Red, white and blue.

TRUMP: Red, white and blue.

FOREMAN: He became frustrated by the long, expensive process of doing all that. But now, Qatar has offered him a quick fix, and he's on board.

TRUMP: I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, no, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.

FOREMAN: The president saying this is a gift to the Pentagon, not to him, doesn't necessarily hold water either because the emoluments clause basically says, you can't give a gift like this to an elected official or anybody who works for him, which would include the folks at the Pentagon.

So even though the president may want to treat this like it's no big deal, it is a big deal and likely to stay that way until it's settled.

Tom Foreman, CNN -- Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: This is Day 42 since President Trump announced Liberation Day and a 10 percent tariff on almost all imports into the United States.

And since then, the customs duties have soared. The Treasury Department collecting more than $16 billion in duties just last month. That's about almost double of what was collected a month earlier. That was before Liberation Day. Nearly $38 billion have been taken in since Donald Trump took office back in January.

The vice president of the federal tax policy at the Tax Foundation told CNN. It's no surprise that customs revenues are up. Erika York says the surprise really is that the Trump administration believes this is a good thing for the U.S. economy adding this.

"The tariffs are likely to raise somewhere around $200 billion this year, and that's a tax increase that falls primarily on people and businesses in the United States."

[01:39:53]

VAUSE: A second day of testimony will begin in New York in the coming hours in the federal criminal trial of rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs. He's pleaded not guilty to five counts, including sex trafficking.

The music mogul denies coercing women in days' long sex parties known as "freak-offs", where victims say they were physically abused.

CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has more details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Even before singer and model Cassie Ventura testifies against 55-year-old Sean Combs, her former boyfriend of more than a decade, she was front and center in the prosecution's opening statement, as they described how Combs forced her to participate in his drug-fueled freak-offs, saying half of every week Cassie was in a dark hotel room, high and awake for days performing sex acts she did not want to on male escorts.

Prosecutors allege Combs used his power and fame as a leading hip-hop artist to sexually abuse women from 2004 to 2024, including Ventura and a Jane Doe witness who will testify.

Prosecutors said that on one occasion, Combs forced a male escort to urinate in Ventura's mouth until she felt like she was choking.

One of the first prosecution witnesses to take the stand, a man paid to have sex with Ventura, said that another time, Ventura seemed drugged, slumped over half on the couch, half off the couch as Combs told him, I don't think this is going to happen today.

It was Ventura seen on this surveillance video, first published by CNN, being kicked and dragged by Combs in a Los Angeles hotel the prosecution says after one of the alleged freak-offs in 2016. If Cassie didn't do what the defendant wanted, the consequences were severe, the prosecution said.

Combs' attorney countered, calling the video overwhelming evidence of domestic violence. He's charged with running a criminal enterprise, she said. Domestic violence is not sex trafficking.

The defense, calling the couple's relationship complicated and that Ventura was uncontrollably jealous of Combs' infidelity.

SEAN "DIDDY" COMBS, RAPPER: I was in a dark place.

WAGMEISTER: Six years after the hotel incident, Combs thanked Cassie on stage at the 2022 BET Awards.

COMBS: Also, Cassie, for holding me down in the dark times -- love.

WAGMEISTER: That speech called out the following year in Ventura's 2023 civil suit against Combs, "For Miss Ventura the dark times were those she spent trapped by Mr. Combs in a cycle of abuse, violence and sex trafficking." Combs denied the allegations and the case was quickly settled with no admission of wrongdoing.

In opening statements, his attorney portrayed the civil suit as a cash grab. "How many millions of reasons does the witness have to lie?"

Many of Ventura's civil allegations are expected to come out in the criminal trial, like when Ventura was on a break from Combs and began a flirtatious relationship with an actor whom CNN has now learned is Michael B. Jordan. In her suit, she alleges Combs called the actor and threatened him. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges he faces,

including racketeering conspiracy, transportation to engage in prostitution and sex trafficking.

Now, before court even began, I had a source tell me that the overarching theme of Combs' defense strategy is going to be that all of these relationships were consensual. "Consensual" being the key word.

Now, I want to read you directly from my notebook from inside the courtroom. His defense attorney, during opening statements today said that the witnesses are, quote, "capable, strong adult women".

So they are essentially going to say these women had the agency to make their own choices, even if these relationships were toxic. Therefore, Combs should not be held criminally liable.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: When we come back, the violence has stopped but the war of words continues between India and Pakistan after reaching an uneasy truce that ended their worst fighting in decades.

[01:44:01]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: India and Pakistan are still trading jabs even after reaching a truce that ended the worst fighting between these two historic foes in decades.

On Monday, India's prime minister says his country will be watching Pakistan's every step, while Pakistan's foreign minister told CNN India's recent strikes were seen as an act of war and a wishful attempt to establish dominance over the long-disputed Kashmir region.

CNN's Matthew Chance reports on the aftermath of the fighting from New Delhi.

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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: A brief but bruising conflict between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan, ending with both sides claiming victory but quietly downplaying their losses.

On India's frantic television news channels, triumphant headlines splashed across the screens while Indian officials say their military action against Pakistan sparked by the killing of 26 people, mainly tourists, in Indian administered Kashmir last month sent a bold message.

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NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): In the first three days, India destroyed Pakistan beyond their imagination. We destroyed terror infrastructure on a large scale and terrorists were sent to death and the heart of Pakistan terror hubs were turned to graveyards.

CHANCE: Meanwhile in Pakistan, which denies involvement in the terror attack, a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was celebrated in the streets while the Pakistani prime minister said the latest conflict with India made history in spectacular fashion.

"In just a few hours, our jets silenced India's guns," the prime minister said in a national address. "In a way that history," he added, "will not soon forget."

But both sides delivered and suffered heavy blows. Pakistan has trumpeted success in the skies, claiming to have shot down five Indian fighter jets. Indian officials have yet to acknowledge even a single loss.

MODI: Empty ground. Next.

CHANCE: Meanwhile, India has released satellite images showing what defense officials say are Pakistani military bases crippled in massive Indian airstrikes?

India and Pakistan can claim victory all they like, but there were no outright winners in a conflict that could well boil over once again.

Matthew Chance, CNN -- New Delhi.

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VAUSE: A mayoral candidate in the Mexican state of Veracruz has been shot dead just weeks before elections. As Yesenia Lara Gutierrez was greeting supporters during a nighttime meet and greet, suddenly, a series of gunshots can be heard. All of it captured on a live stream of the event.

About 20 gunshots can be heard, killing Gutierrez and three others. No word on a motive, but investigations continue.

In Mexico, attacks on political candidates have become increasingly common ahead of elections and a record number of victims of political violence were recorded last year.

We will pause here for a moment. We'll be back after a short break. You're watching CNN.

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VAUSE: In the coming hours, reality TV star Kim Kardashian is expected to take the stand and testify about what happened to her during Paris Fashion Week in 2016. A group of suspects dubbed "The Grandpa Gang" are on trial, accused of stealing millions of dollars in jewelry from Kardashian at gunpoint.

CNN's Saskya Vandoorne has details. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They shuffle into court -- frail, aging, some battling serious health issues.

But these men, known as "The Grandpa Gang", stand accused of a violent heist. Ten people are on trial, most are over 60. Among them alleged mastermind Aomar Ait Khedache.

He's accused of being part of the gang that tied up Kim Kardashian, locking her in a bathroom and making off with millions in cash and jewelry, including her diamond engagement ring, which was never recovered.

Now partially deaf, the proceedings are being transcribed for him to follow along.

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CHLOE AMOUX, LAWYER FOR AOMAR AIT KHEDACHE: My clients already apologized to her -- well, he tried to do so by sending her a letter. And I think he is very remorseful about what he's done and the fact of having seen her on TV, describing her fear, describing the stress she felt.

KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: I didn't know who he was. And I'm like, what is happening? Are we going to die? Just tell them I have children, like I have babies, I have a husband, I have a family. Like I have to get home.

VANDOORNE: Khedache, a school dropout who spent much of his adult life in and out of prison, is pleading guilty to armed robbery and kidnaping, according to his Attorney.

Yunice Abbas, a repeat offender with a long list of crimes to his name, wrote a book on the heist. He admits taking part in the robbery, but denies involvement in the kidnaping.

YUNICE ABBAS, DEFENDANT: It will happen. Naturally, I will apologize. But will it make a difference?

I've done it several times. I did it during the hearing in TV interviews. I've always done it.

VANDOORNE: Abbas has blamed the TV reality star for flaunting her jewelry online. And says he tracked her movements in the days leading up to the robbery.

The prosecutor says this was no spur of the moment crime. It was a carefully planned job by seasoned offenders. Their case has built on DNA evidence, security footage and wiretapped calls tying key suspects to the crime.

The trial is also reopening trauma for others. The night receptionist, described as the forgotten victim, was caught in the chaos nearly nine years ago. When Kardashian takes the stand in Paris Tuesday, security will

tighten. A packed courtroom and increased police presence are expected, underscoring the trial's enduring global spotlight.

Saskya Vandoorne, CNN -- Paris.

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VAUSE: Pope Leo XIV met with journalists on Monday, and he called for the release of all reporters currently being held in prisons around the world.

The newly elected pontiff pledged the church's solidarity with them and called on the global community to protect the quote "all-precious gift of free speech".

He went into the audience after making those remarks, thanking the reporters for their work and shaking hands, including CNN's Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb. There he is.

Thank you for watching. I'm John Vause.

Please stay with us. CNN NEWSROOM continues with my friend and colleague Rosemary Church after a very short break.

See you back here tomorrow.

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