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U.S. Announces New Sanctions on Export of Iranian Metals; EU Rejects Any Ultimatums from Iran Regarding Nuclear Deal; Interview with Brian Hook, U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Iran/U.S. Tensions; South Korea Suspects North Korea has Launched More Missiles; Trump Turns Up Heat on China Over Trade; U.S./China High-Level Talks Due to Begin in Washington; Debate On How's Trump's Foreign Policy Going; Hero Student Gave His Life to Save Friends; Last-Gasp Comeback Sends Tottenham Spurs Into Final; Liverpool and Tottenham Beat the Odds to Reach Final; U.S. Basketball Star Fasting During Playoff Series. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired May 09, 2019 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I felt compelled to authorize new sanctions on Iran's iron, steel, aluminum and copper

industries.

SEN. ANGUS KING (I-ME): You've got three or four actions in the last two weeks and designed to poke Iran in the eye. I'm uncomfortable about where

this is headed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Where is maximum pressure on Iran headed? Off the rails or right where Donald Trump wants it?

Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD with me Becky Anderson live from Abu Dhabi.

Also this hour, more projectiles from North Korea. Why that regime is sending a message now.

And --

Another miraculous night on the pitch. This time it's my own Tottenham Hotspurs overcoming long odds to make it to the Champions League final.

Just after 7:00 here in the UAE.

A stark warning from the European Union to Iran. Today we will not respond to ultimatums. This declaration comes after Iranian President Hassan

Rouhani insisted the EU alleviate pressure caused by U.S. sanctions or else his country will roll back his compliance with the nuclear deal.

Well the U.S. is now targeting Iranian metals and warning other countries not to accept any shipments. President Trump says he's just looking for a

fair deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Unfortunately just today I felt compelled to authorize new sanctions on Iran's iron, steel, aluminum and copper industries, because I

hope to be able at some point -- maybe it won't happen, possibly won't -- to sit down and work out a fair deal. We're not looking to hurt anybody.

We want a fair deal. We just don't want them to have nuclear weapons. That's all we want.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well CNN's Michelle Kosinski standing by in Washington. First though let's get to CNN's Nic Robertson who is in London for you. France,

Germany and the U.K., Nic, had been standing by Iran presenting this deal as a triumph for international diplomacy and it makes the world a safer

place. So is it now game over as far as the Europeans are concerned?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: I think what the Europeans are saying here and with a united voice, Becky, is that it's up

to Iran. I mean they're saying to Iran be cautious, essentially don't do this. That if you do go out of compliance, then there's going to be a

series of actions and they're not necessarily going to be able to control them in as much as you go to arbitration. These were all things laid down

within the JCPOA -- that Iran nuclear deal, article 36. You know, a period of up to 35 days, possibly a bit more of arbitration. You can go to the

Foreign Ministry level.

But at the end of the day if Iran is not in compliance, then there's a possibility -- and this is written into the agreement as well -- that

there's the possibility of sanctions being reimposed. They're not threatening Iran with that because they're not doing threatening language.

President Trump, they say, is doing essentially enough of that. Because they say in their joint communique that they don't think that the United

States' actions over the JCPOA are the right actions to be taken.

They promise Iran that they will remain themselves in compliance with the JCPOA as long as Iran does. But I think it's very clear that at the moment

it's really in the hands of Iran.

ANDERSON: Michelle, what is behind this raft ratcheting up of U.S. maximum pressure on Iran? Or perhaps a better question is who?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN SENIOR DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well it's similar to the stance we've seen from the Trump administration regarding

North Korea. They feel like maximum sanctions, the toughest sanctions ever finally got Kim Jong-un to want to talk to the United States.

Now in reality it's a much more complicated picture than that. Timing has a lot to do with it, just the evolution of that leadership, who the leaders

are. But the U.S. believes that this kind of pressure campaign will ultimately work. There are plenty of opposing views considering that it

could starve the people, hurt the Iranian people to the point that they are really suffering before the leadership ever gets to point of wanting to

change its tune. That's really an unknown.

But many, many times in the past we have seen National Security Advisor John Bolton even before he was a part of this administration advocate for

regime change, advocate for air strikes.

[11:05:02] So there are real questions now how much that mind set is not just shaping U.S. policy but driving it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOSINSKI (voice-over): The U.S.'s policy on Iran now seems squarely in the hands of the person who may be the most vocal, committed, decades long Iran

hawk in this administration. National Security Advisor John Bolton.

JOHN BOLTON, THEN U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: The longer we wait to confront the threat Iran poses, the harder and more intractable it will

become to solve.

KOSINSKI: That's from back in 2006 as ambassador to the U.N. but it's a stance that has lasted.

BOLTON: The Ayatollah Khomeini's 1979 revolution will not last until his 40th birthday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You remember John Bolton. If anything John Bolton has become more determined that there needs to be regime change in Iran.

Regime change, regime change.

KOSINSKI: In 2015 Bolton wrote a "New York Times" op-ed called "To Stop Iran's Bomb, Bomb Iran." Two years ago he told the M.E.K., a group of

Iranian exiles was branded a terrorist organization by the U.S. that it should be U.S. policy to overthrow Iran's mullahs. Three months ago he

tweeted this video.

BOLTON: So Ayatollah Khomeini, I don't think you'll have many more anniversaries to enjoy.

KOSINSKI: It's rattled other members of the Trump administration at times. Like when Bolton asked the Pentagon for military options to strike Iran

late last year after mortars were fired at two U.S. compounds in Iraq, thought to be the work of Iran backed groups -- first reported by "The Wall

Street Journal."

In this week it was Bolton not the Pentagon that announced the U.S.'s latest military move, warning of unrelenting force if Iran attacks the U.S.

or allies.

Exaggeration, though, and cherry-picking intel to suit his views are things Bolton has been accused of multiple times, including his stance on the

alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq that led to a U.S. invasion.

BOLTON: Well I think the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, that military action was a resounding success.

KOSINSKI: Now causing some worries that the U.S.'s latest moves could spark hostilities.

KING: What worries me is you've got Bolton's predisposition and then you've got three or four actions in the last two weeks designed to poke

Iran in the eye. I'm uncomfortable about where this is headed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSINSKI: And of course, even if maximum pressure is the only thing that's at play here, of course nobody knows what the end game of that is. Where

does that end up -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Michelle Kosinski's in Washington for you. Nic's in London on the European angle. To both of you, thank you.

Well one of the Trump administration's top advisers on the Iran file describes Iran's decision on essentially saying it will pull out of this

deal in 60 days should they not get what they want. Is, quote, an attempt to hold the world hostage, end quote.

Brian Hook is the U.S. special envoy for Iran. He joins me now from the State Department. Thank you, sir. We just heard from a Senator who told

Michelle that the U.S. intention or your intention is to provoke Iran. To quote him, poke Iran in the eye in preparation for war. Is that the U.S.

intention?

BRIAN HOOK, U.S. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR IRAN: No, that's not the intention. What we're doing is responding to yesterday Iran's threats to

start noncompliance with parts of the Iran nuclear deal. We're out of the deal. But what they clearly are trying to do is blackmail European nations

to keep Iran in the deal. And Iran is asking for a number of things from Europe as a condition of them staying in the deal.

This is a game of cat and mouse diplomacy that the Iranian regime has played for years with European nations. We fortunately are outside of the

Iran nuclear deal. We think being outside of the deal gives us much more leverage to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon. It also

helps us address the missile proliferation and the regional aggression.

ANDERSON: Right, OK. But Brian, let's just be very clear here. This isn't a response to Iran's latest position. Before that, the U.S. had

already said it's sending an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf region. John Bolton calling it a response to troubling escalations from Iran.

Authorities confirming to CNN that the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln passed through the Suez Canal earlier today.

[11:10:00] This move, Brian, we are told, is in response to, quote, troubling and escalatory warnings from Iran. What is the evidence? How

significant and how long has Washington had this reported intelligence? Because it is fair to say that there is skepticism that this is all very

convenient in helping build John Bolton's narrative at this point.

HOOK: I think that's a misreading of it. What we've done over the last couple of days is entirely defensive. We received multiple credible

threats of Iranian attacks that were being planned against American interests and against our partners in the region. And so, we then

repositioned military assets in the region in order to be in a better position to defend against Iranian attacks. That is a very prudential step

to do. It would be negligent if we didn't take those kinds of defensive measures.

We've also made it very clear to Iran that it is not in their interest to go down this road with the United States. We will respond with force.

ANDERSON: Can we just be a little clearer on this intelligence then? This is intelligence that U.S. assets and U.S. allies in this region where I am

here in the Gulf are under imminent threat from Iran? Can you just explain a little bit more about what the U.S. has at this point?

HOOK: Well, we don't explain specific intelligence and get into the specifics on the threat streams. But I can say that it was credible,

credible reporting, multiple credible threat reporting that we received. And we then moved very quickly to act in response. When you have

actionable intelligence about the potential of attacks, it is then incumbent upon us to ensure the safety and security of American interests

in the Middle East, to reposition American assets accordingly.

So we sent in the Abraham Lincoln. We move some bombers into place. We did some other things. Just make clear that we will defend ourselves and

to let Iran know that thinking that this is an opportunity for them to flex their muscle would be a big mistake.

ANDERSON: Brian, perhaps surprisingly, very little official response from this region, from U.S. allies. Behind the scenes it will suit the likes of

the UAE and Saudi, both of course fiercely opposed to the regime in Iran. And they have significant reasons for that. So behind the scenes, as I

say, this will be convenient that Washington is using previously planned military employments to remind Tehran of America's military might.

You say you don't want war with Iran, but your critics say otherwise. Senator Chris Murphy says Mr. Trump's strategy is simply, quote, blind

escalation for the sake of escalation.

Your response? And what is the strategy here? Forgive me for asking, but it is a question that everybody wants an answer to. What is the strategy

here?

HOOK: Well there's a couple things. One, we are repositioning military assets as a defensive measure. OK. That's the first thing.

The second thing, with response to escalation -- the escalation has been occurring between 2007 and 2016. And I'm referring to Iran's expansionist

foreign policy that they were able to run from Lebanon all the way down to Yemen. Running an expansionist revolutionary foreign policy. And that was

escalatory by its very definition.

We are taking an entirely different approach. We believe that the Iran nuclear deal has come at the expense of regional stability and it has

allowed Iran to expand its nonnuclear threats. The missile testing, the missile proliferation, the funding of its proxies around the region.

So we are now denying the regime the revenue it needs to run its foreign policy. We are going to make it prohibitively expensive. And were already

seeing a positive impact. The leader of Hezbollah in March for the first time in its history had to make a public appeal for donations. Iran had to

cut its defense budget by 28 percent in FY 2019. Last year they cut it by 10 percent. During the Iran nuclear deal it reached record highs of

spending. So this is a much better approach if we want to deescalate the threats to security in the Middle East.

ANDERSON: Iran's foreign minister points out on Twitter -- and let's have a look at this -- that it was the U.S. that quit the nuclear deal, not

Iran. And there are those that say it would be unreasonable to expect Iran to respect the terms of the JCPOA when the United States no longer does.

[11:15:03] Look, Donald Trump says he just wants a fair deal. If the bigger goal here is to get Iran back to the table, to renegotiate what your

administration says will be a better nuclear deal plus, plus in talking about the sort of addressing the ballistic missiles and expansionist sort

of tendencies of Iran. Do you have any indication that this maximum pressure approach is actually working at this point?

HOOK: Well Becky, I think I just gave some examples of how it is working and having a positive impact and so that's the first thing I say. Second

thing is yesterday was the one-year anniversary of us leaving the Iran nuclear deal. Shortly after we left the deal, Secretary Pompeo gave a

speech and he addressed the 12 goals that we would have. The 12 requirements for us to get into a new agreement with the Iranian regime.

That policy is still in place.

We do want to get to a new and better deal. It is going to be much different than the Iran nuclear deal because it's going to be

comprehensive. It will cover the entire range of threats that Iran presents to peace and security, the nuclear program, the missile program,

the regional aggression, the revolutionary foreign policy that has caused so much death and suffering in the Middle East, and the arbitrary detention

of American citizens.

ANDERSON: Let me ask you this very, very quickly. One of those 12 goals was not regime change. Brian, is that the ultimate goal here?

HOOK: No. What we're trying to get is a change in the regime's behavior. We've been very clear about that. That said, we stand with the Iranian

people who want a more representative government. This government represents its own people very badly to the rest of the world. And the

longest suffering victims of the Iranian regime are the Iranian people. And they pay the price for their outlaw behavior on a daily basis. And so,

we are trying to drive up the costs of Iran's foreign policy so that it can no longer behave like a revolutionary cause. That would be a very good

thing for the Middle East.

ANDERSON: Right, and if regime change were the outcome, that would be convenient, yes or no?

HOOK: No --

ANDERSON: Yes or no.

HOOK: No, I don't frame it that way. The way we look at it is we think the Iranian people deserve a more representative government. The future of

Iran is up to the Iranian people. It is not up to the United States. We have goals that do align with what the Iranian people are asking from their

regime. They want the regime to spend less money on Syria and less money on Hezbollah and the Houthis and more money on them. If they had spent a

fraction of the money on water resource management that they do in Syria, you would not have had nearly the kind of suffering you seen in that

country going from drought to floods.

ANDERSON: Brian hook is Trump administration special envoy for Iran and a top visor to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Sir, we appreciate your time,

thank you.

HOOK: Thanks, Becky.

ANDERSON: Too another major story that we are we are following tonight. North Korea apparently sending a message with its second missile test

launch in a week. South Korea says Pyongyang fired two short range missiles which reached an altitude of 50 kilometers before falling into the

sea. Well let's bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks. She's in Seoul. What do we understand to be going on at this point?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we really have to look at the timing of this as you always do with North Korea. The fact that North

Korea has fired what appears to be two short range missiles the very same day that Steve Biegun, the U.S. point person for North Korea, arrives in

Seoul. He's just been in Tokyo for a couple of days talking about how to get the U.S. and North Korea back on track with their negotiations. And he

was expecting to do the same here in Seoul but clearly there something a little bit more pressing for him to be talking about now.

And also, this was the two-year anniversary of President Moon Jae-in, the South Korean President's tenure. He was doing a live one-hour interview

that was broadcast nationwide. So clearly, that was a happy anniversary from Kim Jong-un to him.

But it did give us a very instantaneous reaction to what had happened. The South Korean President saying that cheerily this is North Korea expressing

discontent after that Hanoi summit where there was no agreement between the U.S. President and Kim Jong-un. Also saying, he was also very careful not

to completely break the detente. So effectively saying -- what analysts have been saying as well -- that North Korea is frustrated. It's showing

its frustration but not going so far that it's going to derail those talks completely -- Becky.

[11:20:00] ANDERSON: Paula Hancocks is in Seoul for you viewers. Thank you, Paula.

Well if rising tensions with Iran and North Korea weren't enough, still to come fiery words from the Sunshine State. Donald Trump turns up the head

on Beijing over trade as a Chinese delegation prepares for talks in Washington. More on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: By the way, you see the tariffs we're doing? Because they broke the deal. They broke the deal. They broke the deal. So they're flying

in. The vice premier tomorrow is flying in, good man. But they broke the deal. They continue do that. So they'll be paying if we don't make the

deal. Nothing wrong with taking in over $100 billion a year. Hundred billion. We never did that before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Donald Trump talking tough and his audience seems appreciating it. But his message not going down well in China. Beijing says it's ready

to retaliate if the U.S. ramps up tariffs on some $200 billion worth of Chinese goods as the President had promised. The U.S. tariffs are set to

come into effect on Friday.

There were huge concerns from economists and indeed from investors. This is how the Dow's doing after days of losses. Now over 400-odd points down.

That is moving toward or certainly over 1.5 percent and it seems chugging towards possibly 2 percent. But the U.S. and China will go ahead with

talks later in Washington. Richard Quest is in New York for you. For all the red flags what hope, Richard, that Thursday still turn out to be a red-

letter day?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR AT LARGE: Oh, I think it's highly possible. I would absolutely not write that off. Once you get here and he

has the meetings and they clarify this issue. Which is the remaining or the going back on an undertaking that they would change Chinese domestic

law to accommodate new laws for joint ventures. That's what they have alleged to have gone back on.

Now if you sort that out and you moved things round, I don't think for a minute negotiating with China is like North Korea. I mean, both sides here

want a deal and they know where it's got to go.

[11:25:00] The issue, Becky, is whether or not the Chinese can sell it back at home. One point, by the way, I will just say. The President saying

he'll take in this 100 billion in extra tariffs. Who pays that 100 billion? U.S. consumers, U.S. customers, U.S. companies.

ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating isn't it. I'm looking at the markets as you speak, down -- as I say -- over 400 points as roundabout just over 1 1/2

percent at this point. And there is another factor affecting these markets, President Trump's Twitter feed. How much can we really read into

these 280 characters? I know that's something you put to Mr. Trump's former communication advisor, Anthony Scaramucci. Let's just have a

listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: I don't know we'll have to see. I mean, if he goes ahead with the tariffs, I'm

expecting another 5 to 7 percent drop in the market. I would recommend that he not do that. But he's the president, I'm not. We'll have to see

what he does. But I'm not in love with that strategy. He thinks that's a good strategy. It certainly hurt the Chinese market in terms of percentage

drop, more than our market. But if you think about the size of our market, it actually hurt our market probably more than the Chinese market.

So I think a better strategy would be to run that negotiation behind the scenes. If it's not going to work out you can make a tough statement. The

market will have to correct to that. The good news is though that any --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Do you buy what he's saying?

QUEST: Yes, I do. He's very sharp. He's very sharp. He knows markets absolutely inside out and now he understands the better workings of

government. And what he's basically saying is, Donald Trump if he continues to jawbone the market with the full weight and might of Twitter,

then it's a self-defeating policy in the long run.

Donald Trump gets what he wants in the short run, but in the long run it's a waste of time. The only way forward is a proper negotiation and

inevitably that's done in quiet rooms with sensible serious people.

ANDERSON: Well thank you. This looming trade war with China forces us to ask is Trump's foreign policy in total turmoil or is it carefully organized

chaos. We'll look for some answers with our panel on that and that is up next. Taking a very short break. Back after this.

[11:30:0] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT, IN 1939, AMERICAN NEUTRALITY AS WORLD WAR II BEGAN This nation will remain a neutral nation. I hope the United States

will keep out of this war. I believe that it will and I give you assurance and reassurance that every effort of your government will be directed

toward that end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well echoes perhaps there of a modern day feeling of American first. But of course, as American Presidents have seen since, if you won't

go to the world, then the world will just come right onto you.

So look, we've been spending our show so far connecting you through three big global threads for the American President, Iran, North Korea and China.

Now some see Donald Trump's time with them as a farce. But if you rewind, he does seem to be sticking to some of the promises that he made on the

campaign trail. He told people he'd go after the Iran deal, then walking away, same with North Korea and China. See for yourself. Let's take a

listen to some vintage Trump from the campaign trail. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: That horrible, disgusting, absolutely incompetent deal with Iran.

The nuke deal is a disaster.

They have so out negotiated our people because our people are babies.

We can't continue to allow China to rape our country.

China's taking our jobs, our money, our base, our manufacturing.

I'll take jobs back from China.

I beat China all the time.

At the center of my plan is trade enforcement with China.

Would you speak to the leader of North Korea? I said absolutely. Why not? Why not? What the hell is wrong with speaking? We are going to win so

much. We're going to have win after win after win.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Let's get you on both sides of this with two very smart chaps in the pro- Trump camp. Ben Ferguson, host of the Ben Ferguson Show that's aired across the U.S. He's in Texas in the southwestern part of the U.S. And in

D.C. with another take, Ed Luce, U.S. national editor of the "Financial Times." And author of the "Retreat of Western Liberalism." Gentlemen, in

a word, are things going well abroad for Mr. Trump? Ben, you first.

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I would say yes. And it's because the President's trying new things and staying consistent with it

and he's not wavering on what he told these countries his objective was.

ANDERSON: Ed?

EDWARD LUCE, U.S. NATIONAL EDITOR, FINANCIAL TIMES: I'd say no. I mean you're right in your intro that he is sticking to what he promised he would

do on the campaign trail. That is correct. But in terms of how that's playing out in reality, well, we've got a situation with Iran that's on

hair trigger now. North Korea is resuming its tests of short-range ballistic missiles and threatening to escalate that to lift its self-

imposed moratorium on long range and nuclear tests. And the China trade war is about to escalate and impose significant costs on both the American

and Chinese economies. So I'd say it's going pretty badly.

FERGUSON: I would disagree and here's why. Let's deal with China first off. China has been in charge and has been taking advantage of the U.S.

for decades. Whether it be just flat out stealing our patents and stealing different things that we have on media when it comes to movies, et cetera.

They have no respect. We have currency manipulation issues. And they have had the better end of this trade. They are making more money than we were

making importing. And it needed to be redone.

And the President's been clear about that. And the only way it's going to get redone is to stand tough. China understands toughness. China is a

very tough negotiator. The President is a very tough negotiator. There are going to be tough days.

[11:35:00] Not every day is going to be perfect on Wall Street. So the President has got to accomplish that.

As for Iran, for example, I would argue very much the same thing. What Iran has been doing, sponsoring terrorism -- whether it be Hamas or

Hezbollah or allowing their country tor a be a safe haven for terrorists and extremists to come in and out of Afghanistan and Iraq to target

American soldiers. You have to stand up. We found out about this new plot to go after and kill Americans. The President has no choice but to stand

firm against Iran. So, to say that this President --

ANDERSON: Right, OK. Let me put this to you.

FERGUSON: Sure.

ANDERSON: Let me put this to you. And I want to bring Ed back in. But CNN's international diplomatic editor, Ben, sees things a little

differently from you. The quote, "Trump is spending down his limited foreign policy credibility as a gambler squanders his last chips at the

roulette wheel." A fair point, some would agree, right?

FERGUSON: No, not at all. And the reason why I would say it's not is, you know, you look at Barack Obama, for example. Remember when (INAUDIBLE)

hey, after the election tell Putin I'll have more ability, more flexibility to work with you. And that was a terrible disaster that allowed for them

to take the lead in Syria and prop up Assad. Same thing of what we know with what's going on in Venezuela where the President is trying to cut that

off.

In the President what he's done here, is he said, I'm not going to play the games that you guys have been playing for decades and I am actually going

to say what I mean and I'm going to do it. If I tell you there's a thin red line with chemical weapons like Obama did was Syria, I'll actually back

it up, unlike Obama.

So the idea that he's spending his last chips at the roulette table, no. And the President's right. There's nothing wrong with talking to North

Korea and seeing if there's an avenue there. There's nothing wrong with talking with Iran but also saying we're not going to be taken advantage of.

And were not going to send you cash --

ANDERSON: I hear your point. I hear your point. I want to bring Ed back in. Ed, you're hearing what Ben says? Your response.

LUCE: Look, I mean, there are separate issues here and Trump is playing each of them very differently. I mean, North Korea as you know --

FERGUSON: As he should.

LUCE: -- he's met Kim Jong-un twice and, in both cases, where in the first case in Singapore declare a major victory that North Korea had agreed to

denuclearize and that he pulled off this great deal. And that proved to have been a complete shimmer. There was no deal. And North Korea has done

nothing more than declare a moratorium and probably is continuing to develop its nuclear weapons capacity. It has shipped 0 percent of its

plutonium and enriched uranium outside of the country, 0 percent. Iran, on the other hand, had shipped out 98 percent of its enriched material under

the JCPOA, under the Iran nuclear deal. And is now threatening to resume - -

FERGUSON: While still supporting terrorism.

LUCE: Hold on a minute. It's now threatening to resume --

ANDERSON: Hang on. Hang on, Ben.

LUCE: -- to resume the uranium enrichment and retain the enriched uranium. Because the United States has unilaterally withdrawn from a deal that every

other signatory to the deal -- including the three Europeans, Britain, Germany, France and others, Russia, China, et cetera -- says -- plus the

U.N. -- Iran has upheld. So why America going it alone, escalating by sending battle carrier groups, USS Abraham Lincoln and a bunch of B-52

bombers to the region is --

FERGUSON: That's just not escalating it.

LUCE: -- Is good diplomacy --

ANDERSON: Hang on, Ben.

LUCE: -- in this context. Is beyond most observer

ANDERSON: Let me put this to you.

FERGUSON: I want to respond to that.

ANDERSON: Hang on. The President sees much of the world through the prism of a business deal. Trade wars are good and easy to win, a brash

statement, Ed, from the American President coming out about a year ago now. We don't know what's going on behind the scenes right now. You call

American and Chinese differences insoluble. Why?

LUCE: So I think that China's Xi Jinping's big goal here is the made in China 2025. This is this very ambitious drive to emulate America in

artificial intelligence by 2025 and dominate the world by 2030. And it is quite right of the Trump administration to see this as a very worrying

threat, not just on the economic front but potentially on a national security scale too.

So I have no quibble with the idea that this is a major problem and that negotiations need to take place to try and get China to dilute or have a

much more open access of artificial intelligence goals. The problem is, it is a red line for Xi. This is a national security strategy. It's his

signature strategy. So getting China to climb down completely from it is a very tall order that I don't think any President's going to fully achieve.

[11:40:00] FERGUSON: So I don't think his response should be then just don't do it or give up. I mean, what you're saying --

LUCE: No, I'm not arguing that.

FERGUSON: -- that China is going to be strong so therefore -- let me finish. So therefore maybe we shouldn't just try. The President clearly

understands what this means from a national security standpoint. And if you talk to economists around the world, they all agree. China has the

better end of this deal with this trade. The President has no choice but to confront them over this and China needs America when it comes to trade

and exports more than we need them. And we can sustain a battle with them longer with our good economy.

They are much more dependent in their economy on their imports into this country. The President has the upper hand. And when you have that upper

hand you use it to your advantage to protect your interests. Is what the President's job is, and a duty.

One other thing, as for the carrier group, you said that the President was somehow escalating. That's the mostly ridiculous narrative I've heard all

day. The only reason why the President and the Pentagon decided to send that carrier strike group over to that part of the region in the world

where we were not, by the way. Is because of intelligence that clearly showed that Iran was planning an attack on American interests, American

soldiers, or American citizens or our troops in that part of the world.

The President has a duty to protect and defend those troops or the American interests. To say they're responsible for him to send a strike group to

protect American souls, I think, is absurd.

ANDERSON: I'm going to leave it there, gentlemen, but will have you back. Thank you very, very much indeed for joining us. Excellent insight from

both of you.

We're hearing stories of horror and heroism from a school shooting in Colorado earlier this week. It could have been a lot worse if not for one

brave teen, 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo charged a fellow student who had pulled out a gun and began shooting classmates. Castillo was shot and

killed but was able to distract the shooter long enough for other students to disarm him. A short time ago my colleague Alisyn Camerota spoke to a

student who was nearby. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS ELLEDGE, STUDENT, STEM HIGHLANDS RANCH: I can't give you an exact time span but I can tell you that it was long enough to hear pretty much

everything that went on. It almost went on right outside our classroom. Down the hall it transferred from like down the hall to by our classroom

and then it left. The sounds faded away and then it came back and then the cops came. All you could hear was screaming and yelling in the hall and

get down on the ground. It was terrifying. But being able to text my dad was just -- it was really reassuring. It was really --

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST "NEW DAY": Chris, we can hear you shaken you still are, of course, because of what you've just lived through. How are

you going to get through this and go back to school?

ELLEDGE: As a community we're going to get through it as a community. Because, you know, you don't stop your life just because of one bad thing.

You can't let that get in the way. You have to band together as a community. You have to stay strong. Stem's strong. Stem is strong. Stem

is strong and we're a strong community and we will get through this.

CAMEROTA: Mr. Elledge, the parents of Kendrick Castillo lost their only child. And the people in his class say that he and other heroic students

charged the shooter. And I'm just wondering if you have anything you want to say to his parents.

ELDON ELLEDGE, FATHER: You know, we had a prayer vigil last night and we all as a community recognized his heroics as well as the others. I don't

know what you can say at the moment. As far as the parents go, what a great job as far as raising their kid. What a great kid. What a great

loss to us as a community. Those are things that are hard to put into words. We as a community will be able to show them how much we appreciate

what he did.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And sadly, this is not an isolated incident. So far this year there have been 15 -- 15 school shootings in the United States in which

someone was hurt or killed.

Live from Abu Dhabi, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. We'll be back with a lot more.

[11:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: To football now. And just 24 hours after one English club overcame a 3-0 deficit to reach the Champions League final. Well, have a

look at this. Tottenham came into yesterday's match at Ajax in Holland with a mountain to climb trailing 1-0 after the first leg. By halftime

Wednesday that deficit had grown to 3-0. And Spurs, as they are locally known, went to work.

More specifically, Lucas Moura went to work. He scored three goals in the second half, this one with just seconds to go. I know people who were on

their knees in front of the television set last night. Spurs fans, let me tell you, people nearly passed out. They will meet -- the team that is --

and this is the coach. This is Pochettino. The team will meet Liverpool FC in the Champions League final.

Mark Bolton outside Tottenham's stadium and joins us now. Oh, what a stadium it is but that's for another discussion. I don't know what to say.

I was watching and it was half past 1:00 in the morning here and having spent the night before until 1:30 nearly passing out over a game of

football, and as a Spurs fan, I don't know what to say. You tell me. What you think? Tell me what happened.

MARK BOLTON, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, it's wonderful. There will always be a debate. And even between these two game there is a what is the best come

back in the Champions League in the semifinal. I think what we do know definitively, Becky, is this is the best 48 hours there's ever been in

European football. We've never seen a game like either of those two and they're sandwiched together. It's incredible stuff. And we're just

waiting for construction to start on the Lucas Moura statute right here at some point in the next few weeks.

It's been an incredible journey for Tottenham this season. They didn't spend a penny, as you well know, in the transfer window in the summer.

That was a record in the Premier League and they continued that onto January. Not spent a penny without their England star Harry Kane and here

they are. Unbelievable stuff.

ANDERSON: As you and I are talking, I want to show some video of the locker room after the match. It speaks for itself. So as we take a look

at the emotional and chaotic scenes in the locker room -- and these aren't them. Let's bring that video up please. Let's have a look at this video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SCENES FROM THE LOCKER ROOM)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: There is nothing that connects the world like football. You rightly pointed out that these have been two of the most dramatic and best

days in football that certainly you and I will remember and people a lot older than us I'm sure will agree with us. We kicked off the show this

time yesterday with Liverpool's crazy comeback to knock out Barcelona. Just explain to me what sort of era of sport that we are living in right

now?

[11:50:02] BOLTON: Oh wow. In football terms it's the richest, but that isn't how we should always evaluate the game. We should not look at this

in financial terms because it's healthier than it's ever been. It's about what it offers to us as an emotional journey and how we connect within that

community, et cetera, et cetera. And I think these are moments that illustrate just the impact it can have.

We've been out here all morning. People are coming over. They're full of joy. We know that it has boost economically on local communities as well

as the morale itself. So these games permeate through the very fabric of our community and our society. The game is rich financially and we are

richer for it in terms of what it's providing. It's wonderful times and we're going to enjoy it between now and June 1st.

ANDERSON: Yes, good for you. Wonderfully put. Well done. Respect that stadium behind you, sir. It is fabulous.

BOLTON: Of course.

ANDERSON: From London to Los Angeles, we'll speak to a basketball star and his counter life on CONNECT THE WORLD next. And ask him about something

he's never done before. Stay with me on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Just been talking soccer, football before the break. To another sports sensation now. Enes Kanter recently entered the history books as

just the third player in its history to score at least 20 points and 18 rebounds in a playoff game. Now he faces a different challenge, take

challenge taking part in an NBA series -- playoff series -- during the holy month of Ramadan. Which for him right now means no food or water for

around 16 hours a day. Enes Kanter joining us from Denver. Sir, fasting during performance takes discipline and determination. Luckily you I know

have both. You're able to get some good advice from none other than a Hall of Fame icon. Tell me about that.

ENES KANTER, NBA BASKETBALL PLAYER, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (via Skype): It's the first day of Ramadan and I know Hakeem did it during the playoffs

and he won the most valuable player. So I texted him and said, can you give me some advice? And then he texted me the first day of Ramadan. And

first he was so proud of me and he was so happy for me to just fast (INAUDIBLE) at playoff time.

But he told me, you know, just drink lots of water. He used to eat lots of (INAUDIBLE) when you wake up for supper at 3 or 4:00 a.m. in the morning.

I listen to his advice. And I woke up I was drinking like probably two or three gallons of water, two or three gallons of Gatorade. I was like, oh

my gosh, I hope I'm not going to throw up as I was drinking. I was so excited.

[11:55:00] And then when the time came right before the game, I broke my fast. I ate like six peanut butter sandwich and I took my painkiller. And

then all my teammates were looking at me like, are you sure you're going to be OK? I'm like, yes, I'll be fine, man. I'm very hungry.

ANDERSON: Well Ramadan Kareem to you.

KANTER: I appreciate it.

ANDERSON: It's remarkable to see your performances of late. I just very quickly want to ask you one thing. You've been very vocal about the

situation in Turkey where your family is from, this controversy, of course, over the President's refusal to accept defeat in Istanbul and a new vote

will be held next month. The main opposition party says the vote wasn't rigged. Enes, how do you feel when you look at what's happening back home?

KANTER: It's very sad. Because if you look at what just happened in the last two or three days, Ekrem Imamoglu won the elections as the mayor of

Istanbul in March 31. But at the same time, elections three more positions were voted and elected and the Turkish document cancelled elections but

only as to the mayor election that needs to be redone. At the same time elections three other positions were awarded and elected. The Turkish

government does not cancel them even if they were in the same ballot box. So it's funny and bizarre that part of this, because I feel if Binali

Yildirim lost the mayoral race but won other three spots. This is unacceptable. Because people in Istanbul already made the decision. And

in a democratic country this does not happen. I can sadly say that Turkey is not a democratic country anymore.

ANDERSON: The view of our great basketball hero at present. Very quickly, are you -- you're from Turkey you have to be. Are you a soccer fan, a

football fan?

KANTER: I am a very big soccer fan, of course, because I'm from Europe.

ANDERSON: Did you see the games in the last couple of days?

KANTER: It's probably one of the best soccer in Europe. I know you're cheering for Tottenham but I'm cheering for Liverpool because I'm a big Mo

Salah fan.

ANDERSON: Excellent. And so am I by the way. But you got to stick to the team that you grew up with. But he's a great player as well. Thank you,

sir. It's been a pleasure. Ramadan Kareem to you.

I'm Becky Anderson That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching.

[12:00:00]

END