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Early Start with Rahel Solomon
Gov. Newsom Slams Trump For Inflaming Tensions In California; Trump Launches $5M Immigration "Gold Card" Visa Signup Site; Public Disorder Continues In Ballymena For Another Night; Trump: Doubt Putin Cares About Human Cost Of War; Trump Says China Deal Includes Rare Earth Minerals; Inside Japan's Elevated 7-Eleven Snacking Experience. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired June 12, 2025 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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TAMMY BRUCE, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: -- one guiding hand for the country on all of our issues.
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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Huckabee's comments come just a week before a conference at the U.N. meant to advance support for a two-state solution. France is considering recognizing a state of Palestine next week at the U.N. conference.
It wouldn't change anything on the ground, but it is a massively important symbolic move that would make France just the latest state to recognize a Palestinian state.
Oren Liebermann, CNN, in Jerusalem.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN HOST: Coming up on your Early Start, Gavin Newsom is criticizing Donald Trump for inflaming tensions in his states. A look at the president's feud with California's leader when we come back.
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SANDOVAL: And welcome back to your Early Start. I'm Polo Sandoval in for Rahel. And here are some of the stories that we are watching today.
Iran is starting to fight back if it faces any military action over its nuclear program. The country's defense minister says Iran could hit U.S. military bases in the region. Oman says Iran and the U.S. are set to hold the next round of nuclear talks on Sunday.
And a mixture of boos and cheers greeting President Donald Trump as he attended his first performance at Washington's Kennedy Center since giving the legendary Performing Arts Center a conservative overhaul.
Several actors in the production of "Les Mis" boycotted Wednesday night's show to protest the huge changes that Trump has made at that center.
And in Los Angeles, a small part of downtown, it is under curfew for a second night in a row. CNN crews on the ground reporting quiet with only police on the streets at this hour. The mayor says the curfew is meant to stop bad actors who are taking advantage of the president's chaotic escalation.
And protests as we've seen them have spread to other states as well. The National Guard now has been activated in two states so far. The first being the controversial deployment in California and Tuesday's activation in Texas ahead of planned protests this week.
New video out of Seattle showing protesters burning debris near a federal building. You can see the clouds of smoke growing bigger as they add items to the fire. New York City Mayor Eric Adams says that he told the state's governor that the National Guard isn't needed to respond to protests there.
About 2,500 protesters marching through the city on Tuesday. The NYPD says that they've made several arrests already.
And then this was the scene in Raleigh, North Carolina on Wednesday where crowds marched through the city. Protesters telling CNN affiliate WRAL that they felt that it was their duty to speak up after seeing people, quote, "being oppressed" in other parts of the country.
And California Governor Gavin Newsom is slamming President Trump for making things worse in Los Angeles by sending in the Marines and the National Guard. CNN's Tom Foreman reports that this longstanding feud between the two is also intensifying the political spotlight on the governor.
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GAVIN NEWSOM, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR: This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Governor Gavin Newsom is on the attack, saying Los Angeles police had trouble in the city contained and winding down days ago.
NEWSOM: But that's not what Donald Trump wanted. He again chose escalation. He chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety.
FOREMAN (voice-over): After months of Democrats hungering for anyone to lead opposition to Trump, Newsom's social media following is skyrocketing. He has trolled right-wing lawmakers over seemingly performative patriotism.
He responded to a Trump accusation of protesters disrespecting the National Guard with, "You sent your troops without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep". And he has met Trump's chatter about cutting aid to states by noting California pays billions more in federal taxes than it receives in funding.
NEWSOM: So if Donald Trump's going to continue to threaten 40 million Americans that live in California, maybe we should consider withholding those resources.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Governor Newsom is stepping up to meet the moment.
FOREMAN (voice-over): Some top Democrats are delighted. Some Republicans are clearly disturbed.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's an incompetent governor.
FOREMAN (voice-over): The wildfires that scorched L.A. signaled the first skirmish of the year as the president threw roundhouse insults and the governor punched back hard. They touched gloves long enough to get disaster aid flowing.
TRUMP: I appreciate the governor coming out and meeting me, Gavin.
FOREMAN (voice-over): But the clash only intensified the spotlight on Newsom, who frequently does what Trump seldom dares, debating folks on the other side of the political divide.
NEWSOM: I want comprehensive immigration reform. I want to actually address the issue more comprehensively, just like Ronald Reagan did in 1989.
FOREMAN (voice-over): Sometimes he battles the right. Sometimes he bruises the left. For example, by telling a conservative media host trans athletes don't belong in women's sports.
NEWSOM: I think it's an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that.
FOREMAN (voice-over): But as widening protests show Trump enraging some voters, Newsom appears to be engaging others with a simple call reaching far beyond California -- resist.
NEWSOM: What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty, your silence to be complicit in this moment. Do not give in to him.
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FOREMAN (on-camera): There is no doubt that Newsom is getting under Donald Trump's skin, but there's also no doubt that a lot of other politicians in other states are watching closely to see if this form of opposing Donald Trump works.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington. SANDOVAL: And President Trump is fast tracking the process for foreigners hoping to become legal U.S. residents and potentially citizens, that is, if you have $5 billion to spare. The Commerce Secretary says that the wait list is now open for Trump's so-called gold card visa program. It gives those willing to pay the sky-high price for the right to live and work permanently in the United States.
Now, the card would replace the government's EB-5 immigrant investor visa program, which grants green cards to immigrants who invest nearly $2 million into the U.S.
Parts of Northern Ireland saw another night of violent public disorder. A video now showing police using water cannons on demonstrators just outside of Ballymena. Now, the people in the crowd, you see also in some cases even through rocks at officers, according to authorities, the chaos began with a protest over a sexual assault allegedly committed by two teenage boys.
CNN's Nic Robertson with more on the unrest.
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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): For a second night, anti-immigration rioters faced off with police in the small Northern Ireland town of Ballymena. Dozens of mostly young men threw petrol bombs and rocks at the police.
Police responded with water cannon and baton rounds, ramming their armored vehicles through burning barricades. Seventeen officers were injured, two more than the previous night.
RYAN HENDERSON, ASSISTANT CHIEF CONSTABLE, NORTHERN IRELAND: This violence was clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and the police. It was racist, thuggery, pure and simply.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): The violence also spreading to other towns, including the regional capital, Belfast. This Belfast lawmaker's own district was impacted by racist violence just a few months ago.
CLAIRE HANNA, MP. BELFAST SOUTH AND MID DOWN: I am really worried about the potential for this unrest to spread. It is wanton aggression, violence, destruction of property and intimidation of people.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Ballymena's tiny handful of migrants became the target Monday. Mass gangs smashing windows, kicking in doors. At least one family burnt out of their home. Their vehicle torched, others in shock.
What had begun as a peaceful protest for a young woman who said she had been sexually assaulted turned violent, following the charging of two teenage boys through a Romanian interpreter. The BBC reported some immigrant families putting flags on their doors, hoping to keep attackers away. HANNA: We have seen the horrific sight of ethnic minorities putting flags and explanations on their doors, saying that they're -- they are a healthcare worker or that they work in a local factory and effectively, you know, pleading mercy.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Police now calling for reinforcements from mainland U.K.
HENDERSON: As part of my forward planning, therefore, I have now activated the request for mutual aid resources from police and colleagues in Great Britain.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Fueling concerns, the riots will continue. The so-called marching season is beginning. A hangover from the region's bloody sectarian past and is often the most violent month in the year.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
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SANDOVAL: So on the way this morning, the U.S. president says that he is starting to change his mind about his Russian counterpart. Coming up, we'll tell you what Donald Trump is now saying about Vladimir Putin.
Also, the president seems to be touting a new trade deal between two of the world's biggest economies. We'll tell you what the details of that agreement are.
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SANDOVAL: U.S. President Donald Trump says that he is starting to believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin simply does not care about the human costs of the war in Ukraine. The U.S. president set himself a two-week deadline to determine whether his Russian counterpart is actually serious about ending that ongoing war.
The thing is that deadline has now passed with little progress toward peace. But Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed the lack of progress.
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DMITRY PESKOV, KREMLIN SPOKESPERSON (through translation): As you can see, the dialogue continues. It is being carried out by the diplomatic departments as part of the understandings that have been reached between President Putin and President Trump.
Well, let's just say that there are a lot of blockages in bilateral relations. Of course, we can hardly hope for any quick results. But this is exactly the kind of complex step-by-step work that has begun and will be continued.
(END VIDEOCLIP) SANDOVAL: And as Trump expresses doubt about Putin's intentions, Ukraine is reeling from another massive drone attack on the second largest city in that country.
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Officials saying that Russian drones hit an apartment, just blocks -- several apartment blocks in Kharkiv on Wednesday night with 17 explosions in just nine minutes. At least three people were killed there, 59 others were injured.
And President Trump says that a U.S. deal with China includes access to valuable rare earth minerals. And the U.S. will in turn allow Chinese college students to keep attending U.S. universities. Significant news.
In a social media post, President Trump said, quote, "Our deal with China is done." But as CNN's Phil Mattingly explains, there's still a long way to go.
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF U.S. DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: When it comes to the bilateral relationship between China and the U.S., the world's two most powerful countries, largest economies in the world, the primary takeaway at this point is the worst case scenario hasn't actually played out.
That was the goal of the 20 hours of talks in London between the two sides. The second round of trade negotiations between President Trump's team and their Chinese counterparts, it was to try and prevent a rapid and potentially very dangerous escalation.
The reason why is this. Obviously this is the second round of talks, the first round of talks that led to the initial very significant tariff escalation, also created the seeds for real tension in the four weeks that followed. That was over the issue of rare earths. These are elements really controlled almost entirely by China in terms of supply, and that's a problem given their centrality in critical components that the U.S. population uses every single day.
So does the U.S. military. Automakers were at the point where they were going to have major supply chain issues within a matter of days. U.S. officials frustrated that the supply had essentially been locked down by the Chinese, started countering with their own moves, including student visas and potential crackdowns on Chinese students in the United States, their own export controls as well.
So the goal going into this was not some dramatic detente or completely new trade deal. It was to try and remove the issue that had the very real potential of serving as an accelerant to another dramatic escalation. So that's the takeaway.
The worst thing didn't happen. As for where things go from here, it's an open question. It's obviously going to be a slow process. When you talk to U.S. officials, they don't expect some big sweeping trade deal anytime soon. But the fact that the points of tension, the friction areas were taken off the table again for a second time, that they see as a positive signal over the long term.
As to what happens next, we expect talks, probably a third round at some point soon. But in terms of any tangible agreement, even if President Trump and President Xi have a great phone relationship, that seems a little bit longer in the offing.
Phil Mattingly, CNN, Washington.
SANDOVAL: And as we do every morning, let's take a pulse of the markets after the U.S. and China announced their trade deal earlier this week. You see Asia-Pacific markets have been mixed bag with Shanghai and Seoul in positive territory while Tokyo and Hong Kong closing lower.
Here in the U.S., certainly going to be all eyes on U.S. futures as you see them here slipping after the S&P ended a, what was it, a three-day winning streak. So it's really going to see what a day of trading lies ahead.
Well, ever since 7-Eleven came to Japan in the 1970s, they've taken the convenience store business to new heights. They churn out an amazing assortment of snacks unlike anything here in the U.S. I can personally tell you some of the best egg sandwiches you'll ever have.
CNN's Hanako Montgomery got a look at the entire process from tasting to wrapping.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Entirely like a drug?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a good friend who always got me, yes. Like even at late at night, they got a beer for me, some snacks. So it's great, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got to hit the convenience stores for sure every day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, more than the gym.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes -- oh, yes, forget the gym.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The gym takes a break.
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: 7-Eleven was born in America, but clearly Japan has taken these snacks to the next level. I mean, look at all these sweets.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): 7-Eleven crossed the Pacific in the 70s, and now Japan has more stores than anywhere on Earth, coming out with delectable new snacks at a dizzying pace. But have you ever wondered how exactly does 7-Eleven churn out these tasty delights?
Apparently, this meeting is key. Snack design is a serious business. 7-Eleven's top minds meet weekly to taste, test, and outdo the competition. On today's agenda is the cream puff. They call in their best subcontractors to come up with fresh recipes. And after weeks of trial and error, they finally land on the perfect puff.
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Then it's time to get baking. Of course, sanitation is key.
7-Eleven cream puffs get a revamp every six months to stay fresh. But this is the first-ever double cream puff, which promises double the cream, double the flavor.
Once sealed in plastic, they hit the shelves, and if you're lucky, straight into your stomach.
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SANDOVAL: Love to see it. I want to thank you for joining us here on Early Start. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. We're going to have more of your top stories coming up after the break.
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