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Trump Delays 50 Percent Tariff On European Goods Until July 9; Trump Blasts Putin After Major Russian Attack On Ukraine; Soon: President Trump Speaks At Arlington Natl. Cemetery. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired May 26, 2025 - 11:00   ET

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

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[11:01:40]

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now on this Memorial Day, President Trump will soon arrive at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the military men and women who have given their lives for this country. He's set to take part in a wreath-laying ceremony. We'll speak afterwards. We will have that for you live.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Alex Marquardt in for Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown. You are in The Situation Room.

We begin with President Trump putting the brakes on a massive 50 percent tariff that was set to hit goods from the European Union next weekend. It threatened to dramatically escalate the trade battle between Trump and European countries. Trump now says that the new tariff will be delayed until July 9th.

CNN's Kevin Liptak is covering the story from the White House and our Clare Sebastian is in London. Kevin, to you first, the President said just a few days ago that he wasn't looking for a deal with Europe. What changed?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes and it seems to have been this conversation that the President held yesterday with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. This was actually the first time that the two leaders had talked since President Trump took office, which is somewhat surprising given all of the trade tensions between the U.S. and the European Union.

In this call, they were essentially able to discuss some of the differences between the two sides as these talks proceed. And there are some significant differences. From the European perspective, there is some confusion about what exactly Trump is looking for in order to lift some of these tariffs. U.S. officials have complained that the Europeans aren't bringing them serious enough offers as part of these trade talks.

And in this call, Ursula von der Leyen essentially told the President that yes, she was serious about reaching a trade deal but that they would need more time, that they would need until July 9th, which is the date that President Trump agreed to. We should say that this is actually the original deadline that President Trump set in order to reach all of these trade deals.

That is when that 90-day negotiation period with all of these countries will expire. So essentially, the President here saying that he would revert to that original timeline in order to prevent these new tariffs from going into effect.

MARQUARDT: And Clare, to you, how is the European Union responding?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think they're trading very carefully, Alex. We see that in the conciliatory tone that came out of that call, Ursula von der Leyen describing it as a good call, saying Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively and calling this the most consequential and close trade relationship. I think that's a bit of a shift from the rhetoric we saw from the E.U. trade chief on Friday, who said that deals should be made with respect and not threats.

Because now, even though the timeline has been extended, they have 44 days to try and reach a deal with not a 20 percent reciprocal tariff but a 50 percent reciprocal tariff hanging over them. And I think, as Kevin alluded to, they now have to figure out what exactly to offer the Trump administration to prevent further escalation, because some of the points on the table, these non-tariff barriers that the Trump administration takes issue with, things like value-added tax, digital services tax, those are decided at a national level and will be much harder to agree with member states.

Plus, the negotiating problem that the U.S. side has talked about, in the words of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the fact that you have these 27 member states in the European Union represented from sort of centrally in Brussels has made negotiating more difficult. That also will not be resolved overnight. So perhaps something involving more investment in the U.S., President Trump hinted that if someone wanted to come forward and build a plant, they could look at a further delay, perhaps something to reduce that hated 236 billion trade deficit in goods.

[11:05:20]

We don't know at this stage, but the timeline is tight, and while European markets have rebounded somewhat today, I don't think they will be able to I think you could call this a full sigh of relief at this point, Alex.

MARQUARDT: And that is what so much of this is about, what the Trump administration feels like it's being offered in these negotiations. Clare Sebastian in London, thank you so much. Kevin, stay with me, I want to ask you about something else. President Trump starting his Memorial Day with a series of posts on social media, on Truth Social, he said happy Memorial Day, which of course is already a faux pas on this very somber day, but then he went on to blast his political opponents and his perceived enemies, calling them scum.

LIPTAK: Right. And you know, this is not the first time that the President has used a solemn occasion like Memorial Day to go after some of his political enemies, but it's nonetheless still quite jarring when you read exactly what the President wrote. He said, as you said, happy Memorial Day to all, including the scum that spent the last four years trying to destroy our country through warped, radical left minds who allowed 21 million people to illegally enter our country.

So a tone that I think is far different than previous presidents have adopted on this day that is designed to honor America's war dead. Certainly President Trump has a record of combining somewhat solemn moments with somewhat more political moments. We saw that, for example, just on Saturday when he was speaking at the commencement ceremonies at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point.

It was in some ways a commencement speech designed to provide guidance to these cadets turned second lieutenants who are leaving the Academy for active military service, but it was also in some ways a very political speech as the President talked about his efforts to redesign the U.S. military, eliminate diversity programs from academies like West Point. And so we will see exactly how the president addresses this day when he speaks there from the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery as he lays the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Certainly a moment that I think just brings home for so many presidents the real weight of the office that they occupy on this most solemn of days, Alex.

MARQUARDT: Yes, the President comparing himself to Al Capone and talking about trophy wives in that West Point commencement speech. Kevin Liptak at the White House, thank you very much.

Still ahead, President Trump escalating his attacks on Harvard University, his latest demands with billions of dollars at stake.

[11:07:55]

Plus, his escalating war of words with the Kremlin after Vladimir Putin launched Russia's largest aerial attack with drones on Ukraine since the war began. Stay with us. You're in The Situation Room.

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MARQUARDT: With no ceasefire or peace deal in sight, Russia is escalating its war further against Ukraine. This weekend, Ukrainian officials say at least 29 people were killed after Moscow launched its largest wave of airstrikes since the war began. President Trump, then, had some rare criticism for Vladimir Putin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm not happy with what Putin's doing. He's killing a lot of people and I don't know what the hell happened to Putin. I've known him a long time. We're in the middle of talking and he's shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities. I don't like it at all. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: I want to discuss this with the former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Michael Carpenter, who was more recently in charge of the Europe and Russia file at the National Security Council under President Joe Biden. Ambassador, thanks so much for being with us today. So what do you make of this change in tone from Trump? Because we've heard frustration in the past, but this seems like something more, perhaps.

MICHAEL CARPENTER, FORMER AMBASSADOR, ORG. FOR SECURITY & COOPERATION IN EUROPE: Well, look, at this point, Alex, in the administration, we're four months in. I'm not looking at what President Trump is saying. I'm looking at what he's doing. And the fact of the matter is he hasn't given any additional security assistance to Ukraine.

Ukraine desperately needs air defense systems and the launchers that -- and -- and missiles that go with it. This administration has not provided that. And so the words of anger at Vladimir Putin, I mean, let's also remember that this administration has done nothing to apply pressure to Russia. There have been no tariffs. There have been no additional sanctions. So at this point, I don't think words really count for all that much. Let's look to what the administration is actually going to do.

MARQUARDT: You have argued for more sanctions in the past, more pressure. Last week, after President Trump spoke with President Putin, you said, we're not going to be putting more sanctions on while we feel like progress is being made. But then over the weekend, he said, yes, absolutely, there could be more sanctions. Do you think, admittedly, from an outsider's perspective, that this may be a breaking point for Trump, like he may finally take some action against Russia? Or will Putin now find a way to get back in his good graces?

[11:15:01]

CARPENTER: Well, that's very hard for me to say. All I know is that this administration has not applied a lick of pressure to Russia. And meanwhile, it has demanded various things of Ukraine. Ukraine was initially reluctant to do an unconditional ceasefire. They were reluctant to engage in diplomacy with Russia. President Zelenskyy has done all of those things.

He has agreed to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. He showed up in Ankara when President Trump said, you must talk to Vladimir Putin. He was there, ready to talk to Vladimir Putin. And then, of course, President Trump himself spoke with President Putin. And the consequence of that was a massive missile and drone barrage on the capital city of Kyiv, killing many, many civilians.

So at this point, I think the administration has to pivot and focus on how it can apply pressure to Russia and how it can support Ukraine to defend itself on the battlefield. And again, so far, we have not seen any indications at all that that is in the offing.

MARQUARDT: And as we heard this ire, this anger from President Trump against Putin, he also had some tough words for Zelenskyy, again, saying that everything out of Zelenskyy's mouth causes problems. To your point, I think Zelensky and Ukrainians have been bending over backwards to -- to keep Trump and the administration happy.

If you were advising Ukrainians, what would you tell them to do to -- to -- to get the Trump administration to move on that type of pressure that you're talking about?

CARPENTER: Look, I think right now the administration needs to hear from members of Congress. And from the public to say, look, I mean, most Americans, when you look at polling, about 80 percent or so think that Vladimir Putin is a bad guy. I mean, he's been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

So I think now is the time for members of Congress to speak to the administration, those who care about Ukraine and say, look, you've given the diplomacy now four months without pressure on Russia and without support for Ukraine. In other words, changing the equation in terms of leverage. Put Ukraine in a stronger position going into negotiations and make Russia feel a little bit of heat so that it feels compelled to approach the negotiating table with some concessions in hand.

The current approach is not going to do anything other than create more conditions like we saw over the weekend with this tragic strike on Ukraine and the deaths of so many civilians.

MARQUARDT: Michael, before I let you go, as I noted, you were a former senior director at the National Security Council. That meant that you helped coordinate policy for Russia, Ukraine and Europe. We've reported on the -- the dramatic reorganization, restructuring of the NSC, dramatic slimming down, far fewer people in their posts. What do you think the consequences of gutting all these different parts of the NSC is going to be?

CARPENTER: Well, first, I'll say, you know, every administration should have the right to choose how it wants to structure the NSC. And so it was a little bit leaner under Biden than it was under George W. Bush or under Obama, and now they're going for even further cuts.

However, in an administration where the President is making almost all of the decisions, it would be wise to retain that expertise on the NSC staff. Let's not forget that in the first Trump administration, they cut the Global Health Directorate, you know, just about a year before COVID struck, and that proved to be a big mistake, frankly, in retrospect. So you want to have that expertise so the President is getting the best possible advice.

It's fine for the State Department and the Defense Department to make a lot of decisions, but especially in a White House-centric administration, you want to make sure the President is really getting all the facts.

MARQUARDT: All right, Ambassador Michael Carpenter, we've got to leave it there. Thank you so much for joining us on this Memorial Day.

CARPENTER: My pleasure.

[11:18:49]

MARQUARDT: And we'll be right back.

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MARQUARDT: Happening now, in any moment, we are expecting to see President Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetor -- Cemetery, excuse me, for a Memorial Day ceremony. We are expecting him to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then deliver remarks. You can see the forces there at the cemetery getting ready for the President's arrival, holding that wreath that he will lay at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Of course, this is always an extremely solemn event every year. The President is expected to give remarks there. You can see the dignitaries and officers who have gathered for today's ceremony. This comes after the President gave a speech, the commencement speech, at West Point Military Academy over the weekend. That did raise some eyebrows after he appeared to veer a little bit from the remarks, talking about Al Capone and -- and trophy wives. He wore his MAGA cap throughout that -- that address.

Today, we expect it to be a much more formal and -- and scripted address on, of course, what is an extremely somber day where so many thousands of American servicemen and women are buried and where the past few days, especially, but throughout the year, families, friends, loved ones, and often complete strangers come to pay their respects.

[11:25:09]

We have our senior White House reporter, Kevin Liptak, on the North Lawn of the White House. So, Kevin, what are we expecting from the president as he arrives at Arlington?

LIPTAK: Well, the first will be that most somber moment when the President lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown. This is something that presidents have been doing, you know, dating back decades, and it's really kind of an important grave moment for any president as he sort of contemplates, really, the weight that is on his shoulders as the commander-in-chief, as the individual who makes the final decision to send Americans to war, and as he contemplates the ultimate sacrifice that so many Americans have made over the decades.

President Trump has obviously been in this position before. He served four years in office earlier in his term, and so I think this is something he's thought about before, and I thought it was notable when the President was speaking over the weekend at West Point as he was addressing the cadets turned second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. He was very critical of his predecessors for entering into wars of choice, in his view, saying that in his presidency, he would not use the military for what he called nation-building, that he would be far more prudent in his decision-making as he chose when and where to deploy Americans abroad. That's something of an isolationist viewpoint. He has talked about that on the campaign trail, but certainly as we see him now walking in to Memorial -- to Arlington, it's something that he will be thinking about as well today.

MARQUARDT: And, Kevin, we are seeing the President arriving at Arlington alongside Vice President J.D. Vance and the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegsteth. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Halt. Halt. Halt. Halt. Halt. Freeze set.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freeze set. Halt.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freeze set.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freeze set.

[11:28:17]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Halt.