Return to Transcripts main page

The Situation Room

Wolf Blitzer's Happy Place; Benefits of Stretching; Former Assistant Testifies in Combs Trial; Interview With Former U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired May 29, 2025 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:32:39]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Happening now, testimony in the Sean "Diddy" Combs federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial continues.

And on the stand now is one of Combs' former assistants who is an alleged victim. Earlier this morning, we heard from Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist who worked with Combs and Cassie Ventura. He testified that he always had concerns for Ventura's safety.

So let's go live now to see an entertainment correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister, who is right outside that courthouse in New York.

What is happening now on the stand, Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: So, right now, we are on a brief break from court.

But, as you said, the government's second alleged victim is currently on the stand. Now, she is not revealing her real name, so she is going by the pseudonym Mia. And in the indictment, this was victim number four. She was part of these forced labor claims.

Now, she just started testifying, Pam, about 30 minutes ago, but, already, she has said that, when she worked for Combs as a personal assistant, that he was physically violent with her and that he also sexually assaulted her on more than one occasion.

Now, she has started to paint a picture of what it was like to work for Combs. And she said that it was essentially 24/7. She said that she was braided at times by Combs, that she was humiliated by him. She said that she actually had to live in his homes in Los Angeles in Miami when she worked for him. She was not allowed to leave. She had to ask permission to leave the home.

In fact, she told the jury a story that, on one occasion, around 2:00 a.m., Combs was already asleep. She left to meet her friends because she was desperate to see her friends and do something for herself. She said that she got in big trouble and that she was informed that Combs' security guards were going to come and find her.

She said that, when she lived at Combs' homes when she worked for him, that was a condition of her employment, that she was not allowed to lock the door of the bedroom that she was staying in, but that Combs' security guards, in comparison, were allowed to lock the doors.

Now, she also said that, at her interview for Combs, it was at his apartment, and she showed up, and he opened the door in his underwear. She was with the head of H.R. and, when Combs opened the door, the head of H.R. left her there.

So, much more to come from Mia on the stay on the rest of today, Pam.

BROWN: All right, Elizabeth Wagmeister in New York, thank you so much -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And new this morning, Pamela, the Capital Jewish Museum here in Washington, D.C., is set to reopen in some 30 minutes following a ceremony to honor the memories of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim.

[11:35:10]

The two Israeli Embassy staffers were murdered leaving an event at the museum just one week ago in what is being described as a cowardly act of terror. Yaron had recently purchased an engagement ring and was ready to propose to Sarah. The couple had planned a trip to Jerusalem for the coming days for Sarah to meet Yaron's family for the first time.

As we say, may their memories, the memories of Yaron and Sarah, be a blessing.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: More chaos in Gaza, as hungry and very desperate Palestinians are scrambling for food.

Officials with the United Nations World Food Program say two people were killed yesterday when hundreds broke into a supply warehouse. The U.N. says humanitarian needs in Gaza have spiraled out of control.

Joining us now is the former national security adviser to President Trump retired U.S. Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster.

General, thanks so much for joining us.

Aid is slowly trickling into Gaza, very slowly, but after an 11-week blockade, people are clearly desperate. What role should the U.S. be playing here?

[11:40:10]

H.R. MCMASTER, FORMER U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Well, I think what we have to do is support the way we have been in just recent weeks, which is providing some sort of security capability along with the IDF.

The problem, Wolf, is -- the problem still is, Hamas is in charge in Gaza, and any aid that you put in there gets diverted really away from the people into Hamas, strengthens their control. And so I -- from the very beginning, I have thought there could have been a lot more done to bring aid in with the IDF, as well as to provide for some security capability, this private contractor capability.

So, hey, I think this is really important to alleviate the suffering there, but we have to remember the fundamental issue is that the lives of the Palestinian people in Gaza will not get better until Hamas is destroyed and there's some kind of space created by some kind of security force for an alternative political order to emerge in Gaza, a political order that's not Hamas and that is not determined to destroy Israel and kill all the Jews.

That's the fundamental issue. And it's heartbreaking, but we can't get past, I think, that fundamental point.

BLITZER: Yesterday, General, Israel announced that Hamas' de facto leader, Mohammed Sinwar, was killed in a recent Israeli Gaza strike. How significant is this, and how might Sinwar's reported death impact the cease-fire negotiations?

MCMASTER: Well, it is significant.

It's also significant that he was hiding around a European facility at the time. And this is really what's very important to understand, is that these people are modern-day barbarians, but they're also cowards, the leadership of this organization. And they are people who are willing, almost happy to see the Palestinian people killed and suffering to achieve their ends, which, again, is the destruction of Israel.

But the bottom line is, Wolf, if anybody today says, hey, I will be the mayor of Gaza, I will all stand up -- and you saw these protests about now a month-and-a-half ago where people were in the streets chanting against Hamas.

You know what they did? They went after the leaders and brutally tortured and murdered them. One of the teenagers who was leading that protest was tortured to death, his body taken to the top of the apartment, his mother's apartment, and dropped in front of her door.

So this is what we're up against, right, are these modern-day barbarians, who are the enemies of all civilized people. Now, do we want Israel to provide -- to apply firepower with greater discipline and discrimination, and are we heartbroken about the suffering of the Palestinian people?

Heck, yes. But we have to recognize that this is a very difficult operation because this is an enemy who is determined to use the population as shields. And, Wolf, this is what's heartbreaking to me, is, it's the only example I can think of in history where a population that has been subjected to this kind of suffering has not been allowed to flee that area at least temporarily. So I think there should be more pressure on the Egyptians and others

to allow for humanitarian facilities temporarily in the Sinai, for example, so that Hamas can be destroyed, there can be a security order put in place, and then people can come back in to a Gaza that's being rebuilt under a different, a different political order.

BLITZER: And on another very sensitive issue in the Middle East, Trump now says he believes the U.S. is close, close to reaching a new Iran nuclear deal and says he's actually cautioned Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to not disrupt the talks.

What would a potential deal look like?

MCMASTER: Well, it all depends on if you really want to block Iran's path to a nuclear weapon.

There was a new Austrian intelligence study that was just leaked recently that concluded that Iran is much further along than U.S. intelligence has concluded. I suspect it's probably accurate. And so the issue really, Wolf, is fundamentally about the inspection and verification regime and whether or not they're going to be able to do any enrichment at all.

And there are those in the United States, really some of President Trump's biggest supporters, who think that's the only way to really block their path to the most destructive weapons on Earth. And so it's going to come down to these fundamental issues.

If there is an interim agreement, an interim agreement, I think that might be OK, as long as we put the pressure on the regime. Hey, Wolf, if you look at what's going on inside of Iran right now, they have big issues. They have got rolling blackouts.

There's a huge trucker strike that's going on right now. People in Iran are fed up with this theocratic dictatorship that is stealing money from them, that is diverting their money to all these terrorist organizations and proxy militias abroad, and not taking care of their own people.

[11:45:11]

So, I think maximum pressure on Iran now, and I think we should take a strong stance. You see the tension between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu on this and maybe on this proposed 60-day cease- fire in Gaza as well.

But we will see how this plays out. I think it will be a consequential next few weeks. But I don't think the theocratic dictatorship there is going to allay our concerns about blocking their path to a nuclear war.

BLITZER: Lots at stake right now.

Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, thanks, as usual, for joining us.

And we will have more news after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, host of CNN's "Chasing Life" podcast.

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to get the most out of your workout, try incorporating stretching. And that means both before and after. Recent studies have found the best way to warm up your muscles before exercising is through something known as dynamic stretching.

[11:50:08]

That's when you move a joint through its full range of motion. Good examples are forward and reverse lunges. Think of it as trying to mimic movements that you're going to be doing during your workout. Dynamic stretching can help lower your risk of injury, can also give you more range of motion and increase nerve activity.

Now, before you wrap up, make sure to add some static stretches. Focus on the areas you just worked out and hold on to each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. So, for example, if you went for a run, stretch your hamstrings, your calves and your quads. That's going to help prevent your muscles from getting stiff.

It's also important to note you should always consult your doctor before starting any sort of new exercise program and stop immediately if you feel pain.

And you can hear more about how to optimize your health and chase life wherever you get your podcasts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Good advice from Sanjay, as always.

BLITZER: Always.

BROWN: All right, CNN's original series "MY HAPPY PLACE" is taking you on an in-depth tour of the hosts' favorite destinations.

BLITZER: And, to celebrate, I traveled to my hometown of Buffalo, New York. I want you to see why it's also my happy place.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Buffalo, New York, birthplace of the Buffalo chicken wing and home to my favorite football team, the Buffalo Bills.

I was thrilled that the Bills invited me to visit the stadium recently after the season, and I immediately accepted that invitation. I walked around the field and was even allowed into the Bills locker room, where I had a chance to see Bills quarterback Josh Allen's locker.

(on camera): Josh Allen, MVP. JEFF WARE, OWNER AND PRESIDENT, RESURGENCE BREWING COMPANY: It's a

good time to be a Bills fan, and we're certainly basking in it. It's kind of put us on a national spotlight in a lot of ways that we haven't had in a long time.

BLITZER (voice-over): That's Jeff Ware, a local Buffalonian who opened his brewery, Resurgence, in the hopes of bringing new life to a city that has seen its population decline by a lot since 1950.

My Polish-Jewish parents, both Holocaust survivors, moved to Buffalo from Germany as immigrants after World War II. The people of Buffalo welcomed them and helped them. I grew up here. I went to school here, including Kenmore West High School and the State University of New York at Buffalo.

(on camera): So there's my Kenmore West Corridor of Honor. You got my yearbook? I can show my yearbook picture. That was when I graduated from high school.

(voice-over): Buffalo clearly holds a special place in my heart, and I love to come back to visit. Buffalo has been called the City of Good Neighbors, and it certainly is. I love my fellow Buffalonians. It's my happy place.

One of the most unique things is that Buffalo sits on the border with Canada.

WARE: It's funny. It's probably one of the only places in the United States where our kids know the national anthem and the Canadian national anthem.

BLITZER (on camera): Right.

(voice-over): But Buffalo is now making a dramatic comeback. Jeff Ware says that's possible with the help of Canadian tourists.

WARE: We very much count on Canadian tourism coming down. We're right down the street from the hockey arena. People come to watch hockey games, and they're going to have a beer or two before or after or want to grab something to eat. So, yes, Canada is a big economic push from a tourism perspective.

BLITZER: And despite current political tensions between our nations, in Buffalo, the two countries coexist harmoniously.

(on camera): We're in Buffalo, which, of course, is the United States, but, if you look behind me, this is the Niagara River. On the other side is Canada. So many of us who grew up in Buffalo spent a lot of time over the years in Canada going to the beach at Crystal Beach, driving up to Toronto or St. Catharines.

And it's nice to see the U.S. flag flying right next to the Canadian flag here in Buffalo.

(voice-over): Just 20 miles outside of Buffalo is arguably the most famous attraction shared between the U.S. and our northern neighbor, Niagara Falls.

(on camera): When I was growing up, every time we had guests, family or friends visiting us, we would always have to bring them to Niagara Falls.

(voice-over): And, if you come here, bring your passport so you can check out Niagara Falls from both sides of the border. The American side lets you get up close and personal with the falls, while the Canadian side, in my opinion, offers the best view. Not only that, but there are plenty of fun things on the Canadian side for the whole family to enjoy.

And back in Buffalo, if you're feeling a bit hungry, head over to the Anchor Bar to get a taste of the original Buffalo chicken wing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Teresa (ph), one of the founders, created a concoction of hot sauce and chicken wings. And now it's a Buffalo wing and served all across the country, all across the world.

BLITZER (on camera): It's been a while, but I love Buffalo chicken wings. It makes me happy.

(voice-over): And, yes, I know what you're thinking, but that's just how I like to eat them.

Buffalo has so much to offer, and it's working to rebrand itself as a place that is much more than just a city with cold weather.

[11:55:03]

(on camera): People hear about Buffalo, they think about snow and bad weather.

WARE: Yes, well, we're in the Northeast. We're going to get some snow.

And we certainly make the best of it and the weather, but it's great for skiing, hiking, tubing, ice skating, which we have all those amenities around town, but then you have this three-quarters a year that are absolutely wonderful months to get outside, be active, and then come back to the brewery and have a pint.

BLITZER: Give me five.

The best part of Buffalo, in my opinion, has always been the people of Buffalo, friendly, nice, energetic, hardworking. And they try to help each other.

WARE: A hundred percent. Chicken wings, beer, and good company, you know, you're in a good spot.

BLITZER: And the Buffalo Bills.

WARE: And the Buffalo Bills.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BROWN: Aw, how special.

BLITZER: Very special.

BROWN: I love -- well, I'm sure it made you happy just watching that.

BLITZER: I'm always happy seeing that.

BROWN: By the way, I'm sure our viewers -- you were eating a Buffalo wing with a fork.

BLITZER: I know.

BROWN: I don't know that I have ever seen that, Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: Well, my fingers were a little dirty, so I wanted to have a fork to eat the Buffalo wings.

BROWN: OK.

BLITZER: But, normally, I do eat the Buffalo chicken wings with a knife and a fork.

BROWN: All right, good. Glad we got to the bottom of that.

BLITZER: And that was...

BROWN: Because I know a lot of us were wondering.

BLITZER: That was accurate. That wasn't fake news.

BROWN: OK, that was not fake news.

All right. And, by the way, before you book it to Buffalo, don't miss the new episode of "MY HAPPY PLACE" with Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer. She will explore New Orleans Sunday night at 10:00 Eastern and Pacific only on CNN.

BLITZER: And, to our viewers, thanks very much for watching. We will see you back here tomorrow morning 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

BROWN: "INSIDE POLITICS WITH DANA BASH" is next after a short break.