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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

Edan Alexander Reunited With His Family; U.S. And China Cut Tariffs; Small U.S. Businesses Fight For Life Amid Tariffs; Trial Begins For Sean Combs; Trump Embarks On Middle East Tour; Trump: U.S. To Accept Jet From Qatar; Ukraine "Ready" For Peace Talks With Putin; India-Pakistan Conflict; Pope Addresses Journalists. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired May 12, 2025 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, and you're watching "The

Brief."

Just to head this hour, Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander is reunited with his family after his release by Hamas. Stock surge as the U.S. and

China agreed to dramatically cut tariffs for 90 days. And the sex trafficking trial of Sean Diddy Combs begins in New York.

There is celebration in Israel as Hamas has released the last known living American hostage in Gaza. Edan Alexander was a 19-year-old IDF soldier when

he was captured. He's now 21 years old. The Alexander family called his release the best possible Mother's Day gift.

Alexander released as an apparent goodwill gesture, fueling hope that it could restart negotiations. 58 hostages, however, remain held in Gaza. It

is believed, sadly, that fewer than half of them are still alive. Jeremy Diamond has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): To Yael, Edan Alexander isn't just the last living American hostage in Gaza, he's her

son. And this reunion is more than 19 months in the making.

Alexander, an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas on October 7th, released unconditionally in a gesture that U.S. officials say could unlock a deal to

free more hostages and deliver a ceasefire in Gaza. Before that emotional reunion, a phone call to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's cell phone

assuaging a mother's worst fears.

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

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

DIAMOND (voice-over): That photo of Alexander alongside a Red Cross official and masked Hamas militants gave his family the first confirmation

that Edan was alive and well.

Tel Aviv's Hostage Square, hundreds joining in the family's joy, cheering at the first sight of the hostage, whose name Edan they've all come to know

go.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: His parents are so happy. They're so happy.

DIAMOND (voice-over): President Trump making clear he expects Alexander's release to lead to much more, writing on social media, this was a step

taken in good faith to put an end to this very brutal war and return all living hostages and remains to their loved ones. Hopefully, this is the

first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.

A week after announcing plans to launch a major new offensive in Gaza next week, the Israeli prime minister now agreeing, under U.S. pressure, to send

a delegation to Qatar to negotiate, but he's also vowing those negotiations will continue under fire. For the families of Israeli hostages still held

in Gaza, their fight continues.

EINAV ZANGAUKER, FAMILY MEMBER OF HOSTAGE HELD BY HAMAS: Mr. President, sir, all of the Israeli people are behind you and this war. Bring them all

home.

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

Nimrod is still captive in Gaza.

YEHUDA COHEN, FATHER OF HOSTAGE NIMROD COHEN: My son has only two titles, Israeli citizen and Israeli soldier. The only difference is the American

citizenship.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Yes, those poor parents still waiting for good news. Fabrizio Carboni is the head of the International Red Cross in the U.S., and he

joins me now. Thanks so much for joining.

FABRIZIO CARBONI, ICRC HEAD OF REGIONAL DELEGATION TO U.S. AND CANADA AND INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Thank you for inviting me.

SCIUTTO: First, I wonder what you know, and I know it's early, just about Alexander's health after all these months in captivity.

CARBONI: So, I mean, my colleagues are contacting me today. Obviously, a lot of relief. But I think when you spend almost two years in such terrible

conditions, there is what you see the video on television, and then there is what you cannot see. And I believe now an hostage release, after so many

months, needs to recover. And I think the invisible wounds --

[18:05:00]

SCIUTTO: Yes, for sure.

CARBONI: -- needs to be treated.

SCIUTTO: Do -- what's the state of communications between the International Red Cross and Hamas?

CARBONI: Inside Gaza, close to no communication. Communication are taking place outside. And this is one of the challenge we face to work also in

Gaza and to be part of those releases, is that the security for operation are very, very thin.

And again, the images we see doesn't, I would say, show the level of risk and danger we take. You know, Gaza is littered with unexploded ordinance,

security, a lot of weapon carriers. So, it's -- we don't have this contact inside Gaza, we have it outside, but it takes time for the communication to

take place. And then, some of the mediators also support us in terms of security.

SCIUTTO: How would you describe the humanitarian conditions inside Gaza today?

CARBONI: Oh, I think we've run out of words. I think we've seen the images. And to some extent, I feel a bit -- you know, I don't know which words to

use anymore. I think we've heard everything. We've seen everything.

I believe today it's about finding a way to bring humanitarian assistance inside the Gaza Strip. We have a feed hospital in Gaza mainly treating

children, women. It's weeks that we don't have medical supply. Our doctors, our staff has to take difficult decisions and it cannot last, and I'm just

focusing on our hospital. But you can extend this to food supply, to the water supply.

I mean, the -- I think this release, I hope, will give some space for a ceasefire where more humanitarian and assistance can get in. We saw in the

previous ceasefire the impact it had.

SCIUTTO: Sure. What's been the impact of the latest military -- Israeli military operations inside of Gaza? The effect it's having, not just on the

civilian population, but the ability to distribute aid or distribute healthcare?

CARBONI: Look, over the last weeks we had -- ICSC had three very serious security incidents. You know, we had our offices, you know, attacked. There

were sometime close call for the security of our colleagues, but there is the violence, but also, it's the psychological impact on the people.

You know, after the first ceasefire, there was a form of hope among the Palestinian population. And then the resumption of violence has just

collapse. All hope of people who, again, don't know what will happen tomorrow. I mean, just, small parenthesis, is two years that children don't

go to school.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Yes. And that has effects for many months and years to come.

CARBONI: Yes. And parents -- you know, for parents to be in a situation where you cannot protect your child. I mean, I think we can all connect to

this. We can all relate to this. You don't have to be American, Italian, U.S., Israeli, or Palestinian, you know, we can relate to the fact that

today there are parents who cannot just provide the basic to their kids. And this is devastating.

SCIUTTO: That's its own form of torture, I imagine, and trauma for those parents.

CARBONI: Exactly.

SCIUTTO: Well, we appreciate the work that the International Red Cross does there. Fabrizio Carboni, thanks so much for joining.

CARBONI: Thank you for having me.

SCIUTTO: Well, global investors are breathing a sigh of relief after the sudden though perhaps temporary de-escalation in the U.S.-China trade war.

U.S. stocks ended Monday's session with strong gains. The NASDAQ up more than 4 percent.

Under the 90-day agreement, U.S. tariffs on China will be cut from 145 percent to 30 percent. Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods cut from 125 percent

to 10 percent. President Trump says that those tariffs on China will never return to 145 percent, but warns he could still raise them substantially if

the two sides did not reach a final trade deal. Trump also characterized the tariff rollback as a win that China badly needed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're not looking to hurt China. China was being hurt very badly. They were closing up factories. They were having a lot of unrest. And they

were very happy to be able to do something with us. And the relationship is very, very good. I'll speak to President Xi may be at the end of the week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[18:10:00]

SCIUTTO: China's commerce ministry says the agreement is an important step that could lead to some deeper cooperation on trade. The U.S. treasury

secretary, Scott Bessent, however, says Trump's ultimate goal is to make the U.S. simply less reliant on Chinese imports.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: What we do want is a decoupling for strategic necessities, which we were unable to obtain during COVID. And we

realized that efficient supply chains were not resilient supply chains.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Bessent said he hopes the two sides can begin meeting soon to hammer out a more concrete, more lasting trade agreement. Marc Stewart

joins us now from Beijing. And, Marc, listen, it is no longer 145 percent, which was astronomical, but 30 percent tariffs that remain in place, they

are no small thing. And I wonder what the thinking is there in China among businesses and the government about how that will affect the economy.

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, before this trade war even happened, the Chinese economy was shaky. It's still dealing with the

aftermath of a real estate crisis. There is this phenomenon known as deflation, where prices just keep sinking and sinking. People are afraid to

spend money. So, there was already a lot of challenges, and then the trade war certainly added to all of that.

So, for that reason alone, it's something that Beijing did want to resolve. The thing which it really wanted from the U.S. was respect. It didn't want

to look like it was being bullied by the United States. So, after these repeated overtures from the U.S. this agreement was made to meet in Geneva,

and it's something that's getting a lot of attention, a lot of chatter on Chinese social media.

So, moving forward, China, in many ways, I think is relieved that there is now this vehicle in place, this channel, this mechanism is what the

diplomatic statement, I believe, reads to have further conversations with the United States.

You know, if things are resolved, if things get to a more amicable spot between the U.S. and China, for China, in many ways, it could be

opportunity. Already there are still a lot of exports from China to the U.S. We see it with clothing, we see it with electronics, we see it with

furniture. One thing that China would really like to be a part of is the EV market in the United States.

I'm not saying that's something that would happen now, but if there is a groundwork that is laid now perhaps looking forward, it could provide some

opportunity, in many ways, like the Japanese automaker saw with investment, in production investment with plants being built on American soil. So, for

China, there is certainly the immediate concerns, but it's also, Jim, looking at the long game as well.

SCIUTTO: Listen, if Chinese EVs came here, I mean a lot of them are a heck of a lot cheaper, right, than ones made domestically, but also, they've got

features, right? They've got charge times that are faster, et cetera.

Before I -- I know that China -- Chinese state media and officials are portraying this as the U.S. blinked, much as the Trump administration is

portraying this as China blinked. But when you speak to folks there, is there a sense that perhaps both sides saw the pain of this trade war?

STEWART: I think there is, of course, mutual recognition, and that is something that I have heard many times on the streets here in Beijing. I

mean, while the United States certainly has this big economic thrust behind it as the world's largest economy, let's remember, there is so much

dependence on China.

In fact, one school of thought, which I've heard a lot here in Beijing is perhaps China wanted to prolong things even further to make the United

States really feel the pain. You've reported on the supply chain concerns, about store shells being empty, especially with back-to-school supplies,

with Christmas decorations. In many ways, China knew that perhaps it could hold the United States kind of close and perhaps prolong it to get what it

wanted.

But I think this economic reality just sat in for both nations, that when you have this feud between the world's largest economy and the world's

second largest economy, it doesn't look very good, and it creates problems beyond the U.S., beyond China, it creates problems beyond the world. So, I

think eventually the timing just perhaps lent itself to some kind of resolution. Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Sort of a game of global economic chicken. Marc Stewart in Beijing, thanks so much. Well, the pause, and that's what it is, the pause

in the U.S.-China trade war comes at critical time for many U.S. small businesses.

[18:15:00]

Firms that import Chinese goods have been forced to make difficult decisions, tapping even into personal savings, looking for new investors to

make ends meet. 5-Star North, an e-commerce company based in New Hampshire has had to lay off most of its workforce in response. Its co-founder fears

it could be forced out of business.

The company designs and sells a number of products, many of which are made in China. It was facing $400,000 in tariffs to receive a quarter million

dollars' worth of inventory. Wow. Tariffs more than the inventory. Scott Anderson is the co-founder of 5-Star North and he joins me now. Thank you,

Scott.

SCOTT ANDERSON, CO-FOUNDER, 5-STAR NORTH: Hi, Jim. Thanks for having me on.

SCIUTTO: So, you have a pause now for 90 days and you have the tariffs coming down significantly, but not disappearing. I wonder, does that, for

someone like you and a company like yours, provide relief or is it too short, too little, too late?

ANDERSON: All of the above, Kim, actually. Yes, some short-term relief. This does allow us -- as you mentioned, we have quarter million dollars in

finished goods that have been stuck in China for a couple months, not able to ship here. We can finally get that here, although, we expect it to take

a lot longer with the -- with how much everything is backed up in shipping and costs a lot more to get here. However, without those tariffs, we can at

least get that here.

SCIUTTO: Do you -- as you're planning your business -- this is something I've heard from a lot of businesses, big and small, right, is that you

can't really make reliable plans estimates about profit margins, employee decisions when things are doled out kind of in 90-day increments, right? I

mean, you -- I imagine you make contracts and deals and so on that lasts -- you know, you want months and years of outlook here.

ANDERSON: Exactly. Yes. 90 days is untenable. Even -- as an example right now, sure, I could place you know, new production orders right now, but

there's no guarantee that I could get those on a boat in the next 90 days. So, I'd have no idea what tariffs those would be facing when the

production's finished. I could be back in the same situation with a bunch of finished goods stuck in China again.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Now, as you know, the president stated ambition, or at least one of them, of the trade war, has been to bring manufacturing back to the

U.S. Do you have a sense of what it would take for the things you buy from China to be made here in the U.S. and what they might cost?

ANDERSON: Oh, absolutely. We've tried multiple times over the years to price that out with a lot of different manufacturers over here, seeing if

we could, especially, you know, 11, 12 months ago when we knew that this was going to happen. We looked into that one more time. And as an example,

you know, one of these products, just back-to-school supplies, markers for your kids, which we charge, you know, $7 and 88 cents. If we made that

here, we would've to charge over $15 to manufacture that and sell that here. Nobody would pay that.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

ANDERSON: We can't. And it would take over a year for us to set that up and it would take a lot of capital to do that. And we've been paying a lot of

extra tariffs for the last six years since the first round, drying up the capital.

SCIUTTO: So, let me ask you, in that sense, given that you're saying the costs will just be more. When you heard President Trump say a few days ago,

you know, regarding dolls, but perhaps he might've said the same about school supplies, instead of having 30, buy two, instead of having, I don't

know, 12 markers, buy two markers, right? I mean, what's your reaction when you hear that?

ANDERSON: Yes. Well, a lot of unhappy kids, obviously, and hard to get your education done without your supplies. I don't know.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Well, this is -- listen, Scott, I know you and your employees are going through a tough time. So, we wish you the best. We hope you get

through this to the other side. And thank you for taking the time with us.

ANDERSON: Jim, appreciate it. Anytime.

SCIUTTO: All right. Well coming up, the first witnesses take the stand in the federal criminal trial of Sean Diddy Combs, and some of what they said

is just lured to hear. We're going to have a live report from New York coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

SCIUTTO: In just the past hour, the criminal trial of Sean Diddy Combs adjourned after a harrowing first day of testimony. After both sides

delivered their opening statements in the morning, prosecutors called two witnesses to the stand. The first the L.A. police officer who responded to

a distress call back in 2016 after a now infamous altercation between Diddy and the singer Cassie Ventura.

We also heard from a man who says he was paid to have sex with Ventura while Diddy watched. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges, including sex

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

Our Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig has been following the case from New York. And I wonder, I'll just start on today's events, tell me what your

reactions were to -- your reaction is to those first two witnesses.

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Well, Jim, the witnesses are establishing one of the base foundations of the prosecution here, which is

that this was more than just a domestic violence incident, this was a systematic use of violence and force and threats in order to bring women

across state lines for illegal sexual purposes. So, that's the base of what the prosecution's doing today.

What they really are doing is setting the stage to show the jury that video that we've seen, that harrowing video of Sean Combs viciously attacking the

victim, Cassidy, in that hotel space. So, I think the prosecution wants to come out, they want to make a visceral impact on the jury right away that

this case at its core is about violence.

SCIUTTO: Now, Combs' legal team described his relationship with Ventura as, quote, "defined by consent, not coercion," to basically make the argument,

as I understand it, that it is domestic violence but not sex trafficking. So, tell me how that holds in your view.

HONIG: Well, it was a little surprising actually, because the defense team came right out and said that in their opening. They said, look, you're

going to hear evidence that Sean Combs did horrible things. They even said, this may well be domestic violence, domestic assault. They said that video

you've seen is horrible, but their argument is this is not the federal crimes he's charged with.

Important to keep in mind, we are in federal court here. So, domestic violence, even regular assault is not going to be a federal crime. And what

the defense is saying is they've charged him with racketeering conspiracy, that is something bigger and different than what you will see in this case.

I think it was actually a pretty smart tack by the defense. They're not trying to say he's a saint or he's never done anything wrong. In fact, the

defense said straight up to the jury, I think it buys the defense lawyers some credibility. He did horrible things, but it doesn't match what he's

charged with here.

[18:25:00]

SCIUTTO: Does -- so, I mean, listen, there're going to be a lot of witnesses, a lot of days weeks to make that case here. But would the

strategy then be -- it wouldn't be to plead down then, would it? Because he's not charged with federal crime of domestic violence, it would just be

plea -- hopefully, just get out of this one and then face whatever state charges they have to later?

HONIG: Well, so I think there's a couple strategies here. First of all, obviously, they want to beat this federal case. But he will not be able to

be charged under state law because these sexual assaults -- or excuse me, these domestic violence assaults happened in 2016. They're too old under

the statute of limitations to be charged as standalone domestic violence assaults.

And so, what the federal racketeering law allows you to do, and I did this quite a bit as a prosecutor, is reach back farther in time than you might

otherwise be able to do. But one of the things that I think Sean Combs' lawyers, to your question, Jim, are going for here is if they can get him

convicted only on the lesser offense of interstate prostitution, but without that force element, he'll be looking at a much, much lower

sentence. That would be a good defense outcome if he can only be convicted on the interstate prostitution, but not the force aspect of it.

SCIUTTO: What's the difference in sentencing range?

HONIG: So, if he's convicted of the forcible sex trafficking, it's a minimum -- mandatory minimum of 15 years, max of life. If he's only

convicted on the lesser interstate prostitution without that force element, it's zero to 10 years. So, it's a huge difference.

SCIUTTO: Right. Got it. OK. Fair enough. Well, you've revealed their strategy, perhaps. Elie Honig, thanks so much.

HONIG: Thanks, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Coming up next, Middle East bound. President Donald Trump embarks on the first major foreign trip of his second term.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are more international headlines we're watching today.

The last known living American hostage in Gaza has been released by Hamas, reunited with his family. Edan Alexander was a 19-year-old IDF soldier when

he was captured. He's now 21 years old. His release comes after several days of talks with the U.S., which bypassed Israel. 58 hostages remain in

Gaza, though it is believed that fewer than half of them remain alive.

[18:30:00]

Global investors are breathing sighs of relief after a sudden de-escalation in the U.S.-China trade war. Both countries have agreed to significantly

reduce tariffs on each other's goods for 90 days. U.S. stocks ended Monday's session with strong gains. The NASDAQ up some 4 percent.

The federal criminal trial of Sean Diddy Combs has adjourned for the day. Government witness Daniel Philip testified that he was paid to have sex

with the music mogul's former girlfriend on several occasions. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering,

conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted of those charges, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

The U.S. president has now set off on the first major foreign trip of his second term. He will arrive in Saudi Arabia early on Tuesday with visits to

Qatar and the UAE lined up just after that. The president is looking to secure new investment in the U.S., including deals on U.S. weapons systems.

The three countries he will visit have collectively pledged trillions, you heard that right, trillions of dollars. You may remember a similar visit to

the region at the start of his first term.

Aaron David Miller is a senior fellow at the American State Craft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He joins us now from

Washington. Aaron, always good to have you.

AARON DAVID MILLER, SENIOR FELLOW, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE: Great to be here, Jim.

SCIUTTO: So, first question on this deal, a hostage is free, that is great. It does appear that. Trump did this around or perhaps bypassing the Israeli

prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. What's the significance of that in your view?

MILLER: I think it's very significant. You know, I work for Republican and Democratic secretaries of state, administrations from Jimmy Carter to Bush

'43, never Jim, I repeat, never has any administration over the last several months demonstrated the kind of independence of tactics that the

Trump administration is demonstrating vis-a-vis Israel.

I mean, Houthi ceasefire, which implicitly accepts the reality that the Houthis will continue to fire ballistic missiles and drones toward Israel,

they continue to do that while leaving American naval ships and commercial vessels fine. He authorized his (INAUDIBLE) negotiator several months ago.

He had three sessions with Hamas.

This time around, I think it was done through the mediators, but implicit in this. And the Israelis learned about this from the media, not from the

Trump administration. And then, finally, you have the outreach to Iran. This is a new toolbox.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

MILLER: The question is whether it will work and whether it'll produce agreements, either anywhere in Gaza or an Iranian nuclear court.

SCIUTTO: I mean, the Iran piece was going to be my next one, and you rightly note the Houthis piece in addition to this hostage deal. That would

be quite remarkable for a whole host of reasons, given that it is Israel that sees Iran as an existential threat, but also that there were many in

Israel who appeared quite ready to attack Iran militarily, to take out its nuclear facilities. Is it -- can you see the U.S. president making a deal

with Iran over its nuclear program without Israeli involvement?

MILLER: I mean, well, without his early involvement, I think it'll have to be -- so, the president will have to pass the credibility test. It's going

to have to be a deal that essentially restraints and constraints Iran's nuclear capacity, probably with no sunset provisions. A 10-year agreement,

let's say, which would have to be renewed and renegotiated after the end of a decade. None of these evaporating lines on enrichment and capacity of

uranium and the rest. It'll have to be a good deal, but it will, it -- no deal, Jim, will satisfy this Israeli government other than the complete

dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program, and that's not going to happen.

SCIUTTO: Well, tell me on that deal what you believe is achievable by President Trump? Because, as you know, the Obama negotiated a deal, in

2015, Trump pulled out of it in his first term. Since then, Iran has been massively building up its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. It's

closer to a breakout building a bomb than it was all those years ago. Can Trump get Iran to zero on its nuclear program? And if he doesn't, does it

kind of look like JCPOA, you know, 2.0?

MILLER: Well, I think it'll resemble the JCPOA minus sunset provisions. That is to say the agreement's going to last for a decade. You'll have to

have more intrusive monitoring. You'll have to do something, by the way, with the advanced centrifuges that the Iranians still have and are

operating, and then you're going to have to deal with Iran stockpile of enriched uranium and put a cap on it.

[18:35:00]

I don't know whether a deal is possible. What I do know in watching Trump for the last four months is that he clearly is not interested in either

liberating the Israelis to strike Iran, which would not, by the way, and their nuclear program or having the Americans do it. He wants to end wars,

right, except trade wars.

And I think he wants to give this idea of a diplomatic off ramp to a better agreement than JCPOA some time. What happens, in effect, if the Iranians

want to round up the clock? Unclear. But you're right to point out, this program is so far advanced that you have to wonder what the metrics are

that constitute a good deal, shy of just dismantling the program in the entirety.

SCIUTTO: And from Iran's perspective, what are they assigned to with the understandable fear that another administration might pull out as he pulled

out of the last deal? Aaron David Miller, thanks so much.

MILLER: Yes. Another problem, Jim, without a solution.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Yes. Well, before Air Force One took off for the Middle East on Monday, President Trump said there is nothing wrong with his accepting a

replacement for Air Force One in gift form from Qatar. Qatar's ministry of defense says the transfer of one of its aircraft to be used as Air Force

One is currently under consideration. President Trump says it'll be a quote, "very public and transparent transaction."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They're giving us a free jet. I could say no, no, no, don't give us. I want to pay you a billion or 400 million, or whatever it is, or I could

say, thank you very much. You know there was an old golfer named Sam Snead. Did you ever hear? He won 82 tournaments. He was a great golfer. And he had

a motto, when they give you a putt, you say, thank you very much. You pick up your ball and you walk to the next hole.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: President there comparing getting a putt on the golf course to taking a half a billion-dollar plane. According to one source, the plan is

for the plane to eventually be donated to Trump's presidential library after he leaves office. So, he can't continue to use it.

Richard Painter joins me now. He was a White House ethics lawyer during the George W. Bush administration, now a professor of Corporate Law at the

University of Minnesota. Good to have you on, sir. Thanks so much.

RICHARD PAINTER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE ETHICS LAWYER: Well, thank you for having me.

SCIUTTO: So, you know this better than me, but I'll read for the sake of our audience, the Constitution of the United States of America, emoluments

clause, Article 1, Section 9, prohibiting any person holding any office of profit or trust under the United States from accepting any president -- any

present emolument office or title of any kind, whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.

Why -- I mean, is there any wiggle room with that language constitutionally?

PAINTER: Well, the wiggle room is the emoluments clause goes on to state that one can receive the gift with consent of Congress. And so, if Congress

consents, then the gift is permitted. Congress in the Foreign Gifts and Declarations Act does allow gifts up to $480, which is amended every year,

that number is adjusted for inflation or every few years. Well, this plane costs a little bit more than $480, tried maybe $400 million.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

PAINTER: So, really, there's no exception. Congress could pass the law, allowing the president to accept the airplane. It's an absolutely crazy

idea. We have an Air Force One that was perfectly a fine for President Biden to use and is perfectly fine right now. I don't understand why the

United States would want to have an airplane donated to the United States from a foreign country that's going to transport the president in -- you

know, in the communications equipment, everything else is going to need to be updated. That's going to take months. And we can do it ourselves.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I mean, there's the security concern in addition to the ethical concern. So, you have the letter of the law and, OK, let's say

maybe Congress, with Republican control, passes this. What about the spirit of the law here? I mean, there's a reason you have that $480 limit in the

State Department, you know, moved up based on the cost of things. Basically, inflation adjusted so that foreign states can't influence, not

just the president, but you know, a foreign service officer, right, serving at an embassy overseas.

It seems from an ethics perspective, the influence factor is fairly clear, isn't it?

PAINTER: Well, absolutely, and this is what the founders recognized when they drafted the emoluments clause. Benjamin Franklin had been our

ambassador to France and the king of France, Louis XVI gave him a very expensive snuff box with diamonds encrusted in it. And Franklin had the

wisdom to come back and ask Congress for permission to accept the gift.

[18:40:00]

And this is a common practice at the time of the founding and is today, to give gifts to foreign heads of state and foreign diplomats to get what you

want. And it is just another form of bribery.

SCIUTTO: Before we go, as you know, the Trump administration has claimed some explanations, right, saying for one, that the jet will actually go, at

least before it goes to Trump's library, to the Department of Defense rather than the president himself. Does that, in any way, solve the ethical

issue?

PAINTER: No. This is still a gift to the president of the United States. He will be flying around in an airplane, a so-called palace in the sky that

was given to him by the government of Qatar. This is not what the founders contemplated. It's not what the Constitution permits unless Congress

decides that somehow, we can't afford to have an Air Force One, and therefore, we need to go get a gift from a foreign country.

And Qatar is very controversial. I mean, they've given over a billion dollars to fund Hamas during the Hamas governance of Gaza, supposedly for

civilian purposes, but we know a lot of that money ended up going into tunnels and rocket launchers.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

PAINTER: We need peace in the Middle East. That's what the president should be pursuing and putting pressure on Qatar and all the countries in the

Middle East and Israel to reach an agreement so we don't continue with the killing that has been nonstop since October 7, 2023 and a problem that's

over eight 70 years old. We need to address that, not go shopping for another airplane.

SCIUTTO: Richard Painter, thanks so much for clearing things up.

PAINTER: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Still to come, life returns to relative normal along the India- Pakistan border after days of intense, dangerous fighting. We're going to hear from Pakistan's foreign minister about a ceasefire that does appear to

be holding for now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he supports President Trump potentially joining peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, that

after the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, suggested meeting Zelenskyy in Turkey on Thursday, Kyiv's European allies said, this weekend, Moscow

should accept a 30-day ceasefire proposal or face new sanctions.

[18:45:00]

Putin ignored that ultimatum and instead called for direct talks. Ukraine's allies initially rejected the counter proposal until President Trump urged

Zelenskyy actually to take the meeting. The Ukraine leader says he is now ready to meet Putin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I will be in Turkey this Thursday on May 15th, and I expect Putin in Turkey personally,

and I hope that this time Putin will not look for reasons why he cannot do something. We are ready to talk to end the war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: If that meeting does happen, it will be the first between Zelenskyy and Putin since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine

in February 2022.

Well, another conflict we've been watching closely, life returning to relative normal in towns and cities along the in India-Pakistan border.

This comes days after the two countries engaged in their most intense fighting in decades, initially sparked by a terrorist attack in India

controlled Kashmir.

A ceasefire between the historic foes came into effect on Saturday with mediation from the U.S. CNN's Nic Robertson sat down with Pakistan's

foreign minister who told him about exactly how that deal was struck.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MUHAMMAD ISHAQ DAR, PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER: After these -- after having seen our escalation -- rather contra escalation and in defense, I think

then certain capitals in particularly U.S. realized it could be a really filthy next moves.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: And what did they say to you then?

ISHAQ DAR: No, they all -- I had a call after, you know, Secretary Rubio talked to -- Mr. Mr. Jaishankar he talked to me. It was around quarter

state on 10th of Saturday.

ROBERTSON: Saturday morning.

ISHAQ DAR: 10th of May.

ROBERTSON: Right after the counter strikes?

ISHAQ DAR: Yes. And our operation had ended, almost. And he said, India's ready to, you know, stop it now.

ROBERTSON: Secretary Rubio said to you that India is ready to stop?

ISHAQ DAR: Yes. Would you be willing? I said, of course. I said, we give you our word. And if India does not restart, we would not do it.

ROBERTSON: And what was -- what did J. D. Vance or Secretary Rubio, what did they say to their Indian counterparts that caused India to say that

they were now ready for mediation?

ISHAQ DAR: I have no idea. But I think they were seen practically that they had seen what happened in the sky, in the air force to air force, and they

were seeing now having sent drones and having fired missiles. Now, we are now in a first time reacting after almost three days. So, they could see

how serious, you know, the damage was on their side. I'm sure they would've realized that, you know, they had miscalculated.

ROBERTSON: And the -- and during this process, the United States gave you assurances about the process. What assurances did they give you?

ISHAQ DAR: Assurance was very simple, that if he agreed to stop, obviously, I was told that he will reconfirm to the Indian side.

ROBERTSON: Secretary Rubio?

ISHAQ DAR: Secretary Rubio will reconfirm, and that's exactly what happened.

ROBERTSON: And President Trump has said that he is willing now to continue to engage in this situation. How important to you is that?

ISHAQ DAR: Well, I think it's very important that it's the root cause of this regional instability and danger of, you know, such incidents. It's

actually the Jammu Kashmir. It's not us. It's internationally recognized.

ROBERTSON: Bottom line, to resolve Kashmir, your dispute with India, you need the support of the United States and other countries. You can't do it

alone.

ISHAQ DAR: No. Well, we have -- we are always there available for composite dialogue, but it takes two to tango. We can't do it solo.

ROBERTSON: Where and when can we expect these talks between you and India over the issue of Kashmir, over the issue of water, over the issue of

terrorism? When's that going to happen?

ISHAQ DAR: Well, I think it is in the interest of everybody to delay or to leave such issues beyond certain reasonable time and create further

complications to who -- nobody would be interested in creating complications. At least Pakistan is not. We have established our equality,

we have established our deterrent balance.

ROBERTSON: And right, now, you have, you remain with an existential issue that India has abrogated the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty from 1960,

denying you the water they say from these three major rivers.

ISHAQ DAR: The National Security Committee of Pakistan declared that if this treaty is tempered, if the water is diverted, if water is stopped,

we'll treat is an act of war.

ROBERTSON: So, we have a ceasefire today, the water issue is outstanding, and if it isn't resolved, you're saying --

ISHAQ DAR: Composite dialogue.

ROBERTSON: Composite dialogue. You're saying if it isn't resolved through composite dialogue, then this amounts an act of war. So, you're saying,

ultimately, if it's not resolved, you'll go back to war?

[18:50:00]

ISHAQ DAR: Well, you see that in the nation's moments, there are certain, you know, times when you have to take some very serious decisions as we did

on ninth night. Now, let's look forward positively. We want to take the whole process forward in a honorable way, the dignity for both sides and

resolve through a composite dialogue the issues which will give, in a long- term basis, at this region, peace and security.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Our Nic Robertson speaking with the Pakistani foreign minister there. Well, coming up, the new pope meets with journalists and he calls

for an end to what he described as a war of words. We'll explain exactly what he meant.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back. Pope Leo spoke to journalists in the Vatican earlier today warning against what he described as a war of words and images,

asking them to reject prejudice and even hatred. He also urged reporters to focus on marginalized people while calling for the release of journalists

in prison.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE LEO XIV (through translator): The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the International

Community, calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: The precious gift of free speech and the press. Well, our Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb was among those journalists lucky enough to

meet the pope. Here's a story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first American pope meeting today with journalists. Thousands in Rome to cover

the conclave that elected him.

POPE LEO XIV: Thank you for this wonderful reception. They say when they clap at the beginning, it doesn't matter much if you're still awake at the

end and you still want to applaud. Thank you very much.

LAMB (voice-over): Leo joking in English, but then delivering a serious message, expressing solidarity with journalists who are imprisoned, calling

for their release, and emphasizing the importance of a free press.

POPE LEO XIV (through translator): I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives, the courage of those who defend dignity,

justice, and the right of people to be informed because only informed individuals can make free choices.

LAMB (voice-over): Not all his predecessors have spoken as passionately about freedom of the press, but this has shifted in recent decades. Pope

Francis is a strong defender who gave many interviews.

After speaking, Leo came down from the platform to greet a group of journalists individually. I was among them. I joked that I was now a White

Sox fan. The baseball team, Leo supports. And even cheered for in person at game one of their World Series victory in 2005.

[18:55:00]

Another reporter asking if Leo would play a game of tennis doubles. I play, but not well, he replied. I'll bring Agassi, one reporter said, just don't

bring Sinner, the pope replied, referencing the top men's player in the world, Jannick Sinner.

Leo said he wasn't planning to make a trip home to the U.S. soon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a new pope.

LAMB (voice-over): But was happy to hear on the radio that since his election more people were going to the cathedral in Chicago. The pope also

heard saying today, I'm still learning.

I had met Leo once before when he was Cardinal Prevost. He struck me as thoughtful and a good listener. Today, it was the same. Leo is the second

pope that I've met. Francis and Leo were the same accessible and pastoral manner and a good sense of humor.

But Leo has his own style, methodical, measured, and he takes his time before making interventions. Despite all the attention, Leo's still

maintaining a low-key approach. Reluctant, unlike Francis to take selfies, but whether he likes it or not, Papa Leone is fast becoming a star.

Christopher Lamb, CNN Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Well, he seems like a very nice man. Thanks so much for your company today. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The

Brief." Please do stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:00:00]

END