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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: Trump Says We're Just Going to Kill Drug Smugglers; Russian Military Planes Briefly Violated Lithuanian Airspace; NBA Coach, Player Arrested in FBI Gambling Investigation; Trump Pardons Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao; Rubio Arrives in Israel; Tariff Impact on Farmers. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired October 23, 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 ANCHOR: 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 ahead this hour, President Donald Trump says the U.S. is just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into the country. Simple as that. NBA

coach and player arrested for allegedly participating in a gambling scheme tied to the mafia. And as U.S. farmers feel the impact of a trade war with

China, I'll speak to the president of the American Soybean Association.

We do begin here in Washington where President Donald Trump insists he can continue to strike alleged drug traffickers without Congress first passing

a declaration of war. This follows confirmation of a ninth U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat. You'll see it here. It was the second such strike in

the Eastern Pacific after seven strikes on vessels in the Caribbean. Those strikes have fueled a deepening public rift between President Trump and

Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, as well as the Colombian leader, Gustavo Petro. Here's how President Trump laid out the U.S. position in quite clear terms

just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I don't think we're going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we're just going to kill people that are

bringing drugs into our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: We're just going to kill them and they're going to be dead, the president said. CNN's Kristen Holmes at the White House. It appears that

the president and the administration do not feel there are any limits on the president's power to order these strikes.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And, Jim, it was really clear listening to him today that this is not, you know,

something that we're going to see him kind of tapering out. In fact, it seems as though this is really just the beginning with all of these

strikes.

A couple things to note from him talking to reporters there. One, as you noted, he said he didn't think he had to ask Congress. But another thing

that we heard from both Donald Trump and from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was continually referring to these drug cartels as terrorist

organizations, particularly linking them to ISIS.

Now, that's important because there's a reason they're doing that, which is it gives them more latitude to say that these are these very specific kinds

of terrorist groups that are in armed conflict with the United States. And it's something the United States has done in the past, very specifically

with ISIS or with al-Qaeda. And it allows you to essentially, and you meaning the president and the administration, to operate outside of the

traditional legal boundaries that are set in doing these kinds of acts like striking these boats off the coast of Venezuela.

Now, one thing he did say, he said that if he was to strike on land, he'd probably bring it to Congress first. We know that that's something that

he's been threatening repeatedly, that he's going to start actually striking these targets in Venezuela. But he also surmised that he wouldn't

really have that much pushback from lawmakers on the Hill, particularly Republicans on the Hill, saying that he thought that they would go along

with it.

Now, of course, Jim, from everything that we've seen, it does appear that would likely be the case, that there wouldn't be an enormous amount of

pushback to anything he decided to do. But they are really doubling down on this effort. And as you noted, it has really grown. The idea that it's

shifting over to the Pacific Ocean as well, the idea that he has now brought Colombia into all of this, they are clearly not backing down at any

point.

SCIUTTO: No question. And he dismissed the Democratic Party's potential opposition as just coming from radical left lunatics. Kristen Holmes of the

White House, thanks so much.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says U.S. sanctions against Russia's two largest oil companies will, in his view, do little harm to the country's

economy. President Trump unveiled those new measures just a day ago, citing Russia's continued refusal to negotiate a peace deal, even a ceasefire with

Ukraine. These are the first direct U.S. sanctions against Russia since President Trump took office back in January, though he repeatedly

threatened to do so.

Earlier today, E.U. officials formally adopted their 19th package of sanctions on Russia, including a ban on Russia, Russian liquefied natural

gas.

[18:05:00]

And in the past several hours, the president of Lithuania said that Russian military aircraft its country's airspace. He describes the move as a

blatant breach of territorial integrity, as well as a wake-up call for Europe to further boost its air defenses. Joining me now is Gediminas

Varvuolis. He is the Lithuanian ambassador to the United States. Thanks so much for joining.

GEDIMINAS VARVUOLIS, LITHUANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Thank you for having me.

SCIUTTO: So, first of all, is it Lithuania's view that this was a deliberate violation of Lithuanian airspace?

VARVUOLIS: Well, we don't know. We are still assessing the situation. But what we know for sure, that there was this violation, very obvious

violation of our airspace. The two Russian aircraft, they entered Lithuanian airspace and NATO airspace, for that matter, and they stayed in

it for about less than 20 seconds. So, it was not a very long time that they spent in our airspace. However, it was clearly a breach of our

sovereignty and of international border.

SCIUTTO: As you know, this is not the first time it's part of a series of airspace violations. Drones over Poland, fighter aircraft over Estonia,

drones over a number of other European countries. What does Lithuania believe the intention is of this pattern of violating NATO's airspace?

VARVUOLIS: Well, that's just -- I mean, this is the reality that we have to deal with on almost daily basis. As you have rightly pointed out, those

occurrences, they happen very regularly. So, what we could easily deduce from this, that they are testing, you know, NATO. They are testing our

protocols, how -- our reaction.

And the good part of the story is that actually the response of NATO has been pretty remarkable. The protocols worked very well. And I would say

that we had a very professional, at least in this particular case in Lithuania, we had a very professional NATO response to a very

unprofessional Russian action.

SCIUTTO: Those protocols include scrambling NATO aircraft to respond and then escort those Russian aircraft out. During previous incursions,

Poland's foreign minister, Sikorski, told me that Poland NATO reserve the right to shoot down Russian aircraft, even manned Russian aircraft, if the

circumstances warranted. And we heard similar comments from the NATO secretary general, from the E.U. commission president. Does Lithuania share

that view, that it reserves the right, at least, to shoot down such aircraft?

VARVUOLIS: I think -- I mean, this is all part of NATO books and procedures, that if there is a threat to NATO territory, if we feel that we

are threatened militarily, and that is what happened in Poland with those drones. During incursions, those were, you know, military drones that

crossed and that posed a hazard and a danger to security in Poland. And they were taken out by military measures. So, I think once this assessment

is done, then subsequently the actions would follow.

SCIUTTO: Foreign minister Sikorski and others note that it's not just air incursions. You've had a number of Russian operations, not only over recent

months, but recent years. You had the explosive devices, for instance, in the DHL packages. There was a case of arson at an IKEA, which I know you

know well, but also interference in the Moldovan elections, assassinations in Europe. And increasingly I'm hearing European officials say, this is a

hybrid war. Russia is waging a hybrid war against Europe. How serious is that war in Lithuania's view?

VARVUOLIS: We should take it very seriously, I think. Because again, with all those instances when we had this arson attack in Lithuania in the IKEA

store, I mean, people could have died. And so, those are clearly provocations to test our systems. Those are sophisticated provocations,

because sometimes they are performed through some sort of schemes, when you don't have Russian agents directly involved, but then they hire people who

perform those actions.

So, we have to take it seriously. But I know for sure that both NATO and the E.U., they take this hybrid warfare very seriously, and work on how we

address them, and how we make sure that we reduce those risks to the minimum extent possible.

[18:10:00]

SCIUTTO: Also, this week, of course, you had President Trump and the Trump administration announce these new Russian -- these new sanctions on Russian

oil companies. After having discussed them for months, now they are imposing them. And I wonder, do you welcome these new sanctions? And do you

believe that they will have an impact on Putin's thinking about this war?

VARVUOLIS: We definitely welcome them. We definitely welcome them, because I think the International Community has to do whatever it takes to force

Russia to peace, basically. And through this kind of actions, when the two biggest contributors to the Russian war machine are basically attacked

economically, and their actions are stifled, I think this will have an impact.

But of course, this is not probably the end of the story. They will find ways how to -- they will try at least to find ways how to circumvent. But

we have to persevere also in imposing even greater sanctions on Russia. On the European side, as you have rightly pointed out, the 19-sanction package

has just been adopted. But as far as Lithuania is concerned, and as my minister has stated, we would be ready to open the discussion immediately

on the 20-sanction package within Europe. Because again, we have to be stronger. And we have to make sure that they understand, on the Russian

side, that there is no other way but to stop this killing and stop the war.

SCIUTTO: NATO allies, particularly eastern-facing NATO allies, led often by the Baltics but also Poland, have been warning for some time about the

severity of the threat from Russia. And not just in Ukraine, but to NATO as a whole. Do you believe that President Trump is waking up to that threat

now, with a step like this, these sanctions? Because, of course, he delayed. Until a few days ago, he was talking about another summit with the

Russian president.

VARVUOLIS: No, I think the U.S. support to Ukraine has been quite consistent over years, including this year. I mean, in practical terms, no

assistance has been stopped. The military support continues. And this increased pressure on Russia is a clear manifestation that there is a

commonality of views between Europe and the United States on the fact that Russia is the one who is to blame and the country that has started this

aggression. Let's just go back to when it happened, how the situation looked like at that time, in February.

So, clearly, I think, on both sides of the Atlantic, we are quite like- minded in, again, wanting to pressure Russia and to make sure that it stops with this aggression.

SCIUTTO: Well, we'll see the result of these latest sanctions. Ambassador Gediminas Varvuolis, we appreciate your joining.

VARVUOLIS: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Now, to today's stunning FBI arrests targeting illegal sports gambling. Just some of those indicted, current and former NBA players,

including a coach and a basketball Hall of Famer. In one incident, Terry Rozier, then with the Charlotte Hornets, allegedly told others he would

fake an injury, allowing others to make large bets on his scoring and his performance.

The probe oversaw two major operations. The first on insiders betting on NBA games. The second, mafia members using high-tech technology to scam

poker players. Law enforcement said four of New York's five mob families were involved. Brynn Gingras has the amazing story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your winning streak has ended.

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A takedown of an alleged gambling criminal enterprise, linking four New York City mafia families and

NBA stars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcoming Chauncey to the Hall of Fame.

GINGRAS (voice-over): Portland Trailblazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat star Terry Rozier, and Cleveland Cavaliers

alum Damon Jones among more than 30 people arrested for their alleged involvement in one of two elaborate schemes involving illegal betting on

NBA games or rigged poker games.

KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR: Let's not, you know, mince words. This is the insider trading saga for the NBA.

[18:15:00]

GINGRAS (voice-over): One document describing Rozier and Jones sending insider tips on players and teams such as whether a player, including

Rozier himself, was going to be sidelined or sick. Placing bets to favor their odds and maximize profits and then allegedly laundering their

winnings totaling millions of dollars.

JESSICA TISCH, NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER: They placed wagers on unders, players to score less, rebound less, assist less using information

that was not yet public. In some instances, players altered their performance or took themselves out of games to make sure that those bets

paid out.

GINGRAS (voice-over): In a second scheme, Billups and Jones allegedly teaming up with members of La Cosa Nostra crime families in underground

poker games.

JOSEPH NOCELLA JR., U.S. ATTORNEY, EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: The scheme targeted victims known as, quote, "fish," who were often lured to

participate in these rigged games by the chance to play alongside former professional athletes who were known as, quote, "face cards." What the

victims, the fish, didn't know is that everybody else at the poker game from the dealer to the players including the face cards were in on the

scam.

GINGRAS (voice-over): They allegedly also used high-tech equipment to rig play, like this x-ray machine, which authorities say could read cards that

were face down on the table. Also used hidden cameras and altered shuffling machines, which --

NOCELLA JR.: Read the cards in the deck, predict which player at the table had the best poker hand, and relay that information to an off-site

operator.

GINGRAS (voice-over): And then, authorities say, some defendants would resort to old-school mafia tactics to collect their earnings, such as

robbery and extortion. I'm going to wait outside poker games and pistol whip five winners a week, one text message read in court documents.

Brynn Gingras, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Quite a story in the mafia, too. Joining me now, James Whelan, Executive Director of the Tennessee Institute for Gambling Education and

Research, also Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Gambling Studies. Good to have you here.

First, let's talk about this case. Eleven states, active NBA coach, NBA player, working on inside information, including, you know, information on

LeBron James' injuries, right? I mean, it's quite remarkable. Unprecedented in terms of the extent of this?

JAMES P. WHELAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TENNESSEE INSTITUTE FOR GAMBLING EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, JOURNAL OF GAMBLING STUDIES:

Oh, not at all. This has existed for over 100 years. When you think about the famous Black Sox story, the 1960s, the NIT, but very recently, we've

heard a number of stories where there are players, coaches, those involved with pro leagues, and college leagues, who've broken the rules.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I mean, listen, I'm thinking of the baseball players, right? I mean, you had active pitchers, right, on the Cleveland Indians, who were

taking part in this kind of thing. It just strikes me, I've been watching this for some time, given all the money involved in sports gambling today,

and how widely it's promoted. I watch a lot of sports. I mean, gambling is, like, plugged into the coverage of it, right? Should we be surprised that

you see this kind of illegal activity?

WHELAN: I would say not. I think that the cultural evolution around sports betting and how now gambling is part of every conversation. It used to be

that people talked about sports, the numbers, the percentages, the hitting points, but now they talk about the lines, the over-under.

But it's just not people, generally, it's actually the commentators. It's the networks. It's social media that you can't separate out. It's the

gamblification of sports, that they're now one and the same thing. So, it's not surprising.

SCIUTTO: I mean, I'm wondering why pro sports, the government, aren't seeing the risk and enacting restrictions, because, obviously, it affects

the integrity of the game, right? I mean, that's the concern here, and yet the NCAA just approved a rule change that allows athletes and athletic

staff to bet on professional sports. I mean, what are they thinking?

WHELAN: Yes. I think that the leagues, including the NCAA, gets a lot of benefit from a greater viewership, greater revenues related to the ability

to allow or be close to betting and gambling. And so, that connectedness between those two industries are such that people aren't paying attention

to the risk.

[18:20:00]

They may spoil everything because the integrity of the sport is what is going to drive things in the end. People stop -- we know from lots of

research when people stop believing in something they turn sour on it, they'll turn away. It's inherent that the leagues need to find a different

voice here.

SCIUTTO: You hear from some folks who defend sports gambling that the technology is so great that the leagues can easily identify suspicious

activity as they did to some degree here, right? They looked at a big jump in betting in a short period of time on one player's over-under and they're

like, hey, wait a second, something bad's happening here. Is that true that that the technology is good enough that you can see this stuff when it

happens?

WHELAN: Yes, it's not clear. That technology is kind of behind a curtain. So, it's very hard to figure out whether they're catching them or whether

or not there's a lot going on and they're just catching the most blatant of the experiences. It's completely not clear.

SCIUTTO: Yes, I'm sure because the gamblers have a big incentive to get ahead of the technology, right? Kind of spread their bets around. James

Whelan, thanks so much for joining us. Oh, sorry, go ahead.

WHELAN: You're welcome. Thank you. Oh, I was just going to say, yes, the morality of what's going on has eroded over time as greed maybe takes over

from how to maintain integrity.

SCIUTTO: Yes. And you hear a lot of young kids getting in it too, right? I mean, it happens. Ed Whelan, thanks so much for joining us.

WHELAN: A whole other story. Bye.

SCIUTTO: Still ahead. Crypto clemency. Convicted crypto executive Changpeng Zhao is the latest business figure to receive a pardon from

President Trump. The White House says it has nothing to do with Zhao's close business ties to the Trump family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back. In today's Business Breakout, solid gains for U.S. stocks. Tech was, again, the best performer. Markets getting a boost from

more strong earnings. And confirmation from the White House that President Trump will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday in South Korea. Oil

prices rose more than 5 percent after the U.S. announced sanctions on Russia's two largest oil firms.

[18:25:00]

Checking some of the other business headlines, U.S. tech earnings season in full swing. Intel posted better than expected profits and sales after the

closing bell. These are Intel's first earnings since the U.S. government took a 10 percent stake in the company. The struggling chipmaker reported

growth in its core product lines. Cost cutting also helped boost the bottom line.

Struggling U.S. retailer Target announced late Thursday it will lay off 1,000 employees. The cuts affect some 8 percent of the company's workforce.

Target says it will also close some 800 open roles. The company's incoming CEO says the cuts will help make the company stronger. Target has been

reeling from slumping sales and fierce blowback from its retreat on DEI programs.

Google has dropped a program that helped promote women in technology. Members of that program, called Women Techmakers, say the decision came as

a shock. They told CNN it provided an important career research. The tech giant said in February it was evaluating its diversity programs in response

to an executive order by President Trump.

In other news, President Trump has now pardoned Changpeng Zhao. He is the founder of Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, which, it happens,

does a great deal of business with the Trump family. Zhao, we should note, pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge, served four months in prison.

He was also forced to step down as the Binance CEO. But he still owns a major stake in Binance, which backs the Trump family's World Liberty

Financial crypto venture. His pardon could allow Binance to once again do business in the U.S. White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt said the

pardon was reviewed and fully justified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This was an overly prosecuted case by the Biden administration. Even the judge in the case

admitted that the Biden administration was pursuing an egregious over- sentencing of this individual. And the previous administration was very hostile to the cryptocurrency industry. So, the president wants to correct

this overreach of the Biden administration's misjustice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: No mention there of the Trump family ties to the company. Since returning to office, Trump has helped a number of his supporters with their

legal problems. He pardoned Trevor Milton, the founder of electric vehicle firm Nikola, who was convicted of securities fraud. Milton was a Trump

campaign donor. Imaad Zuberi, another major donor who pled guilty to obstruction of justice, had his sentence commuted. And Florida nursing home

executive Paul Walczak, whose mother is a big Trump donor, he was pardoned for tax fraud.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Israel just hours after U.S. President J.D. Vance departs. It's an intense diplomatic push to try

to keep the fragile ceasefire in Gaza in place. We'll have an update after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

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

The FBI says millions of dollars were stolen by rigging poker games and sharing insider details to bet on NBA games. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier

and the head coach of the Portland Trailblazers, Chauncey Billups, have been arrested. Thirteen members and associates of infamous New York crime

families also among the defendants.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded to fresh sanctions on two of Russia's largest oil companies by the U.S., which is again demanding a

ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin said the sanctions would not have a significant impact on the Russian economy. He said a response to a strike on Russia by

U.S.-supplied Tomahawk missiles, if they were to go to Ukraine, would be, quote, "serious, if not overwhelming."

The White House has released a list of donors paying for the addition of a giant ballroom desired by the president. To make room for that ballroom,

well, the president is completely tearing down the entire East Wing of the White House. The project is now estimated to cost at least $300 million.

Initially it was $200 million. The White House says that bill is being footed by the likes of Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Google,

Coinbase, Comcast, Meta also contributing as well as a lot of big Trump donors.

President Trump says Israel will, quote, "lose all of its support," that is U.S. support, "if it were to annex the West Bank." The president told Time

magazine that he promised Arab leaders annexation will not happen. Annexing all or part of the West Bank has been a goal of Israel's right-wing for

years. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance echoed Trump's comments and criticized two symbolic votes in Israel's parliament to advance annexation.

Vance spoke to reporters as he wrapped up his trip to Israel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it, the

West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel. The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Quite a clear statement from the administration. The president says he plans to visit Gaza. Joining me now, Ambassador Dennis Ross, former

special assistant to President Barack Obama, also the author of "Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World." Ambassador, thanks

so much for joining.

AMB. DENNIS ROSS, FORMER SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO U.S. BARACK OBAMA AND AUTHOR, "STATECRAFT 2.0: WHAT AMERICA NEEDS TO LEAD IN A MULTIPOLAR WORLD": Good

to be with you, thanks.

SCIUTTO: So, you have the president and the vice president saying quite clearly to Israel, do not annex the West Bank. I wonder, do you believe

that commitment from the Trump administration, and does he -- does President Trump have the muscle to keep Israel from doing so?

ROSS: The answer is I do believe it, because he had told in private and then in public a number of Arab leaders who had come to him saying that if

in fact there was to be such annexation, that might actually spell the end of the Abraham Accords, not their expansion, but their end. This is one of

his signal achievements, so I think he took it seriously. And Prime Minister Netanyahu cannot say no to him in general, but he certainly can't

respond to this by saying, yes, we're going to go ahead and annex. He will not do that.

SCIUTTO: How about on carrying forward, not just the current ceasefire in Gaza, but moving on to the next more difficult steps in Gaza? Obviously,

Hamas' cooperation is necessary as well, but do you believe that Netanyahu will keep to Israel's commitments under pressure from President Trump in

this ceasefire plan and phases going forward?

[18:35:00]

ROSS: Well, I do, but I think it's interesting that we had Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner go out there, and then we had the vice president go to

Israel. Now, we have the secretary of state there. So, there's an interesting stream of American -- high-level American visitors, they're

going to Israel. Now, Witkoff and Kushner did go to Saudi Arabia and also to Abu Dhabi, but the vice president's only going -- only went to Israel,

and it looks like as if Secretary of State Rubio was only going there.

That certainly seems to be a case of them wanting to sit with the Israelis and make sure that they will do their part of this. Some of it is a

reaction to the fact that two Israeli soldiers were killed by Hamas fighters who came out of tunnels. This was after the ceasefire. And so, I'm

sure that there was a concern that Israel might not satisfy itself with just an initial retaliation. So, I think there's partly a focus on making

sure Israel lives up to it.

But we're also seeing the language the president and the vice president have used about Hamas, that they will be obliterated if they don't disarm.

Now, the truth is we're not going to obliterate them, and Israel has spent two years where they've dramatically weakened Hamas, but they obviously

have not obliterated them.

So, I think this language is designed, A, to play to Prime Minister Netanyahu, to give him a level of reassurance on the one hand, even as we

ask Israel to ensure that it lives up to what they've committed to. But I think it's also meant for Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, that unless you lean on

Hamas and you get Hamas to do what is required, we will basically unleash the Israelis again.

SCIUTTO: Tell me, you've been involved in so many difficult Middle Eastern negotiations yourself. The next phase involves the tougher issues. A

ceasefire is one thing, difficult, no question. Return of hostages, difficult, no question. But to get to the longer-term administration of

Gaza, to get to questions like the disarming of Hamas, do you see those steps realistically coming to be?

ROSS: They're really at the crux of all this, because if you think about it, if there is no disarmament, then Israel doesn't withdraw. If there is

no Hamas disarmament, then there won't be investment in reconstruction. The Saudis and Emiratis have been very clear. If Hamas doesn't disarm, they're

not going to invest in reconstruction because they're convinced that Hamas will do this again.

So, the linkage or the nexus between disarmament and withdrawal, disarmament and reconstruction, is a really strong one. I do think there is

a potential to see it realized, but I would say, Jim, there's a question here. How do we define, what's the measure of success on disarmament? Is it

the disarming of every single Hamas operative, every single Hamas fighter? If that's the case, I mean, we may be there for a very long time.

Maybe it's more -- no more rockets, no more mortars, no more anti-tank missiles. But even then, the question becomes, OK, what's the process for

having them give these weapons up? Who is going to be the one to implement it? Who is Hamas likely to respond to? Will they resist? I think there are

real questions about how this is going to be carried out. And I think it's probably one of the hardest things you have to contend with as it relates

to phase two of the Trump points, but it also is the crux, because without it, you're not going to get, as I said, either withdrawal or

reconstruction.

SCIUTTO: Yes, and who's going to take on the risks, right, of enforcing those demands? Ambassador Dennis Ross, author of "Statecraft 2.0: What

America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World," thanks so much for joining.

ROSS: My pleasure.

SCIUTTO: Well, aid groups are warning that drastic cuts to USAID could become a life-or-death matter for refugees and other vulnerable groups

around the world. The Trump administration has cut some $8 billion in international humanitarian support this year. Rohingya refugees who have

fled ethnic cleansing in Myanmar are one group at critical risk, with UNICEF saying that children in particular are now facing malnutrition and

starvation.

Ivan Watson has more on the situation in what is now the world's largest refugee camp, Cox's Bazar, in Bangladesh.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Safiya Bibi (ph) is 13 months old, but hunger and illness leave her looking much

younger. Her mother feeds her baby ready-to-use therapeutic food, an emergency ration provided by the U.S. government.

I'm so grateful for this assistance, Safiya's mother says. If they didn't send this money, how could we survive?

[18:40:00]

That is an increasingly urgent question here in the world's largest refugee camp. Around a million Rohingya Muslims have fled to this corner of

Bangladesh over the last decade, escaping ethnic cleansing in neighboring Myanmar that U.S. and U.N. experts have called acts of genocide. An

impoverished community of refugees utterly dependent on international assistance. But that budget was dramatically cut this year. So, far, the

U.N. says these refugees only got 37 percent of their annual budget.

JULIE BISHOP, SPECIAL ENVOY FOR U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL ON MYANMAR: This is already having dire consequences for the Rohingya in camps, with critical

cuts to their food rations and a sharp decline in access to education.

WATSON (voice-over): Each refugee in these crowded camps subsists on rations of $12 worth of food a month. But now aid workers are seeing more

children going hungry.

DEEPIKA SHARMA, UNICEF: More and more children are being detected with the severest form of malnutrition. And they're at a risk of mortality because

of that.

WATSON (voice-over): When aid money dries up, that also affects access to health care and medicine. Mariam Khatun family suffered unthinkable tragedy

earlier this year. In February, her seven-year-old daughter, Estafa (ph), suddenly got sick. She was rushed to a camp hospital, but within three

days, she was gone. Cause of death, pneumonia and encephalitis. Her grieving mother blames a lack of health care.

MARIAM KHATUN, ROHINGYA REFUGEE: Big countries used to support us. We still need their help. My child died by the will of God, but the place

where I took her couldn't treat her properly. My child suffered and died in pain.

WATSON (voice-over): The U.S. has long been the world's biggest aid donor. But this year, the Trump administration cut some $8 billion in

international assistance. Since then, CNN has documented disruptions in basic services for refugees from war-torn Myanmar living in camps in both

Bangladesh and Thailand. Aid workers predict it will only get worse.

SHARMA: If that money is not there, if that funding is not there, there is no hope. Children will be impacted. They will die.

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We are not going to fund an NGO industrial complex that built itself up, that was taking a substantial

percentage of the money and not going directly to the recipients.

WATSON (voice-over): The Trump administration insists it is cutting wasteful spending.

RUBIO: No one has died because the United States has cut aid. No.

WATSON (voice-over): When a war leaves so many people with so little to survive, any disruption can make the difference between life and death.

Ivan Watson, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Important story there. You're watching "The Brief." We'll be right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:45:00]

SCIUTTO: President Donald Trump says he expects to reach a trade deal with China as he prepares to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea next

week. The U.S. could impose 100 percent tariffs on China in a growing dispute over rare earths. That's a threat, at least.

One group the U.S. president is under pressure from is American farmers. China imported zero soybeans from the U.S. last month due to the ongoing

trade tensions. That's the first time that has happened in some seven years.

Joining me now is Caleb Ragland. He's the president of the American Soybean Association. He joins me now from Magnolia, Kentucky. Thanks so much for

taking the time.

CALEB RAGLAND, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION: Thanks for the opportunity to be here.

SCIUTTO: So, first let me ask you, what is the impact on soybean farmers of losing all of China's business for a month or longer?

RAGLAND: Well, it's very serious. China consumes 61 percent of all soy consumption in the world. And China historically has imported half of all

U.S. soybean exports in recent years. So, it's a very important market. That accounts for about 25 percent of the U.S. soybean crop. And with them

not participating in the market, it is alarming. We're right in the middle of harvest right now. And we need those exports. Soybean prices are down

and our cost of production are up. We need our largest export customer to be in the market.

SCIUTTO: I wonder what your reaction is to the current Trump administration efforts to bail out Argentina's economy, given that

Argentina is now replacing, right, some of those exports to China. Do you feel like soybean farmers are being left out in the cold here?

RAGLAND: Well, it's certainly disappointing to see other countries entering a market that we have historically been a strong participant in. I

think what you can learn from that situation with Argentina is, when barriers to trade are removed, whereas that money was used to reduce the

export tax. Argentine soybeans were on a level playing field, China instantly purchased. If we didn't have tariffs in place, we could be on a

competitive playing field price-wise, and I believe they would purchase in a robust way.

That's what we need as American soybean farmers, is a level playing field and opportunity to participate in the market. That's how we are able to be

profitable, and that's what we want.

SCIUTTO: President Trump is going to be meeting Xi Jinping, he says. He says he hopes he can reach a trade deal. Fact is, we speak to a lot of

people on this program who cover China quite closely, and they say that China feels like it might have the upper hand in this trade war. I wonder,

do you believe President Trump can negotiate something that will give soybean farmers relief here?

RAGLAND: Well, I certainly have a lot of hope and a lot of confidence that President Trump can win, because currently he's our leader, and we

desperately need him to win. We need this market. We need this opportunity, and I believe that he will give it his best shot, and American farmers and

rural America are dependent on this.

Soybeans are the largest agriculture export from this country. China is the largest soybean customer of the United States historically. We need that

market. We need that opportunity for our farm families and our financial viability. We need it for rural America as well, because agriculture is the

backbone of rural America, and without it being vibrant financially, there will be many struggles that trickle down.

SCIUTTO: Sure, no question. Do you feel like President Trump has let you down so far?

RAGLAND: I feel like that we are in a tough spot right now, trade-wise. We're dependent on trade. I think that President Trump has had many

policies that are beneficial to agriculture. We've had some successes with some tax law. We've had some more reasonable regulations, but we are

dependent on trade as well. We need opportunities.

[18:50:00]

President Trump is working to help with some domestic things with biofuels that are exciting. We have some policies that his administration is in the

process of finalizing right now that will help, but we need opportunities at home and abroad. We need him to get this deal done, and hopefully it

will be stronger than ever when it's all said and done, and this is a bump in the road. We need certainty in our markets, and we need opportunity.

SCIUTTO: Well, we know you and your fellow farmers work really hard. So, Caleb, we hope you get relief soon. Thanks so much for joining.

RAGLAND: Well, thank you very much for the opportunity. Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Just ahead, the Louvre reopens after Sunday's daring art heist. We're learning more about how the Fias were able to get away with those

priceless jewels. More details after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Well, listen to this. The director of the Louvre admits there were no cameras covering the entry point that prowlers used in Sunday's

break-in. Thieves used a second-floor balcony to gain access to the famous museum and steal the French crown jewels, literally worth more than $100

million. Melissa Bell has more on this audacious heist.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New video appearing to show the moment robbers left the Louvre on their

mechanical lift, carrying off eight pieces from France's crown jewels. It took just seven minutes from the moment a member of the public called the

police on Sunday morning at 9:30 about suspicious individuals wearing motorcycle helmets outside the museum. By 9:37 a.m., a museum alarm was

triggered as the robbers, wearing yellow vests, broke into display cases before escaping through the window they'd used to get in.

The thieves made off with jewelry worth about $102 million, but historically priceless. Items worn by French queens in the 19th century.

The headpiece, necklace, and one earring of Queen Marie-Amelie. The large bodice bow and tiara of Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III.

The Louvre has now reopened to the public with a reckoning about the security failures that allowed its Apollo gallery to be broken into.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Unfortunately, on the Apollo gallery side, the only camera that is installed is in a west direction and

therefore does not cover the balcony affected by the break-in.

BELL (voice-over): The window used by the robbers to get in and out of the Louvre now something of a tourist attraction in its own right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's like an eventful thing in Paris and I think it's the new tourist attraction, honestly. So, we're like, oh wow,

this is happening in real life. So, we're like, you know what, let's go take a picture. He just got here. So, like, it's the perfect time.

[18:55:00]

BELL: 100 investigators are working on this case to try and figure out who was behind this most brazen of heists. They're considering not just the

equipment that was used by the robbers, but some of the things they left behind, a glove, a helmet, one of the scooters they made their escape on,

and of course the truck that they're combing through for fingerprints. But for now, a big breakthrough in this case remains elusive.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: In today's Good Brief, ballerina Misty Copeland is retiring from the American Ballet Theater after a trailblazing career. In her final

appearance on Wednesday, Copeland performed excerpts from Romeo and Juliet and Sinatra Suite. Along with her performance, Copeland was honored at the

Star-Studded Gala. She joined the company at age 18 back in 2001, and in 2015, she became the first black female principal dancer. That's the

highest ranking in the ballet company.

Thanks so much for your company today. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.

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[19:00:00]

END