Return to Transcripts main page
The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: Trump: U.S. to Cut Back Military Drills with South Korea; Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman; Ukraine, Russia Exchange Aerial Attacks; U.S. Makes New Push for Gaza Peace Plan; Tupac Shakur Murder Trial. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired August 17, 2026 - 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, "THE BRIEF": 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, U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to cut short U.S. and South Korean joint military exercises just hours before they kick
off. We're going to break down his reasons behind that last-minute move. Another U.S. ally threatened by the U.S. president, this time the Sultanate
of Oman. The country has been at the heart of U.S.-Iran negotiations. Trump has threatened to bomb Oman over the Strait of Hormuz. And Ukraine attacks
Russia with hundreds of drones. And what Russian media says is Ukraine's biggest aerial attack of the war so far.
Well, we begin in South Korea, where the annual U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, is kicking off as
scheduled. That, according to the South Korean military, it is not clear, however, whether the 10-day drill will be shortened or pared down in some
way. This comes after President Trump announced via social media that he had ordered the Pentagon to scale back those exercises, saying Seoul had
declined to help with his war against Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We have 39,000 soldiers over there guarding you from Kim Jong-un, your next-door neighbor, and you're not going to help
us on a very easy military operation in Iran? That's strange. No, no, we'd rather not get involved. I say, well, why are we involved in helping you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Trump also cited what he described as a good relationship with the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, saying that those military drills
send, quote, "A signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile to Kim and North Korea." You may remember Trump held three summits with Kim during his
first term, but failed to reach a deal on denuclearization by North Korea. South Korea, we should note, has been a close U.S. ally for more than 70
years, and the two nations have a mutual defense treaty. Will Ripley has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kim Jong-un and his daughter smiling at the circus, North Korean state media
showing them celebrating in Pyongyang this weekend. At the same time, President Trump was posting this picture with Kim, saying, despite the
unfriendly look, Kim Jong-un and I get along great. Relationship Trump is now invoking to make a major change on the Korean peninsula.
Ordering the Pentagon to substantially reduce annual military exercises with South Korea based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong-un, Trump
says, adding the exercises are costly and send a totally inappropriate and hostile signal to North Korea. The moves are fueling speculation. Trump may
be laying the groundwork for renewed diplomacy with Kim.
CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA: This is kind of a shocking development by the president. We'll see if he has some reason
beyond what he stated. But certainly, this is not the way to handle a region of the world that really expects reliability from us.
RIPLEY (voice-over): For decades, North Korea has demanded these drills stop, calling them rehearsals for invasion and war. For the U.S. and South
Korea, they serve a very different purpose, training their forces to fight together on the ground and in the air. There's a reason the allies stay
ready.
In 1968, North Korea seized an American spy ship, the USS Pueblo. One American was killed. 82 more were held captive for nearly a year. In 1987,
North Korean agents bombed a South Korean passenger jet. All 115 people aboard were killed. Then in 2010, the South Korean warship, Chinon, sank
near the North Korean border. Forty-six sailors died. An international investigation blamed a North Korean torpedo. Pyongyang denied it.
Months later, North Korean shells raining down on Pyongyang Island. Two South Korean marines and two civilians killed, both nations blaming the
other for exchanging fire, all on a peninsula where the Korean War never formally ended.
[18:05:00]
And the North Korean military Trump faces today is far more heavily armed, with Kim's teenage daughter rumored to be his likely successor as he
expands his nuclear and missile arsenal.
Kim's military is also more battle tested, fighting for Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine's president, Vladimir Zelenskyy, says Russia wants another 30,000
North Korean troops, warning Moscow is helping Kim learn modern warfare. Kim has even built a memorial for those killed with room for many more
graves.
RIPLEY: President Trump has tried diplomacy with North Korea before. After the 2018 Singapore summit, he suspended major exercises. Kim never gave up
his nuclear weapons. Now, Trump is scaling back drills before Kim has even agreed to talk. Could this be a new opening for diplomacy or a concession
before negotiations even begin?
Will Ripley, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: And from South Korea to another U.S. ally earning President Trump's apparent displeasure and attacks, Oman. The U.S. president warned
that he would attack Oman if it, quote, "gets in the way of U.S. efforts in the Strait of Hormuz." Iran says it is continuing talks with Oman over the
waterway, saying discussions have been delayed due to so-called malevolent parties. The threat comes as the 60-day deadline for the U.S. and Iran to
reach a broader deal for ending the war has now passed.
Kristen Holmes has the latest from the White House. And, Kristen, first, if we can, on North Korea, you were attacked, as journalists often are, for
asking substantive questions. Does the White House have an answer to your question? Did the president get anything in return from Kim Jong-un for
suspending these drills? Was he asked to suspend these drills, or are they not answering like the president refused to?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No one has answered that question. And, Jim, I do want to bring up a larger point, that this is
a pattern we have seen from President Trump. That's why this question is so relevant. If you look to what we have seen in the war between Russia and
Ukraine, President Trump has often come out and said something in support of Zelenskyy. At one point, he was saying, and this was months ago, that he
was considering giving Patriot missiles to Zelenskyy. Again, this is months ago before the recent wave that we've heard them talking about.
He then got on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The next day, met with Zelenskyy and said that he wasn't going to be giving them
Patriot missiles. That was a conversation that was based on a conversation that he had with Vladimir Putin.
So, the idea that he might have had a conversation after he admitted that the two leaders had had some kind of communication, and that he then
announced that they'd be scaling back these military exercises, it's not a leap to say or to ask the question of whether or not this was something
that came from the dictator himself as a request of President Trump.
But no, we don't have any answers on that or even what the communication has looked like. All we heard from President Trump is that Kim Jong-un
responded to President Trump's requests for a conversation. We're trying to get more details on what exactly that looks like.
SCIUTTO: Now, how about on the U.S.-Iran negotiations? Of course, yet another Trump deadline has passed without progress on that deal. Are there
substantive negotiations still underway, even through intermediaries such as Oman, which the president, of course, threatened to attack today,
towards some sort of deal or progress?
HOLMES: Well, one thing we know is that the mediators, particularly these Gulf allies, are in constant communication with both Iran and the United
States. Whether or not that means anything or gets anywhere, that's really the big question. These Gulf countries, allies of the United States, many
of them do not want this war to continue. They themselves have been put in the crosshairs of this war that President Trump started. So, the idea there
is that those mediations or those conversations behind the scenes are happening.
Now, when it comes to what's actually going on with the United States and Iran, it's very unclear. We have Iran denying there's any kind of back-
channel communications between the U.S. and Iran. And President Trump essentially is saying the same thing that he has been saying for the last
five months, which is, today, he was specifically asked on the fact that this other deadline had lapsed. And he says that where they are now is that
Iran wants to make a deal, but that they're not going to make the deal that President Trump wants. So, essentially, they're kind of at a standoff, and
Iran is not going to be honest, and the United States is going to continue to try and make sure they don't have a nuclear program.
But, Jim, the big question is, how is that different from anywhere we have been in five months of this war? And the answer is, it's not. It's not any
different. We are saying the same that we said five months ago. President Trump is saying the same things now that he said five months ago. Now, in
between, there have been bouts of military action, and there have been bouts of ceasefire.
And right now, it does seem relatively calm. We know the U.S. is trying to have these conversations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Oman is having,
which is why, clearly, it seemed to strike a nerve that Oman might get credit for some kind of opening of the Strait of Hormuz or what that might
actually look like with President Trump saying he would bomb our allies.
[18:10:00]
But nothing has really moved in terms of the needle, and it's not good for President Trump or Republicans. When you look at this recent polling that I
have in front of me, where CNN asked voters, is the Iran war worth U.S. lives cost and the financial cost? And 74 percent of the Americans polled
said no, it's not.
So, this is just looming over this administration, this White House and President Trump, and seemingly again, no end in sight.
SCIUTTO: Kristen Holmes, always keeping track. Thanks so much.
HOLMES: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Well, joining us now is Christopher Hill. He's a former U.S. ambassador, not just to South Korea, but also to Iraq, also a former
Assistant Secretary of State. Ambassador, good to have you on. Thanks so much for joining.
CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA: A pleasure. Thank you very much.
SCIUTTO: So, let's begin with South Korea here. President Trump tried this in the first term, apparently as a concession to North Korea. And he gave
Kim three summits and got nowhere, not a single nuclear concession. In fact, North Korea expanded its nuclear arsenal. So here we go again,
President Trump suspending these exercises. Who does this benefit?
HILL: Well, first of all, I think all our friends and allies in Asia are looking with astonishment at what in the world is he doing? It certainly is
going to unnerve the South Korean people. You know, these are exercises that we conduct every year for decades. Every year, the North Koreans on
cue will come forward and say, this is terrible. We threaten all kinds of things. And every year, we go through with them.
So, this time, evidently, there have been some backchanneling. We don't know what it is. But it looks like the president, as he's done before,
trusts the word of our adversaries rather than the concerns of our allies. So, there you have it.
And I think, whereas in his first term, he established a record for being pretty unpredictable, I think in his second term, he's well on his way to
establishing a record of being very unreliable. And the whole world is looking at that situation.
SCIUTTO: South Korea says it is considering, quote, "substantial and military ways to contribute to passage through the Strait of Hormuz." Of
course, the president cited for one reason for suspending these exercises, because South Korea did not join the war against Iran. Does that suggest
South Korea is attempting a quid pro quo to some degree? And should they expect that that would make a difference?
HILL: I think the South Koreans are looking for any way to get through this. You know, South Korea's major partner, by far its most important
partner, is the United States, both from an economic perspective, but also, of course, security-wise. So, if they can get through this with some kind
of gesture, I'm sure they're going to look at that. The problem is, I think other countries have tried the same, and they often don't get what they
hope they're going to get.
So, I think there's a lot of concern right now in South Korea about the reliability factor. And frankly, we don't know what he's going to do next.
Certainly, we weren't expecting this situation with Oman to pop up just hours later. It seems we have a president who is deeply frustrated by the
fact that these are complex issues. And he's trying to deal with complex issues really through some kind of diplomacy, but without diplomats. So, we
have a big problem.
And it's not just the South Koreans who have to worry about getting through this. I think the American people need to worry about getting through all
this.
SCIUTTO: From a South Korean perspective, and you might ask this of other U.S. allies, as they doubt the U.S. commitment to their defense, does South
Korea go so far as considering acquiring nuclear weapons? There's been some public debate in South Korea, in Japan, in Germany. Is that serious?
HILL: There is discussion about it. I wouldn't put it on the serious end of the spectrum at this point. But certainly, there's a big question
whether the so-called American nuclear umbrella, which was the answer to the South Koreans and others, namely, you don't need nuclear weapons
because we have nuclear weapons. But I think there's a real concern of whether our commitments -- and by the way, these are longstanding
commitments.
Earlier in your setup piece, you talked about, you know, set up -- these things have gone on since the 1950s, 1953.
[18:15:00]
And so along comes a president who just thinks that somehow South Korea is getting something for nothing. In fact, South Korea pays for U.S. forces
there. South Korea really pays its way and does a lot for its own security. And it's in our interest to work there. So, hard to say where this is going
to come out. But I think the president has some explaining to do.
SCIUTTO: Of course, those two countries, as you know better than anybody, fought a war together, of course, in the '50s against North Korea.
Ambassador Christopher Hill, we appreciate you joining.
HILL: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Turning now to Ukraine, which has just pummeled Russia with one of the largest aerial assaults of the war by Ukraine against Russia. This
remarkable video shows a fire at a warehouse for Wildberries that is, in effect, Russia's answer to Amazon. Ukraine has been consistently targeting
Wildberries. It says it has hit seven out of the company's 10 largest logistics centers in recent months.
Moscow says it shot down more than 800 Ukrainian drones overnight. It says as well that at least six people were killed. Even as Ukraine attacks
deeper inside Russia, it continues to face a dire shortage of missile interceptors. Nick Paton Walsh got an exclusive look at how those key
Patriot missile batteries have run dry.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Out in the quiet corn, a moment of absolute desperation. Ukraine's never shown anyone these before, an American-made Patriot air defense
launcher.
The interceptors they fire, the only thing that can take down Russian ballistic missiles that rain down on Ukraine, are under a huge global
supply shortage. But these here are sitting idle, doing nothing, when in Ukraine they could be saving lives almost nightly. Why? They're empty, out
of ammo.
WALSH: This tube being empty is a sight really that would spark fear for ordinary Ukrainians, and is the product of dozens of phone calls to any
ally, all sorts of deal-making President Zelenskyy told me to try and find the interceptors to fill this up. An extraordinary step they're taking by
showing us the fact this particular Patriot battery is essentially out of action until interceptors arrive, a sign of desperation.
WALSH (voice-over): Chief Engineer Dmytro says it is two and a half months since this one fired, and six weeks since he saw one fire at all.
DMYTRO, CHIEF ENGINEER, UKRAINE'S PATRIOT SYSTEM: You know, actually, this is a really heartbreaking sight, when you have equipment, but you're not
able to intercept any missile. This is very sad. When you know that ballistic missiles are flying over your head and you are not able to do
anything with it, and you know that behind you there are citizens.
WALSH: And how does that make you feel, knowing that you should help, but can't?
DMYTRO: Like, you learn how to walk, but you're not able to walk. Or you know how to breathe, but you're not able to breathe.
WALSH (voice-over): He knew the global supply crunch was coming.
DMYTRO: When we saw how many interceptors were launched in the Middle East, we predicted that we will be in trouble.
WALSH (voice-over): Ukraine has been reluctant to admit if they have zero interceptors left, President Zelenskyy telling me every morning he begs
allies for more.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: I do some things which I can't even share. It's not -- it doesn't mean that it's out of the law, no, but
it's -- I can't speak about it.
WALSH (voice-over): Kyiv is rocked by a massive ballistic attack normally once a week, racing to the subway and shelters where before, they felt
protected, they are not anymore. It is America first in the queue and Ukraine left to anxiety in the rubble.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kyiv, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Still ahead, one of the biggest legal tests for social media yet, 29 states taking MEDA to court. We're going to hear from California
Attorney General Rob Bonta, one of the leaders of that lawsuit next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:20:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back in today's Business Breakout, U.S. stocks closed Monday's session with across-the-board losses. Stocks pressured by higher
oil prices yet again and rising U.S. treasury yields. The yield on the 30- year bond hit its highest level since 2007. Well, it is being called social media's Big Tobacco Moment.
Meta is set to stand trial in California on Tuesday over claims that Facebook and Instagram were designed to be addictive to children. The
company is accused of misleading the public about the risks posed by its platforms as well. The complaint was filed by a coalition of 29 state
attorneys general. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to take the stand along with the head of Instagram.
The four states that will present arguments during the trial could ask for almost $1.5 trillion in penalties. They also want Meta to make sweeping
changes to its platforms. Meta calls the charges unsubstantiated. It says, quote, "Rather than sticking to the facts or the law, the states have
instead decided to chase an outlandish payout."
Joining me now, California Attorney General Rob Bonta. He is one of the co- leaders of the lawsuit. Attorney General, we appreciate you taking the time.
ROB BONTA, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: My pleasure. Thanks for having me.
SCIUTTO: So, first, let's go to the root of the case, because you have called this an illegal effort by the companies, which has brought kids to
the point of both physical and mental harm. Can you describe, in your view, the strongest piece of evidence that Meta knew, knew that its products were
harming children and chose to profit anyway?
BONTA: Absolutely. That's the core of the case. They designed and deployed a dangerous product. They knew it was dangerous, and they lied about it to
the public. And the best evidence that they knew that their products were dangerous is their own internal studies, their own internal memos, where
they're talking about the harms that their products visit on kids, whether it be anxiety or depression or addictive tendencies or body image issues or
learning loss. They talk about it internally. And then, knowing that these products visit harm on kids, they tell the world that they're safe.
So, it's the deception and the lying that is unlawful under California law. And we'll show them their own words, their own studies, their own internal
determinations. We'll put that side by side with their public statements, which are lies to the public. And we'll let the judge and the jury decide.
SCIUTTO: You're, of course, seeking two things here. Not only the penalty, $1.4 trillion in damages, but also massive changes, right? Changes so that
the products don't behave this way in the future.
[18:25:00]
Listen, $1.4 trillion, as you well know, is close to Meta's entire market value. Is that a reasonable demand in terms of penalties? And then I want
to get to the changes.
BONTA: Sure. That's not our demand. That is a number that Meta is advancing. They want to talk about it. They're putting out there into the
court of public opinion and saying, you know, woe is us. They're asking for $1.4 trillion when we're not. And, you know, they're crying poor and
playing the victim.
We will make our case to the judge. We haven't advocated a specific number to the judge. It won't be $1.4 trillion. But we will be seeking appropriate
financial restitution, disgorgement, and penalties. And it could be significant for sure, but that's a number that Meta is advancing. I just
want to caution folks against accepting that as something that we are seeking.
We're not seeking that amount. We've never put that into writing as an amount that we're seeking. The judge did ask us to make some calculations
about the number of kids that were using the platform and how long they were on it, and made some calculations herself based on that. But that's
not what we're asking for. So, let me just put that aside.
In most of our cases, the financial penalties are secondary to what we call injunctive relief, prospective changes in behavior and conduct in practices
for a business. And we want them to stop hurting our kids. They chose profit over our children. They chose to use products and deploy products
like autoplay and infinite scroll and beeps and alerts and likes and algorithmic feeds and ephemeral content, excuse me, like Instagram stories
that disappear as it makes kids want to be online all the time, knowing that it would harm kids. And we just want them to stop harming kids and to
stop lying about the fact that it harms kids when they falsely tell the world that these products are safe.
SCIUTTO: I want to turn now to another lawsuit that, of course, you leading the state's efforts to block Paramount's takeover of Warner
Brothers. Paramount, as you know today, is requesting, demanding that states post $1.9 billion bond to cover financial losses, including ticking
fees, which, as you noted in your response on social media to this, was something that Paramount put into the deal early on.
From a legal standpoint, in your view, does the company have any legitimate claim to such a bond? And do the states have the funds to fulfill it?
BONTA: They don't have any legitimate claim. I mean, honestly, these reeks of desperation. It's sad to see it actually. They agreed to a ticking fee.
Paramount agreed to that with Warner Brothers. We had nothing to do with it. It was their own decision. They agreed to a breakup fee if this deal
doesn't go through. They knew regulators were still looking at this deal, including us, and they made those decisions on their own.
They also agreed to -- and they stipulated to, not closing this deal until next summer, all voluntary. And now, they're trying to put the California
taxpayers on the hook. And mind you, there was a temporary restraining order issued in this case early on, indicating, in which the judge
indicated that we are likely to succeed on the merits in this case when it's all said and done, and we're going to suffer irreparable harm, in
which she addressed the bond issue and rejected it then. We expect her to reject it again here because there's no basis for it.
SCIUTTO: I wonder if you could give us an update on the status of any potential settlement talks. You said you prefer to resolve disputes in the
boardroom rather than the courtroom. What would Paramount have to put on the table to get to a settlement, from your point of view?
BONTA: Yes. You know, we've always said that coming to the table is always on the table, if you're engaging with us in good faith and sincerely. And
we've always said that we need structural remedies, not behavioral remedies, meaning we need proposals that keep different corporate entities
separate, that address the concerns we've raised in our complaint for us to be interested in settlement talks.
But we'll always have good faith settlement negotiations. We do prefer to resolve issues in the boardroom rather than the courtroom. But it would
require that Paramount Warner Brothers come forward with some structural remedies. That's not a surprise to them. We've told that to them time and
time again. They know that. They know what we're interested in. They know what markets we're concerned about based on our complaint. So, if they come
forward in good faith with some proposals, we will certainly listen and certainly engage.
SCIUTTO: I know you have said that among the proposals that at least have been talked about publicly, not by you, by others watching this case, that
the sale of CNN, for instance, out would not be sufficient to settle the case, that some sort of independent advisory editorial board would not be
enough to settle the case. But are those potential pieces of a settlement if other concessions were included?
[18:30:00]
BONTA: Perhaps it's up to them, but it's not what we're focused on, it's not what we're asking for, and certainly a spin-off, a divestiture of CNN
would absolutely not resolve the concerns that we've raised and be enough to resolve this case.
If they wanted to make that part of a bigger deal, we'd consider that, but it's not what we're asking for. They continue to talk about things that
have no relation to the case. They want to talk about the streaming market, which has nothing to do with our case. They want to talk about CNN, which
we're not focused on and don't mention in our complaint, and they want to talk about all the foreign regulators that they're proud of getting
approval from, who don't regulate the American market and don't look at the impact of this deal on America's economy.
So, I highly suggest that they focus on what we have set forth in our complaint. That is what we're focused on. No surprises. It's a simple,
straightforward complaint. This is a bread-and-butter, black-and-white, meat-and-potatoes antitrust case, and if they want to propose structural
remedies to address the concerns we raised, we're happy to listen.
SCIUTTO: You've accused Paramount of trying to blackmail California by, among other things, threatening to pull its headquarters out of California.
That said, Paramount employs a lot of people in California. How much political pressure does that apply to you, to put on you to potentially
settle this case?
BONTA: None. I mean, David Ellison owns that decision. It's his decision, his voluntary decision. He'll own it. We're not asking for that. We're not
asking for Paramount to leave when we didn't allege that or request that in our complaint. It has nothing to do with this case.
And he needs to explain why he would say out of one side of his mouth that he believes in Hollywood. He's committed to the future of Hollywood. He
will support Hollywood, and then with the other side of his mouth, threatens to pull Paramount out of California. That's all on him. He owns
it. His decision, if he does it. Nothing to do with our case.
So, they're grasping at straws, trying to put pressure on us, and honestly, they should focus on this case. They've lost the plot. They've lost focus
here, and they continue to lose in court. We've won every step of the way, from the temporary restraining order to the equivalent of a preliminary
injunction prohibiting any closure of this deal until next summer to getting the trial date that we prefer, and they don't. And they keep
wanting to talk about other things besides the case.
So, you know, and they -- it was blackmail twice when they threatened to leave. They tried to prevent us from bringing this lawsuit. They're trying
to use it as leverage. It's not working. It didn't work. It won't work, nor will this request for a $1.8 or $9 billion bond. Another form of blackmail
they're trying to use also failed.
SCIUTTO: Final question before we go. Is an appeal to the Supreme Court, in your view, Ellison's backup plan, a trump card, one might call it, and
do you see the Supreme Court potentially settling in, as unusual as it would be in an antitrust case?
BONTA: You know, I don't know what their plan is, if they have a plan, a short-term plan, long-term plan, what it is. You know, I respectfully
suggest that they focus on the antitrust case in front of them that we set forth in our complaint, because that's all this is about, straight-up
antitrust case.
But I will say we're confident in our case, in front of any court, in front of the trial court, the federal court that we're in front of now, in front
of the Ninth Circuit, if it ever goes there, in front of the Supreme Court. We've won consistently in front of the Supreme Court on big issues that are
meaningful for our country, like tariffs and national guard and birthright citizenship and our Prop 50 redistricting measure. And we think we'll win
on this case in front of any court.
So, we're not worried about what they might do on appeal or what they might not do. We're confident with the law and the facts in our case.
SCIUTTO: Rob Bonta, attorney general of California, thanks so much for joining.
BONTA: My great pleasure. Thanks for having me.
SCIUTTO: Still ahead, face-to-face, but did they see eye-to-eye? U.S. Envoy Jared Kushner makes a push for Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan to
Israel's prime minister.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:35:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto, and here are the international headlines we're watching today.
President Trump has announced he will scale back joint military exercises with the key U.S. ally, South Korea. He says Seoul declined to help with
the U.S. war against Iran. He also says he has a good relationship with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. Despite the sudden announcement, South
Korea says the annual UFS exercise, as it's known, began as planned.
Ukraine launched one of its largest aerial assaults of the war against Russia over the weekend. Moscow claims to have shot down more than 800
drones, says six people were killed. Ukraine is amping up drone attacks, particularly against economic targets, such as Russian e-commerce giant
Wildberries.
The U.S. president has threatened to bomb Oman, which is a U.S. ally. Trump said he would strike Oman if it interferes with U.S. efforts to open the
Strait of Hormuz. A 60-day deadline has come and gone without a deal between the U.S. and Iran to end the war.
Without that deal, the U.S. is instead pushing to revive a peace plan for Gaza. Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met with the Israeli prime
minister for more than four hours today. An Israeli official says that Netanyahu told Kushner there will be no withdrawal from Gaza by Israeli
forces until Hamas is fully disarmed. That demand was later reiterated by Donald Trump's so-called board of peace.
While on Sunday, Kushner held a rare meeting with the Hamas leader, Khalil al-Hayya. Kushner says the U.S. expects Hamas to start disarming soon, but
is ready to stand by Israel if it does not.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED KUSHNER, U.S. ENVOY: We can be seeing progress, you know, as much as -- in as little as 30 days, hopefully on, you know, starting to take some
of the weapons out and hopefully, you know, filling in some of the tunnels as well in the next 60 to 90 days as well. So, progress could come quite
soon, but we do need cooperation from both sides.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Let's get more on any potential hopes for a lasting peace deal for Gaza. Barbara Leaf was an assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern
Affairs under Joe Biden, also a distinguished diplomatic fellow at the Middle East Institute. Thanks so much for joining, Barbara.
BARBARA LEAF, FORMER U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NEAR EASTERN AFFAIRS: Glad to be here, Jim.
SCIUTTO: Is there any sign these talks are moving forward in any substantive way? Listening to Kushner there, he's saying progress in 30
days, then 60 to 90 days. I mean, we just finished the first 60-day period with no progress. I just wonder what the actual realistic expectations are
at this point.
LEAF: Well, I think it's significant that the president sent Jared Kushner out for these discussions, and of course, the fact that he met with a new
head of Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya.
[18:40:00]
But the length of the meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the varying readouts that we're getting from the U.S. and Israeli side would suggest
that there are very large gaps still in any operational plan to move forward on disarmament.
SCIUTTO: What does the disarmament process look like? Because the issue here, right, and you even heard that from Kushner saying expect cooperation
from both sides. Hamas, of course, has not disarmed yet, but Israel has not committed to withdrawing its forces back to the limits as described in the
initial outlines of the deal.
I mean, who's actually standing in the way of progress, or is it fair to say that both Hamas and Israel are standing in the way?
LEAF: Well, Hamas for the moment looks like it's cooperating. Of course, you know, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating when they are
actually pushed to hand over weaponry, be it light weaponry or any heavy weaponry. And at this point, Hamas continues to say that it is focusing on
handing over light weaponry. There seems to be some dispute as to whether it will be destroyed in place, whether it will be taken out, and so on.
But on the other hand, Prime Minister Netanyahu has said repeatedly, first of all, he rejected the 15-point plan that the Board of Peace come up with
for the Hamas demilitarization, but he's also stipulated several times now that everything has to be done and completed, completely done, before the
Israeli forces will move back. And it's clear that there is a very significant gap in appreciation as to how the sequencing should go forward.
SCIUTTO: Netanyahu, of course, faces elections in October. How much is his stonewalling driven by his concerns that he would lose political standing
by making concessions that even his friend Donald Trump is demanding?
LEAF: Well, of course, he is wholly fixed on the October 27th elections, and he is working assiduously to bring his polling numbers up. So, he has
no room in his own mind, I think, for slippage on the issue of Gaza or the West Bank or anything touching on Palestinian affairs.
SCIUTTO: Tell me your reaction to the president, in the midst of all this, attacking a U.S. ally in the region, Oman, which is not just any ally,
because, of course, Oman is central to these Iran negotiations. It's serving as mediator. It's also essential to continuing U.S. military
operations in the region, because the U.S. uses both naval and air bases in Oman for crucial waypoints on their way to attacks in Iran, et cetera. Who
does that help?
LEAF: Jim, it's astonishing. It's shocking. It's really unfair treatment to a country that has really put itself forward not just as a mediator in
this most recent round of discussions over the Strait of Hormuz, but time and again across multiple administrations, including the first Trump
administration. The Omanis have stepped in to secure the release of American detainees and hostages in Iran and to start discussions where
there was no traction with any other mediator.
So, the Omanis have been in there trying to come up with a formula that will get traffic moving again. And suffice to say, the Iranians are the
principal obstacle on settling on a formula to open the Strait up. It is not the Omanis.
SCIUTTO: Barbara Leaf, we know you'll be watching closely. Thanks so much for joining.
LEAF: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Still ahead, nearly 30 years after the death of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur, the man accused of orchestrating his murder goes on trial.
The prosecution called the fatal shooting, quote, "an act of revenge."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:45:00]
SCIUTTO: Nearly 30 years after the fatal shooting of Tupac Shakur a long- awaited trial is now underway. A Nevada jury is hearing the case against the man accused of orchestrating the murder of the hip-hop legend. Tupac
Shakur was just 25 years old when he was killed in a drive-by shooting near the Vegas Strip. In opening statements, prosecutors said defendant Duane
Davis arranged the killing as revenge for a fight involving his nephew, Shakur, and the rapper's entourage. The defense countered, the facts don't
back that up.
CNN's Josh Campbell joins me now from Las Vegas. Josh, big first day of the trial. Opening statements, several witnesses, including a witness to the
shooting and a former homicide detective. What stood out to you?
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, so right now, prosecutors are laying the foundation of their case. They have to establish the facts
of what happened before they move on to a possible motive and that's by calling actual witnesses.
There were law enforcement officers who were here near the Las Vegas Strip on the night that that occurred. As you mentioned, another woman who was
driving near the vehicle whenever those shots rang out from a white Cadillac in which the defendant, Duane Davis, was in, firing upon allegedly
someone in that vehicle onto the vehicle where Tupac Shakur was in. And this witness kind of described that moment. So, again, laying the
foundation.
What's so interesting, Jim, in this case is that so much of this is going to come down to witnesses and things they saw and things they recall
because we're talking about something that happened 30 years ago. That itself is remarkable. It took three decades to get to this point where
there's now someone who's finally on trial involved in this murder allegedly.
Now, officials, prosecutors aren't saying that Duane Davis pulled the trigger, but they're saying he was a so-called shot caller, the person who
orchestrated all of this. Why will witnesses be so important? Because 30 years ago, you didn't have the same type of forensic technology. You didn't
have CCTV cameras on the intersections at most world metropolitan areas. And so, we don't actually have video of the shooting. They're going based
off these witnesses, Jim.
SCIUTTO: Of course, that 30-year passage of time, problematic. But the defense also has to counter the defendant's own past statements. Can you
explain?
CAMPBELL: Yes. This is really fascinating. Jim, you and I have covered so many trials and criminal cases. I can't remember a time like we saw here
today in court where the defense attorney, the person who is representing the person who is facing potential life in prison, told the jury that my
client is full of nonsense.
Now, he used a more profane word, which I won't repeat, but he's essentially saying that, look, yes, my client did media interviews over the
years. Yes, my client was involved in allegedly writing this book in which he described what happened on that night, but he made it all up. He was
trying to make money off of this incident. You just have to imagine how that is now going to land with the jury, essentially saying, don't believe
everything that he said before. He made it up. Believe what he is saying now.
For their part, the prosecution, they're using his own words as their key pieces of evidence here, saying that, look, he's on the record. He said
that, yes, he was in the car. He handed the firearm to his own nephew, who then opened fire on Tupac Shakur. For those wondering why that person isn't
being charged, because Duane Davis, of the four people who are in the car that he's in, he's the only one still alive. He's the only one today that
could potentially be held accountable.
[18:50:00]
We'll see what the jury comes down with after they hear from the witnesses. A truly fascinating trial, obviously an incident involving a rap legend
that was world renowned. Now, we're finally seeing whether someone will be held accountable for his murder.
SCIUTTO: Josh Campbell, thanks so much.
CAMPBELL: Of course.
SCIUTTO: Still ahead, thieves take advantage of a holiday in Italy to steal priceless artworks. They made off with several Renaissance
masterpieces. Now, the hunt is on to find them and recover the art treasures.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: It may seem fitting that the mayor of the world's quintessential melting pot is showing off his multilingual skills. Mayor Zohran Mamdani is
getting the word out to New York high school students about thousands of free tickets to Broadway shows. And he's doing it not just in one language,
but Mandarin, Spanish, Bengali. CNN's Zane Heinlein has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZANE HEINLEIN, CNN JOURNALIST (voice-over): New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is turning heads for something you might not expect, speaking
Mandarin.
The video is grabbing the attention of millions of people on social media, and many are surprised by his skill. People took to TikTok to weigh in on
Mamdani's Mandarin, with some saying it shows he's trying to connect with his constituents.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's what we should be expecting of our leaders.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Honestly, his Chinese is better than yours.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When did Mamdani learn how to speak Mandarin?
HEINLEIN (voice-over): Mamdani, who is known for his social media savvy, used the video to promote a lottery giving New York City high school
students free tickets to shows on and off Broadway. He also made a version of the video in Spanish. In addition to his original post in English.
According to New York City Public Schools, 42.3 percent of students enrolled in the 2024-25 school year were Hispanic, and 18.7 percent were
Asian and Pacific Islander. Mamdani's administration, in partnership with the Theater Development Fund, is giving away more than 2,000 tickets to
shows like In the Heights and The Lost Boys, according to TDF. He says he hopes the lottery makes theater more accessible for kids and their
families.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Police are on the hunt for four Renaissance artworks stolen from a museum in Sicily. Authorities say these bypassed alarm and security
systems Saturday evening during an Italian national holiday. The paintings were the work of Antonello da Messina. A local official said they are part
of the region's heritage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ENZO CARUSO, MESSINA CULTURAL COUNCILOR (through translator): More than a loss, this is a real disaster. Because Messina, without Antonello, is
robbed of the very essence of the greatest artist of the European Renaissance. Together with the mayor, we want to be close to the museum,
and we hope these works may return home as soon as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[18:55:00]
SCIUTTO: The theft took place just days after Italian police announced the recovery of three masterpieces stolen near Parma. They released footage of
that heist, showing the burglars grabbing works by Renoir, Matisse, and Cezanne.
For the first time in history, Cameroon have won the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. The indomitable Lionesses won the final in Rabat, Morocco, on
Sunday, with a 3-0 victory over tournament debutantes. Malawi, back home in Cameroon, there were noisy celebrations after fans have waited years to see
their team reach the final in three previous tournaments, losing to Nigeria every time.
And although they might not have brought home the top prize, sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga carried Malawi to the final. The duo combined
for nine of Mawali's 12 goals during the tournament, securing the country's first ever qualification for FIFA's World Cup next year in Brazil.
Thanks so much for joining us today. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
