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Trump White House; Koreas Tensions; A Dangerous Precedent; Concerns on Repatriation; Myanmar Violence; Rohingya Crisis Plan; FBI's Peter Strzok Testifies In Explosive House Hearing on Anti-Trump Bias; U.S. Proposed New Tariffs On $200B In Chinese Goods; U.S. Justice Department To Appeal AT&T-Time Warner Ruling; World Cup Fever Takes The Internet By Storm. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired July 13, 2018 - 02:00   ET

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


[02:00:06] BECKY ANDERSON, NEWSROOM ANCHOR, CNN: After scolding his NATO partners in Brussels, U.S. President Donald Trump once again making headlines, this time taking aim at the British Prime Minister. We'll talk about his latest remarks as he gets set for a day of events in and around London.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you want to represent what he said accurately, I'm answer happy to answer but I don't appreciate what was originally said being changed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't give a damn what you appreciate Agent Strzok.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE HOWELL, NEWSROOM ANCHOR, CNN: And that's the seen back in Washington. Fireworks and finger pointing on Capitol Hill as lawmakers take sides during a contentious hearing with an FBI agent. We want to welcome our viewers all around the world this hour. I am George Howell at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

ANDERSON: And I am Becky Anderson live in London. This is CNN Newsroom. Well, we are expecting an eventful Friday here in London around the visits of U.S. President Donald Trump. If predictions pan out, there could be tens of thousands of protesters in these streets around us letting their voices be heard.

The President will have a news conference with the Prime Minister and tea with the Queen. Now we have already seen the pump that you would expect in welcoming a visiting head of state Thursday evening. Prime Minister Theresa May hosted a formal black-tie dinner for Mr. And Mrs. Trump. But as that event was wrapping up, a bombshell, an interview that Mr. Trump has done with the tabloid, the Sun was released.

The U.S. President did not hold back. For starters, he slammed the mayor of London, saying he's done a terrible job on terrorism and crime. Mr. Trump criticized immigration in Europe, calling it a shame, causing Europe to lose its culture. He said he prays. Boris Johnson, who just resigned as Britain's foreign secretary of the Brexit he would quote make a great Prime Minister.

But perhaps his most damning comments game against his host, Prime Minister Theresa May, saying she has wrecked Brexit and warning she may have killed off any chance of a vital U.S. trade deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RES. DONALD TRUMP (R), UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: I would have done it much differently. I actually told Theresa May how to do it, but she didn't agree with it. She didn't listen to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you say?

TRUMP: She didn't listen. I told her how to do it. That would be up to her to say. But I told her how to do it. She wanted to go a different route.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: More on that. (Inaudible) Mr. Trump's arrival in London came after he left the NATO summit early on Thursday with a similar scorched earth message, CNN's Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta traveling with the President.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM ACOSTA, CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: President Trump was welcomed to Britain with pumped pageantry and protesters. So royally ticked off, they're flying a Trump baby balloon over London. Still, the President dismissed he's unpopular here.

TRUMP: I think it is fine here. I mean I think they like me a lot in the U.K. I think they agree with me on immigration. I'm very strong on immigration.

ACOSTA: The President arrived in the U.K. after a trip to NATO that was no love fest. Mr. Trump emerged from his intense talks with key U.S. allies, claiming he had convinced NATO countries to go beyond the alliances commitment of devoting of 2 percent of their GDP's to defend spending by 2024.

TRUMP: Everyone's agreed to substantially up their commitment. They're going to up it at levels that they've never thought of before. Everybody in that room by the time we left got along and they agreed to pay more and they agreed pay it more quickly.

ACOSTA: A NATO official told CNN the discussions behind closed doors were tough on both sides. But the leaders rejected Mr. Trump's call for countries to spend 4 percent of their GDPs on defense as a throw away remark. French President Emmanuel Macron said as much in front of the cameras.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will uphold the engagements taken, which consists of moving towards 2 percent of GDP on the horizon of 2024.

ACOSTA: At a news conference, the President insisted he supported NATO and brushed the notion he would tweet differently.

TRUMP: No. That's other people that do that, I don't. I am very consistent. I am a very stable genius.

ACOSTA: It was just one day ago when the President started one of his tweets with the words...

TRUMP: What good is NATO?

ACOSTA: But the President seemed to answer his own question when he was asked whether Russia's Vladimir Putin was a threat.

TRUMP: Hey. I don't want him to be and that's I guess we have NATO.

ACOSTA: European leaders are concerned about the President's upcoming summit with Putin set for next week, as Mr. Trump rarely criticizes the Russian leader.

TRUMP: He's not my enemy, and hopefully some day maybe he'll be a friend. It could happen. I just don't know him very well.

[02:05:08] ACOSTA: the President said he will again press Putin on meddling in the 2016 election, but insisted he already knows the response he'll receive.

TRUMP: We will of course, ask your favorite question about meddling. I will be asking that question again. What am I going to do? He may deny it. It's one of those things. All I can do is say, did you, and don't do it again, but he may deny.

ACOSTA: Even on the subject of Russia's annexation of Crimea from the Ukraine, the President blamed his own predecessor, not Putin.

TRUMP: That was on Barack Obama's watch. That was not on Trump's watch. Would I have allowed it to happen, no, I would not have allowed it to happen. But he did allow it to happen. So that was his determination.

ACOSTA: The President will likely face more questions about his rocky summit with NATO leaders when he holds a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. That happens just before the President meets with Queen Elizabeth. But it's the President's upcoming summit with Putin that worries Europe the most, as a NATO official told CNN Mr. Trump got an ear full from U.S. allies behind closed doors all offering their input on how the President should handle the Putin problem, Jim Acosta, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, International Diplomatic Editor Nick Robertson was at Brussels headquarters yesterday, NATO headquarters in Brussels. Today outside U.S. Ambassador's residence known as Wind Field house here in London, this is the bombshell, Nick, that the British public have woken up to this morning. The Sun newspaper with an exclusive interview with Donald Trump may have wrecked Brexit, U.S. deal is off, your thoughts on the atmosphere for the U.S. President, Donald Trump as he wakes this morning in Regions Park.

NICK ROBERTSON, INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR, CNN: Yeah. Let's set the scene a little bit here. Theresa May was the first world leader to go to Washington after President Trump's inauguration to really reaffirm the special relationship between Britain and the United States. She barely got out of D.C. when President Trump announced his travel ban for mostly Muslim countries.

Theresa May was roundly criticized at the time for not standing up to him enough. Not pointing out the shortcomings of that kind of kind of policy. She had to go back and sort of double down on what she had said earlier. Ever since then, she has found herself put in a very difficult position by putting herself, aligning herself politically with President Trump.

And she's done it because she wanted to have a better relationship with the United States going forward, better business deals with the United States going forward as Britain pulled out of the European Union, Brexit. That was her plan. That was the political messaging involved there. But this is all thrown back in her face now.

I think Theresa May, if you will, already said what the headline of the Sun newspaper has said when she was asked a questions in parliament Monday this week, just after Boris Johnson, her foreign secretary (Inaudible) resignation she was asked, does her new Brexit strategy, meaning it will be harder to do deals with the United States in the future. And she said yes, it will.

Her strategy doesn't give her the leniency, the ability to strike the type of trade deals that breaking completely free of the European Union would allow her to do. But now she seems to be paying a very, very heavy political price for trying to position Britain close to the United States, but by necessity, putting herself close to President Trump.

He's throwing this back in her face. Essentially, not saying that there can't be a special relationship with Britain, but it appears he doesn't want it with her. He seems to favor her foreign secretary Boris Johnson. He seems to favor the heart breaks. He seems to favor what we've heard from him before, which is a weakly European Union that he doesn't like and he doesn't like his regulation.

He doesn't like the way it does business with the United States. So this is part of a wider President Trump push at the unity of the European Union, as well as a crack at the Prime Minister. How she is going to handle this, we don't know. Very likely, she'll do what she does default in these of positions, which is reiterate and remind people what she did parliament Monday, which is why she believes her Brexit strategy is the best for Britain because it protects jobs.

What a plan (Inaudible) President Trump how many American jobs are created through British companies in the United States, more than a million between Alaska and Maine, so that kind of messaging is going to be (Inaudible) on a day like today.

[02:09:57] ANDERSON: Also in the very same interview conducted with The Sun newspaper, the headline, why would I stay in London when I feel so unwelcome. And Donald Trump blaming politicians for the protests that are expected today, saying will Brits like me. What can Donald Trump and his wife expect from those who are hitting the streets today?

We know for example, he's not going to be in London for very long. But if he is in London for any period of time, these protests will be -- or certainly are expected to be fairly large today, Nick.

ROBERTSON: There (Inaudible) protesters right now outside the area, but secured around the residence, the Winfield House, the ambassador's residence where he's been staying, (Inaudible) getting ready to come out here. This looks like the President's vehicle leaving here right now. The President leaving that first vehicle, I think he's in the back of the first vehicle.

President moving after this large entourage here, no protesters were seen here at all. We know that he is expected to go through Santos today, and he is expected to see some displays of military leaving now (Inaudible) convoy. That's just the end of it going there. Leaving there, so we haven't seen any protesters here this morning when we arrived a couple of hours ago.

There were five protesters here. There is one gentleman left over here, one lone protester I should say. What we are to expect later today are tens of thousands of protesters on the streets of London. A huge hot air balloon flown over the house in parliament in that area -- depicts Donald Trump as a baby holding a mobile phone.

This seems to be what he was referring to when he said that he you know used to love to come to London, but he think the protests are putting him off. He said people here like him. They like his policy on immigration. It seems like he's listening to the populous type of message here that put forward by Nigel (Inaudible).

So President Trump now it appears out on the streets of London. And those most protesters that had come out to tell him they don't want him in the U.K., only one of them here at the gate when he left this morning.

ANDERSON: Nick Robertson outside the U.S. Ambassador's residence in London there. Leslie Vinjamuri joins me now. She is the head of the U.S. and America's Program at Chatham House, the (Inaudible) institute of affairs and senior (Inaudible) international relations at (Inaudible) university at London. That's a long title for you, very warm welcome.

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: The streets around the houses of parliament are likely to be pretty busy later on. Protesters expected on the streets of London. Likely that the U.S. President won't see them, he's got a schedule, which takes him out of London. Although he has said in this morning's Sun newspaper among other things, which we will discuss that the people of Britain love him and it's only the politicians who are creating this sort of bad atmosphere towards him. (CROSSTALK)

LESLIE VINJAMURI, HEAD OF THE U.S. AND AMERICA'S PROGRAM, CHATHAM HOUSE: Well, I think he will see the protests. He carries his phone. He's very addicted to that phone. He'll take a look. I think it will upset him. There might be as many as 100,000 people on the streets. But he's decided to wait (Inaudible).

People have been wondering for the last few days whether he would take advantage of the domestic turmoil in the U.K. to stake his claim. I think many of us thought he might actually wait until he left. Instead he's right on the eve of the most important day of meetings that he's going to have here in the U.K. The protesters are back dropped. When he first left Brussels he said I don't mind, I think they really like me. But clearly, this is not what he thinks, so I think he will...

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: He specifically said on Brexit that he had no message on Brexit. This morning we wake up to this. Mayor's wreck Brexit, U.S. deal is off. Let's explain. The sort of Brexit that Theresa May, the Prime Minister here is planning for. At this point, probably doesn't include sort of unique bilateral deals with the likes of the U.S. So don't know quite where he's going with that headline but its headline- grabbing stuff.

[02:14:58] VINJAMURI: Well, remember, what Theresa May wants to do is lay the foundation for negotiating a bilateral deal, a U.S.-U.K. trade deal at the top of her agenda. She can't do it yet until she's you know outside of the E.U., and of course, it does make it more complicated. But it's been very important to her the entire time to have the President make this kind of statement right before he begins the day, the heart of which for her is that discussion (Inaudible) of trade was at the very top of the list.

Remember last night was about the business community, the leading business interests in the U.K. meeting at (Inaudible) palace to again affirm the significance relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, quite a stone to throw in the middle of that.

ANDERSON: Yeah, and pulling no punches. Talking about the London mayor Sadiq Khan is faulty, says in this interview. Boris would be a great Prime Minister that being the former foreign secretary who resigned at the beginning of this week doesn't like. The Brexit plan that Theresa May has. I mean we know that Donald Trump has a different style, but this is quite something.

VINJAMURI: It is quite something. And it's fascinating to watch, right, because as he's done for 18 months. We're getting accustomed to it. He doesn't obey the playbook. He's using the media to influence the individual, the leader, and the public, right through the mechanism of the public that people he could meet with today in person.

He's sort of abandoning that unique opportunity to have in-person, direct private meetings. And he's using the media to try and influence the broader politics. So it's quite a play. He's saying to the British government, you're not giving me access to London. You're not giving me access to the people. I found my access. It's The Sun.

ANDERSON: And this newspaper is one of the tabloids here. This is a world exclusive they are flogging here on the front page. Nigel Farage, Nick Robertson referred to Nigel Farage, former of the U.K. Independent Party, now a radio host here in the U.K. has told one of the BBC's reporters, anchors this morning that he'd been -- I think the quote was, winding Donald Trump up about Brexit and about where this deal has come.

Some suggesting that Nigel Farage as being pretty much behind this, what do you make of that? I mean here's a guy who certainly sells himself as having access to Donald Trump.

VINJAMURI: Well, I think that you know people who don't like the way that Brexit is going, see the American President coming to the United Kingdom, and see it as an opportunity. They know where Trump's politics have led. He likes dealing individually with countries he has not been terribly private about his interest in that part of Brexit.

And so riling that President and getting him to sort of make these statements is somewhat unsurprising. Interesting you know Boris Johnson had quite the statement last night too, saying Britain was becoming a colony. So there is a lot of noise around this particular visit, because this was the President that let people know, if you bait him he will take that bait and intervene in domestic politics.

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Not the normal thing and some people say, a lot of noise and that noise will go away when he leaves the country. In fact, end of day, others will say, this is a mess of perhaps the people will say it's the mess of May's making. Anyway, we'll leave it there for the time being when we come back to you. Stay with me here.

Donald Trump today will meet the Queen for tea. He was feted at last night at a gala supper at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Pageantry accompanying him along his way as he spends his next 15 hours in the U.K., but boy, has he lit a fuse this morning with these headlines that we are saying in the newspaper. So some people here in the U.K. wake up (Inaudible). Other news with George, back in an Atlanta.

HOWELL: And Becky, wouldn't it be interesting to be a fly on the wall with tea with the Queen with President Trump there? It will be interesting for sure. Becky Anderson, thank you so much for the reporting. Of course, we stay in touch with you, still ahead this hour here on CNN Newsroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So frustrating, answer the question. If you'll allow him to, I'm sure he will. He's never answered the question. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Fireworks on Capitol Hill. An FBI agent's text messages lead to accusations of anti-Trump bias in the FBI. Plus, a North Korea no show at the DMZ, why the U.S. there is still hope for talks about bringing home the remains of U.S. Troops. Also head this hour, the United States says it will turn people away seeking asylum in this country.

[02:20:10] We'll explain the Trump administration's approach. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I am George Howell. It could be a snub. It could just be a matter of scheduling, but North Korea didn't show up for talks with the United States on Thursday. The State Department says the meeting now set for Sunday. Still, there are signs that relations between these two neighbors are breaking down. Our Brian Todd has more from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN TODD, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Kim Jong-Un's regimes give the brush off to U.S. officials over a contentious emotional issue that has torn at American families for decades. A senior U.S. official tells CNN the North Koreans did not show up at a planned meeting at the DMZ, where they were expected to discuss repatriating the remains of Americans killed during the Korean War.

There was no call or explanation from the North Koreans, this official says, just a no show. According to the State Department, the North Koreans contacted Americans mid-day Thursday and offered to reschedule the meeting for this Sunday, but the snub still resonates.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a clear sign that if you guys expect this negotiation is just going to be about us giving things on our side, you've got a bumpy road ahead of you.

TODD: The Pentagon says there are up to 5300 sets of remains of U.S. service members still somewhere in North Korea. Since meeting with Kim Jong-Un in Singapore, President Trump has boasted about their deal to return American remains.

TRUMP: We got back our great fallen heroes, the remains. In fact, today already 200 have been sent back.

TODD: But that's not true. None of the remains have yet been handed back to the U.S. Former diplomats and Pentagon officials say the North Koreans are using this issue as bait.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The North Koreans will sort of use whatever they can to extort it for cash for their regime. And then beyond that, it is how can they use an issue that is so sensitive for families and for service members to try to get concessions elsewhere in the relationship? [02:24:48] TODD: the North Koreans snub at the DMZ comes just days

after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's disastrous trip to Pyongyang, where he didn't get a meeting with Kim Jong-Un, and didn't make progress on drawing down North Korea's nuclear arsenal. A source with knowledge of the meeting telling CNN, the North Koreans were messing around, not serious about moving forward.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The North Koreans are unfortunately acting very typically North Korean, which does mean arrogant, hubristic, and taking the position that they are in the driver's seat.

TODD: Still, the President's swagger over the Kim summit hasn't receded. On Thursday, the President tweeted out a letter he got from Kim on July 6th. The letter calls Trump, your Excellency, and called the Singapore meeting the start of a meaningful journey. And according to a source for the Washington Post, Trump claimed to world leaders at the NATO summit that he recently called golfer Jack Nicholas to brag they have a thousand at the Oscar's and we had 6000 cameras in Singapore. The buzz was fantastic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the President's still riding on a reality TV high coming off of Singapore. And he's going to try to keep that going for as long as he can.

TODD: A key question is how long is President Trump going to have patience with this so-called meaningful journey that Kim Jong-Un talks about. And when might Trump finally feel embarrassed by all of the North Korean dodging, deception, and arrogance. At that point, analysts are worried that tensions might resume and get to where they were before with sanctions tightening, a resumption of U.S. South Korean military exercises, and possibly talk of a first strike against North Korea, Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Brian, thank you. And on Capitol Hill, lawmakers here in the U.S. got a chance to question an FBI agent who sent disparaging text messages about President Trump in the months before the U.S. election. Texts that became public. And many of Mr. Trump's allies in Congress point to them as proof of bias, but the grilling of Peter Strzok became personal and almost circus-like. Our Manu Raju has the play by play for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANU RAJU, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: FBI special agent Peter Strzok took a firm stand from the very beginning of the hearing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the suggestion that I, in some dark chamber somewhere in the FBI would somehow cast aside all of these procedures, all of these safe guards and somehow be able to do this is astounding to me. It's simply couldn't happen. And the proposition that that is going on and might occur anywhere in the FBI deeply corrodes what the FBI is an American society, the effectiveness of their mission and it is deeply destructive.

RAJU: Strzok saying he was removed from the Mueller because (Inaudible), not because of bias.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm stating it's not my understanding that he kicked me off because of my bias, that it was done based on the appearance. If you want to represent what you said accurately, I'm happy to answer that question, but I don't appreciate what was originally said being changed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't give a damn what you appreciate, Agent Strzok. I don't appreciate having an FBI agent with an unprecedented level of animus working on two investigations during 2016.

RAJU: Republican Senator, Daryl Isa even making (Inaudible) text aloud.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want me to read this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OMG, he's an idiot. Hi, how is Trump other than a douche?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump is a disaster. I have no idea how destabilizing his presidency would be.

RAJU: (Inaudible) publicly disclosed why he said in August 2016 text to (Inaudible) Lisa Page, when he said quote, we will stop it, referring to Trump as President.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was written late at night off the cuff and in response to a series of events that included then candidate Trump, insulting the immigrant family of a fallen war hero, and my based on that horrible disgusting behavior that the American population would not elect somebody demonstrating that behavior to be President of the United States.

It was in no way unequivocally any suggestion that me, the FBI, would take any action whatsoever to improperly impact the electoral process for any candidate.

RAJU: The lawmakers also turned their fire on themselves. At one point erupting over whether or not the full transcript of Agent Strzok's closed door should be released. Something democrats have called for and republicans have resisted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ask the Chairman now to order the release of that transcript. Will the chairman do so?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will the chairman ever do so?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can direct your questions to the witness, that's your time to do that, not to discuss this.

RAJU: The hearing grew incredibly personal with one republican spotlighting Strzok's extramarital affair with page. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Identify talked to FBI around the country. You've

embarrassed them, you're. And I can't help but wonder when I see you looking there with a little smirk, how many times did you look so anyone in your wife's eye and lie to her about...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman that's outrage...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Credibility of a witness is always an issue.

[02:30:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Shame on you --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Chairman, please, there's --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- harassment of the witness.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You need your medication.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All told 21 hours, that was the total time that Peter Strzok was before Congress, 11 hours in a closed door session last month. 10 hours in this very contentious nasty hearing that grew incredibly personal and ultimately raising questions about what was learned about this investigation, what was -- what new information came out despite the theatrics and the circus? Republicans say that there's some new information they hope they can build upon which is one reason why they're bringing forward Lisa Page, the FBI lawyer with whom he was trading those texts message with. She'll come before Congress in a closed door interview on Friday. Ultimately though was become public -- come for a public session. That is uncertain. The question too for Democrats is, is this all an effort to just undermine the Mueller investigation? They believe it is. That's one reason why they're pushing back furiously tonight. Manu Raju, CNN Capitol Hill.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: U.S. lawmakers there not pulling any punches. Still to come, the U.K. rolls out the red carpet for the U.S. president. But still there are plenty of protesters raising their voices making sure Mr. Trump is not too comfortable during his visit. Our Becky Anderson picks up our coverage live from London ahead. Plus, the World Cup through the eyes of the internet, the best viral videos and pictures, you'll want to see it. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: To our viewers live around the world this hour, you're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you. The U.S. president has arrived in Britain, arrived Thursday promptly giving his hosts a rough time. In an interview with the tabloid The Sun, Mr. Trump slammed his host, the Prime Minister of the nation, Theresa May, saying he told her how to do Brexit, but she ignored him. Mr. Trump also criticized London's mayor and said, immigration is causing Europe to lose its culture according to President Trump. Before leaving Brussels and the NATO Summit, Mr. Trump also said NATO countries had agreed to increased and speed up their spending on defense. But those other leaders said, no, they had not approved any further spending beyond the levels established in 2014. U.S. and North Korean envoys are set to meet on Sunday to discuss returning the remains of U.S. troops, this according to the U.S. State Department.

[02:35:02] North Korean officials didn't show up or plan talks at the demilitarized zone on Thursday. Our Becky Anderson continues our coverage live in London. And Becky certainly these excerpts from the interview with this tabloid, the question is, how will those play today with President Trump and tea with the queen?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: That's right. Absolutely. Look, this is the interview that the British public have working up too this morning on the front pages of The Sun newspaper. Donald Trump spent the night at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in London, but that is pretty much the extent of his stop in a city he says he used to love. Not anymore it seems with demonstrators expected to hit the street in their thousands to protest his visit here today. Leslie Vinjamuri is back with me. She's the head of the U.S. and Americas Programme and dean of the Queen Elizabeth II Academy at Chatham House. She speaks and comments regularly on U.S. politics and foreign policy here on CNN.

So Donald Trump wakes up in London, doesn't like the idea of being welcomed here as it were by protesters. So he's off to (INAUDIBLE) which is the residence of the -- of the prime minister for bilateral talk today and also to spend a bit of time with the queen. This article that he has -- this exclusive interview that he has conducted with the tabloid, The Sun Newspaper, includes a whole load of volumes. Again, it's not just the prime minister, but the mayor of London. It supports Boris Johnson, the former Foreign Secretary. He talks exclusively about immigration. Migration is killing Europe he says.

LESLIE VINJAMURI, DEAN, QUEEN ELIZABETH II ACADEMY: Yes. It's funny he has decided to rig right into one of the most explosive issues that has affected, you know, the U.K., the Brexit campaign, the debate. He's a little out of sync actually because if you look at what's happened in the U.K. over the last year, the debate on immigration has become more sophisticated. Public attitude in this country have actually changed. There's a doubling of the recognition that actually immigrants play a critical role in the health sector, and social services, and hospitality that there is a need to take immigration seriously, to device an important policy. But attitudes are changing. He's decided to intervene in this -- in this debate in a very incendiary way.

ANDERSON: Let's have a listen to exactly what he said during this interview. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think what's happened to Europe is a shame. I think the immigration allowing the immigration to take place in Europe is a shame. I think it change the fabric of Europe. And unless you act very quickly, it's never going to be what it was. And I don't mean that in a positive way. So I think allowing millions and millions of people to come into Europe is very, very sad. I think you're losing your culture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Leslie.

VINJAMURI: It is extraordinary, isn't it? It's quite an intervention. This is what Trump does at home, right? It's very interesting because if you look at one of the tactics that Donald Trump is continue. He has carried on since the U.S. presidential elections or the rallies and this is almost his U.K. version of a rally. He's gone to The Sun. He's gone to a very particular segment, a large on, but a particular segment of the population choosing to communicate there and not in -- not in the Financial Times, not in The Times, not even in the Telegraph to soak -- to really intervene and one of the most divisive debate in Europe, in the U.K. and to make a very tough claim on the day of his official meetings. So it's really quite extraordinary.

ANDERSON: Donald Trump has been in Europe now for what? 48 hours at the beginning of the NATO Summit in Brussels yesterday by the -- a very serious volley at Mrs. Merkel being the German leader and now this with the leader of the U.K., what's more is there to come at this point?

VINJAMURI: Well, I mean Theresa May must be really seriously considering how she conducts this particular meeting --

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Did she invite him?

VINJAMURI: Well, I think it's very difficult for the United Kingdom not to invite democratically elected leader of the United States of America. So, yes, she needed to invite him. It's a very carefully staged-managed visit both for the president and for Theresa May. It's being kept out of London as we know. But he's finding his way to really -- to really make it as difficult as it possibly could be. Remember that he's also having this military display. He's viewing this military (INAUDIBLE) which will put him in a very good mood. She's going to be thinking very carefully about how to approach the issue of trade. But what we've seen with Donald Trump is that, you know, he uses these outlets to create disputes. So when he's -- when he's actually having that conversation one on one with Theresa May I suspect it will be a lot more civilized. But in terms of what Theresa May can actually expect to take away from this meeting, unfortunately, not very much. It's a very difficult atmosphere.

[02:40:15] ANDERSON: What's his M.O. here? Just explain if you will.

VINJAMURI: What is the, you know, we've all been trying for at least 18 months to try and understand what the president is doing. And at some level as awful as it seems, right, to intervene in this way in the domestic politics of a country to take such a difficult line on the key issues that are really, you know, very high-stake issues for the U.K., immigration, trade, Brexit, and a really incredibly difficult week for the prime minister. And yet, we're getting used to it, right? Where we can -- we're taking the abnormal as normal because this is really the way that Donald Trump plays. We don't actually know when he leaves the country whether he will moderate his tone, well, whether he'll become more tough, and those -- he's a little bit difficult to predict. But at some -- at some level, he's going right back to the heart of these issues, the immigration, trade. He wants Britain out of -- out of the European Union. He wants a clean break because he wants to deal with the U.K. bilaterally. He doesn't want to have that, you know, that close relationship between the U.K. and Europe to persistence. So he's doing everything he can to try and change the public attitude, change the mood, and perhaps put pressure on the government, and move things in a different direction.

ANDERSON: It will be interesting to see what the mood is here on the streets of London in just a couple of hours from now the first of a number of protest, demonstrations, protesting his visit here due -- to kick off in the streets just behind us here. We're sitting outside of the houses of Parliament. Leslie, thank you for that. A busy day then for the U.S. president who will leave the U.S. ambassador's residence in Regent's Park, and then will effectively leave London in order to conduct his meetings with the U.K. Prime Minister, and indeed the at Windsor a little later today. He will leave the U.K. on wonders how the British Prime Minister will feel about the entire trip here. Perhaps we'll learn that a little later on when we expecting to hear them both during a news conference and fortunately we can get that here on CNN. George, for the time being, back to you.

HOWELL: A lot of meetings ahead. And, you know, how will it play out? A lot to talk about for sure. Becky Anderson, thank you so much. Around the world, the United States has long been viewed as a safe haven for victims of wars, people leaving violence, and persecution. But under the Trump administration, many of those seeking asylum here will automatically be turned away. We get more now from CNN's Jessica Schneider.

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JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In a major break from past policy, the Trump administration is instituting new rules to turn away more migrants at the border. Now, any asylum seeker claiming fears based on gang and domestic violence will immediately be rejected according to new guidance sent to border officers and reviewed by CNN. And for asylum seekers who crossed illegally like Jose from Honduras who recently united with his three-year-old son, officers are now instructed to waive that illegal crossing against any asylum claim. Immigration advocates fear these new stringent standards will result a border patrol turning away thousands. CARLOS GARCIA, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY: More people are going to be

assassinated. More people are going to suffer domestic violence. More people are going to die. That's the reality. And that's the reality because I know it. When I go and talk to them at the detention center and they look at me and tell me, and they say, I can't go back. Even if I lose, I can't go back.

SCHNEIDER: Meanwhile, the ACLU is calling out the government's pace to reunify families. The administration announced today they have reunified all eligible children under the age of five with their parents, but it comes after a court imposed deadline that came and went on Tuesday.

LEE GELERNT, ATTORNEY, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION: We believe that since the government missed the deadline the court set, we need even more information from the government on a more regular basis. And we need the court to monitor them almost daily at this point.

SCHNEIDER: According to HHS, 57 of the 103 children under five who were taken from adults have now been reconnected with their parents. But 46 still remain in government custody, 22 could not be reunited according to the government because of safety concerns like their parent having criminal records, or because the person who brought the child across the border wasn't their parent, 24 could not be returned because their parent had either already been deported or was in jail for other offenses. One child's parent couldn't be found.

CHRIS MEEKINS, CHIEF OF STAFF, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: While most adults we are encountering are parents who are perfectly appropriate sponsors for the children. Sadly, not all are. Each step in the process HHS uses is necessary to protect these kids.

[02:44:59] SCHNEIDER: In order to get kids back to their parents, the government has had to streamline their process. A California judge said DNA test should only be done when absolutely necessary, and that parent shouldn't have to file a sponsored care plan to get their children back.

In two weeks, officials have another deadline to contend with. July 26th is when all children between the ages of 5 and 17 must be reunited with their parents. It's a number that could be between 2,000 and 3,000.

MEEKINS: We are already beginning the process, we'll be unifying children age 5-17. Some of the older siblings of kids under age five were reunited over the last few days with their younger sibling to their parents.

Additionally, we are working closely with ICE and DHS to make arrangement for the remaining individuals that are age 5 to 17.

SCHNEIDER: Jessica Schneider, CNN, Washington.

HOWELL: Still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, the U.S. Justice Department puts the prize that blocked a major business deal have between AT&T and Time Warner. We'll have that story ahead, stay with us.

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HOWELL: On the topic of trade wars with tariffs flying back and forth, the U.S. treasury secretary actually denies that the U.S. is in a trade war with its partners. Instead, Steve Mnuchin told a House hearing that there are "trade disputes". But that the U.S. was not fighting Canada and Mexico.

Facts first, however, those two nations have retaliated against American tariff -- tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Mnuchin also dismissed the tit-for-tat penalties between U.S. and China. The remarks came after Beijing, said it would hit back after the United States proposed fresh tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods. China's foreign ministry blamed the Trump administration for what it called a typical trade bully.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUA CHUNYING, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, FOREIGN MINISTRY INFORMATION DEPARTMENT, CHINA (through translator): Clinging to the zero-sum game of the past and stubbornly provoking a trade war will not only damage the interests of both sides involved but will also harm interests of all those in a global industrial chain. There will be no winners.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Mnuchin, says he has not seen any negative impacts on the U.S. economy due to the administration's trade policies and tariffs.

The legal drama over the AT&T-Time Warner deal is not over yet. A U.S. judge ruled last month that AT&T's purchase of CNN's parent company could go ahead. But now, the Justice Department says it is appealing that decision. CNN's Hadas Gold has this report for you.

[02:50:15] HADAS GOLD, CNN POLITICS, MEDIA, AND BUSINESS REPORTER: The Justice Department on Thursday filed notice that it will appeal a judge's ruling from last month approving AT&T's purchase of Time Warner.

Now, if you remember last year, the Justice Department sued, stopped the deal, saying that the merged company would violate antitrust law by hurting the competition. The merged companies they said, would raise prices and stifle innovation.

But AT&T-Time Warner which is CNN's parent company claimed that the new company would not raise prices, and they cited various ways that they would save money and create new products for consumers.

After a six-week trial, Judge Richard Leon ruled last month in AT&T's favor. He ripped apart the government's case point-by-point. And said, the Justice Department failed to show that the deal would likely lessen competition substantially.

Then, AT&T and Time Warner completed the deal just days later, creating a new division they renamed Warner Media. It's now the largest telecommunications company, owning some of the biggest news and entertainment brands in the world. Including HBO, Warner Brothers, TBS, and of course, CNN.

Now, Judge Leon last month warned the Justice Department, actually against an appeal writing in his -- in his decision that he did not believe that the government had a likelihood of success on the merits of an appeal.

Clearly, though, the Justice Department feel differently. Now, the case will go to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals where a three-judge panel will share the Justice Department's case for why they think Judge Leon was wrong in his decision.

It's likely that the case will be fast-tracked because the longer the appeals process takes, the more integrated the two companies will become. And the harder it will be to unwind the two of them.

Now, the Justice Department declined to comment, but AT&T; in a statement said they were surprised by the Justice Department's decision.

David McAtee, AT&T's General Counsel, said in a statement that the court's decision could hardly have been more thorough, fact-based, and well-reasoned. But that they are ready to defend the court's decision.

Judge Leon's approval of the case was seen as a green light of sorts for other deals in the industry. But by appealing the case now, the Justice Department is sending a clear signal that despite its first loss, it plans to take a new much more aggressive approach to these types of mergers. Hadas Gold, CNN, Washington.

HOWELL: Hadas, thank you. Now, still ahead as the World Cup comes to an end, we look back down at some of the best viral moments of the tournament. Stay with us.

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HOWELL: Official business with a side of national pride. Croatian cabinet ministers met on Thursday wearing their national football team's symbolic checkered jersey.

Croatia defeated England to make it their first ever World Cup final. They take on France on Sunday for the championship. After you're having trouble waiting until Sunday for a football action, you can count on the Internet, of course, they have you covered. And you can count on us with CNN "WORLD SPORTS'" Don Riddell breaking down the best viral moments. The images of the World Cup that we can't forget.

[02:54:53] DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: World Cup has captured football fans all over the world. Bringing moments of delirium, and infinity of heartbreak. And in turn, the fans have captured the World Cup, its highs, and its lows online, in means.

As the most expensive player in the world, Neymar was always going to be under the microscope, but the Brazilian star brought joy to millions in a way that he could never have imagined. Clips of his overly theatrical rolling around went viral.

In training, young kids all learned to do the Neymar. And in general, video editors were having a ball, even turning him into one. It's not just the players who produce the magic, the fans do too. This clip has been viewed more than 20 million times.

A grandma, blessing the Mexico players before their win against Germany. Granddaughter Paola tweeted, "I'm 100 percent convinced, my grandma was the reason Mexico won." Later on, Mexican supporters were sure that South Korea was the reason that they were still in the tournament after Korea's unexpected win against Germany random Koreans were hoisted on to shoulders and paraded through the streets like Gods.

Korea's Consul General in Mexico found himself to be the guest at a most unexpected celebration.

England surprise run to the semi-finals inspired all kinds of creative music. And while football didn't actually come home, their fans were dreaming. This boarding card perfectly captured the sentiment with references to England's only previous victory in 1966. 52 years of hurt, and of course, they're unflappable manager Gareth Southgate.

It's a cruel game for these Croatian firefighters watching the quarter-final shootout against Russia, the result was a joy. But the timing was cruel. In the satirical video, they posted on Facebook, comedic sight of them racing out of the firehouse and so missing the winning shot is a reminder to us all, it's only a game. Don Riddell, CNN.

HOWELL: Don, thank you. And thank you for being with us. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta. After the break, I'll be back with my colleague Becky Anderson live in London, following the U.S. president in the U.K.

Plus your headlines from around the world. You're watching CNN, the world's news leader.

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