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President Trump Is Threatening Mexico Again To Impose Tariffs On All Goods Imported From There; President Trump Celebrates Anniversary of D-Day during State Visit to U.K.; Republican Senators Push Back against President Trump's Proposed Tariffs on Mexican Imports. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired June 5, 2019 - 08:00   ET

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


[08:00:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you very much.

President Trump is wrapping up his U.K. visit very shortly. He faces a rebellion from Republicans back here at home over tariffs. And NEW DAY continues right now.

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, June 5th, 8:00 now in the east. We do have breaking news because this is live. The president is meeting with Queen Elizabeth right now. He is bidding farewell to her, actually.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: He is behind her right now. And I think you will see a shot soon where they say their final farewells after what has been this three-day visit.

CAMEROTA: So they've been there commemorating of course the 75th anniversary of D-Day at least when the --

BERMAN: Launched.

CAMEROTA: -- troops launched from Portsmouth in England. He has been with -- well, there's been leaders from 16 countries all standing shoulder to shoulder, all talking about the important alliance that was formed after wartime to promote peace. The president has been a part of all of these things as has the queen. We've heard her poignant words along with the other heroes and veterans a few moments ago as they all commemorate that. She's 93-years-old, and as we have been reminded by Max Foster, she herself is a veteran of World War II.

BERMAN: She was a mechanic and a driver during World War II. You can see the First Lady there, Melania Trump, alongside the president. She has, too, been a big part of these three days. I want to keep our eye on this. Let's keep this shot up as we continue, because, again, as we said, this is the conclusion of the president's visit to the United Kingdom. Later today he heads to Ireland. He will visit with the leader of Ireland and also go to one of his golf courses.

And then tomorrow it is on to France and the celebration of 75 years of the landing on the beaches of Normandy, Operation Overlord, some 160,000 troops landed on the shores there and really turned the tide in the beginning and the end of World War II. CAMEROTA: So he's meeting now, the president is shaking the hand of

some of the other 90 something year old veterans of World War II, and it's been very stirring and moving to see them all together on the stage. We don't know how much longer we will have them.

BERMAN: No. And the message that I expect and hope very much the president is delivering is a simple one, which is thank you. Thank you, and it is wonderful to see you here today these 75 years later.

CAMEROTA: So while the president is overseas, he is facing something of a revolt here at home that we haven't seen before because this time it is not from the Democrats. For the first time it's senators in his own party who appear to be banding together behind the scenes at least against the president's threat to impose tariffs on imports from Mexico. All of this over the president's attempt to stop the situation at the border, to stop illegal immigration. President Trump is warning fellow Republicans, his party, not to do this. He is saying it would be foolish.

BERMAN: Let's bring in David Gregory, CNN political analyst, Abby Phillip, CNN White House correspondent who is in Portsmouth this morning, and John Avlon, CNN senior political analyst. Guys, if we can put the picture back up, again, if it's still running of the president and the Queen, and maybe we will get a look at them staying goodbye, because these are being pictures just fed in right now. We will keep those up. And Abby, again, as we're looking at this, again, the final moments of the president's visit to the United Kingdom here, just reflect on what you have seen in Portsmouth this morning.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It's been a really amazing and emotional ceremony here in Portsmouth. And President Trump is in this room actually meeting with these D-Day veterans, many of whom were on the stage as he was watching the commemoration which was actually structured quite nicely. There were several readings, President Trump read from President Roosevelt's prayer to the American people on the day of the D-Day invasion in which he spoke to the American public for the first time about this invasion, and basically foreshadowed what would be really a tremendous sacrifice made by this generation.

And as he is really walking this room, meeting with these individuals, this is -- these are his last moments in the United Kingdom before he leaves. He will say goodbye to the Queen who he has said he has truly, truly enjoyed meeting. And I think for the son of a Scottish woman I think for President Trump, it means a lot to have met her, to have been vetted by her, and to participate in this event. I can only imagine.

But this D-Day memorial event has been just a reminder of the tremendous sacrifice. I think no generation before or after really has given as much as they gave, and President Trump was here to mark the United States' role in that and on D-Day. As I said earlier, U.S. soldiers, more than 6,000 of them died in that battle. The greatest sacrifice of all the allied troops were given by Americans, not on U.S. soil for that matter, and I think that is a really important message conveyed by all of this today and presented by President Trump as being a representative of the U.S. on this occasion.

[08:05:12] CAMEROTA: David Gregory, your thoughts?

DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, it's so powerful. I was there with President Bush for the 60th, and you have an opportunity to walk along what is American soil, Omaha Beach and the American cemetery in France, and to have an opportunity to be in the presence of the veterans who are quite old at this point. And how many more of these observations will we be able to have them with us is so important.

And I think if you think about the broader picture for an American president and this one in particular who is a big fan of the royals, number one, and who I think in some ways cannot be but totally impressed by the gravity of this observation, of this memorial, this anniversary, and to understand that this was the beginning, this was part of the western alliance of what became a post-war international order that was led by the United States and that was presided over for the purpose that the continent would not drift back into that kind of carnage again.

And I hope the president thinks about that when we are in an age now of populism and more nationalism of countries kind of going off on their own in their own interest without thinking about the broader order. The greater cause here, the greater crusade, as Eisenhower put it, is really what's being memorialized here.

BERMAN: In that room moments ago meeting with the veterans of D-Day, we saw the queen, we saw the president, we also saw the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, who we understood met with Donald Trump yesterday, the president, for I guess over an hour. The meeting went on longer than anticipated. Piers Morgan over in Britain interviewed the president overnight, and we learned that they discussed climate change at length. And I want you to hear the president's comments on climate change, and note this is the language you typically here of climate change denial. So listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I believe that there is a change in weather, and I think it changes both ways. Don't forget it used to be called global warming. That wasn't working. Then it was called climate change. Now it's actually called extreme weather.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: It's called climate change, and what the president said, John Avlon, is not called science.

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: No, it's not. And clearly Prince Charles, climate change is a major focus for him. He devoted an enormous amount of time to trying to impress upon the seriousness and science of the issue on the president, and it apparently went in one ear and out the other. The president's impulse on this issue is climate change denial, that's basically become the official hospital of the United States government, at least his administration. And I think it just shows how he reverts to the mean, even confronted with science and attempts.

Look, here is a guy who is part of this pageantry of remembering this heroic storming of the beaches, and one hopes it has the impact that David Gregory says it does, that it impressed upon him. But what we do know last night at 1:30 in the morning he was thinking about Bette Midler at tweeting at her angrily for criticizing him from a distance. This is not exactly somebody who is marinating in the history of an important moment.

GREGORY: It doesn't mean he doesn't get the bigger picture, John.

AVLON: I think that may be a leading indicating.

BERMAN: Are you suggesting, David, he was just confusing his beaches when he's talking about D-Day?

AVLON: Wow, that is so good and so subtle I have no response. You are Tom terrific.

(LAUGHTER)

BERMAN: I will say, John, you bring up a good point here because this is an incredible moment, supposed to be an incredible, poignant moment, and the president can't go all in on it, correct? He can't leave the other things behind.

AVLON: No, they preoccupy him. They are actually where his attention goes. Even when confronted with the enormity of that sacrifice, the historic import, the roots of this alliance, the living veterans of the greatest generation who are still with us and their resilience, he also in the Piers Morgan interview talked about Vietnam and his own desire not to serve at that time, basically dismissing the import of the war. Not alone in that, even among past presidents. But these moments are supposed to call upon your better angels, not resentments against Bette Midler.

CAMEROTA: Let's talk about what's been going on at home because it's so interesting in terms of this Republican, what looks like a Republican revolt in terms of being against President Trump's idea of tariffs on Mexico. We don't often see Republicans, particularly senators, speaking out against the president, but there was this closed-door lunch that they had, and a half dozen senators said at least in print that they thought that this would be a really bad idea and that they would fight it, and they went so far as to say they thought they might have such big numbers as to override a presidential veto. Is any of that -- is he aware of any of that revolt back here at home while he's overseas?

[08:10:10] PHILLIP: He is, and he was asked about it yesterday, and he called it foolish. But it isn't foolish, it's the separation of powers. And I think that he may be coming up against what might be a bright line for Republicans. This has been, supposed to have been, the party of free trade, of commerce, of economic freedom. And I think that they are facing a president who loves tariffs, which are basically taxes on the American people. And I think it's been frustrating to them, and even while they've been -- they've allowed him to go forward with tariffs on China, for example, because I think most people can agree that China has been breaking the rules and there needs to be extraordinary steps taken on some level to deal with that. And President Trump's new tariffs have been the answer for that. But then to use tariffs to address immigration has perhaps been a bridge too far.

And in that meeting, White House Counsel was supposed to go there and try to explain to Republicans the legal underpinnings for this move, and basically President Trump is trying to use emergency powers in order to do this. But that emergency power statute has never been used in a situation like this. This is supposed to be in cases of economic emergencies or national security emergencies. In this case President Trump is saying to Mexico if you don't enforce your own immigration laws more to my satisfaction, I'm going to impose tariffs on you. And I think that's been a pretty tough pill to swallow.

And I think Republicans came out of that meeting saying we weren't convinced by that explanation. That mirrors, I think, some of the frustration that we have been hearing about in our reporting inside the White House as the president's own aides have told him this may not fly. And I think it's also one of the reasons, John and Alisyn, that we've seen that there is actually a delay in the imposition of these tariffs. He announced it on Friday, it's not supposed to go into place until the 10th. And in that interim we can see potentially some of this revolt building momentum and perhaps even having the potential to stop it.

CAMEROTA: Abby, David, John, thank you all very much. Very busy news morning here.

BERMAN: All right, we want to show you a picture that you will not soon forget -- 97-year-old D-Day vet Tom Rice of the 101st airborne, he marked the D-Day anniversary by replicating his jump from 75 years ago, parachuting down in Normandy. CNN caught up with him after the big jump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM RICE, D-DAY VETERAN: I feel great. I'd go back up and do it again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: It looks great. He sounds great.

BERMAN: He said one of the big differences this time is that no one was shooting at him.

CAMEROTA: So it was better this time.

BERMAN: Better this time.

CAMEROTA: And easier this time he said.

BERMAN: It's amazing to see.

CAMEROTA: That is fantastic. But look at how strong he is today. And that was a picture-perfect landing. It almost makes it look like I should do it, but I don't think so.

BERMAN: Tom Rice said he's going to do it again.

(LAUGHTER)

CAMEROTA: All right, the divide within the Democratic Party over a potential impeachment inquiry is deep, as you know. We will ask Democratic Senator Doug Jones for his take on this as well as tariffs, and more, next.

[08:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES: We are going to see if we can do something, but I think it's more likely that the tariffs go on and we'll probably be talking during the time that the tariffs are on and they're going to be paid.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALISYN CAMEROTA, JOURNALIST, CNN: That's President Trump again threatening to impose tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico, despite a growing rebellion within his own party, is this the issue that could get President Trumps republican support to splinter. Joining us is Democratic Senator, Doug Jones, not a fan of the tariffs, it is safe to say. Senator, thanks for being here, explain why your so opposed to his tariff threat.

SENATOR DOUG JONES (D-AL): Well, because they're attacks. I mean -- this could be the largest tax increase that Americans have seen in two or three Generations. It is purely a tax on the American people, Mexico's not paying for it anymore than China's paying for it. Alabama in particular will be hurt a lot by Mexican tariffs. We've already been hurt by the Chinese retaliatory tariffs, our farmers are hurting, people are scared to death in the automobile industry with threatened automobile tariffs. Mexico is the third largest trading partner with Alabama, after NAFTA we've adapted so well with our manufacturing, it will be a huge burden on the Alabama tax payer, the American tax payer. Mexico is not going pay for these tariffs, they don't do that. The American tax payer pays for these, and so it's going to -- I think it's for a real fragile economy right now this could have devastating effects.

CAMEROTA: We're used to Democrats being against some of the President's policies, we're not used to Republicans. Let me read to you what some of your Republican colleagues in the Senate have said about this in the past 24/48 hours. Here is Senator Chuck Grassley, he says "I support nearly everyone of President Trump's immigration policies, but this not one of them." Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa says "this is not the right path forward." Senator John Thune says "prevent this kind of plan from ever getting executed." Senator Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania, says "It's past time for congress to step up and reassert its Constitutional responsibility on tariffs." Has this surprised you, Senator, to hear your Republican colleagues so vocal about opposing the president on this.

JONES: You know, not really, because I think they're kind of at their wits end right now with the President on tariffs. They've been very reluctant to speak out on the tariffs that have been posed against the European Union, against China, they've spoke out some on the tariffs, but there is always a reason for tariffs and that is to get a better trading deal. So people have given the President the benefit of the doubt. Here we're putting trade and immigration in the same bucket and I think that's just a bridge too far. I think your previous guess was talking about that, and this has just gone too far, I completely

[08:20:00]

JONES: agree with Senator Toomey, I think for too long Congress has ceded too much authority to every president, and it's time that Congress take a look at this, I think this President is showing the way how to do that.

CAMEROTA: If they are at their wits end, as you say, do you think that your Republican colleagues would actually block the President from doing it in some sort of veto proof majority, because you know, we've heard them object before to some of the President's policies, but then not necessarily act on it.

JONES: I think that remains to be seen right now, I mean, most -- most the Republicans in Congress are fairly obedient to this president. Whether or not they would balk at this particular point, I think there's at least a good chance and the fact they you'll have probably 60 votes or better, may not be enough to get across to the President. But that's a pretty strong statement and we have seen that before. I think there's a growing tide of opposition to these tariffs that the President needs to pay attention to, he doesn't need to just pound his chest, he needs to kind of work with Congress, and let's do some immigration reform. I think everybody would like to see some changes, no one likes what's going on at our boarder right now but there's a way to do that and there's a constitutional way to do it and this is not it.

CAMEROTA: Do you think the President is bluffing?

JONES: I don't know, I mean the President has been known to do that before. He -- I think his business acumen has been such we -- he tries to use whatever he can as leverage. We'll see what happens in the talks with Mexico. Everybody agrees, Mexico could probably do a little bit more, but holding this over their -- over their head is really holding it over the head of the American tax payer. That's just not the way to go. It's the Americans who will be hurt as much as Mexico will be in this.

CAMEROTA: Okay I want to ask you about impeachment, as you know there's lots of talk about where Democrats are with impeachment over in the House side, at last count there were 60 lawmakers, one of them a Republican, Justin Amash, who do believe that Democrats should being impeachment hearings, the impeachment investigation. Where are you on this?

JONES: Well, you know the Senate has a different role in the impeachment inquiry; we sit in judgment, so I don't think it's appropriate for me to make that judgment. What I do believe is this, I do think that Congress needs to do their duty, their constitutional duty of oversight -- for two years the administration has enjoyed Republican majorities who absolutely refuse to do any oversight of the administration. I think Congress, the House, and the Senate have a Constitutional obligation for oversight, they need to issue the subpoenas, they need to see where that goes, and I know it's frustrating when you got an administration who blocks every single path for oversight. But I think that that's the way to go right now.

CAMEROTA: I want to ask you about Roy Moore, he of course was your opponent, you beat him in a deep red state, some people thought that couldn't happen, and so now he's considering running again, and President Trump has tweeted this, I'll just read a portion of it, Republicans cannot allow themselves to again loose the Senate seat in the great state of Alabama. This time it will be for six years, not just two. I have nothing against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win, but he didn't, and he probably won't. You have said you find this all amusing.

JONES: Oh it is. I think it's really amusing, everybody is running around like they got their hair on fire with possibility of Roy Moore getting back into the race. We'll just see it goes. That's their politics, not mine, I am doing my job to do what I said I would do with the -- for the people of Alabama, I am following the lead, I'm being an independent voice for Alabama, doing the things that are important, going right back to those kitchen table issues. I'll let those guys kind of fight it out, see where it happens and see who lands and then we'll go from there.

CAMEROTA: Do you have advice for Roy Moore?

JONES: I don't have advice; I've never had any advice for Roy Moore. He doesn't listen to anybody, anyway, so I'll let the Republicans all deal with him and everything else that's going on in the Republican primary.

CAMEROTA: Senator Doug Jones, great to talk to you, thanks so much for being here.

JONES: My pleasure, I thank you.

CAMEROTA: John.

JOHN BERMAN, JOURNALIST, CNN: I am shocked, shocked he didn't had advice for Roy Moore there.

CAMEROTA: I tried.

BERMAN: Alright, Democratic front runner Joe Biden has rolled out his climate change plan, he pushes -- his ideas push way past the Obama years, why this is so important for him, and the small glitch in the roll out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:25:00]

BERMAN: Joe Biden's plan to battle climate change calls for $1.7 trillion in new federal spending over 10 years to move the United States toward a goal of zero emissions by 2050. Joining us now is Jonathan Martin, national political correspondent for the New York Times, and a CNN political analyst, and Josh Greene, national correspondent for Bloomberg Business Week, and also a CNN political analyst. And I think this proposal -- I know there's a little controversy, we'll get to that in a second, but I want to wait on that because I think the fact of this proposal is fascinating in and of itself because Joe Biden goes further than Barack Obama during the Obama years.

He's calling for more money, more offsets in his proposal, and also for carbon taxes, and this is similar or not at all that dissimilar to the Green New Deal, Josh, and in some cases there's more meat on the bones here. So, if some were thinking that Joe Biden would be timid on climate change, this might be him saying no, not so much.

JOSHUA GREEN, CNN ANALYST: Well I think this is a sign of how far the party has shifted to left on things like climate, economics, and other areas even in the years since Barack Obama left office. I think the other factor here for Biden is he came out a few weeks ago saying he was looking for a moderate plan and had criticism heaped all over him from the left wing of the party, moderation isn't good enough on climates, I think partly this an effort to ante up a serious climate plan that has a chance of impressing environmentalists in the democratic party.

CAMEROTA: Let me put up his climate plan one more time just so we can try to get into nuts and bolts of it. Rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, carbon tariffs on heavily polluting countries, that would be helpful, many climatologists say support for environmental justice programs and then also I'm told, but we didn't include it, the workforce retraining that is so important because you know that's what, when Hilary Clinton.

[08:30:00]

END