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Vance: "Optimistic" that U.S. Can Bring Ukraine War to a Close; U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Moving Forward; U.S. Senator Meets Wrongly Deported Man in El Salvador; U.S. Vice President Vance Meets Italian PM Meloni in Rome; U.S. Markets Closed Today, Finished the Week in the End. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired April 18, 2025 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, you are looking at the White House, as U.S. Secretary of State says Donald Trump is ready to give
up on Ukraine peace talks if there is no progress. Well, it is 09:00 a.m. in Washington. It is 05:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. You're watching "Connect
the World" with me Becky Anderson from our Middle East Programming Hub here in the UAE.
Also coming up, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance meeting with Italy's Prime Minister in Rome, weighing in on peace efforts as well, getting to Rome in
a moment. And Israeli officials being briefed by U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff on nuclear talks with Iran. U.S. officials weighing in on negotiations to
end the war then in Ukraine with some mixed messaging.
A short time ago, Vice President J.D. Vance expressing optimism that a deal can be reached. Just after arriving in Rome for meetings there with the
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I want to update the prime minister on some of the negotiations between Russia,
Ukraine and also some of the things that have happened even the past 24 hours. We think we have some interesting things to report on, of course, in
private.
So, the negotiations, I won't pre judge them, but we do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this war, this very brutal war, to a close.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Vance's comments are made after the top U.S. diplomat laid down a deadline of sorts over U.S. efforts to forge peace. Here's what
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to say a few hours ago where he is in Paris today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We came here yesterday to sort of begin to talk about more specific outlines of what it might take to end a
war to try to figure out very soon, and talking about a matter of days, not a matter of weeks, whether or not this is a war that can be ended.
If it can, we're prepared to do whatever we can to facilitate that and make sure that it happens, that it ends in a durable and just way, if it's not
possible, if we're so far apart that this is not going to happen, then I think the president's probably at a point where he's going to say, well,
we're done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Rubio's comments coming a day after he and U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with European and Ukrainian officials in the French
capital. Well, meantime, the U.S. and Ukraine moving closer to inking that minerals deal long sought by President Donald Trump.
There is a lot going on. And Rome, today a significant deadline. CNN's deadline. CNN's Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman is in Rome
where U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance sat down with Italy's Prime Minister a short time ago. It's good to have you, Ben, listen what's the purpose of
Vance's trip there? And what do we expect from this meeting in Rome today?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Vice President Vance, Becky, arrived in Rome this morning with his wife and three small
children. This is part of a trip that takes him to Italy as well as India. He is here, of course, to meet with Italian leaders, particularly Prime
Minister Giorgia Meloni.
And they did meet at Palazzo Chigi, where, certainly, what we saw was that glow from the Trump-Meloni, meeting in the Oval Office yesterday continues
to glow between American and Italian leaders, where certainly the love fest continues. He said that Italy and the United States are going to discuss
things like Ukraine.
But of course, trade seems to be the most important subject, certainly for the Italians. When Prime Minister Meloni went to Washington yesterday, she
wasn't just representing Italy. Europeans were hoping that she's also representing the interests of the European Union, which had been slapped on
the second of April with 20 percent tariffs on top of the 10 percent tariffs imposed by President Trump earlier this year and then suspended for
90 days.
The Europeans are hoping that Meloni, given her very good, warm relationship with this current administration, and of course, particularly
with President Trump. They are hoping that she will be the Trump whisperer who can somehow convince him to come up with some sort of arrangement to
avoid what many fear here could be an economic catastrophe if those tariffs do go into effect, Becky.
[09:05:00]
ANDERSON: Look, she's clearly got Italy's interests at heart. But as you rightly point out, Europeans leaning into a European leader who has this
fantastic dynamic with Donald Trump, which is so important at this point. Can you just explain how that dynamic has developed and why and how it's
being received at home in Italy?
WEDEMAN: Well certainly in Italy, keep in mind that Giorgia Meloni is basically comes from fascist roots. She's a hard right winger who has
become somewhat more pragmatic now that she has to deal with the realities of power. But nonetheless, she and Trump are very much on the same wave
length in terms of immigration, in terms of diversity equity and that business, the woke business.
They may have some disagreements on Ukraine, she's been a very strong supporter of President Zelenskyy. But nonetheless, they do see largely eye
to eye. Now in terms of how it's being seen, of course, many Italians, like La Stampa, this Italian newspaper, its special relationship.
And certainly, in terms of bilateral ties, you haven't seen such close ties between an Italian and an American leader in quite some time. Nonetheless,
people here are very well aware that, for instance, President Trump has called the Europeans free loaders, that his Secretary of Defense, Pete
Hegseth in that famous "Atlantic" article from the signal group leak called them parasitic.
And therefore, here we have Larry Publica its daily cartoon is a very special relationship President Trump describing Prime Minister Meloni as my
favorite parasite. And of course, Italians were glued to their TVs yesterday evening, when that meeting took place in the Oval Office, a very
chaotic Q&A.
They recognized this La Trottola, the spinning top of Trump, leaving Meloni somewhat confused. This is a president, of course, who seems to change his
position on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. So, for many Italians, what's going on in the United States is somewhat confusing, Becky.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Ben, thank you. Well, as Ben was pointing out, Meloni has a position on Ukraine, which is supportive, not to the nth
degree necessarily, but a surprise to some when she was elected. And it's clear from J.D. Vance, he will be updating her on U.S. efforts to end that
war alongside trade negotiations, of course, with the EU.
Let's talk about how the U.S. is looking at ending this war in Ukraine. Then we've got Nic Robertson in London, and he's following developments for
us. And it's been interesting. Nic, it's worth remembering that the U.S. has spent more than $66 billion arming Ukraine since Russia's invasion back
in February 2022.
Given that Rubio's comments today, that the U.S. could abandon in a matter of days, efforts to finish this war do seem remarkable. Particularly given
J.D. Vance Vice President's rather optimistic tone with Giorgia Meloni in Rome. What's going on here?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, it's hard to tell. I mean, it's possible that parts of the administration are slightly
out of step with each other. Just as Marco Rubio was meeting with European and Ukrainian officials yesterday in Paris, Giorgia Meloni was sitting with
J.D. Vance inside the White House.
Vance got on a plane and flew to Europe. And so perhaps, has not had the chance to hear the precise words from Marco Rubio this morning, who said
that the United States, after 87 days, President Trump getting frustrated wanting to hear some concrete and clear answers in the next few days from
both sides to see where they can meet.
Now what does he mean by the United States moving on? Does it move on from trying to negotiate a ceasefire? Does it move on from giving any military
security support at any level to Ukraine? He isn't specific there. In fact, we don't even know who the United States is trying to pressure more.
Is he looking for compromises from the Europeans, because the Russians are now blaming the Europeans for trying to extend the war? Is he trying to
pressure the Ukrainians, who we know President Trump is frustrated with President Zelenskyy in Ukraine, or is he trying to pressure President
Putin, who meets with Steve Witkoff three times now.
[09:10:00]
And is still not agreeing to do what Ukraine has done, and signed up to that unconditional ceasefire, so that the talks can begin. It really isn't
clear, but the one takeaway is very clear that there's frustration in the White House. Trump had said he would do this in 24 hours.
Rubio today said no one expects it to be done in 12 hours. The White House though is ready to park this in some fashion. And I think if you're sitting
in Ukraine right now, you're worrying, does that mean the United States is going to abandon its security support?
And I think to that point, we got an inkling of understanding of at least where the U.S. position is today, because Marco Rubio was asked a question
about security guarantees. The sort of troops on the ground that the Europeans have been talking about providing Ukraine in a ceasefire
situation.
And to that, Rubio said, everyone recognizes the fact that a sovereign country has the right to choose and pick its bilateral partners for its own
security and safety. So, he seemed to give a tip to the hat that the Europeans offer of this type of security guarantee is something that's
getting discussed, but we have very little insight into this broad framework that Rubio has been is talking about that's been shared with
partners.
ANDERSON: Marco Rubio there in images with Steve Witkoff. Steve Witkoff, of course, is Trump's man who is supposed to broker the deals that Donald
Trump wants around the world, on Ukraine, on Gaza, and of course, on Iran. He will be headed to Rome for meetings there between the U.S. and Iran.
This is the second round of talks. These happen this weekend, a flurry of diplomacy. Then at present in Europe. And the Saudi Defense Minister, also
in Tehran yesterday, what's going on here? Let's just talk about how significant all of this is.
ROBERTSON: Yeah, the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, brother Khalid bin Salman, going to Tehran is huge. It's a massive diplomatic overture to the
Iranians, building on a growing level of diplomatic rapprochement brokered by the Chinese about two years ago now.
It is -- it has Trump -- it has been troubled. It has faulted. But I think the message that emerges very clearly from the Saudis here, and it was
something articulated by the Crown Prince late last year, when Israel looked like having more military strikes on Iran nuclear facilities, he
cautioned and advised against that.
And it does appear that Saudi Arabia is sort of trying to emerge as something of a broker in the Middle East. At the moment, is not clear at
all how they may or may not be involved in the U.S.-Iran nuclear discussions that are underway. What does seem to be clear is the U.S. is
involving its Gulf partners, Saudi Arabia and others, much more so in the conversation than was done by President Barack Obama in 2015.
Saudi at that time, disliked the deal that the U.S. and the Europeans made. But I think on that point, interesting to hear from Marco Rubio this
morning at the airport speaking about the Iran issue when he was asked about it, saying that they'd had part of their meetings in Paris had been
with the French, with the Germans, with the British Foreign Ministers.
The E3 who he said, will have a key role to play in a couple of months, determining whether or not there will be snap back sanctions on Iran for
that 2015 Barack Obama era deal, the nuclear deal with Iran, because it expires in September. And he pointed out that the IAEA chief have been in
Tehran in the past couple of days, is clearly indicating that Iran is not in compliance with that deal is closer than ever to make it a nuclear
weapon.
And therefore, seeming to indicate that the Europeans, the E3 would put these snap back sanctions, potentially back on Iran. Does that shut down a
military route? Is Trump moving in the direction of reinforcing, toughening and tightening sanctions on Iran? That could be but not clear.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Nic. A lot going on, and those talks in Iran -- in Rome tomorrow will be closely watched by Israeli officials.
[09:15:00]
Officials in Israel tell CNN that U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Senior Israeli official Ron Dermer and Mossad Director David Barnea in
Rome. That meeting set to happen just a day ahead of the second round of these nuclear negotiations that Nic and I have been discussing.
This week "The New York Times" reported that Donald Trump waved off an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. He was asked yesterday in the
Oval Office if that was true.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I wouldn't say waved off. I'm not in a rush to do it, because I think that Iran has a
chance to have a great country and to live happily without death, and I'd like to see that that's my first option. If there's a second option, I
think it would be very bad for Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv. Jeremy, how significant? Let's start with that. How significant is this meeting today between two
key Netanyahu officials, Israeli officials, and Steve Witkoff, who is ultimately Trump's guy, right?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, absolutely. And I think you have to look at everything that's been happening in the background over
the course of the last week, maybe even going back to the Israeli Prime Minister's meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office.
And that is to say that Israeli officials have been trying every step of the way to influence U.S. decision making and thinking about these
negotiations with Tehran over the nuclear program, as they recognize that is the path that President Trump has chosen, at least for now.
And so, what we have seen is the Israeli Prime Minister try and kind of set the table for what success would look like in these negotiations. And he
has set the bar very high talking about Iran totally dismantling its nuclear program, and since he made those comments in the Oval Office, what
we have heard from Steve Witkoff has been something far short of that.
Talking not about the total dismantling of Iran's nuclear program, but rather something that's been discussed in the past, something that goes
back to the JCPOA deal in 2015 which is to say, limiting Iran's enrichment of uranium rather than totally dismantling the program altogether.
And so, as Ron Dermer and David Barnea, the Mossad Director, sit down today with Steve Witkoff, they will very much be trying to continue influencing
this next round of talks set for tomorrow in Rome between the U.S. and Iran, trying, once again, to get the United States to hold firm on a very
hardline position, rather than accepting some level of uranium enrichment from Iran.
That will be a very tall order, of course, given the fact that it's something that Iran is very unlikely to accept, and also because President
Trump has made clear that he is interested in the deal, and he would much prefer a deal to some kind of military strike on Iranian facilities,
although clearly, he hasn't taken that off the table, either.
ANDERSON: Another key U.S. official, also in focus yesterday, the new U.S. Ambassador to Israel, visiting the Western Wall, taking a note from Donald
Trump with him. Just have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: His initials, D.T., right there in the corner. And he wrote that with his own hand last Thursday, and he
sent me to place it here -- the best wishes of the president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: What should we and perhaps what are Israelis making of the timing and optics of that amid these nuclear talks?
DIAMOND: Well, certainly they are welcoming the fact that this is how Mike Huckabee wanted to start his tenure as U.S. Ambassador. I don't think the
Israelis had any doubt that Mike Huckabee, you know, someone who has long had a connection to Israel, has long advocated for, you know, Jews historic
connection to the land of Israel, that that he would be a stalwart ally.
And that imagery is certainly making that very clear. I, you know, I don't necessarily look at in the lens -- through the lens of these talks with
Iran. I think perhaps what else is in the background here is, of course, those negotiations over a ceasefire and a hostage release deal, which have
clearly collapsed at this point, with Hamas yesterday saying that they rejected the latest Israeli proposal for a 45-day ceasefire in the release
of 10 Israeli hostages.
[09:20:00]
You know, you heard Mike Huckabee, you know, relaying this note that President Trump asked him to place in the Western Wall. On that note, it
said for peace in Israel, and it had President Trump's initials. Huckabee also said that President Trump asked him to pray for the hostages as well.
And so that, I think, is clearly the messaging and the symbolism here. You know, Huckabee has only just arrived, so we will see what kind of a role he
plays in the efforts to secure a deal and release the hostages. For now, at least, I think it's mostly just about showing you know, the relationship
between the U.S. and Israel, and I think that's a central role Huckabee will play.
ANDERSON: Absolutely good to have you, Jeremy. Thank you very much indeed. All right, you're watching "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson, now
too far Middle East programming up here in Abu Dhabi. Time here, at least, is 20 past 5. Next up, we have the very latest on the father wrongly
deported from the United States to El Salvador.
An appeals court rejects the Trump Administration's latest assertions in the case of issues. What is the Stark's warning yet about the possibility
of the crumbling of American democracy? More on that is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, a U.S. citizen, wrongly charged with entering Florida as an unauthorized alien by immigration officials has now been released from
prison. 20-year-old Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez wearing black in this photograph, was briefly held in jail this week after the Florida Highway
Patrol arrested him as he crossed the state line from Georgia.
Even though his mother provided a judge with his birth certificate after the arrest, showing that he had been born in the United States, the judge
said she didn't have the jurisdiction to immediately release him because ICE had issued a 48-hour holding order. The spokesman for the Department of
Homeland Security says the agency is looking into the incident.
Well U.S. Senator who met with Maryland man wrongly deported to El Salvador, says that he will release full details of that visit later today.
This is the first glimpse that we've had of Kilmar Abrego Garcia since he was taken from the U.S. to a notorious Salvadoran mega prison.
Now these images were posted by El Salvador's President, who confirmed that Garcia will continue to be detained. The Trump Administration acknowledges
that the deportation was due to a clerical error, yet it has not complied with the judge's order to facilitate his return.
Well, an appeals court Thursday issued a strident warning to the Trump Administration about the rule of law. And a reminder about the court's
place as a co-equal branch of American government. Katelyn Polantz is on the story from Washington.
[09:25:00]
A reminder in no uncertain terms, but not a mandate from this court, of course, to the Trump Administration to ensure that he is returned. Can you
just explain exactly what we know about the case and what happens next at this point?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Becky, what is happening in court is far greater than just Kilmar Abrego Garcia being held
in El Salvador mistakenly. What has happened in this case is this man was mistakenly, according to the U.S. government, sent to that country, into
that prison whenever several migrants were being sent there to be held by Donald Trump's choice in the presidency to do that.
Abrego Garcia is now there, and courts have said, you must facilitate his return to the United States. The courts are trying to interpret that word
facilitate. And the U.S. government is essentially saying they're not doing much at all to facilitate his return. They would send a plane if needed, if
the Salvadoran government wanted to return him, but the U.S. Supreme Court appeals courts, they do say he must be facilitated his return.
What the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said last night, that is a circuit court that oversees, not just the Federal Court Maryland, that is making
these orders and managing looking at how his return is being facilitated or not. They look at other courts, and what they are writing is that the
administration is attacking the courts.
They are not correcting the wrong, the mistake that they made with Abrego Garcia, and what the executive branch appears to be doing is something that
could destroy the Constitution, the rule of law and democracy. This is a little bit more of what was written in the 4th Circuit by the Judge J.
Harvie, who has been on the bench since the Reagan Administration.
He is a well-known and well-respected conservative in that appellate court. He writes, if today, the executive claims the right to deport without due
process and in disregard of court orders, what assurance will there be tomorrow that it will not deport American citizens and then disclaim
responsibility to bring them home?
And what assurance shall there be that the executive will not train its broad discretionary powers upon its political enemies? So quite a warning
there from Judge Wilkinson in the appeals court. There is this ongoing question, not just about due process, but how willing is the Trump
Administration being in violating court orders, in ignoring the situation of this man, their own mistake to send him to El Salvador.
And what is being done? Proceedings continue on at the trial court level for Abrego Garcia, but there is a much bigger question at play about the
Constitution and the Administration of Donald Trump's willingness to adhere to it, Becky.
ANDERSON: Meantime, of course, he is in this El Salvador in prison. Just to remind our viewers why? Why it is that he is in El Salvador? And at this
stage, there is no clear indication of whether he will be returned, as you rightly point out.
POLANTZ: That's right. This is a man who was living in Maryland. And several years ago, went through the immigration proceedings that determine
that he could be deported from the U.S., but that he could not be sent to El Salvador. He had shown sufficiently to the immigration judges that he
would be harmed and his family was at risk if he were sent to El Salvador.
So, what was on the books was an order that he could be deported to anywhere but that country. He is a citizen of El Salvador however. Now the
Trump Administration says that they are sending him there, and they believe that they have legal reason to do it, though he should not have been sent
there, they do admit it was a mistake.
He is being held in that prison because several migrants were sent there in mid-March by the Trump Administration on planes being flown out of the
country. It is all part of a deal that the Trump Administration made with the President of El Salvador, Bukele to hold American migrants.
People who had migrated to the to the U.S., who are being deported from the U.S. in this Salvadoran prison. And so that is why there is such concern
over this man. Was he given by due process in in the immigration system. The courts are finding that he was not and also what to do now that he is
in the hands of the Salvadoran government.
They say they're not giving him back, and the U.S. government says, what else can we do here? The courts are saying, you must do more, Becky.
[09:30:00]
ANDERSON: It does seem absolutely remarkable. It continues. And always good to have you. Thank you very much -- Katelyn Polantz in the House for you.
Let's get you up to speed quickly on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. And by CNN's count more than 100 -- 1000 sorry, 1000
international students and recent graduates at more than 130 schools in the United States have now had their visas or other legal documents revoked
this year.
The Trump Administration has given a number of reasons, accusing them either of participating in pro-Palestinian campus protests of committing
other violations of the law. Well, a portrait of a wounded Palestinian boy has won Press Photo of the year. Reminding the world of the long-term
consequences of the war in Gaza.
Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf met Mahmoud Ajjour in Doha while he was receiving medical treatment there, three months after an Israeli
attack cost him both his arms. Well at least 74 people were killed in 171 injured from the U.S. military struck an oil port in Western Yemen on
Thursday, according to Houthi media.
The U.S. says it attacked the port because it is a source of income for Houthi rebels. Yeah, the Houthis have repeatedly fired missiles at
commercial ships in the Red Sea following Hamas led attack on Israel in October 2023. Well, Donald Trump locked in multiple power struggles with
other countries, American universities and the Head of the U.S. Central Bank.
We are going to hear from an expert on how this particular battle of wills could affect the global economy. More on that is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson and Abu Dhabi. You are watching "Connect the World". These are your headlines. U.S. Secretary of State,
Marco Rubio says the U.S. wants to find out within days if its plans to end the war in Ukraine can succeed.
He says, if they can't, President Donald Trump will probably move on from current efforts to negotiate peace. Rubio speaking in Paris a day after
high level talks there with Ukrainian and European officials. The war in Ukraine also on the agenda in Rome, specifically where U.S. Vice President
J.D. Vance sat down with Italy's Prime Minister a short time ago.
Those friendly exchanges echo Giorgia Meloni's meeting with the U.S. President in Washington on Thursday, when Donald Trump hosted her at the
White House.
[09:35:00]
Well U.S. air strike on a Yemeni oil port has left. Least 74 people dead and 171 injured, according to Houthi media. The U.S. military says the
facility was used by Houthi rebels who've been attacking international shipping in the Red Sea for months now. And it's the latest move by the
U.S. to disrupt their revenue.
Well, three U.S. Senators are visiting Taiwan as China ramps up tensions in the region. This is the first U.S. delegation to the island since President
Trump took office in January. CNN's Will Ripley sat down with Senator Chris Coons, who says the trip is all about, quote, reassurance.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Three U.S. Senators are here in Taiwan, and they say it's a signal of continued bipartisan
support for this island democracy in these uncertain times. The delegation includes Democrat Chris Coons and Republicans Pete Ricketts and Ted Budd.
They're meeting with top Taiwanese officials, this visit, following the first round of direct U.S. Taiwan tariff talks, impacting billions of
dollars in crucial semiconductor trade, and it comes as China escalates military pressure in the region, something that I asked Senator Coons
about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: Do you feel like the temperature is higher now on this trip than in previous trips you've taken?
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): Yes.
RIPLEY: Why?
COONS: There are more PRC assets. They're more active, they're more aggressive. They're more assertive. And I think, you know, look, in the
transition from the Biden Administration to the Trump Administration, there's been some concerns about changes in policy.
This is one area where there's no change, where it's important for there to be a bipartisan reassurance of our treaty ally, the Philippines, continued
commitment to the security and stability of cross strait relations and to Taiwan and its prosperity and its success.
RIPLEY: Do you feel like this is a dangerous or challenging time for democracies at large?
COONS: There's a lot of pressure on democracies, mostly coming from the divisions within our own societies, but also coming from the increasing
aggressiveness and capability of four countries, China, Russia, the DPRK and Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: The senators also visited the Philippines on this trip. Senator Coons says it was the first time for him flying over the South China Sea in
a U.S. military plane, and seeing some of that activity first hand. He believes that stronger economic ties across Asia could help stabilize this
region.
Senators leave Taiwan on Saturday, but questions about tariffs, security and U.S. reliability remain. Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
ANDERSON: Well, let's take a short break back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: U.S. markets closed today after what's been a turbulent week, driven in part by damning assessment of what Donald Trump's tariffs will do
to the economy. The comments come from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. He said the tariffs put America in uncharted territory, warning they could
hamper growth and fuel inflation.
[09:40:00]
Well, Trump spent the next day lambasting Powell and say he should be fired. Here's what he told reporters Thursday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm not happy with him. I let him know it, and if I want him out, he'll be out of there real fast. Believe me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, my next guest has spent decades studying challenges at the intersection of politics and the economy. I've been talking to Kenneth
Rogoff a couple of decades. He served as Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund. Joining us now is the Author of the upcoming
book, "Our Dollar Your Problem".
President Trump says your own powers termination can't come soon enough. Ken, the fed is an independent agency. Powell has said he will see out his
term. He won't be pushed. Where do you think the standoff goes?
KENNETH ROGOFF, FORMER CHIEF ECONOMIST AT THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND: There's nothing good coming from it. I mean, Trump is his own worst
economy, if he were to get rid of Powell and undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve, what we have seen so far with -- falling would be
nothing compared to what would happen then and bond market yields rising, he would be -- carry dollar.
ANDERSON: Ken, I know that you've got a sharp focus on current concerns around the world about global growth caused by Donald Trump's tariff knock
about, as it were, and also on the reliability of U.S. assets in many investors' minds at this point in your current position as Harvard
Professor, you're right in the cross says of Trump's war on so called elite universities as well. What are the effects that you are seeing first hand,
sir?
ROGOFF: Well, nothing yet I support what our President Alan Garber did in his latter refusing Trump's terms. Trump didn't want to negotiate. He just
wants to fight. He wants to run Harvard, hopefully better than he would run Trump University, by the way, which went bankrupt.
But you know, there are certainly problems at Harvard, but he wants to replace them with much bigger problems.
ANDERSON: Ken, I've got to take a break. I'm right up against it today. I'm going to have you, back, because what is going on around the world is right
in your sweet spot, and it's important to get your analysis. For the time being thank you for joining us. We are going to take a very short break.
We've got " World Sport" coming up after this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
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