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Trump Holds Final Press Conference as G20 Comes to End; Trade Talks Continue with China, Trump Not Adding Tariffs; Trump-Erdogan Meeting at G20; Trump Invites Kim Jong-un to DMZ; Biden Touts a Lifetime Committed to Civil Rights; France Struggling to Stay Cool in Extreme Heat; U.S. Defeats France to Reach the Semifinals at the Women's World Cup. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired June 29, 2019 - 04:00   ET

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


[04:00:00]

QUESTION: Can I just follow up?

You mentioned that no one had pointed the finger at him but actually the CIA did, the intelligence communities did.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I cannot comment on the intelligence communities. I guess I am allowed to do what I want to do in terms of that. We can declassify. Unlike Hillary Clinton who decided just to give it out.

The truth is, I just want to talk about intelligence but I will say this -- a lot of people are being prosecuted and they are taking it seriously. They have done a great job in Saudi Arabia from the standpoint of women and a lot of different things happening in Saudi Arabia.

One of the things that was important that not only are they an ally and have they spent tremendous amounts of money coming into our country, they have been a good ally and have brought tremendous amount of military equipment then we are able to use.

They have changed their ways as to financing terror, which I cannot say for another countries. If you look at Iran and other countries in that area, they are financing terror. It is harder for Iran because they do not have the money they used to. They were given $150 billion and then $1.8 billion in cash.

Saudi Arabia has come a long way. In terms of reform, Saudi Arabia has come a long way.

Please, in the gold.

QUESTION: Thank you very much, Mr. President. A little bit of follow-up on Huawei. You say you will discuss this soon.

Is it a possibility that Huawei will be removed from the list?

TRUMP: I don't want to talk about it now. We are looking at it carefully. Huawei is in play in terms of our country and intelligence and the intelligence community pairing we know a lot about Huawei. I don't want to mention it now because I think it is inappropriate. We are not making it a big subject and we will save it for later.

QUESTION: In the big picture of the U.S.-China relations, what do you think the U.S. and China should see each other?

Are we partners, competitors, what are we?

TRUMP: We are going to be strategic partners and I think in the end if the right deal is struck, we can be great for each other. If China would open up, opening up the largest market in the world right now, it is not open to the United States, we are open to China and that should never have been allowed to happen.

Yes, please.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President.

Do you plan to go to Moscow next spring and do you agree with him that Western style liberalism as it has been defined in the postwar era has been obsolete and no longer relevant?

TRUMP: I do not hear him say that but he did invite me to Russia for the defeat of Nazis. Russia lost 25 million people. I heard 50 million people. He said that Russia fighting the Nazis, the 25 million people.

You would know better than anyone, Peter. They suffered greatly. Having a 75th -- you could say a celebration -- of the defeat of the Nazis and they invited me and I -- he invited me and I said I would give it consideration.

Russia went through a lot and lost far more than anyone fighting the Nazis in terms of people. He did invite me and I said we would give that consideration.

QUESTION: The comment was that Western style liberalism is obsolete.

TRUMP: He may feel that way. He sees what is going on and if you look at what is happening in Los Angeles, where it is sad to look and what is happening in San Francisco and another couple of countries, which are run by an extraordinary group of liberal people.

I don't know what they are thinking, what he does see things happening in the United States that would probably preclude him from saying how wonderful it is. At the same time, he congratulated me as the leaders of other countries have done for what we have done economically because we have the strongest economy we have ever had and it is positive.

I am embarrassed in what I see for some of our cities --

[04:05:00]

TRUMP: -- where the politicians are either afraid to do something about it or they think it is votes. Or I don't know what they are thinking. But when you look at Los Angeles and San Francisco and some of the other cities -- and not a lot but you do not want it to spread.

And at a certain point, I think the federal government maybe has to get involved. We cannot continue to let that happen to our cities.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. I will see some of you in South Korea or maybe at the DMZ. But this has been an honor. Thank you all very much. Thank you.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. president Donald Trump in Osaka, Japan, speaking in a wide ranging interview with reporters there, this following the G20 summit, speaking on everything from his talks with China regarding trade, speaking on Iran, speaking on a possible handshake with North Korea. A lot to discuss.

Our Jim Sciutto has been following this and Nic Robertson also there both in Osaka following this news conference.

Gentlemen, we heard a lot. Where to start?

First Jim, let's talk about what we heard with the U.S. president speaking on China and the trade tensions. We hear that the talks have been positive between the two leaders.

What more did you take from this?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: An important point is China but before that, I do want to highlight his comments on Russian interference in the 2016 election.

We saw in effect fundamentally a repeat of the president's Helsinki moment here because, when the president was pressed as to whether he, in private with Vladimir Putin, was more serious about warning Russia away fro interfering in U.S. elections, more serious than his joking moment with Putin yesterday, the president said, Putin denies it totally.

You will remember that is exactly what -- almost the exact phrasing in Helsinki last year next to the Russian president. Seeming to say that Putin's denial is credible, despite what U.S. intelligence agencies, Democratic and Republican lawmakers and committees have found on Russian interference in the election.

It was a press conference full of comments and news, frankly, from this president. But that phrasing for the U.S. president to treat the Russian president's denial of interference in the election when the U.S. has concluded very definitively that Russia interfered is remarkable and harkens back to that Helsinki moment.

But on the China issue, certainly important. We see the outlines of a deal, if you want to call it that, that got these negotiations going again. The president saying here is what he is giving China in effect. He will not impose new tariffs as he had threatened to do. He will also, he said, make it easier for Chinese students to come to the U.S.

He says that the Chinese have said that it had become more difficult. But crucially he said that with Huawei -- this company supplies an enormous amount of sophisticated equipment around the world which U.S. intelligence views as a national security threat, they believe that the equipment has back doors that allows China to listen to conversations, et cetera.

The president said that he will allow U.S. companies to sell again to Huawei, which is in effect helps Huawei. He says it is about U.S. jobs but it is a concession there.

And he said that he is at least considering taking Huawei in effect off a banned list, that is a remarkable concession here, particularly because you are in effect mixing national security concerns with trade concerns here.

That is a big concession to China, the students and also the delay of new tariffs. What the U.S. is getting in return according to the president apparently is China's pledge to buy a tremendous amount, those are the president's words, of food and agricultural products.

So we're seeing the outlines of what got the talks back on track. A lot of concessions from the U.S., including crucially on Huawei. I would say a busy news conference but those were certainly two very important points, from my perspective, listening to the president.

HOWELL: There were a lot of headlines coming out of this news conference. You started with his comments on Russia. Mr. Trump's words essentially saying, quote, "I said it," I said the words with regards to Russian election meddling.

I want to remind our viewers exactly what happened during that exchange. We have a sound bite where the president spoke on it. Let's play that now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I did say it. We had a discussion. We had a great -- actually, we had a great discussion. President Putin and myself. I thought it was a tremendous discussion. I did say it. And I did discuss it a little bit after that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: So Jim, he did say it.

SCIUTTO: He says that he did bring up meddling. Basically he says --

[04:10:00]

SCIUTTO: -- you'll remember the moment yesterday where when he was asked about warning Russia from interfering in the elections again, that the president made a bit of a joke, saying, I'm saying to him right now, don't meddle in the election. Putin was smiling as well.

Certainly not a serious handling of what is a serious issue in U.S. intelligence but also Democratic and Republican lawmakers. But the words that followed the clip you just aired is where the

president said, once again, that President Putin denies it totally that he interfered in the election. That is not the view of the U.S. government or the national security apparatus. And again Democratic and Republican lawmakers on the Hill.

The president seeming to present that as a credible denial from the Russian president. That is a remarkable thing to do. And you remember the criticism that the president got after Helsinki, even from Republicans.

But does that mean that the U.S. president doesn't believe that Russia interfered?

It is possible. It is possible. Hard to say.

HOWELL: Jim Sciutto live for us in Osaka. Jim, stand by.

Let's bring in our international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson, Nic also live in Osaka.

And one of the big headlines as well, the U.S. president traveling from Japan to Seoul, set to meet with President Moon Jae-in there. But he has signaled that he would like to possibly shake hands with the North Korean leader. Listen and we'll talk about it on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Kim Jong-un was very receptive. He responded. And so we'll see. Tomorrow we're going to the DMZ. I said while I'm there, I'll shake his hand. We get along. There has been no nuclear tests, no long range ballistic tests. Gave us back our hostages, which was great, and a lot of good things are happening over there.

So I let him know we'll be there and we'll see. I mean, I can't tell you exactly. But they did respond very favorably.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: And Nic, again this is a president who values highly relationships, bilateral relationships with leaders, bilateral talks; also photo-ops very important. But the question, are those getting the job done when it gets down to concrete solutions?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It certainly doesn't seem to be. If you listen to the rhetoric over the past week or so, coming from the North Koreans, it has been very critical of the people that President Trump is entrusting with actually negotiating a way forward.

They have been accusing secretary of state Mike Pompeo, special representative to North Korea as well, you know, as piling on way too much pressure onto North Korea.

So from that perspective, you know, President Trump is going into this and it is a photo-op that will work for Chairman Kim perhaps more than for President Trump.

Remember what happened when the South Korean leader, President Moon, met on the DMZ with Kim Jong-un. And it was something that really worked to Kim Jong-un's advantage.

Yes, that is something that President Moon wanted. He wanted the visibility that this is a relationship and a moment in time where we can try to work with North Korea.

But Kim Jong-un shook his hand, they stepped over the border. It was very theatrical. Little substance, although those two countries have worked more closely together subsequently.

But this is what President Trump was asked about, he was asked, would he step over the border, actually physically into North Korea, sort of from the South Korean side of the DMZ to the North Korean side.

And he said without even sort of hesitating for a second that he would do that.

When you do that, you move into Kim's space. You move into the area that he is most comfortable in, you move into him owning the narrative in a way.

But remember that Kim Jong-un, only in the past week or so, met with President Xi of China in Pyongyang. So these are going to be two big victories for him domestically.

But nothing on the substance of what President Trump is trying to achieve and no indication that this will precipitate that, only the continued slow rolling that Kim Jong-un has applied to his relationship with President Trump ever since their first highly talked about and highly covered summit in Singapore. So on substance, it doesn't seem to add anything on substance, certainly theater.

HOWELL: Nic Robertson, stand by for us. Let's bring in Jim Sciutto again. Jim also in Osaka following this.

And Jim, our Jim Acosta was in the room. Jim Acosta asked the U.S. president about the killing and dismemberment, brutal --

[04:15:00]

HOWELL: -- murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the also president essentially said that he felt bad about it, that he was angry that it happened but still defended his relationship with Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

Here is a bit of that exchange. We'll talk about it on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I asked him what was happening and he said I think 13 and more in the works and that there are large numbers of people being prosecuted or he is angry and unhappy about it. I did mention it to him and he answered strongly. They are prosecuting large numbers of people. That was a bad event.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The U.S. president also saying no one has pointed the finger at Mohammed bin Salman; that's not the case, though. The CIA certainly in their investigation has raised questions around that. And there is that photo-op, where President Trump was standing side by side with MBS.

SCIUTTO: It appears that we know the president's position on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. And that that is not going to get in the way of the president's relationship with the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. The president referred to him in this press conference as the future king of Saudi Arabia.

There are questions -- there were questions following the murder as to whether the U.S. would withdraw their support from the crown prince as the heir apparent to the throne. The president in effect taking the crown prince's word that they are investigating this, they will find the culprits and, as you say, falsely stating that no one has pointed a finger at the crown prince, when, in fact, it is the CIA's assessment that he likely directed it and also more recently, the U.N. investigation found evidence that the crown prince was behind this.

But the bottom line for this president appears to be that the overall relationship as well as the trading relationship trumps credible evidence of the crown prince being involved in this murder.

One more point just on a different subject again one of the many headlines that I think could get lost in what was a very busy news conference, the president there saying that he wants to renegotiate the U.S.-Japan defense agreement, a bedrock of this long alliance going back to World War II, saying that it is not fair that the U.S. will come to Japan's defense if it is attacked but that Japan will not come to the U.S.' defense if the U.S. is attacked.

I think it shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of this agreement. One reason the U.S. has that agreement, is to make it unnecessary for Japan to have nuclear weapons to respond to its neighbor, China's nuclear weapons.

While that may get lost in the headlines, I know that ears were perking up here in Japan, that the U.S. president saying he wants to renegotiate a decades-long defense agreement with one of its closest allies. That is news.

HOWELL: There were important moments and that was one of them, when it comes back to history, World War II, these important alliances and agreements that are in place also. And we'll get on to this later.

But the U.S. president, when speaking about busing, described it as "a primary method of getting people to school."

So that is one of the headlines for sure that we'll talk about. Jim Sciutto, live for us in Osaka and our international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson, also live. Gentlemen, thank you. Stand by. We'll be back with you in a moment.

You're watching CNN continuing coverage, the U.S. president in Osaka, Japan at the G20 summit.

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[04:20:00]

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HOWELL: You're watching CNN, breaking news following the U.S. president who just spoke at the G20 summit, a wide-ranging news conference there in Osaka, Japan. And he spoke on many different topics. He spoke on North Korea, a possible meeting with Kim Jong-un as he travels to South Korea to meet with the president of that nation there as he leaves the G20.

He spoke on Russia essentially saying that he did say the words to the Russian president, he did say not to meddle in the U.S. election that is coming up. He spoke on China as well.

And that is key here because that is a major headline coming out of this G20. The president saying that the talks were positive and that the United States will allow U.S. companies to sell parts, information, to Huawei, a controversial company in the eyes of this U.S. president.

And President Trump saying that China will be inclined to purchase agricultural products from the United States. Let's listen to just a bit of what he said during this news conference and we'll continue right after that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We will be continuing to negotiate. And I promise that, for at least the time being, we're not going to be lifting tariffs on China. We won't be adding an additional, you know, tremendous amount of -- we have, I guess, $350 billion left, which could be taxed or could be tariffed. And we're not doing that.

We're going to work with China on where we left off to see if we can make a deal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: And as we continue this hour, let's bring in our guests to talk more about it. Leslie Vinjamuri is one of them, head of the U.S. and Americas Programme at Chatham House in London and Paul Sracic, the chair of the department of political science at Youngstown State University in Tokyo.

Leslie, let's start with you. Certainly the markets will be relieved to hear that talks will resume between the United States and China.

LESLIE VINJAMURI, CHATHAM HOUSE: Absolutely. There won't be any clarity or confidence as to where those will go because there as been so much volatility in the trade talks. But just the fact that they will actually restart talks, that there is an open question as to whether there will be --

[04:25:00]

VINJAMURI: -- additional tariffs, certainly not now.

So I think that progress is significant. That was the number one item that people have been -- that the business community has certainly globally been waiting for.

And remember part of this is driven by the fact that there has been pushback within the United States on this very tough trade context between the U.S. and China because it is eroding business confidence and really raising very serious questions about growth. So I think Trump is certainly responding in part to that.

HOWELL: And, Paul, the same question to you but with an eye to 2020.

How important is it for this U.S. president to have some stability as we get closer to this election?

PAUL SRACIC, YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY: As we've said for many years, when we look at elections, it is the economy. And if the economy starts to go downhill, that is very bad news for President Trump's probability of being reelected. So he has to worry about the effect of the tariffs.

What we are right now really is back in December. This is what happened at the end of the last G20 meeting in that the president agreed to hold off on raising tariffs. Last time he gave us a three- month sort of window that he then extended. This time there isn't any specific window.

But we're kind of back to where we were. We had the May announcement that tariffs would be increased from 10 percent to 25 percent. And we're sort of on hold there.

HOWELL: It was also important to point out that President Trump has signaled to North Korea that he is open to a meeting, a handshake at the DMZ with Kim Jong-un.

Let's talk about that and the significance, Leslie, because, if that does happen, how significant will it be just for the continued relationship, the talks, the optics between these two nations?

And if it doesn't happen, will this be a way for President Trump to essentially say, well, hey, he stood me up, which could then almost just play into the fact that it didn't work out so well in the last summit where President Trump left early? VINJAMURI: Well, there are several things here. First of all, one gets the sense with this tweet and then the further statement that nobody else really knew that it was coming, that one doesn't get the sense that it was well considered, that Trump's advisers knew, that the allies knew.

And in terms of what it does, undoubtedly these face-to-face meetings are something that the North Korean leader has wanted. It gives him legitimacy. It's been very important to him.

But at the same time, it hasn't produced anything in substantive terms. We've seen no substantive developments, no progress on the question of denuclearization, which is the number one thing that President Trump has wanted to achieve when it comes to North Korea.

So very little movement and giving something away that is very valuable, that the U.S. has to offer, which is that face-to-face meeting. So I don't see this as an intelligent step.

HOWELL: And, Paul, the same question, the complete verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the peninsula, are we close to that?

SRACIC: Well, it doesn't look like it right now. I think this was something that wasn't planned, that was sort of almost off the cuff, that he will be in the DMZ, so maybe he can meet with Chairman Kim.

You know, we'd like to see progress. Truth is, here in Tokyo, we haven't seen any missiles fly over in a while, so that is certainly a positive thing. Anything that moves along the talks is a good thing.

HOWELL: Another key point that was raised -- and I'd like to get your thoughts on this, Leslie -- the disagreement or whatever the situation that is playing out with Turkey, President Trump saying that Turkey bought the S-400 system from Russia, Turkey also bought the stealth fighters from the United States.

And President Trump essentially saying, hey, under the previous administration, that is where the problem started. Your thoughts on that.

VINJAMURI: Well, this is, you know, another example of where, when the president doesn't want to actually address the issue, he does tend to refer back to policies or strategies that he's inherited, which, at this point, well over two years into his administration, isn't the kind of answer that you would expect.

But he is not taking a hard line on a number of these sorts of deals with leaders and countries, in which we're seeing significant regression on any number of liberal values and where there are very serious issues. So it's unsurprising but I think the justification is problematic.

HOWELL: Leslie Vinjamuri and Paul Sracic, we appreciate your time and insight. Thank you. So many topics to cover.

[04:30:00] HOWELL: We'll stay in touch with you throughout the next several

hours.

In the United States and around the world, you're watching CNN NEWSROOM live. Still ahead, President Trump heads to South Korea in the coming hours and we will go live to Seoul as we come back to get a sense of what is to come. Stand by.

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HOWELL: Welcome back. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

Following the breaking news out of Japan, the U.S. president leaving the G20 summit there and headed to South Korea, Seoul, South Korea. And that is where protesters are rallying against his visit. Paula Hancocks is following that story. And Paula is live in Seoul.

What are you seeing?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: George, there are some sporadic protests, not just anti-Trump but a number of people pro-Trump as well. So certainly a fair group of people who support what the U.S. president is trying to do with North Korea.

We are expecting the U.S. president to touch down here in Seoul. He will be heading for a dinner with the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in. And then he will be here tomorrow as well.

But of course, all the things that we were expecting have been completely overshadowed by what we have just heard from the U.S. president, the fact that he has put this invitation out to the North Korean leader, to meet him when he goes to the DMZ, the demilitarized zone, saying that he hopes that he will be there, saying that he was asked, in fact, would you step across the border, the military demarcation line, with Kim Jong-un.

And he said, sure, I'd be comfortable with that. I would have no problem.

[04:35:00]

HANCOCKS: Let's listen to a little more of what the president had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Kim Jong-un was very receptive. He responded. And so we'll see. Tomorrow we're going to the DMZ. I said while I'm there, I'll shake his hand. We get along. There has been no nuclear tests, no long range ballistic tests. Gave us back our hostages, which was great, and a lot of good things are happening over there. So I let him know we'll be there and we'll see. I mean, I can't tell

you exactly. But they did respond very favorably.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: And we also heard on KCNA, the state-run media, a faster reaction than I think I've ever seen from the North Korean state-run media, the vice foreign minister saying that it was a very interesting suggestion and saying that it would push the relationship between the two leaders further forward but also said that they did want an official invitation.

Of course, North Korea isn't quite so fast and loose for these kinds of invitations and the protocol as the U.S. president is. But he did say during that press conference that he did get a call from North Korea -- or at least someone within his administration did.

So it appears as though we could see a very interesting and historic, once again, meeting on Sunday.

HOWELL: It is known that the North Korean leader was not happy with how the last summit ended. The U.S. president leaving early, to the surprise of Kim Jong-un.

What would you say, Paula, to the suggestion that this could be an opportunity for Kim Jong-un to decide to meet or not decide to meet and leaving President Trump to effectively say, hey, I was stood up?

The optics there, one for one, you know, what are your thoughts on that?

HANCOCKS: Well, this is certainly a massive decision for the North Korean leader and probably one that he didn't think that he would have to make. This is very unusual. Certainly not the usual way of doing diplomacy, not the way that North Korea is used to dealing with the United States.

But he knows as well as we all know that this is not your conventional U.S. president. Mr. Trump was asked about that in the press conference, what happens if Kim Jong-un decides not to show at the DMZ, to which the president said, well, it doesn't matter, he doesn't think that it would be seen as a bad thing.

And then he went on to point out that Kim Jong-un clearly follows him on Twitter and that moment was passed.

But you're right, there was some animosity, there was hostility, there was humiliation on the part of North Korea after the Hanoi summit ended without agreement. And there was certainly surprise as well.

So not much has changed when it comes to denuclearization or what has happened on the ground but we'll see what happens tomorrow.

HOWELL: Paula Hancocks live, awaiting the president.

President Trump spoke about watching the Democratic debates that were happening back home while he was in Japan. Mr. Trump says a clash between two of his potential Democratic rivals was given too much attention. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I thought that she was given too much credit. He didn't do well certainly. And maybe the facts weren't necessarily on his side. I think she was given too much credit for what she did. It wasn't that outstanding. And I think probably he was hit harder than he should have been hit. Biden, I thought he was hit actually harder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Mr. Trump also, when asked about busing during that news conference, he described busing as a primary method of getting people to school. So not really addressing this very important issue that happened and was decided many decades ago.

The former vice president had struggled to explain why he opposed federally mandated busing as a way to integrate schools. CNN's Kyung Lah has details on the damage control there.

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KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day after the debate, Joe Biden defending his record on civil rights.

JOE BIDEN, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I respect Senator Harris. But we all know that 30 seconds to 60 seconds on a campaign debate exchange can't do justice to a lifetime committed to civil rights.

LAH: Speaking to the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, a civil rights organization.

BIDEN: I never, never, never, ever opposed voluntary busing.

LAH: He's reacting to the debate confrontation with Kamala Harris. She challenged Biden's past when he opposed federal mandatory busing to desegregate schools.

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bused to school every day.

[04:40:00]

HARRIS: And that little girl was me.

LAH (on camera): What is it that turned tonight, that made you discuss that?

HARRIS: I just think that on, some of these issues, it's that the American public deserves to know how we come at our priorities. There are millions of people in our country who have personal experiences with this. And that voice needs to be on stage. LAH (voice-over): A breakout moment, fueling a throwback tweet and making headlines.

Fund-raising jumps at the Harris campaign to its third best day.

HARRIS: America does not one witness of food fight. They want to know how we're going to put food on their table.

LAH: Supporters wished Harris well. Back on the trail just hours after the debate, 2020 hopefuls with an army of media, staged a visit to the Homestead facility. The candidates didn't follow known protocol, attempting to visit the unaccompanied children at the migrant shelter to highlight Trump administration policies.

HARRIS: We need a new president of the United States.

LAH: But Harris had a debate stumble of her own.

LESTER HOLT, NBC ANCHOR: Who here would abolish their private health insurance in favor of a government-run plan? All right.

LAH: After the debate, Harris tried to explain her answer.

HARRIS: So the question was, would you be willing to give up your private insurance for such a plan.

QUESTION: That's not how it was asked. That's what you heard. Right?

HARRIS: That's certainly what I heard.

LAH: The Medicare for all plan Harris says she supports would effectively eliminate private insurance, with few exceptions, such as for elective surgery not covered by the federal plan.

The topic has tripped her before.

HARRIS: I don't know if your insurance company is going to cover this. Let's eliminate all of that. Let's move on.

It was in the context of saying, let's get rid of all the bureaucracy. Let's get all of the ways..

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, not the insurance companies?

HARRIS: No, that's not what I meant. I know it was interpreted that way.

LAH: The debate also challenged Pete Buttigieg. He was asked a question about the officer involved shooting in South Bend, Indiana, where he is mayor. The question was on why black officer representation, the percentage of officers who are black in South Bend, has not improved while he's been mayor.

And the mayor saying very simply, quote, "because I couldn't get it done" -- Kyung Lah, CNN, Miami. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Kyung, thank you.

It has never been this hot before in France and nearly all of Europe is suffering from a major heat wave. We'll tell you more as CNN NEWSROOM continues.

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HOWELL: Across Europe they are experiencing a miserable heat wave. Temperatures there have been breaking records across Europe. And that includes France, that recorded its hottest ever temperature on Friday. It was a sweltering 114 degrees Fahrenheit, that is 45.9 degrees Celsius. Very, very hot.

Let's now bring in CNN producer Saskya Vandoorne, she's live in the French capital.

How are people dealing with -- coping with this intense heat?

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN PRODUCER: You are right, it is very hot. It is currently 28 degrees and I'm just at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, right by the beautiful Trocadero fountains, where people have been swimming all week. So 28 degrees now but that is nothing compared to the temperature that was reached in the south of France yesterday.

As you said, 45 degrees Celsius, that is the highest temperature ever to have been recorded since those records began. It is just a degree higher than the previous record that was set in 2003.

And you may remember that is when that terrible heat wave swept its way across Europe, killing thousands of people, including 15,000 here in France. Now France's national weather forecaster did issue its first red alert this week, that is the highest alert.

But the health minister, Agnes Buzyn, did say yesterday that they are better prepared this time and that they have learned lessons from the past. It is true that the French have been enjoying water fountains all across France and, here in Paris, mist showers have been set up for Parisians to be able to cool off.

We caught up with some of those Parisians yesterday to try to find out how they were fighting the heat and a lot of them said the same thing, they are in search of water, water, water.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is hot and a little unbearable but the water over here makes it a little more manageable. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nothing like we've seen before. And just all sweating, trying to find shorts, nothing else.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's amazing; in the month of June in France, we turn between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. And today we go to 40 degrees. It is really amazing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANDOORNE: Ministers and experts here have been drawing a direct link between these high temperatures and the climate crisis, saying that we as Europeans need to adapt to the fact that we are going to see these sweltering summers more and more.

And it is not just about the intensity of the heat, it is about when it begins. So the question is how do we prepare for it now and how do we prepare for it in the future -- George.

HOWELL: People across Europe experiencing these very hot temperatures, climate change certainly in play here. Saskya Vandoorne, thank you very much.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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HOWELL: And speaking of that, the most anticipated match of the Women's World Cup didn't disappoint. Up next, the blockbuster clash between the United States and France.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: USA. USA. USA.

HOWELL: Take a look at that, a sea of red, white and blue at the Women's World Cup in Paris.

Thousands of U.S. fans showed up to celebrate the team's big win over France. They outlasted the host country 2-1 and advanced to the semifinals to take on England this Tuesday.

The star player for the U.S. on Friday was Megan Rapinoe, who scored both of her team's goals. As our Amanda Davies reports, her stellar performance comes on the heels of a controversial spat with the U.S. president.

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AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Megan Rapinoe had written the headlines pre-match -- [04:55:00]

DAVIES: -- it could almost have been written in the stars. She would be the one making the difference.

Two goals on the night, her fifth in four games to book her side a place in the semifinals. She'd been adamant, her verbal sparring with the U.S. president Donald Trump was not going to detract from the job in hand, prove a distraction to her team's quest to win a record extended fourth Women's World Cup.

And as if to underline the point it took her just five minutes to find the back of the net and give the USA an important early lead over the hosts, see the defending champions really stamp their authority on the pretenders to their crown.

MEGAN RAPINOE, U.S. FOOTBALL FORWARD: We'd like to play a little bit nicer today but we're moving on into the semis, into the medal rounds. I think that we have England, right, the next game, so we'll enjoy this one for sure. It was just so special to be able to beat the host nation in the Parc de France. You can't ask for anything more than this.

DAVIES: This was a proper World Cup atmosphere, an atmosphere that wouldn't have been out of place at the men's tournament in Russia 12 months ago, where the fans were so celebrated.

For all their hope, expectation and roaring support, the French just couldn't find a way through and, in turn, find their hearts broken for the fifth time in five major tournaments at this, the quarterfinal stage.

This will know, you suspect hurts the most right here on home soil. For the USA and Rapinoe, the journey continues. They will face England in Lyon on Tuesday -- Amanda Davies, CNN, Paris, France.

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HOWELL: Amanda, thank you.

And thank you for being with us for this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell in Atlanta. We continue to follow the news that we've been looking into out of Osaka, Japan, the G20 summit, President Trump on stage speaking just an hour ago. We'll have more for you after this.

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