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Student-Led Protests Against Israel-Hamas War Intensify; Trump's Hush Money Trial Resumes Tomorrow; Biden and Netanyahu Talk Hostages, Rafah Invasion in Phone Call. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired April 29, 2024 - 10:00   ET

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

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JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. You are live in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

This morning, across the country, college campuses are bracing for more anti-war protests. Some of the images that hearken back to generations ago. The source of today's fury, the Israel Hamas war and the growing civilian bloodshed in Gaza.

Over the weekend, more protests and more anger on UCLA's campus yesterday, demonstrators breached a security barrier meant to separate opposing protest groups. Police scrambled officers in riot gear.

On the Virginia Tech campus, protesters were detained as the crowd chanted at police, shame on you. University officials say the on- campus encampment had worsened with the potential to become unsafe. Arrests have been made at campuses nationwide as more schools turned to police to rein in the demonstrators. Some schools are threatening to suspend students and could cancel upcoming commencement ceremonies.

We have breaking news out of Columbia University to tell you about the epicenter of the college protests. A short time ago, school officials said talks with student organizers have failed to come to an agreement. Columbia is asking that protesters at the encampment, quote, voluntarily disperse, end quote.

CNN's Omar Jimenez joins me from the Columbia campus. Omar, tell us what that means.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, Jim, for starters, Columbia University said definitively today they will not divest from Israel, which, of course, has been at the center of the encampment led protests here. And the university essentially is indicating their negotiations with students are effectively over.

Now, I want to read part of the statement released by University President Minouche Shafik, which says, in part, both sides in these discussions put forward robust and thoughtful offers and worked in good faith to reach common ground. We thank them all for their diligent work, long hours, a careful effort, and wish they had reached a different outcome. Of course, no agreement here.

It goes on to say, we urge those in the encampment to voluntarily disperse. We're consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible.

And that falls along similar lines to what we're hearing from over 20 House Democrats now essentially urging the university to disband this encampment or essentially resign.

Now, some key points here, because while Columbia said they will not divest in Israel, they did offer an expedited timeline for new proposals in front of their body that does consider divestments. They also offered to invest in health and education in Gaza.

They also said that while they've worked hard to offer a constructive environment for dialogue and protest, the encampment has created an unwelcome environment for many Jewish students to the point so much so that many have felt unsafe on campus, which the president has described as a tragedy.

And, of course, we're a little over two weeks from graduation and the university is saying definitively they will have a commencement in part because some of these graduating seniors started remotely. And we still haven't heard from the students on how they'll respond moving forward. But, clearly, they plan to have this encampment done or at least resolved by the time graduation gets here, whatever that may look like.

ACOSTA: All right, Omar Jimenez, thank you very much.

Let's get that reaction right now. Joining me now is Tejasri Vijaykumar. She's the president of the Columbia College Student Council. And for the sake of transparency, we should note she was an intern last year with CNN's parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery.

Tejasri, hey, thanks for joining us. We appreciate it. What is your reaction to this announcement from Columbia?

TEJASRI, VIJAYKUMAR, PRESIDENT, COLUMBIA COLLEGE STUDENT COUNCIL: Yes. I mean, I'm not in on negotiations and it's unfortunate that an agreement wasn't reached.

[10:05:02]

I'm not like particularly surprised, but I'm also glad that there's a commitment to not bring the NYPD back onto campus.

ACOSTA: And the school is asking the encampment to voluntarily disperse. Do you think that's going to happen? Do you think people are going to voluntarily just leave?

VIJAYKUMARK: Knowing Columbia students, it's kind of hard to say. I think that some students, if there's a guarantee if there're like amnesty made, maybe, but I have a feeling that students will either reroute or, yes, like continue in a different way. ACOSTA: And how do you think the school administration is handling all of this right now? And what about the presence of the NYPD?

VIJAYKUMAR: Yes, I think the administration is like in a tricky spot. I don't know what they could be doing that's better other than negotiating differently, honestly, but I think that the presence of the NYPD has been causing a real strain on campus.

I know a lot of students feel really, really unsafe around the police. And I know that, especially with outside protesters and police officers, I know that a lot of students feel really overly surveilled here. But, yes, I think that the administration made the right call and sending away the NYPD and saying that they aren't going to be invited back to campus to deal with the protester. I think that was the right decision.

ACOSTA: And, Tejasri, let's talk about what some of these protesters have been saying. Let's play a little bit of sound from a student there who is a leader of the pro-Palestinian protest. Let's listen to that and talk about it on the other side.

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KHYMANI JAMES, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT PROTEST LEADER: Zionists, they don't deserve to live comfortably, let alone Zionists don't deserve to live.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Tejasri, I mean, this is something that a lot of people are struggling with. Are the leaders of these protests doing enough to send the message that anti-Semitism is wrong and not welcome on campus? What's your view on that?

VIJAYKUMAR: Yes. I mean, obviously, that's like an abhorrent statement to make, and I think, I believe that there was an apology made for that statement, of course, like not a statement that should be made at all. I do know that there has been a lot of discussion on anti-Semitism within the protest.

I think a large part like population of people who are in the encampment are Jewish. There have been, you know, Passover seders and Shabbat dinners and people have a lot of teachings about anti-Semitism and educating like what it is to be actively not anti-Semitic and stuff like that.

So, I know that there is an effort to make Jews feel welcome both on campus and within the encampment. Of course, like there's no room for anti-Semitism on our campus.

ACOSTA: And, Tejasri, what's going on here? I mean, why is it that -- you have students going at each other that you -- I mean, this is continuing. Is it that the protesters feel like they're just not being heard, and until they feel like they're being heard, they're just not going to give up these tents and move out? Can you put your finger on it? VIJAYKUMAR: Yes. I think a lot of it is that there are always calls for productive and respectful discourse. Of course, it's hard to foster discourse when, say, you're not given a platform as students. So, when (INAUDIBLE) for Justice in Palestine were suspended and Jewish Voices for Peace were also suspended, like it kind of took away an avenue for students to really voice their beliefs. And I think that's led us to where we are now.

I also think that a lot of the real tension is not within the encampment but from external protests who are outside of our gates and are maybe using different and more extreme rhetoric than our students are.

ACOSTA: Yes. I mean, that, that is the thing that -- I mean, obviously the pro-Palestinian protesters are responding to what's happening in the news and, and folks ought to listen to that, no question about it. But at the same time, there's just this feeling that some of these students just don't get it, that you just can't say things that are anti-Semitic and it just continues this cycle of people not listening to one another.

VIJAYKUMAR: Yes. I mean, I think that students are being receptive in like the response and the feedback that they've been getting to their protests, I do think that there is probably like a difference in understanding of terminology that is like at the root of what some protesters think is anti-Semitic versus not anti-Semitic. But, again, I don't really have much else to say about that.

ACOSTA: All right. Tejasri, we'll have you back. We'll continue the conversation. Thank you so much for your time this morning. We appreciate it.

In Atlanta today, faculty at Emory University are beginning a no- confidence vote on this school's president.

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That move follows violent arrests on Thursday. A number of faculty members have spoken out about the presence of police on campus and the tactics used by some of the officers to clear the encampment set up by protesters.

CNN's Nick Valencia joins us now. Nick, you were caught up in this violence just a few days ago. Tell us more about the response from the university. What's happening now?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Jim. The remnants of that anger still left over here this morning. Facilities crews were out here cleaning some graffiti here that was present on this sign. But the real event, as you mentioned, happened here on Thursday, where those ceasefire demonstrations turned very quickly into the violent arrest of 28 people, 20 of them with affiliations to the university.

We were nearly arrested, but thankfully we weren't. We were allowed to bear witness. We want to warn you, this is what we saw, and we want to warn you here, the footage is very graphic.

All of that happened just a few hundred feet from where I'm standing right now. All of that outrage has boiled over. And now university faculty will host a no-confidence vote against the university president here. We understand the faculty will be given balance today and that referendum will be tallied up on Wednesday.

A symbolic move here by faculty to send a message to the university president that they don't have confidence in his leadership here in this institute of higher learning. Jim?

ACOSTA: Yes. Nick, I still can't get over this professor who was thrown to the ground. What do we know about her? How is she doing? And what is going on with the cops there at Emory? It just looks like very heavy handed tactics for a protest.

VALENCIA: That was our first impression on first blush. You know, it seemed as though that they were outraged. They didn't think that everyone was part of Emory University. In fact, we understand at 7:00 in the morning they asked people for their I.D.s. None of them provided the I.D.s. So, they lumped them all together related to the cop city protesters.

And we know that is a different issue here, but it's related. Those movements have some overlap. And it seemed as though police, when they approach the demonstrators, they just really held everyone and sort of treated everyone with a heavy hand.

That professor, Caroline Fohlin, she spent the night in DeKalb County Jail, along with 27 others. She was released on bond. And very quickly here, Jim, I spoke with some defense attorneys, and over the weekend, Emory officials are negotiating with defense attorneys and are considering dropping the charges against those involved on Thursday's demonstration. That's yet to be seen, though. Jim?

ACOSTA: My goodness. I still can't get over that. All right, Nick Valencia, thank you so much, I really appreciate it, great report.

In the meantime, in New York, at any moment, Judge Juan Merchan could rule on whether Donald Trump violated the gag order in his historic criminal hush money trial.

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The trial is dark today, giving jurors an extra day to digest what they heard during the first full week of testimony. On Friday, the defense finished its cross-examination of former tabloid publisher David Pecker. Tomorrow, banker Gary Farro will resume his testimony. He's expected to walk through the jury through the paper trail at the center of this trial.

Joining me now for more on this is CNN Legal Analyst and former U. S. Attorney Michael Moore. Michael, we're waiting to see what the judge does on the gag order. It sort of feels like this has been taking a while. What do you think? MICHAEL MOORE, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I'm glad to be with you. This is sort of the sausage-making of a trial and judges deal with issues at their own speed. They decide when they're going to make a ruling. And the real issue on the gag order is that this has sort of been an ongoing problem for Trump. I mean, he just can't keep quiet. So, probably about the time the judge decides he may do something or have a remedy in place, then that changes and maybe it needs to be increased somewhat because there's been another statement, another comment on a witness and that type of thing in violation of the order.

I really think you're going to hear from the judge this week about what he will do on the gag order. I think he's going to probably take Trump out and would shed him a little bit in the back and get on him and impose some kind of fine. I don't think we ought to be expected incarceration. I just don't think that's a likely outcome from this, but I think the judge will, you know, read the Riot Act, give him a fine.

And then at the same time, I think the judge's memory will be long and he'll be thinking at the end of the trial if, in fact, there's a conviction when it comes to sentencing, these are the kinds of things that influence judges as I think about whether or not somebody has accepted any responsibility, whether or not there's been a continued defiance through the process. These are the kind of things that can impact the judges as they talk about what to do if there's a conviction.

ACOSTA: And what about this upcoming banker testimony that's coming up? Folks might be thinking, oh, that sounds like pretty dry chewing there. What do you think?

MOORE: I think it will be pretty dry chewing. Paper trails cases are just not exciting cases. And so that's why it's going to be important throughout this trial for the prosecutor to sort of keep the interest of the jury peaked. And he's going to need to, you know, lay out some good witnesses and sort of tie some paper pieces to it.

But when you get too bogged down in the weeds on a paper case, you could lose a jury, especially for a trial that's expected to take six to eight weeks, even in a case like this with this kind of historic importance. So, I think this is just something he has to do. It's a building block as they think about, well, you know, how was this -- was this a dummy corporation set up? What kind of efforts went into making the payments to get in the account set up? These are things that begin to fill in pieces of the story.

Certainly not the bulk of the prosecution's case, but they will likely intersperse some of this more dry testimony with things like Michael Cohen, but things like picks witnesses like maybe Stormy Daniels because you've got to keep the jury engaged. The fear is that you take a case that has a lot is sensational and turn it into something, as you say, that's dry, it can lose a jury's interest.

ACOSTA: Yes, it's not going to stay dry for long, that's for sure. All right, Michael Moore, thanks a lot. I really appreciate it. All right, still to come, Kristi Noem on the defensive this morning after the South Dakota governor admitted to shooting and killing her 14-month-old puppy. Could this hurt her chances at becoming Trump's running mate? That's next.

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ACOSTA: President Biden is again applying pressure on Israel over its actions in Gaza. The president spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend. The White House said Biden made it clear that the U.S. would not support a potential invasion of Rafah without an explicit plan to protect civilians.

But a source says the primary focus of the call was a potential hostage deal with Hamas. It comes after the group released a video of two hostages on Saturday. On the left is Israeli Omri Moran. On the right is American-Israeli Keith Siegel.

In the video, Siegel pleaded for Israel to negotiate a hostage release deal. It appeared he was speaking under some duress. CNN cannot verify where or when the video was shot.

Meanwhile, the secretary of state is in Saudi Arabia right now, as Hamas is considering a new deal calling for the release of hostages held since October 7th in exchange for a pause in the fighting in Gaza. This morning Tony Blinken said, Israel has presented Hamas with, quote, an extraordinarily generous proposal, adding that the militant group is the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire.

Let's get the latest from CNN National Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood, Kylie over at the State Department for us. Kylie, what can you tell us about this proposal?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, as you said, the secretary of state very clearly this morning saying that in the U.S. opinion, what has been put on the table by Israel for Hamas is an extraordinarily, quote, generous proposal. And he called on Hamas to accept that deal. He also said that they have to accept it quickly.

And our reporting is that some of the demands that Israel had been making has been lessened. And so it appears that this could be a proposal that Hamas could accept. And the reason for him saying that Hamas has to act quickly is because the backdrop here is that Israel has been saying for some time they plan to invade Rafah and U.S. Officials are very eyes wide open about the fact that they are likely to go ahead with that invasion if there isn't an agreement here for a ceasefire and for hostages to be released. So, time is truly of the essence.

ACOSTA: Yes. And, Kylie, a source tells CNN that there's a worry inside the State Department that Israel is not using American provided weapons in accordance with international law. [10:25:07]

What's going on there?

ATWOOD: Yes. So, there's not a consensus opinion within the State Department as to if Israel is using those American made weapons in accordance with international law. That's according to a State Department official who spoke with my colleague, Jennifer Hansler.

And this is important because this is all going to come to a fore next week. There is a requirement due to a new national security memorandum that President Biden signed at the end of last year, For the State Department, for the secretary to provide an actual assessment as to if all of the countries using American-made weaponry are doing so in accordance with international law.

These countries are supposed to provide their rationale, their explanations for the fact that they do believe they are in accordance with international law. The State Department assesses that, provides that to Congress.

But because there is disagreement within the State Department over this right now, it's going to be interesting to see what the final determination from the secretary of state actually is next week when he provides that assessment to Congress. Jim?

ACOSTA: All right, a very important development there. All right, Kylie Atwood, thank you very much.

In the meantime, World Central Kitchen is resuming its operations in Gaza. This is almost a month after seven of its aid workers were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The attack wrought worldwide condemnation and Israel's military called it a grave mistake.

Before the incident, I spoke with the charity's founder, Chef Jose Andres, who said it is crucial for Israel to do more to get aid into Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE ANDRES, FOUNDER, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: More needs to be done. We need to make sure that more tracks are able to flow in. This should be a very simple solution. If Israel allow other entry points, all of the sudden we can bring enough tracks to make sure that everybody is fed, that everybody has medicine, that everybody has access to water.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The non-profit says it will open a third kitchen in Gaza named after a Polish aid worker who was killed in the strike.

Coming up, with emotions running high of protests on campuses across America, I'll talk to one Jewish college student who is speaking out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have said this before, and I will say it again. I am a black, Native American Jewish woman, and I will not be silenced.

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