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FBI Releases New Security Footage Of Person Placing Pipe Bomb Outside RNC And DNC HQ; Interview With Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA); House Set To Authorize Vote Tomorrow On COVID Relief Bill; WH: Supply Of Pfizer And Moderna Vaccines To Increase By 600,000 Doses This Week; Queen Breaks Silence On Harry & Meghan Interview; Third Juror Seated In Trial Of Ex-Policeman Derek Chauvin Charged In Death Of George Floyd. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired March 09, 2021 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:00]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: He coached basketball, track, and football. His principal said he got to school every morning at 6:00 a.m. to open doors for students who needed to arrive early. Last Thursday, the South Carolina General Assembly honored McBride with a resolution. To the McBride family may his memory be a blessing. The news on CNN continues right now.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM.

We're following breaking news. The FBI has just released new security footage of the person suspected of planting pipe bombs just outside the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Right here in Washington the night before the January 6 Capitol siege. The videos that show the suspect from multiple angles wearing a mask and a hood. There's a $100,000 reward for information leading to the person.

Also breaking right now, the House of Representatives is set momentarily to authorize a final vote tomorrow on the $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus bill, that will bring millions of Americans step closer to desperately needed aid one full year into this pandemic.

And there's promising news on the vaccine effort right now. The White House says the supply of both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines will increase by 600,000 this week to 15.8 million doses.

First, let's get some more on this new video just released by the FBI. Clearly the FBI hopes it will lead to a suspect. Our Justice Correspondent Jessica Schneider is working the story for us.

Jessica, this is clearly a very high priority case for the FBI.

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's one of the top priorities here, Wolf. But the mystery remains now two months later, who is this suspect who planted these pipe bombs? Well, tonight the FBI releasing even more video than we've seen in the past and pleading with the public saying even if you might recognize this person's mannerisms or body language, call the FBI. So the FBI pieced together multiple angles from surveillance video around the DNC and RNC.

And you can see there the suspect standing and walking on South Capitol Street, around 7:40 p.m. with a backpack and then setting it down, eventually walking down the sidewalk. And then the suspect stands there for a while you can see a car eventually drives by. And then we actually see at some point after we stand there a little while a man walking by with a dog. You can see that right there. Then in some other video that the FBI has released, you can see the suspect at one point sitting on a bench, then walking down an alleyway in the next clip.

And then, after that, he's finally or he or she is finally seen walking by the Capitol Hill club on Capitol Hill. So, the FBI is stressing that these pipe bombs, they were fully operational. We've heard that in the past, but they did not detonate as we know. So, it's clear that federal agents are struggling now to pinpoint this person. We know they received more than 100,000 digital media tips related to people involved in the insurrection. But it's unclear at this point how much information they've received, if any, in connection to this suspect who planted these two pipe bombs.

The FBI has released an array of pictures that they've -- that includes a kitchen timer. One of the bombs, you know, we've seen a description of what the suspect was wearing even the make of his shoes. The FBI releasing that they were black and light gray Nike Air Max speed turf shoes. But still, despite all of this information, no significant leads.

Tonight, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI office in Washington pleading to the public, saying that they know it can be difficult to report friends or family members, but they stress this is about protecting human life. And right now, Wolf, the FBI is two months into this search without an arrest of this pipe bomb suspect. They're releasing this video in hopes that it could lead to a significant tip here, Wolf.

BLITZER: I suspect eventually it will. This is a very high priority as we said for the FBI. Jessica, thank you very much.

Let's go to Capitol Hill right now. Our Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju is watching all of this unfold. Manu, so, what are you picking up over there?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, despite what the news there that a suspect is still on the loose and the person who tried to plant these pipelines ahead of January 6, there is still a push among top Democrats and Republicans to change the security posture here on Capitol Hill.

Ever since the January 6 riot there have been 10 foot fences all around this building, there have been razor wire on top of those fences. There are National Guard troops virtually everywhere on all corners of this campus. But there is a real desire to change the posture here even though this suspect is on the loose and the news that came today.

[17:05:02]

I just talked to the number two Democrat, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he told me that it has to change. That's what he said in his words. What we have now is unacceptable to me, Durbin told me. He said crawling at 10 foot fences with razor wire on top is just ghastly. It's an embarrassment. If there's a better way to protect us, I want to see it. Very strong words from one of the most senior members of the Senate Democratic leadership.

And it echoes what rank and file members in the Democratic side and Republican side have been saying for days. There have been -- just looking at possible recommendations that have been put forward by retired General Honore, who was tasked by Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, to come up with recommendations, including retractable fencing, mobile fencing, things that do not have part of this permanent 10 foot fixture.

But Wolf, even though this scare still exists, there is still a desire to bring the Capitol back to some sense of normalcy after January 2.

BLITZER: Yes, I drove around Capitol Hill as I often do and you still see the razor wire and you still see the fences and you still see those National Guard troops, the Capitol Police in big numbers all over the place two months plus after the January 6 insurrection. All right, Manu, thank you very much.

Let's get some more in the breaking news right now. Our CNN Law Enforcement Analyst Charles Ramsey is joining us. He's the former Washington D.C. Police Chief, the former Philadelphia Police Commissioner. Also with us, CNN Law Enforcement Analyst, former Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow.

Chief Ramsey, this is a detailed new look at this suspects movement, this video that the FBI has released. What stands out to you from what you're seeing?

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, it's very good video far better than the still photos that we saw prior to this. You can tell the way the person walks, perhaps that's a clue for someone who might know that individual. You know, they have close up shots of the clothing, the shoes, and so forth.

And also the timing, the individual walking the dog, you know, who may remember. Yes, that's me. You know, I was walking the dog. I did see somebody. I don't know if they paid attention to it or not.

But certainly the FBI right now is still trying to identify a suspect. They're hoping that putting that video out coupled with $100,000 reward will get someone to come forward. BLITZER: The suspect you know, Jonathan, clearly has a hoodie on, mask on. But do you see anything in this video that potentially could lead to a breakthrough?

JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, listen, I think Commissioner Ramsey just, you know, hit on it right there. I mean, looking at the pattern of behavior, the way that the person walks, the clothing that they were wearing on that day, that's going to resonate with somebody.

I think in, you know, the world we live in today, everyone has a level of digital exhaust. Someone has seen this person, whether online, you know, talking about things or, you know, in their own neighborhoods physically. Someone knows who this person is.

And the challenge for law enforcement right now is they know that the person had the means to cause harm, they know that they have had the opportunity. The challenge is understanding what was their intent? Was their intent to distract? Or was their intent to cause harm, you know, to individuals on January 6? That's the challenge for law enforcement.

They're seeking the public's assistance. Why are they seeking the public's assistance today? Why is the FBI releasing these videos? It's the seriousness of the crime. The public endangerment issue is significantly high.

There is a bomb maker who is currently walking around at large. The FBI is putting all of their resources towards it, but they need the public's assistance. Law enforcement can't do their job by themselves. They need the public's assistance to identify who the suspect is and bring to justice quickly.

BLITZER: You know, Jonathan, I thought it was significant. They really went into detail in describing the suspect's shoes, black and gray Nike shoes. And specifically, a lot more detail of the shoes. I suspect that's going to be a clue. Somebody is going to recognize someone who wears those shoes.

WACKROW: Absolutely. I mean, it's a very, it's a very important piece of evidentiary value that they have. They want to recall memory, they want to recall other people, whether it's in conversations, things online, people or things that people see, those are going to recall people's memory of who this individual may be, and lead law enforcement to, you know, make that identification, or at least attribution to who this person is.

Again, too much time has gone by right now. And I know that people are getting impatient, but this is part of the investigative process. I know everyone wants, you know, to bring an individual to justice very quickly. But you know, this is the investigative process that we need to go through. The FBI is revealing this information. But what's more important is that they also have things that they're not revealing. So, the public's assistance is critical, and actually helping them piece all of this together to identify this person.

[17:10:00] BLITZER: You know, Chief Ramsey it's been now more than two months since those pipe bombs were placed the night before the January 6 assault. So, what does it tell you that the FBI is putting out this new video now with this new offer of $100,000 reward for information?

RAMSEY: Well, it tells me that they followed every lead they possibly had as of now, and they still don't have a suspect identified. So, they're hoping that someone in the public can identify the individual and put them in the right direction to be able to apprehend them. As John said, I mean, you've got a bomb maker that's still walking the streets of D.C. or someplace, and you want to be able to get them off the street as quickly as possible.

The fact that it didn't detonate is not even relevant, quite frankly. It was a legitimate bomb that was made, and we need to find out why they made it, who they are. We need to bring them into custody as quickly as possible.

BLITZER: You know, Jonathan, it's struck a lot of viewers pretty dramatically how many Capitol insurrectionists simply walked away after that attack? How dangerous is it that this perpetrator specifically is still out there still at large?

WACKROW: Well, listen, Wolf, this individual had a working proficiency with explosives, we know that. We know it because the devices were, you know, didn't detonate, so we have them as part of the evidence. So, it's reasonable to deduct if they knew that an explosion would add to widespread disruption or lead to a high probability of injury or loss of life.

So, by the fact that, you know, people, you know -- was it a distraction, or was it an intentional device to potentially channel people towards those devices to cause harm? Again, what was the intent of putting those devices at those locations?

And again, timing is really interesting here. I mean, those devices were put there the night before. They needed to be detonated, the timer needed to be set. Who was going to do that? So, this wasn't just a set it and forget it moment. There was more structure to these threats than we know right now. We have to understand what that structure was.

BLITZER: We certainly do. All right, Jonathan Wackrow, Charles Ramsey, guys, thank you very, very much for staying on top of this story.

There's more breaking news we're following as well. We're standing by for the House vote that will clear the way for final passage of the $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus bill tomorrow.

Plus, a royal response to Harry and Megan's bombshell interview accusing family members of racism and neglect. Details of what the Queen herself is now saying about it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:16:38] BLITZER: We're following multiple breaking stories this hour, including the House of Representatives now on the verge of authorizing a final vote tomorrow on the $1.9 trillion dollar COVID stimulus bill. You're looking at live pictures coming in from the House. Let's go to our Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

Kaitlan, final passage of this bill will be a huge victory for President Biden.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And it'll be his first legislative victory really, Wolf. And so, with all their close to sealing it, they are not there yet. They've still got to get through one more vote in the House that the White House believes is going to happen tomorrow.

But we should note that as President Biden is preparing to put pen to paper and get this legislative victory accomplished, there is also another challenge that's facing him. And this is one that's happening on the U.S. southern border, as there is a surge in child migration that you're seeing right now. It's threatening to overwhelm the administration. And Wolf, while they are describing it as a challenge, they say it's not a crisis yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

COLLINS (voice-over): With his stimulus plan on the brink of success, President Biden is now waiting to make it official.

The President visited a Washington D.C. hardware store today as he prepares for a final vote on his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.

REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D-CA) HOUSE SPEAKER: I'm so excited. I just can't hide it the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee just finished its work.

COLLINS: Though some progressives have complained the sweeping bill doesn't go far enough, it gained the endorsement of one of the most prominent members.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I) VERMONT: This is the most significant legislation for working people. That has been passed in decades. This bill is enormously significant.

COLLINS: The White House says eligible Americans can expect to receive stimulus checks this month, but in a change Biden's name won't appear on them like Trump insisted.

(on camera): He did not want his name to appear on the checks?

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He didn't think that was a priority or a necessary step. His focus was on getting them out as quickly as possible.

COLLINS (voice-over): When Biden does sign his name to the relief bill, it will be a defining moment of his presidency. In addition to stimulus checks, the bill also includes an enhanced child tax credit, increased childcare subsidies, extended unemployment benefits and broader eligibility for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Sources say Biden will tell the bill when he addresses the nation in primetime Thursday night.

Meanwhile, his campaign promise of a more humane response to migrant surges on the southern border is now being tested.

PSAKI: We're not trying to close our borders, we are trying to keep create an effective moral humane system. It's going to take some time to do that.

COLLINS: Thousands of migrant children are backed up in Border Patrol facilities amid a surge that's exceeded the peak of the crisis in 2019 when facilities were overcrowded and migrants were forced to sleep on floors.

PSAKI: We are still digging our way out of a dismantled, immoral and ineffective immigration policy that was being implemented by the last administration.

COLLINS: The number of migrant children in custody along the border has tripled in the last two weeks. But Republicans say the administration hasn't explained how they'll handle it.

REP. LIZ CHENEY, (R) WYOMING: I saw the White House press secretary Jen Psaki say that she was heartbroken by what's happening at the border. Being heartbroken isn't a policy. So we expect to see action and the American people expect to see action now.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

[17:20:00]

COLLINS: Now, Wolf, on this coronavirus relief bill, it is massive. But a lot of it is just temporary. So, what we are told that President Biden is going to do in the aftermath of signing it is trying to convince the American people that several aspects of it should be made permanent.

And we're told that would include the President going around the country on Air Force One, making these stumps, really selling this plan to voters and explaining how they believe it's going to help change the trajectory of the pandemic and getting life back to normal. So expect to see some travel on President Biden's schedule as well.

And we are also told to expect a press conference. He is not held a solo formal press conference yet, but we are told we should expect one of those in the coming days.

BLITZER: Yes. If the 10s of millions of Americans are going to benefit from this, but it is complicated, it needs a lot of explanation. All right, Kaitlan, thank you very much.

We're joined now by Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington State. She's the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Congresswoman, thank you so much for joining us. I want to get to the final vote on President Biden's COVID relief bill set for tomorrow. So, when will Americans from your perspective start to see relief? And how exactly will it have impact them right away?

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): Well, I think, Wolf, first of all, it's great to be with you. I think that Americans are going to see the results of this pretty much immediately. The checks are going to go out within the next week. You heard the President say he's not going to delay these checks to get his name on it. He just wants people to get money in their pockets.

So, immediately, people will see those checks coming in. And we've done this before. So it should be easy this time around, the unemployment benefits will continue. So, people won't see a break in their unemployment benefits.

And then the child tax credit will take a little bit longer, but people will be able to plan. For a family of four, they know that they're going to get 50 $600 in checks. And they know on top of that, they will get $6,000 for the two kids. So, that is huge.

A lot of the PPP money will be able to go out immediately, the state and local money will go out immediately, vaccine distribution will get the injection that it needs immediately. And so, I think we will see the results of this package very quickly.

BLITZER: You say the Senate changes to the bill weren't a good policy, in your words, or good politics. But you're putting all of that aside, you're supporting this legislation. Will all your fellow progressives vote in favor of it?

JAYAPAL: Well, I have been talking to our members and I think everybody feels the same way that this is -- those changes were completely unnecessary, bad politics and bad policy as we said. But I think people understand this is a bold, progressive package with our top priorities in there. And had the House Progressive Caucus not worked so hard to make the bill as progressive as it was, it probably would have been much worse. Almost every cent of this package is going to progressive priorities.

And I think that is what our members are going to consider at the end when they cast their votes. And I feel very good about our members, you know, yes, votes on the bill.

BLITZER: So you think it's a done deal. If President Biden can't win, though, a single Republican vote for this emergency pandemic legislation, what hope do you have for more ambitious legislation, Congresswoman, down the road?

JAYAPAL: It's a very sad thing, because of course, even though he can't win a single Republican vote, and maybe we'll get some in the House, I still have hope. The fact is that 70 percent of the American people believe that this is a good package, it is so popular with Republicans and Democrats. But if they're not going to vote for something this popular, they are going to have a fork in the road at some point, our Republican colleagues, where they're going to have to go back to their districts and say, I didn't vote for that, I wasn't in favor of that. Many of them are on T.V. criticizing a plan that is tremendously popular.

And they will have to decide if they're just going to continue to be the obstructionist party, or if they're actually going to come to the table, roll up their sleeves and work with us. Either way, Wolf, we are delivering relief, and we're not going to hold it up for Republicans to get on board.

BLITZER: Yes, it looks like it's going to pass out tomorrow morning and then President Biden will sign it into law right away.

While I have your, Congresswoman, let me get your reaction to this new video, the FBI released showing the suspect who actually planted those pipe bombs the night before the Capitol attack over at the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters, which is just a block or so away from Capitol Hill. Our suspect still at large. What does this say to you about the ongoing threat to you and your fellow members to the U.S. Congress?

JAYAPAL: That's an ongoing threat is serious. And you know, we had a security briefing yesterday from General Honore. We have you know, a set of things that we can do immediately to increase our security and investments we need to make.

But I have been troubled that we still have not heard much about those bombs that were placed on January 6. It seems to me that they were diversionary tactics to draw away necessary law enforcement from the Capitol which allowed them the insurgents to be able to invade the Capitol.

[17:25:11]

So, I think obviously, there's just a lot of holes here. And we still feel, I know, members, my fellow members here and I still feel not completely safe. We're coming to work every day and we're not entirely sure what we're going to get. But we are committed to getting our job done, and to putting in the investments to make us safe and to make the Capitol both accessible, but also secure.

BLITZER: Well, we hope you're secure. We hope you're safe. I know all of you have increased security right now, not only here in Washington, but when you go back to your districts as well, which you should have given the current climate out there.

Thanks so much, Congresswoman, for joining us.

JAYAPAL: Thank you, Wolf. All ways great to see you.

BLITZER: Thank you.

Coming up on more coronavirus vaccine. Standby we have details about 100s of 1000s of doses now being added to the national supply. And later, the Queen finally responds to the Prince Harry and Meghan Markle interview alleging racism and mistreatment by the royal family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:30:38]

BLITZER: We're following breaking pandemic news right now. The White House saying the supply of the Pfizer and the Moderna coronavirus vaccines will increase by some 600,000 this week to 15.8 million doses. CNN national correspondent Nick Watt is in Los Angeles for us. Nick, it's a much needed boost to the country's vaccination effort, which is moving along very, very nicely.

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It sure is, Wolf, nearly 16 million Pfizer and Moderna doses now going out to states and territories every week.

Now, this isn't just President Biden's doing, production has also ramped up. But the number of doses actually going into arms has more than doubled since Joe Biden took office.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WATT (voice-over): Nearly 10 percent of Americans are now fully vaccinated. And there are now CDC guidelines for what they can and still cannot do. But --

CARLOS DEL RIO, EXEC. ASSC. DEAN, EMORY UNIV SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, GRADY HEALTH SYSTEM: I was a little disappointed that they didn't say anything about travel.

WATT (voice-over): We're told the CDC talked about travel, but there was never momentum behind a change. Official advice remains just don't. Still, more than 5 million people flew these past five days.

DEL RIO: Already people are traveling, their spring break coming up. I think it's important to tell people how to travel.

WATT (voice-over): About 60 percent of Americans 65 and older the demo in deepest danger have had at least one dose of vaccine. Rhode Island now plans to get at least one dose into all teachers and school staff before the end of the month.

GOV. DAN MCKEE (D-RI): We're going to do everything that we possibly can to make sure that we salvage some of the school year.

WATT (voice-over): This country is now averaging under 60,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, dropped 14 percent in just a week. But --

DR. CRAIG SPENCER, DIR. GLOBAL HEALTH IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE, COLUMBIA UNIV MEDICAL CTR: No guarantee that just because we're ramping up our vaccine at record levels nearly every day that we're completely out of the woods.

WATT (voice-over): Starting tomorrow, no more masked mandate in Texas and businesses can open without restriction. Many say they will still ask customers to mask up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can see the conflict coming in. The cops will be stuck in the middle just like we always are.

WATT (voice-over): The Magnolia school board outskirts of Houston just voted on what to do about masks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have God given rights. And it is time that you guys understand that the masks need to go away.

WATT (voice-over): The decision, no more masks as of April 1st. By the way, nearly 14 percent of tests are coming back positive in the Lone Star State. Five or under suggests the virus is under control.

MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER (D), HOUSTON: Let's not lose sight of the fact, people are going to get the virus and people are going to die.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATT: Now, the governor of Ohio has just declared today a day of remembrance exactly a year since the first person died in his state with this virus. And the governor of New Jersey says that March 9th from here on out is going to be a COVID-19 Heroes Day. We're still not out of the woods, but we are already figuring out how we're going to remember what we've all been through and also those who didn't make it. Wolf?

BLITZER: What an awful year it has been, totally awful indeed. All right, thanks very much Nick Watt in Los Angeles for us. So let's discuss with CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen an emergency room physician, the former Baltimore City health commissioner. Dr. Wen, thanks so much for joining us.

As you heard 600,000 more doses of both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines will be shipped out this week. Just how promising are these dramatic developments as we work toward what's called herd immunity?

DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: I think it's extremely promising, Wolf. And I think this speaks to the incredible work of the Biden administration thus far. So when we think about the major barriers to reaching herd immunity, there are three. One is supply, the second is administration, and the third is confidence and acceptance of the vaccine.

And President Biden has said that by May, by the end of May, we're going to have enough supply for every adult American, again, that's really fantastic. Then we're also ramping up vaccinations at a very high speed which is also great, more than 2 million vaccinations a day almost reaching 3 million in some cases.

[17:35:00]

So I think that by June or July we should be at the point that every American who wants a vaccine is able to get one. But then we have to focus on this issue of acceptance, knowing that it's not binary. It's not that -- it's not just that some people really want the vaccine, and some people just will never get it.

It's all these people in the middle who we have to show them, what's in it for them. We have to address their concerns and really incentivize them to get the vaccine. And I worried that that's going to be the major barrier in the way.

BLITZER: That vaccine hesitancy has got to go away. Lives are on the line right now. CNN has learned, Dr. Wen, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention actually discuss changing travel recommendations for fully, fully vaccinated Americans, in other words, when they receive both of their vaccines, and they wait two weeks. But ultimately, they decided against it apparently out of an abundance of caution. Was that a mistake?

WEN: I do you think it's a mistake. And I hope that the Biden administration will reconsider them. And here's why. Travel, like air travel, for example, is very low risk. There was just a Harvard study that found that there's very low probability of spread of COVID-19, even in unvaccinated people during the flight.

And so when you have fully vaccinated individuals, it just doesn't make common sense that somehow that is going to be dangerous. I think we should be focused more on what happens when people get to their destination. We can say that fully vaccinated people should be able to travel for example, to see their loved ones that's allowed to now using or with the CDC, so they can travel to see their loved ones and maybe unvaccinated people who are going for spring break trips where there's no distancing, no masking, that's not a good idea.

And of course, wear masks during the travel. But allowing travel, even encouraging travel for fully vaccinated people should be something that the CDC really looks to do.

BLITZER: Yes. That's why I keep hearing because the ventilation system, the air moving inside those planes is very, very good. And almost, almost, almost impossible to spread the virus while you're flying, that's what I keep hearing and I'm hearing it from you as well. Dr. Leana Wen, thank you so much for joining us, always good to get your advice.

WEN: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Coming up a jurors are now seated in the trial of the former police officer charged in the death of George Floyd.

Plus, what Britain's Queen Elizabeth is now saying about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's shocking allegations of racism and neglect by members of the royal family?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:41:27]

BLITZER: Today brought some dramatic new developments in the wake of Oprah Winfrey's bombshell interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. It was broadcast last night in the United Kingdom. And this afternoon, the Queen issued a statement reacting to the couple's allegations of racism and mistreatment.

Let's go to CNN royal correspondent Max Foster is joining us from London. Max we're finally hearing from the royal family after this bombshell interview. So what is the Queen saying tonight?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: It looks like a very simple statement. It's loaded though I have to say, Wolf. And one of the first things you see is this is on behalf of the Queen, the statement, normally it'd be from Buckingham Palace. So this is the boss speaking to the world, speaking to the family, and trying to get everyone to sit down and listen.

She says, the whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. In other words, they didn't realize it was this bad when Harry and Meghan say they did. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.

So they do dispute the recollection of Harry in that conversation when they talked about the color of Archie skin. But they do say they're going to look in to this race issue, so a probe effectively into racism within the British monarchy. Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much loved members of the family. And I think that is the complexity here. This is not just a monarchy, with a business. It's a family. They're trying to reconcile all of this.

But I think what the Queen's saying there is we can sort this out. But we do need to do it privately with each other to work this through. It shouldn't be turn on T.V. I think she's saying let's make this private now. Let's take this away from the airways, Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes. Max, stay with us. I also want to bring in CNN royal commentator Kate Williams. You know, Kate, this was a very concise statement, as we just heard from the royal family, but they stress, and I'm quoting now that some recollections may vary. How did you interpret this response?

KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Well, it's very short, as you say, 61 words. And really, I think the aim of it is to shut up conversations to Harry and Meghan told the truth, they told the truth. They said so many things they want to say. And they're saying that these questions are going to be dealt with privately.

But obviously, you know, there's not much said here, and there's no, there are missing things. There's no outright condemnation of racism here, commitment to diversity. And the point is said that it's going to be dealt with privately. So we, as the public aren't going to find out what the answer of this probe is.

And the point, as you're saying, some recollections may vary, well, this is really disagreeing with what Harry and Meghan would say, say we, you know, their recollection differs to what we said. And that's, I think, you know, it seems very clear that Harry and Meghan was sure of what had been said to them that concerns are raised by Archie's skin color and how it would look. And I do think that the royal family will probably have to go further than this, because this isn't going to shut down conversation. And also in very, I think, poignantly, there doesn't seem to be any mentioned here of Meghan's mental health struggles, how she felt she couldn't get support, and there was no support within the family, and also within the institution as well that she was desperate that these things are not answered either.

So I think we should expect to see more briefing through sources because as the stance, the conversation in Britain about the monarchy, this is not going to be enough to stop it and to swerve it around to the monarchies, point monarchy advantage at the moment

[17:45:02]

BLITZER: And that point, you know, Max is the British public expecting more from the royal family considering this interview brought up these very, very serious issues once again of racism and suicidal thoughts.

FOSTER: You know, I spoke to a source and they said, this at the heart of this is a family. They should have a right to discuss and resolve this privately. I think that does suggest perhaps that they are working towards healing this rift. I suspect they've been trying to speak to Meghan and Harry. I've spoken to Meghan and Harry's office. They did not have a response to this statement.

So, one assumes that perhaps Charles is back in contact with Harry, perhaps William is back in contact with Harry so they can resolve those personal rifts. But we do have this hangover of racism attached to the British monarchy. And the way that they didn't handle the mental health issues effectively, according to the interview with Oprah.

And this is important, because these are issues that they champion, and they could be accused of hypocrisy, if any of these accusations stick. So that's the bigger issue for the institution was the family tries to resolve it behind the scenes. The public has become very divided about this. So it's not over in terms of public debate. But I think the family, the institution are trying to draw a line here in terms of their public arguments.

BLITZER: What do you what do you think, Kate? This is a family, you know, Harry has a brother, a father, grandparents, you think they're actually talking to each other about all this stuff?

WILLIAMS: Well, Wolf, that wasn't the impression we were given from Harry and Meghan's interview. It was made very clear that things hadn't been resolved privately that Harry had -- Charles has stopped taking Harry's calls when Harry was trying to discuss his plans for the future, there was still distance between them.

Really, it was only really the Queen who was calling him regularly. And so if they are going to resolve this privately, there's a lot of work that has to be done in these family relationships. And I think what we saw with Harry and Meghan, were two people who said clearly, we didn't get the support, had we had the support, we would have stayed within the royal family.

And this is going back this happened to Princess Diana, she felt desperate and alone and other people. And I think this is an issue that the royal family has to engage within a wider question. Where is the support? It's a contrast, isn't it? Because last week, we had a newspaper story in "The Times" saying that they were bullying allegations against Meghan. There was a really quick response in Buckingham Palace saying we're going to have an inquiry into this, a full inquiry.

But that I think does seem a bit of a contrast when you have this saying, we'll deal with it privately. And you as a taxpayer won't find out what the answer is.

BLITZER: Kate Williams and Max Foster, guys, thank you very, very much.

There's more breaking news here in THE SITUATION ROOM. A third juror has just been seated at the trial of the former police officer charged in the death of George Floyd. Plus, we're learning what went on behind the scenes, as the CDC discussed loosening travel guidelines for Americans who are fully vaccinated.

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BLITZER: Here's more breaking we're following here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Three jurors have now been seated in the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin charged in the death of George Floyd. CNN national correspondent Sara Sidner is in Minneapolis for us. Sara, so what do we know about the jury selected so far?

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We know there are at least two jurors who are Asian, one person who appears to be biracial. I want to show you also what the scene looks like here because they are prepared for whatever the eventuality might be.

And certainly (INAUDIBLE) the court is just behind there. You also see armored vehicles that are there as well. And the security extremely tight, lots of barricades, lots of fencing, razor wire, barbed wire, that is the scene around the court and around some of the city buildings here as well. So they're taking all precautions.

We did see a very large demonstration, peaceful demonstration yesterday in front of the court. And we do expect to see demonstrations throughout this trial. So far, Judge Peter Cahill has been very methodical. He has made sure that everyone can hear that everybody is paying attention. Each of the jurors, potential jurors sworn in first and then ask questions.

I will tell you that they have gone through already a 16-page juror questionnaire, which is far longer than normal, having to answer a lot of questions not just about what they know, because there is no expectation, Wolf, that people don't know anything about this case. That's just not possible. What the expectation is, is that they can be impartial and just concentrate on the evidence that they hear in court and not anything else they have learned. The three jurors say that they can do just that.

BLITZER: You know, I remember --

SIDNER: That's the jury so far, there's going to be 12 people plus four alternatives that they're looking for.

BLITZER: You're used to that those fences with the razor wire. You covered Capitol Hill last week, and you saw what was going on around Capitol Hill, now Minneapolis has the same thing. All right, Sara, thank you very, very much.

[17:54:44]

There's more breaking news we're following. The FBI puts out a new video of the person suspected of planting pipe bombs here in Washington the night before the January 6th Capitol siege.

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BLITZER: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. We're following breaking news on the investigation of events surrounding the January 6th Capitol insurrection.

The FBI just releasing new security video, it shows a person placing pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol on the eve of the riot, leaving them outside the Republican and Democratic Party headquarters. Authorities are asking the public for any information as a suspect and offering a $100,000 reward.

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