Trump: "If Not For Me, We Would Now Be At War With North Korea"; Embattled EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Faces Mounting Ethical Scandals
BERMAN: There's some breaking news to report this morning. So, the Defense Intelligence Agency, which is part of the U.S. government, says that North Korea -- Kim Jong Un -- they see no plans that Kim has immediate plans to denuclearize. Again, Kim is not about to denuclearize. Keep that in mind when I tell you what the president wrote just moments ago. Let me read you from his Twitter account. "Many good conversations with North Korea. It is going well. In the meantime, no rocket launches or nuclear testing in eight months. All of Asia is thrilled. Only the opposition party, which include the fake news, is complaining. If not for me, we would now be at war with North Korea." Joining us now to discuss, CNN political commentator Ana Navarro and CNN legal and political commentator Ken Cuccinelli. Guys, this is breaking news. Sorry to spring this on you, Ana but the president's claim that not for me, we would now be at war with North Korea -- it's interesting in light of all this intelligence that's come forward in the last few days where after the president met with Kim Jong Un, saying that North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat, it turns out that threat is still very much real, Ana.</s>ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: And I -- you know, I think is just more confirmation of what we have read and heard in the last few days where they have a third nuclear site. Whether we would be at war or not, we don't know. I would like to think that the threshold for going into war would be greater. What is obvious though is that Donald Trump wants a win and if that means not paying attention to the intelligence information, if that means pretending that Kim is denuclearizing, that is what he's going to do. He cares about his image, he cares about his brand. He cares about scoring a win more than he cares about anything else involving national security of any other topic. We've seen that on the Russia front many times. So I think it is par for the course when it comes to Donald Trump. It reminds me of Ronald Reagan, right? Trust and verify. This guy is completely the opposite.</s>BERMAN: You know, Ken, again, the news we've seen in the last few days --</s>KEN CUCCINELLI, CNN LEGAL AND POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL, VIRGINIA: Yes.</s>BERMAN: -- the Defense Intelligence Agency says Kim does not have plans to fully denuclearize. We see pictures by independent groups -- these pictures which show that missile production has not ramped down. In some cases, it's ramped up. Yes, the president met with Kim. Yes, we are not at war with North Korea right now. But, nor are there signs that --</s>CUCCINELLI: Yes.</s>BERMAN: -- North Korea is doing the things the president said they would do.</s>CUCCINELLI: Well, certainly, this is kind of classic Trump hyperbole. But at the same time, there are also other signs where they're taking apart one facility. The DIA's information goes in a different director. But it's only been three weeks and one of the things that was problematic leading up to the meeting between the president and North Korea was the fact that denuclearization is an extremely slow process. It isn't like you pull a plug somewhere. And the challenge with North Korea has been first, getting over the initial hump -- and I would say they have done that -- but then, it's them staying on the same path. America's been willing to stay on the same path; North Korea hasn't. It's going to take a long time before we really know if they're willing to engage constructively here. Obviously, the president is happy with how it's gone so far and that's fine and he deserves credit for that. But at the same time, we have a long way to go for this to really come to fruition in a way that's going to matter to the world in the long run.</s>BERMAN: You speak the truth. Denuclearization is not easy. There is a long way to go which is why when the president says --</s>CUCCINELLI: There is.</s>BERMAN: -- last week or the other week there is no more nuclear threat in North Korea, that is a lie. That is something that is not true and that is, in a way, misrepresenting this entire complicated process that the U.S. government is now in the middle of right now. So I just wanted to take note of where the president is on that.</s>CUCCINELLI: Well, if I could comment on that.</s>BERMAN: OK.</s>CUCCINELLI: I think that -- that hyperbole, I think, is explainable. I think calling that a lie is really overdoing it. I think that the nuclear threat that he's referring to there is simply Kim being poised to shoot. And there were signs that they -- that hair-trigger position was --</s>BERMAN: I -- you know, Ken, I got you.</s>CUCCINELLI: -- in place earlier in the year.</s>BERMAN: I'm just basing -- I'm just basing this on what we're hearing from Mike Pompeo and from the intelligence agencies, the Defense Department, and others who say --</s>CUCCINELLI: Sure.</s>BERMAN: -- that North Korea has not changed its posture in terms of enriching uranium, in terms of missile capacity, in terms of missile production. I do want to get you guys on a different subject which is Scott Pruitt, Ana, and as I've been saying, the magical suit of armor that he wears to avoid all scandal. If we have the full screen I just want to put up -- this is just today. There are three stories -- new stories just today. "The Washington Post" says "Pruitt aides reveal new details of Pruitt's spending and management at EPA." "The New York Times" says former EPA aide -- Scott Pruitt -- it says an aide asked Pruitt to help -- for help on finding work for his wife. That's in addition to the Chick-fil-A story from before. And then, CNN has a remarkable story that Pruitt really had his calendar scrubbed to remove records of controversial meetings that he had. Ana, how much longer can this go on?</s>NAVARRO: Until Donald Trump decides that it can't go on. Until Donald Trump says enough is enough with this guy. It's really kind of amazing. I mean, he's got 14 ongoing investigations right now. We are talking the House Oversight Committee which is led by Republicans. And with Scott Pruitt, the department has become the "explain Pruitt's actions department." That's what the EPA is right now. And you have such a menu of things to pick from, right? From the downright --</s>BERMAN: Yes.</s>NAVARRO: -- ridiculous, like sending staff to go look for lotion that he likes the smell of at the Ritz Carlton, to doing things that are troubling as trying to find his wife a six-figure job in Washington. So, you know, it's petty, it's embarrassing. It's certainly not statesmanlike. Now the thing is, Scott Pruitt is doing things at the EPA which many conservatives like -- which Trump likes because he is -- you know, there's nothing Trump likes more than undoing something Obama did. So basically, as long as he continues doing that he keeps buying himself time. But this is --</s>BERMAN: Yes.</s>NAVARRO: For Democrats, this is like the gift that keeps on giving and forget drain the swamp. They are able to look the Trump administration in the eye --</s>BERMAN: Yes.</s>NAVARRO: -- and just talk about the hypocrisy and the corruption of the --</s>BERMAN: Maybe there's a soft skin -- maybe they have a soft skin exception to draining the swamp. Ken, I want --</s>CUCCINELLI: Yes.</s>BERMAN: I want to -- let me ask you because you say --</s>CUCCINELLI: Yes.</s>BERMAN: In November, you said God forbid we have an administrator of the EPA who thinks it's important to obey the law and Scott does. That was back in 2017. And again, just to this new story from CNN this morning alone that --</s>CUCCINELLI: Yes.</s>BERMAN: -- there were EPA officials changing the calendar to remove controversial meetings, do you still think that Scott Pruitt is walking the straight and narrow path here?</s>CUCCINELLI: Certainly, when you see things like that -- and I note in the CNN stories they're talking about the difference between public calendars and not public calendars because it isn't like these e-mails didn't exist and everything else. So I think that Scott is drawing a lot of fire because he's over the target. And, Ana gave you her EPA acronym; I'll give you mine. Under the Obama administration, it was the "Employment Prevention Agency." And the fact of the matter is Scott is relentlessly --</s>BERMAN: Hey, but Ken -- but Ken, you know the deputy there. The policy --</s>CUCCINELLI: -- pursuing this agenda.</s>BERMAN: I imagine the policy would be same at this point no matter who filled that role. The policy -- the policy could be the same with someone --</s>CUCCINELLI: No, no, no, no. Look at --</s>BERMAN: Well --</s>CUCCINELLI: Compare it to another agency.</s>BERMAN: But,</s>I -- CUCCINELLI: Like, Ben Carson is at HUD. Very little's happening at HUD. Acosta at Labor. Very little's happening at Labor.</s>BERMAN: But is it worth it -- is it worth it --</s>CUCCINELLI: It is not true that someone else wouldn't be this aggressive.</s>BERMAN: Look, appoint -- Ken, why didn't they appoint you? I'm sure you would do the same thing without 14 investigations into your ethical issues right now.</s>CUCCINELLI: (Laughing).</s>NAVARRO: Go ahead, Ken, do it. Listen, I've got a -- I've got a drawer full of those lotions from the Ritz Carlton so go ahead and do it. I've got you covered.</s>CUCCINELLI: Yes, I'm not a -- I'm not a big lotion guy. I'm not a big lotion guy. But look, I'm not -- I'm not going to say that there aren't mistakes there.</s>NAVARRO: You should try it. You know, moisturizing is very underestimated.</s>BERMAN: I'll give you the last word, Ken.</s>CUCCINELLI: But -- yes, look, Scott has made some mistakes. I do think this one is another example of seizing how they operate. And could it -- could it be better? Yes. Could it be worse? It was. He doesn't have the server in his bathroom, he doesn't have a separate e-mail like the previous EPA administrator --</s>BERMAN: But the e-mail -- I do think --</s>CUCCINELLI: -- and the media didn't care about that.</s>BERMAN: But it is -- it isn't about the e-mails.</s>CUCCINELLI: He is relentlessly reducing regulations --</s>BERMAN: Yes.</s>CUCCINELLI: -- and that is why he's taking all this fire.</s>BERMAN: Yes, he's changing his calendar and he's trying to get his wife multiple jobs with government employees at the same time. I think you can do what you want with the environment without the ethical issues as well. Ken Cuccinelli, great to have you with us. Ana Navarro --</s>CUCCINELLI: That would be ideal.</s>BERMAN: -- thank you very much. Nivea online, too, for you, Ana, as we speak.</s>NAVARRO: Moisturize.</s>ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, lotion --</s>BERMAN: All right, Alisyn --</s>CAMEROTA: -- not overrated.</s>CUCCINELLI: Ana, not me.</s>CAMEROTA: Maybe he could use a salt scrub to clean his calendar.</s>BERMAN: Exfoliating --</s>CAMEROTA: Exfoliating his calendar.</s>BERMAN: Exfoliating --</s>CAMEROTA: Maybe he's exfoliating his calendar.</s>BERMAN: That's investigation number 15 on Scott Pruitt.</s>JOHN AVLON, CNN ANCHOR: Put the lotion in the basket.</s>CAMEROTA: There you go. All right. Meanwhile, switching gears, the clock is still ticking this morning on the effort to rescue these 12 boys who are trapped in a Thailand cave. We will give you an update on what can happen next.