ERROL:
00:04:27
All right, awesome. Kelly O'Grady making us feel smarter. Thanks so much. Great to see you. We'll see you again soon. All right, let's jump over now to CBS News Correspondent Natalie Brand. She's at the White House for us and can give us more on the latest statements from the president as it relates to trade. Natalie, good morning again. The president, I guess, doubling down on his Friday deadline of August 1, perhaps in reaction to commentary that his deadlines don't carry any weight. What is the president saying? How is it being interpreted? Good morning, Errol. Well, the administration in recent weeks has really been consistent in talking about and sticking to this August 1 deadline. And we are seeing, as we approach that Friday deadline, some new announcements, one by the president, referenced by Kelly, on India. In a lengthy social media post just this morning, he cites military equipment purchased from Russia, also Russia's largest buyer of energy, and says that because of that, and some other things, that India will be paying a tariff of 25% plus a penalty for the above. This is a country that, as you may remember, Vice President JD Vance visited months ago. They were talking about trade back then. We had been waiting to hear about movement on India. Well, now we have some answers and obviously the connection to Russia as well. Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett was just asked about this news by reporters here at the White House. Here's what he had to say. Well, I think that what's going to happen is that India is going to cut their prices to the US in order to maintain their market share. That's what everybody else has been doing. And then they might reconsider their practices which have led to this higher rate. And over time, I would guess that Indian firms will be onshoring production in the US, and Indians might even open their markets more to us so that we reconsider a future trade deal. So in those comments, he's signaling that the US and the administration is open to negotiation there. But of course, again, as we barrel towards this deadline, the big question that remains, what happens with Canada and Mexico, where talks appear to have stalled, and of course, as Kelly noted, also China, where, as we know, talks for an extension of the tariff truce have been underway this week. Yeah, and we also want to hear from India for its reaction to this development. Natalie, I want to also want to ask you about new developments coming directly from the president's mouth as it relates to his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He doesn't want any more attention on this, but he's just given the topic new life by sharing new details. What is he saying? Yeah, he was pressed by reporters traveling with him back from Scotland about comments he made that Epstein poached employees from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and that was a reason for their falling out, the reason that he eventually banned Epstein from the club. And in questioning with reporters, he was asked, well, who were these employees? Were they young women? He acknowledged that they were young women in the spa. He was asked specifically about Virginia Giuffre. Here's what he had to say. I think she worked at the spa. I think so. I think that was one of the people, yeah. He stole her. Now, Guiffre, as you know, emerged as one of Epstein's most vocal public sex trafficking accusers. Sadly, she died by suicide, according to her family. But she says Ghislaine Maxwell is the one who approached her when she was just 16 back in 2000. That is her allegation. Maxwell denies that. But of course, Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence, convicted of sex trafficking, Errol. Yeah, and as you've discussed this week, Natalie, the president has not ruled out pardoning Maxwell. So a fascinating development. Thank you so much. Natalie Brand at the White House.
