CNN "State of the Union" - Transcript: Interview With California Senator Dianne Feinstein

Interview

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TAPPER: Welcome back to STATE OF THE UNION. I'm Jake Tapper.

As we await the unprecedented face-to-face meet between President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, President Trump has thrown a wrench into the international order, defying the closest allies of the U.S., abruptly declaring that the U.S. will not endorse the G7 agreement.

Just moments ago, you heard the president's top economic adviser telling me that Canada's Justin Trudeau is at fault because he betrayed the U.S. in a -- quote -- "amateur political stunt." Here with me to discuss, as well as the North Korean summit, is Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who is fresh off a primary win there for reelection.

Congratulations, Senator.

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: Thank you very much.

TAPPER: So, I want to get to North Korea in a second, but I do wonder what your response is.

Larry Kudlow saying that this is all Justin Trudeau's fault, Justin Trudeau shouldn't have come out and delivered what Kudlow called an amateur political stunt, talking about the U.S. doing things that are inappropriate in terms of threatened tariffs, and President Trump pulling out of the communique is Trudeau's fault.

FEINSTEIN: Well, I can tell you the way I look at it.

This wasn't just with Trudeau. This is with our best allies, seven best allies. And it seems to me, not to sign a statement of solidarity which stands for everything that we stand for, is a big mistake.

I understand the president was upset. The president could have said that. But to walk away from our allies in this way, I think, is a mistake.

TAPPER: And, of course, this comes in a context.

I want you to take a listen to the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk.

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[09:25:00]

TAPPER: So, that's the president of the European Council saying that the rules-based international order is being challenged by us, by the United States.

And that was even before this incident with President Trump refusing to sign the communique.

After you have seen for the last -- what you have seen for the last year-and-a-half, do you think President Trump sees himself and the United States as the leader of the free world?

FEINSTEIN: Well, I think he sees these agreements as not being very important. And they are hugely symbolic and they are really meaningful.

I mean, we have helped support this whole democratic Atlantic community and more or less forged it into a single entity. And I have been very proud of that as an American. We don't want to stand alone in the world. We need to stand with our democratic allies.

Now, will there be differences of opinion? Will we not like a statement that one or the other makes? Of course. But that doesn't mean you reject what the G7 stands for and just move out and ignore it.

I mean, I think that is a huge mistake on the president's part.

TAPPER: President Trump also raised some eyebrows this weekend when he suggested that Russia should be allowed to rejoin the G7.

Take a listen.

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TAPPER: As you know, Russia was kicked out of what was then the G8 because they had invaded Crimea and seized that territory.

Do you think it is time to start talking about admitting Russia back?

FEINSTEIN: Well, I think, not only did they seize Crimea, but they also interfered in the election.

And the democratic election in the United States is a sacrosanct territory. And for a government -- and I believe Putin gave instructions to the intelligence services of that country to do just that and mix it up in the election. That is unacceptable.

So, as far as most of us are concerned, Russia has not yet apologized. Russia has not yet said this will never happen again. So, I do not agree on this point either.

TAPPER: Let's turn to the historic summit with North Korea.

The president just landed in Singapore just moments ago. Last year, you were very critical of the president's rhetoric, which was very tough against North Korea. You said he wasn't helping the situation with his -- quote -- "bombastic comments."

You called for a diplomatic solution. Now we're on the cusp of this historic meeting. North Korea said it's willing to discuss denuclearizing the peninsula.

Looking at where we are now, is it possible that President Trump was right and you were wrong when it came to approach with North Korea?

FEINSTEIN: Well, let me tell you how I see North Korea.

North Korea is on its way to becoming a clear and present danger to the United States. I have watched its nuclear program as carefully as I could as a member of the Intelligence Committee. They have done six nuclear tests. They have developed a missile system. They probably have up to 60, maybe more, nuclear weapons.

They are trying to fit a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile. They have not tested that yet. But, when they do, it gives them the ability to hit the United States.

It is a government that is not within the community of nations. It is an isolated government, unpredictable, with what appears to be a growing nuclear prowess.

I think this sends a lot of danger signals. I think the president does have a chance to put in motion meaningful dialogue. I mean, remember the agreed formula. Remember the six-party talks. This went on for decades. And North Korea didn't keep virtually any of its agreements.

So, there has to be something that is fundamental, that is agreeable, and that the two, our country and North Korea, can come together, and the nuclear proliferation, which is -- happens in a number of ways. They send nuclear materials out. They make the weapons. They have the missiles. They hide the missiles.

And there is no question in my mind that, when you develop an intercontinental ballistic missile and a nuclear warhead that is going to fit on that missile, that the United States is in danger.

TAPPER: What is the minimum you would like to see President Trump achieve at this summit? The minimum?

FEINSTEIN: Well, the minimum is an understanding that this is a real problem for us, we will not let that problem stand, and the only alternative is to sit down and come up with an agreement, and also make it such that there is an incentive for North Korea to do that.

[09:30:03]

TAPPER: You signed a letter with other Democratic Senate leaders this week saying that any deal with North Korea must be permanent and include anytime-anywhere inspections.

FEINSTEIN: Correct.

TAPPER: The Iran nuclear deal, which you advocated for under President Obama, let some key provisions expire and some limits on how quickly some areas could be inspected.

Why the higher standard for the North Korea deal than for the Iran deal? FEINSTEIN: Well, in the first place, I believe that North Korea, with

an intercontinental ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead, is, as I said, a clear and present danger to the United States.

TAPPER: It's a bigger -- it's a bigger threat than Iran?

FEINSTEIN: Oh, yes, no question.

And the Iranians -- there are many different contacts that people have with the Iranian government. There are virtually no contacts, I think particularly in the Senate, with North Korea.

So, North Korea stands out there as an isolated nation, becoming a nuclear power, proliferating and developing weapons, selling weapon materials and weapons, and developing a weapon that could hit us.

TAPPER: You introduced a bill this week to stop the separation of undocumented parents and undocumented children as they cross the U.S. border.

FEINSTEIN: Oh, yes.

TAPPER: A lot of Democrats are expressing outrage about how Trump is treating undocumented immigrants.

We saw this photo making the rounds on social media, Los Angeles Mayor, former Mayor Villaraigosa tweeted it out.

It is actually from -- it is undocumented children in a holding cell, but it is actually from 2014, when President Obama was president.

There were a lot of things done to undocumented immigrants that the immigration -- the immigrant community was very upset about during the Obama years that Democrats didn't seem as outspoken about.

What do you say to people who say, where was all this activism during the Obama years?

FEINSTEIN: I don't believe that it was nearly to the extent that it is today.

And, candidly, I didn't really know enough about it at that time to focus on it. I do know enough about it now. We have had a hearing in the Judiciary Committee. We did have testimony.

I know that at least 50 children a day are taken from their parents. And the thing is, they are taken, and no one knows what happens to them. Their parents don't know how to find them. And you have now the first person, one of the fathers, that died in jail.

And I find it just inhumane, callous, and something I never thought my country would do.

So, it is very worrisome, and we have got to stop it. And so we have written a bill. We have 31 co-sponsors. I hope we will be able to get it out of the Judiciary Committee. It has been introduced. And it would prohibit the taking of children in this manner, and then

it would provide a number of criteria to remove a child, what you would have to have present.

TAPPER: Senator Dianne Feinstein, it's great to see you.

FEINSTEIN: Thank you.

TAPPER: Congratulations again on your primary victory. Hope to see you again soon.

FEINSTEIN: Thank you very much.

TAPPER: Thank you.

FEINSTEIN: Appreciate it.

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