Bolton and Kelly Get into Heated Shouting Match in West Wing; Manafort has Met with Mueller's Team Nine Times in Past Month
CABRERA: We're just getting this into CNN. Chief of Staff, John Kelly and National Security Advisor, John Bolton apparently just got into a shouting match over a recent surge in border crossings. That's what two sources are telling CNN right now. Kaitlan Collins is joining us live from the White House. What more can you tell us about this, Kaitlan?</s>KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, we're told it got pretty ugly inside the West Wing today between the Chief of Staff and national security advisor as they were meeting to discuss a recent surge in border crossings. Something that we know has infuriated President Trump. He's been agitated by that for days now and threatened to shut down the border on Twitter this morning. But the fight that was the worst was the one between John Bolton and John Kelly today. I'm told they got into an extremely heated disagreement inside the West Wing that involved cursing and all kinds of profanity. And that turned into a shouting match that even startled other people here in the West Wing. Now, Ana, you know this is quite a divisive West Wing, arguing is pretty typical here but this was different today. This was more dramatic. And one source told me today it equated to essentially a falling out between the two men. And they were fearing that there could be a resignation that could come out of this and they didn't think it would be from John Bolton the national security advisor. Who continued on with his meetings per normal today. But from John Kelly, who has threatened resigning multiple times in the past but they're told today they truly thought that this could lead to him to step down from his role as the Chief of Staff. Now that argument went on. And President Trump was involved in the beginning of it. But instead of taking John Kelly's side, who has agreed with him before an immigration, he was on John Bolton's side during this disagreement. Which only increased John Kelly's agitation over all of this. So, it was a really ugly fight between them. Of course, a lot of it has to do with the President himself and his feelings on the recent surge in border crossings. But now there is a question of whether or not John Kelly is going to step down from his job. He's not scheduled to travel with the President to that rally in Montana tonight. And people inside the West Wing are questioning right now if he's going to continue on in this role. But even if he stays here, Ana, what we have seen is this is laying bare a very bitter feud between John Bolton and John Kelly that has been going on for weeks now. But today were told that it really hit a high mark -- Ana.</s>CABRERA: And is it a tipping point, is the bigger question in terms of what happens next.</s>COLLINS: That's right.</s>CABRERA: Kaitlan, thank you very much for that reporting. Special counsel Robert Mueller's quiet period has not been very quiet. CNN is learning new details. Convicted felon and former Trump campaign chairman, Paul Manafort and his lawyers visiting Mueller's office nine times in the past month. Manafort is cooperating with Mueller as part of his plea agreement. Also, this, CNN has learned discussions between President Trump's legal team and Mueller's office have intensified in recent weeks. Joining us now, CNN legal analyst, Michael Zeldin. He is a former special assistant to Robert Mueller at the Justice Department. Michael, first, your take on Manafort's nine visits to Mueller's office?</s>MICHAEL ZELDIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, Manafort has at least nine topics that Mueller will be interested in as it relates to collusion and the Ukraine plaque at the Republican National Convention. Funds coming into the Trump campaign from outside, all sorts of things that Manafort has personal knowledge of. Most particularly perhaps the June 9th Trump Tower meeting that he participated in with Jared Kushner and Don Jr. So, I think it's logical that Mueller now having waited all this time for Manafort to begin his cooperation is going to debrief him and debrief him against testimony that he's received from Flynn and Gates previously. It's a long, painstaking process. And so, I think that nothing is unexpected here because Manafort is such a central player in what Mueller is looking at on the conclusion aspect of his mandate.</s>CABRERA: As far as other players within the President's orbit, we also know nine of Roger Stone's friends and aides have spoken to Mueller's office or received grand jury subpoenas. How significant is that?</s>ZELDIN: That is like Manafort, which is to say that these guys are being looked at for their interactions with foreign nationals. In Stone's case, it's WikiLeaks, Julian Assange as it relates to the e-mails that were hacked at the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta. It is a crime to hack, as the Russians have found out by being indicted for it and it is equally criminal to conspire with them, or aid and abet them or further distributed it. So, if Roger Stone did any of that stuff -- and he denies it flat out -- then he is in harm's way. And so, these people in his orbit are being brought in to find out whether there is a compelling legal case to be made for this or this is not worthy of prosecution.</s>CABRERA: Michael Zeldin, always good to get your take. Thank you. We appreciate your expertise.</s>ZELDIN: Thank you.</s>CABRERA: Up next, the former President of USA gymnastics is behind bars now after U.S. marshals tracked him down at a cabin in Tennessee. Here what prosecutors say he did to obstruct the sex abuse investigation into former team doctor, Larry Nassar.