Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Campaigned at the Mexican Border; Donald Trump Talks about Iraq
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Good evening. Thanks for joining us. Tonight, Donald Trump on the border and more of my conversation with him. Mr. Trump as you know has made illegal immigration the centerpiece of his campaign. And today, he was in Laredo, Texas trying to do just that. He is drawing fire almost from the start how he has been calling attention to the problem and he has drawn praise as well. He also has drawn calls for specifics on allegations he is making including this one earlier this month.</s>DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We bring them back and they push them out. Mexico pushes back people across the border that are criminals, that are drug dealers.</s>COOPER: He said he was talking about the Mexican government itself. His exact words quote "the country of Mexico is pushing people in." I asked him about it again yesterday.</s>COOPER: You keep saying, Mexico is sending these people across.</s>TRUMP: Mexico is sending. You said it properly. You said it properly. Thank you.</s>COOPER: But you have offered no proof. And that's what people say about that --.</s>COOPER: Well reporters in Laredo tried to pin him down on that as well as specific plans for solving the problem. He also made claims about the trip itself saying the local border patrol union withdrew its invitation to him after pressure from Washington itself. Well, tonight, we'll hear from a top official in the union. Also, my conversation with Mr. Trump about ISIS and northern Iraq. His plan for ISIS bomb the hell out of the oil field take the oil. When present with criticism of that plan by a former top general, Trump said he would be a better general than him. More on that tonight. And the veiled suggestion Mr. Trump made about a possible independent run if he does not win the Republican nomination. We begin though on the border with Dana Bash. She joins us now from Laredo, Texas. It was obviously quite a scene there today when Donald Trump arrived. How much of it was actually substantive and how much was it a photo- op?</s>DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Honestly it's hard to answer that question. But you know, like anywhere Donald Trump goes, there was definitely a lot of theater, some that he encourages and some that just happens like what happens when any celebrity shows up some place. But when you have somebody like Donald Trump arrive on his very large plane with his name emblazoned across the side, it is going to draw attention especially to people in a town like where I am right now, Laredo, Texas where they're not used to somebody like him coming. Have to say that we saw some people at a gas station, they thought was a rumor and joke that he was coming here. They really couldn't believe it. So you certainly had a lot of this sort of spectacle, and some, some of the substance. Listen to some examples of what happened today.</s>TRUMP: The border patrol, they're petrified of saying what is happening because they have a real problem here and I am talking about on the whole border. And they invited me. And then all of a sudden they were told silencio. They want silence. So it is a problem that we will get straighten up.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Have you seen any evidence here to confirm your fear about Mexico's outstanding gets through the border?</s>TRUMP: Yes, I have.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: We'll be showing you that evidence.</s>TRUMP: We will be showing you the evidence.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: When?</s>TRUMP: I am going to steal him to run something for me.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Mr. Trump, the way to make the border safe is to build this long wall?</s>JESUS OLIVAREZ, LAREDO, TEXAS CITY MANAGER: Well, that's -- that's a federal issue. We have our comments on that. We don't, we don't think that's necessary at this time.</s>TRUMP: In certain sections you have to have a wall.</s>COOPER: His claim about the Mexican government sending people over, it was interesting that he said he saw evidence of that today. He won't share it. He said he will at some point. I mean, you and I both interviewed him recently. When pressed on specifics he is not always happy about that.</s>BASH: No, he is not. And that was clear in several of the exchanges he had here today. A lot of the press that was here was Spanish speaking press. And they were pretty open about being combative with him. There was no question about that. But you know the other issue in his defense is, as you heard at the beginning of that sound bite there, he did come down here at the invitation of the local border patrol union who pulled out basically when he was in the air coming down here. I was talking to some local police officers here. They had to basically pick up the slack and figure out, scramble to figure out how to deal with his visit. And they said, look, you know, we kind of made good with what we could do here. Because these are obviously largely Hispanic voters here, Hispanic officials. They said, we feel like he is somebody who we should come here and talk to and it is important to do that. But there also was some combative back and forth. Listen to this.</s>TRUMP: No, no, no. We are talking about illegal immigration. And everybody understands it. And you know that it is a typical case - wait. That is a typical case of the press with misinterpretation. They take a half a sentence, by the way, they take a half a sentence then take a quarter of a sentence. They put it altogether. It's a typical thing. And you are with Telemundo. Telemundo should be ashamed of themselves. You are finished.</s>BASH: As I mentioned he had combative exchanges with the Spanish speaking press. But that issue did come up several times, probably no surprise, Anderson. And the comments that he made now infamous comments in his announcement speech talking about rapists and criminals. So that was part of the exchange pretty much in all three of his press conferences here -- Anderson.</s>COOPER: All right, Dana, appreciate the reporting. Thank you. More now on what Dana just touched on a moment ago. Mr. Trump's allegations that forces in Washington pressured the border patrol union into disinviting him. Right after he made those claims, we spoke by phone with top union official Shawn Moran, vice president of the National Border Patrol Council.</s>COOPER: Shawn, can you explain what happened here. Donald Trump is claiming that the local Laredo border patrol council which invited him was told to back out of their meeting with him because they were quote "totally silenced directly from superiors in Washington who do not want people to know how bad it is on the border." Is that what happened?</s>SHAWN MORAN, VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL (via phone): No. I would say that's not an accurate statement at all. We had concerns from our membership about comments that were made about senator McCain and veterans and many of our members who are border patrol agents are former veterans of the armed services and we responded to those. Plus this is -- an organization that need to work with both side of the aisle. And right now we don't want to align ourselves with one candidate prior to them being made, the candidate of their party. This would go for either side.</s>COOPER: I want to ask you about allegations that Donald Trump has been making that basically Mexico is sending criminals to the United States, undesirable people, having them, sending them across the borders, illegal immigrants. Have you seen, has your organization seen any evidence to show that is in fact happening? Because I asked Trump for evidence about this yesterday. He says, well maybe, tomorrow, today we'll have it. He has the yet to show anything. Is there any evidence that you have come across or your, border agents have come across, that would indicate this is a plot, a plan, by the Mexican government?</s>MORAN: I can't speak to any orchestrated plan to have people come into the United States. But I can say that Mexico could do a better job of policing its northern border and re-establishing the rules of law on the border. Our agents are constantly assaulted by people who either get back into Mexico or are in the process of trying to enter the United States illegally. We have an average of one major assault every day against border patrol agents. And we believe that wouldn't happen if Mexico were to reassert itself on its northern border.</s>COOPER: Shawn Moran, I appreciate you being with us. Thanks, Shawn.</s>MORAN: Thank you, Anderson.</s>COOPER: Let's dig deeper on the reception Donald Trump got today given everything he said lately. More on that now from our Gary Tuchman.</s>GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Donald Trump walked through the airport in Laredo, Texas. There were supporters. But there were also many detractors. The city after all is about 95 percent Hispanic. And many came to the airport chanting in Spanish, the people united can never be defeated.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody asked me what did you tell Mr. Trump if he was here standing in front of me? And I told him, look I have a lot of chosen word for the man. But I cannot say them on camera. But one thing I would tell him, get the hell out of here.</s>TUCHMAN: But the Republican presidential candidate hung around visiting the nearby Mexican border. Just a few weeks after offending many with his broad statement about undocumented immigrants being rapists and criminals.</s>ELIA MENDOZA, DIRECTOR, LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICA CITIZENS: We will not tolerate offensive remarks that Trump has made.</s>TUCHMAN: Elia Mendoza is the Texas director of LULAC, the League of United Latin American citizens.</s>MENDOZA: I think he needs to apologize. He need to apologize.</s>TUCHMAN: Many protesters wanted to demonstrate at the border where Trump was paying his visit. This is where you show your documents to U.S. authorities when you cross into Texas. The signs say open, but it's not open. Take a look at the road. It completely shut down to traffic because of Donald Trump's visit. That security move stopped any demonstrators from showing up and further angered some of them. Meanwhile, although they're in the minority, there are Mexican Americans here who support Donald Trump.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you tell me who are --</s>TUCHMAN: The woman in the white who got into quite a few arguments with others today is Rosa Polacios.</s>ROSA POLACIOS, LAREDO, TEXAS RESIDENT: I like what he is doing. I love what he is going to be doing. I hope he gets his intentions. I am praying for all of his intentions. What he is talking about. What he is going to be doing. I hope they go through, sir.</s>TUCHMAN: You like Donald Trump?</s>POLACIOS: Yes, sir.</s>TUCHMAN: You are Mexican-American?</s>POLACIOS: Yes, sir. I'm Mexican-American.</s>TUCHMAN: When he talks about undocumented immigrants being rapists and criminals, does that insult you?</s>POLACIOS: Not at all. He is talking just about the truth.</s>TUCHMAN: But in other parts of Laredo like</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He generalized. And that's why people are upset.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is trying to get support he came to the wrong place.</s>COOPER: And Gary joins us now. What sort of reception did he receive as he moved around the city itself?</s>TUCHMAN: Well, Anderson. Laredo, Texas is a very friendly city, but it is also relatively sleepy place. So when Donald Trump the New York City real estate tycoon rolled in it created quite a spectacle. And he took a motorcade to and from the border area. And along the motorcade route, there were some people yelling and giving him the thumbs down. But there were lots of people who were very excited to see a celebrity come by in a car, come by in his car. And they were clapping and yelling. As a matter of fact in this very parking lot where he was before he left for the day, there were about seven to ten young people, maybe teenagers or in their early 20s and yelling and screaming his car was moving by saying Donald, Donald, we watch "the Apprentice" all the time. And Trump opened his window and he said, I love you, acting just like the celebrity he is.</s>COOPER: Gary Tuchman. Gary, thanks for being there. Quick reminder, make sure you set your DVR. You can watch "360" whenever you want. Coming up next. I got one-on-one with Donald Trump on ISIS and Iraq trying to pin him down on specifics about his plan to deal with ISIS and challenging him with what a former military official says about him.</s>COOPER: General Hurtling who commanded U.S. forces in northern Iraq for two years, 2007-2009. He is not a political guy. He says that just doesn't make any sense.</s>TRUMP: Hey, I say it does. OK.