Trump to Take Center Stage of July Fourth Celebration; House Dems Sue IRS, Treasury for Trump Tax Returns; Interview with Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) on Tax Code Legislation; DHS Watchdog Warns of Dangerous Overcrowding at Border Detention Facilities; Trump Approval Rating Holds Steady at 43 Percent.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST (voice-over): Happening now, salute to him? President Trump steals the spotlight for the nation's Fourth of July celebration deploying military tanks and aircraft and taking center stage for an unprecedented speech. Is the president's salute to America a salute to himself? Rock steady: our new CNN poll shows the president's approval rating is holding steady at a weak 43 percent as concern over the situation on the border grows with nearly three-quarters of Americans now saying it is a crisis. Dangerous overcrowding: in a stunning report, punctuated by shocking photographs, the Homeland Security Department's internal watchdog is now warning of dangerous overcrowding in detention facilities on the southern border. As one official calls the situation "a ticking time bomb." And tax suit: after months of stonewalling by the Trump administration, Democrats controlling the powerful House committee have now filed a federal lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department in a bid to obtain the president's tax returns. I'm Wolf Blitzer and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.</s>BLITZER: Breaking news: the Homeland Security Department's own watchdog is now warning of dangerous overcrowding at border detention facilities in a new report, which includes shocking photos of the grim conditions under which migrants are held. A manager at one facility calls it "a ticking time bomb." That comes as our latest CNN poll shows a big jump in the number of Americans who are deeply worried about the border situation; 74 percent now call it a crisis. At the same time, President Trump's approval rating is holding steady at 43 percent. But the president, beset by investigations and a new congressional lawsuit aimed at getting his tax returns, is trying to piggy-back on the nation's July Fourth celebration by turning it into an extravaganza, deploying military tanks and aircraft while putting himself at center stage with an unprecedented speech on the National Mall. I'll speak to Congressman Dan Kildee of the Ways and Means Committee and our correspondents and analysts will have full coverage of the day's top stories. With July Fourth fast approaching, President Trump is making some drastic last-minute changes to the traditional celebration here in the nation's capital. Let's begin with our White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins. Kaitlan, the president, he'll be seizing the spotlight.</s>KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. The presidents in the past have not typically attended the nation's Fourth of July celebration. But President Trump seems intent on doing so and doing it his way, no matter what the financial, political or logistical costs are.</s>COLLINS (voice-over): President Trump's grand vision for a military parade is finally coming true -- at least partially.</s>DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It will be like no other. It will be special and I hope a lot of people come.</s>COLLINS (voice-over): On Thursday Trump will turn Washington annual Fourth of July celebration into a show of military might. CNN has learned new details about the last-minute event, which will feature tanks parked at the Lincoln Memorial, a flyover from the Navy's Blue Angels and Air Force One along with the unveiling of the new Marine One helicopter.</s>TRUMP: We're going to have planes going overhead and the best fighter jets in the world and other planes, too. And we're going to have some tanks stationed outside.</s>COLLINS (voice-over): Defense officials have long been hesitant about using the armed forces to advance a president's agenda and said there is no need for the U.S. to flout its military strength. But sources say Trump has asked the chiefs of the armed forces to stand by his side.</s>REP. ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is just not who we are as Americans.</s>COLLINS (voice-over): The president is setting himself up for a clash with his critics, who say he's turning the patriotic celebration into a partisan one. Asked Monday if his speech will reach all Americans, he turned to Democrats.</s>TRUMP: I think I've reached most Americans. What the Democrats plan is, is going to destroy the country and it is going to be horrible health care.</s>COLLINS (voice-over): Today the White House went even further. Trump is expected to speak for 20 minutes Thursday and will touch on several topics, including his administration.</s>COLLINS (voice-over): Local officials say they have logistical concerns about putting military equipment in crowded tourist hot spots. The D.C. City Council tweeting today, "Tanks but no tanks." But Trump is charging ahead.</s>TRUMP: The roads have a tendency not to like to carry heavy tanks so we have to put them in certain areas.</s>COLLINS (voice-over): While the public will get to watch from afar, the areas closest to Trump will --</s>COLLINS (voice-over): -- be reserved for VIPs, who sources say will include his political allies. Trump has wanted a military parade of his own since seeing U.S. and French troops march through the streets of Paris two years ago.</s>TRUMP: It was one of the greatest parades I've ever seen.</s>COLLINS (voice-over): Today presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway sparred with reporters about the details of the event.</s>CONWAY: Do you know the Fourth of July is a celebration of this country's independence? Are you aware of that? No, I'm not going to allow you to politicize it.</s>COLLINS: Now, Wolf, we also have some breaking news coming in and that's that the Trump administration has decided to drop its effort to add that citizenship question to the 2020 census. That is something that has been making its way through the courts. The president even said he was going to talk to lawyers about delaying the census so they could add that question on there, something he's made clear he feels belongs on the census. But we have now learned they are going to print the 2020 census without that question about citizenship on there, which is a win for the president's critics, Wolf, who said he was simply trying to skew the census in the favor of Republicans.</s>BLITZER: A major setback for the president. And at the same time, Kaitlan, there is also some serious confusion earlier today. The vice president, Mike Pence, canceling an event in New Hampshire. What was that all about?</s>COLLINS: Yes, Wolf, it was a strange morning where the president -- excuse me -- the vice president was scheduled to travel to New Hampshire for this event on opioids. But before he even had left Washington and before Air Force Two had even taken off, they abruptly canceled it because his spokesperson said, quote, "Something came up back at the White House." Now, Wolf, throughout the day, officials have been pretty tight-lipped and they still haven't detailed what it is that came up at the White House that drew the vice president away from his event. A cancelation like that is pretty rare. But they did say it was not something related to the health of the vice president or the president and it also wasn't related to national security. But, Wolf, whatever it was, it was a big enough event to make them cancel that event. They still have not filled reporters in on.</s>BLITZER: Let's see what happens on that front. Kaitlan, thank you. And also breaking, an urgent call for action to relieve the truly overcrowded and unsanitary conditions at migrant detention centers. A new report by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general quotes a senior manager at one facility, calling the conditions "a ticking time bomb." CNN's Nick Valencia is in Texas for us, where members of Congress visited several border centers this week. Tell us more, Nick.</s>NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this new Office of the Inspector General Report is based on five visits to Border Patrol stations and what is very evident in the images is just how overcrowded the facilities are, especially in McGowan and Weslaco, where migrants have trouble lying down on the concrete. It is just that overcrowded. Here is something else that stands out from the report. Half of the 8,000 detainees in custody in McGowan were held longer than the 72 hours which is required -- or the limit under law. And a third of the children suffered through the same thing. Now DHS has stressed that they are doing the best they can with the resources they have but according to Democratic lawmakers like Katherine Clark, that is not enough.</s>REP. KATHERINE M. CLARK (D-MA): What is it going to take to comply with the law, have these children reunited with their sponsors, their family members, within the 20 days? That is the law. That is the standard. And it is not being met.</s>VALENCIA: Mounting pressure on these Border Patrol stations and DHS to do something fast -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Through this report, Nick, and the headline on the front page management alert, Department of Homeland Security needs to address dangerous overcrowding and prolonged detention of children and adults in the Rio Grande Valley. It's a shocking report indeed. Nick Valencia on the scene for us, thank you. Also tonight, Democrats are raising the stakes in their effort to get the president's tax returns. After months of stonewalling by the Trump administration, the powerful House Ways and Means committee has now filed a federal lawsuit against the IRS, the Treasury Department and their leaders. Let's bring in CNN politics -- congressional reporter, Lauren Fox. Lauren, on what grounds are the Democrats demanding that they get access to the president's returns?</s>LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this has been months in the making. Of course, Democrats long arguing that the fact that the president was the only modern president not to turn over his tax returns to the public made it essential that they get the president's tax returns. They're arguing a few things; while Republicans and the Trump administration say this is a political move, they are arguing that they need the president's tax returns because they need to understand how the presidential audit program works. That is a program that is not enshrined in law but basically says that the IRS takes a look at every incoming president's tax returns. They want to know how that program works. They also argue they need to see the president's taxes because they need to know if he personally benefited from the GOP tax law. But again, just a reminder, this has been months in the making. Richard Neal told me back in November, he expected eventually this case would have to go to court and this has come --</s>FOX: -- after he subpoenaed for the tax returns, after he sent multiple letters. Ultimately the Treasury Department denying his request so this is exactly where we are today, an escalation -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Lauren, even if the Democrats do win in court, how long will it take to actually get the president's tax returns?</s>FOX: Well, that is a good question. And something that a lot of liberals on the House Ways and Means Committee have been very worried about. Essentially they've argued that Richard Neal seemed to go a little slower than they wanted him to. They're concerned that this could stretch well beyond the 2020 election. Of course, there is no way to know precisely how long it will take. These court actions can take months or even years. Sometimes they move along a little more quickly. So that has been a key concern for liberals on the committee who argued, Richard Neal should have filed this lawsuit months ago, that waiting until the early months of July is just too late.</s>BLITZER: Lauren Fox up on Capitol Hill, thank you. Joining us now, a member of the Ways and Means Committee, Democratic congressman Dan Kildee of Michigan. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us. As you know, the lawsuit accuses the Treasury Secretary, the IRS commissioner of what they call an extraordinary attack on the authority of Congress. Explain your committee's argument in this suit.</s>REP. DAN KILDEE (D-MI): Well, the argument is actually pretty simple. Section 6103 of the tax code said that the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee can ask for a tax return and it shall be delivered to the chairman. It doesn't say unless it is the president; it doesn't say unless the president is uncomfortable with delivering that particular tax return. The law is very clear. It is intended for a specific purpose: to allow the Congress to play its necessary, constitutionally-mandated role to provide oversight and to legislate based on the best information we can get. So not only have they not complied with section 6103 but they willfully denied a legally issued subpoena that they should have answered. They are trying to create new law and say that the administration does not have to answer to anybody. And obviously we think that is wrong and we're not going to let it go.</s>BLITZER: Chairman Neal, your chairman of the committee, he filed this lawsuit now almost exactly three months after making the initial request. You've previously, Congressman, expressed concerns over the pace of this request. Realistically, what are the chances that the courts resolve this before the 2020 election?</s>KILDEE: Well, that is entirely up to the courts now. I think the chairman has been very deliberate about this because he wants to get it right. He's been working directly with House counsel on this. This is unprecedented, largely because the president's actions are unprecedented. As Lauren said, nearly 50 years of precedent, where presidents and candidates for president have released their returns, have been broken by President Trump and, in his case, if anyone should be more transparent or the American people should know more about his private interests, it is this president, who continues to maintain control over his -- what he considers the vast business interests. So, look, we're not going to let this go. I think the chairman is handling it in the way that he should. We are now in court. And it is going to be up to the court to determine how quickly they move. I hope they move with some haste because this is a serious question.</s>BLITZER: Even if you do get access to the president's tax returns, there is no guarantee your committee will be able to share those tax returns publicly. Isn't that right?</s>KILDEE: That is right. There is no guarantee that we would be able to or that we would have a purpose to do so. If, in fact, there is information that is clearly of a public interest, then the committee would take action to share some or a portion of the returns. The most important thing for us is to get access to this information because we have some doubts as to whether or not the IRS, which is directed by the Treasury Department, is properly enforcing the tax laws on the president of the United States. Or even if he is, as he says he is, under audit, we're trying to determine whether or not we need to codify what has been a long- standing practice within the IRS to audit presidential returns. The only way we can really make that decision is to have that information in front of us. If that leads to a public interest, that the committee is persuaded can only be served by having some of that information released, then we'll make that judgment at that time.</s>BLITZER: We're also following the latest reporting on the awful conditions for so many migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. You saw those pictures of very dangerous overcrowding; your colleagues have visited these facilities. They describe horrific conditions in recent days. What do you want Congress to do to address this awful situation?</s>KILDEE: Well, first of all, it is a daily human tragedy that is partly the creation of the president's own policies. One thing Congress --</s>KILDEE: -- should do is press and insist that the president reinstate the aid to the Northern Triangle, to try to prevent the conditions that are driving people to leave, to leave their homes, to flee violence. The president made a terrible decision to walk away from that terrible tragedy. And so that tragedy is now coming to our border. But I think Congress needs to go farther. I supported the most recent border supplemental, reluctantly, only because I know we have to get something done. I would have preferred the House version to have been implemented; that requires pretty significant transparency in terms of how this administration is using those dollars and much more accountability. So I think Congress needs to continue to press for those provisions as we go forward as well.</s>BLITZER: The Northern Triangle -- El Salvador and Honduras and Guatemala. This comes in the wake of a very disturbing report by ProPublica, Congressman. They discovered a private Facebook group, where Border Patrol agents made extremely disturbing, very racist, sexist posts, mocking immigrants, mocking members of Congress. Congressman Joe Kennedy, one of your colleagues, said, when they visited detention facilities yesterday -- and I'm quote quoting him now -- "CBP was very resistant to congressional oversight. They tried to restrict what we saw, take our phones, block photos and video. "Atmosphere was contentious and uncooperative." Is this a broader problem of the culture within the Customs and Border Protection agency?</s>KILDEE: I think it is an indication that they have a very serious problem of the culture within CPB. This is dangerous. How are we supposed to expect these people to post these awful images and these awful comments on one day and then the next day take care of vulnerable children? But look, no one can excuse the leadership at the very top. If those individuals are using that sort of language, racist, sexist, misogynistic images, one has to wonder whether it is the president of the United States and his own behavior, his own words, that has encouraged and fomented that kind of ugliness. I think we have to point at the top. For those people to be able to get away with those things, I think they can point to the president of the United States and say, look, he seems to do the same thing, sometimes in softer terms certainly. But I think the president has created an environment in this country that allows this sort of behavior to go unchecked. It is ugly and needs to stop.</s>BLITZER: Congressman Dan Kildee, thanks so much for joining us.</s>KILDEE: Thank you, Wolf.</s>BLITZER: We also have some breaking news coming in. Breaking news involving the sports world. The U.S. National Team just made a finals of the Women's World Cup tournament defeating England 2-1. They'll face the winner of the upcoming semifinal match between the Netherlands and Sweden. That match now set for Sunday. Congratulations to the U.S. Women's soccer team. Up next, our new CNN poll shows growing concern over the situation on the southern border. We'll break down the numbers for you. Also, teammates are mourning the sudden death of a Los Angeles Angels pitcher and now they're speaking out about their loss.