Transcript for White House sends mixed signals on Russia

Thanks very much. Let's bring in Martha Raddatz. Chief white house correspondent Jon Karl. Let me begin with you, Martha. The big news in that "Financial times" interview the president rephonersing what Rex tillerson said, putting the idea of unilateral action against north Korea on the table. Reporter: None of us knows what that means when he says totally. The U.S. Could do it on its own but as you know, George, they have not ruled anything out in the trump administration including military action and the most talk about that is a possible preemptive strike. That has also not been ruled out. What that would mean is that we would try to take out any missile they are trying to launch in a testing stage or anything else. North Korea clearly on the top of the agenda when China's president is here Thursday and Jared Kushner has been a key intermediary with China now on his way to Iraq. Yeah, George, it's more obvious than ever how deeply Jared Kushner is involved in every aspect of the trump white house including foreign policy. This visit came as we said at the invitation of the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff but clearly Kushner wanted to see the situation on the ground himself and he will see that with chairman Dunford. Whether it's a tactical operation center or the battlefield itself, we don't know but this comes while the Iraqis are making the final push into mosul with new and lower level authority to carry out air strikes there, right now the Pentagon investigating air strikes that may have caused hundreds of civilian casualties. Martha, thanks. Back here at home, judge Neal Gorsuch up for supreme court right now. Big showdown in the senate this week. You see him there, senate judiciary committee will vote today and, Jon Karl, it certainly appears that the president doesn't have enough votes right now to break a democratic filibuster. Reporter: But, George, the Republicans are saying come hell or high water they will get Gorsuch confirmed even if it means changing the rules in the senate so they can confirm him with a simple majority vote. Right now there are three Democrats who are on record saying that they will support Gorsuch. That's not enough to get to 60 but if the Republicans can change the rules, it's enough to get him confirmed. Jon, the president had tough tweets about those freedom caucus conservatives in the house last week who weren't behind him on health care but yesterday out on the golf course trying to mend fences with senator Rand Paul. Reporter: Yeah, keep in mind, Rand Paul, there was no more consistent or harsh critic of the president's bill, the health care bill than Rand Paul. He was out there immediately hammering it. Was consistently critical of it throughout the process. And he emerged from this round of golf saying he's optimistic that there can be Republican agreement on health care. It's hard to see, George, exactly how that happens, but getting Rand Paul on board if he could get him on board with something would certainly be a big first step. That certainly would. Jon Karl, Martha Raddatz, thanks very much.

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