Transcript for The Briefing Room: DC gears up for 'Unite the Right,' Trump lashes out at NFL

They've air and welcome to the briefing room on ABC news political director Rick Klein joined here by justice official and Mary Alice parsed has been a lot going on for a summer Friday the president isn't in town but there's a lot going on. Right here in Washington this weekend. Marks the anniversary. Of the unite the right rally down in Charlottesville Virginia Virginia's thirty declared a state of emergency and there's an anniversary rally in a counter protest. That's planned for right here literally in the White House's backyard. The president won't be here for it buddy it is shaping up like up a pretty major moment for president trump and die in his leadership. And the president of the last year hasn't dialed back his racially divisive tone he's often talking on those terms often dividing the country. And criticized for Rick but not backing down and I think that we if anything in last year we've seen him double down and I kind of rhetoric. And and it's also pre season football time which means we go back to the anthem. Controversy and he's tweeting about that. And now he's saying they. These these these players who are protesting don't know what part I don't know if they stand for. Which is kind of really ratcheting up that attack. But you know just a few weeks ago he was out there. Explaining exactly what they were protesting racial injustice and he was offering to part in their friends if your arm and a whole thing so. On futile disingenuous to claim they don't know what part. And it is the years since the now infamous appearance at trump tower when he topped the multiple sides and very fine people on both sides literally inexplicable in that he still hasn't explained exactly what he meant. By that moment he hasn't had a repeat of that but as you guys mentioned. There's been so many instances where he's. Showed where his feelings are on issues that are very racially per polarizing just last week with. LeBron James RSC Pete and Don lemon knock his his his continual attacks on Maxine Waters IQ. He's made Maxine Meyers into some villain for his base and the amount of times people that are his arts partners bring up her name. Upon African American congressman who sure disagrees it's. But he highs Eagles after her in a way and it is sounding an. And of course the White House that's just so we're clear he goes after anybody who goes after him that's always sort of been his line and equal opportunity attacker and setting up as we can I do want to share this this is a pretty interesting interview series of interviews that Heather hires mother Susan -- he ABC news this is this is what what she said to even though earlier today. This is the root of the problem is that we've always acted as a people of color particularly black lives have never mattered in this country. Starting with its genocide of native Americans and eating right on route to slavery and beyond. And until we acknowledge that. Hands. Friday. We've got to feel good when that are city concern at the end zone in Baghdad. We try to aggression and it Gila river and everybody to shake hands and get along that we solve not. And are also seeing the mayor of Charlotte still talk directly about the president and his leadership he is a central player in this weekend's events whether or not these anywhere near to weather and I tweets about. And as track aloe further and that energy issue says. That she doesn't want a stay home and quiet at that gives voice to the other side she called for people to be. Firm but peaceful in their counter demonstrations and we shouldn't just note that that the tweets about the NF about the NFL taking on what happened last night once again that the NFL players are at it again taking you need when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem numerous players and different he's one of the other outrages something. Most of them are unable to define and again. He's trying to take issue that these these people the players that are protesting fuel and believes deeply with the experience of themselves or their communities have. Sneak into something entirely different try to make it about patriotism for them as a racial injustice. And he's about himself any. It's always comes back Hamad. To be really interest in what happens this weekend I mean there added there is frankly a lot of concern with this unite the right. Rally coming to Washington. From you know the systems that big city and will be a lot of will be a big police presence out there. There is a lot of anticipation obviously comes because it's the one year anniversary of Charlottesville so it'll be the furnished and see how that plays out. And I want to let. I want atlas tweets the evidence second trees that once again has the for a player should be suspended without pay. Is keeping your private organization Ivan institution meted employee is that. Wal-Mart or whole foods were doing some thing. That he didn't like. What's out there publicly talking about how he's not. That nation that he it has been punished they should be not paid where's the outlined where the president's getting involved with a private company. Let's talk about the president's campaign manager his trial. The former campaign manager on a fourth trial has resumed in Washington but after. All weird Syria we are delayed from for an basically all of the morning. And it comes on the heels of another interest in exchange that was shielded from the public want to bring in our our reporters in on the C covering this for at us Catherine falters. And Catherine I understand there's no explanation yet for what happened this morning but it does seem like what's happening a little bit off screen. I'll will just slightly out of the view the public has become quite intriguing in the last couple days in this trial. Right exactly whether they want to keep certain conversations they have with the judge privately sealed which. We saw as it related to an ongoing investigation I believe you reference and even today it rate they look behind our delay now I didn't seem. Like anything to urge and the judge. Came into the corn business as usual cause I'm member from the prosecution and the defense up the challenge them when they do they play white noise in the courtroom. C came here whether discussing but no explanation. Even before the jury Cayman. I'm so they finally caught their first witness of the day to the stand at about 232. Hour to thirty threes so. Here we are it's only been about an hour and the prosecution is expected to rest their case today they have a say anything differently but. As we've lost five hours so I can't see how that happened. And in just an earlier in the week win that that the prosecutions. Star witness Rick gates was testifying. He was asked about specifically whether it had conversations further conversations. With Muller's team about the trump campaign and that part. Create a little bit of role in in the in the courthouse Catherine is there is a speculation that this is about protecting something else that Muller's got there's something else. That he may be up to that it that they are reddish other cars on. A little bit if you think about it the terms of his. Plea agreement he asked to continue to cooperate. Oh with a special counsel this is silly doesn't violate his plea agreement we expect him to also. Appear in the other trials so little bit of that speculation or but not nothing entirely. Unusual. That we're seeing here. All right Catherine fall is thanks for keeping an eye on all we appreciate you checking in with us right here. Let's let's talk about this pretty extraordinary thing that's happening in court over the last couple of these a federal judge threatening contempt of court for the attorney general of United States Jeff Sessions. Because there was a deportation procedure and it turned out that the federal government actually put the woman at the center of this and her and her trial on a plane. Out of the United States in the middle of this proceeding. He did the judge in this was very angry about it they ended up having to bring them back but dialysis is this is really something quite a review from the federal bench on something it's been going on. Yeah I think this is because they. Reese a boiling point. This isn't the first time the Alabama has done this there's actually been a number documented cases where federal judge's hat. Sad and silent claims should be able to go slower not ruling one way or another but saying. The court should be able to take up the case there's enough there to take the case. Only then to be told with. Oh too bad that they've already been deported and this judge clearly. Could just could not Camelot trying anymore and this is gone too far gone on too long the federal government has been reprimanded by the courts for this behavior for this practice. Threatening to hold the attorney general in contempt because I practice Caplan. On week on immigration for president from Amin and the other big thing that they're doing this week if they are readying a new rule to curb legal immigration we hear him talk constantly. About illegal immigration now they're going after. People who are here legally saying they want to create a rule that you can't get your record you can't become United States citizen if in any time in the process Hughes used social welfare. I adventures like obamacare or chip. Of one regional entity are eligible. If they are not breaking any rules in that all there. In there and and it would should not be surprising that legal immigrants would be taking advantage of these programs. You know if they don't speak the language they need help there they that they come over the Helm it's part of its part of the process so. That is a really alarming push that there after going after. And all of a week that Tom Maloney comes parents the limit themselves become citizens of the United States that beneficiaries of fossil called chain migration that president rails and well I'm as a Muslim street around. Right and and and you know hit her parents obviously he wants able bodied people. Who have merit ignore their he tired tired talk curse of timing. There you go all right let's let's not on laurels is got a book out guys it's not coming out a couple of days we remember her from her. I'm me track this you remember her from her time at the White House says the is a senior advisor to the president we're told repeatedly by the White House how big deal she was how important she was. Odd now that pieces of this focus have begun to come out and according to a bunch of published reports. I she questions the president on numerous times on on racial issues among other earnings. A lot of calls him a racist also Marie reports that the book says that she. Called him a racist says. You review the use the N word although she doesn't say that Jesse witnesses herself which is I think important cabbie out but the White House is firing back Sarah Sanders. I'm out with a statement basically saying almost. The sour grapes that it disgruntled employee. That's that shouldn't be listened to any more than the media didn't listen to work when she was saying nice things before right. However problems it's going to be for the presidency and after response almost a more directly. Probably. It's our greats is a weird argument to from the White House since she chose to leave and she wasn't fired. Tom he's got an interest in Taylor on that as well and that that our rank and the president asked register. And then she couldn't handle it basically couldn't means to end to it and chose to go. I think that brings up a lot of things we talk about. All the time. The best people being around this president what their relationship with the president as if they ink that he is. All for the job she's not the first person close to hand to raise concerns like. And that's what makes it. Feels like a part I would just reasonable caution we talked about this in the newsroom today I mean. There are already some factual inaccuracies when it out in this book time lines don't match up. Statements to match previous statements people or 19%. We have never in serious Sanders has the point that we've never really looked at her in the media as a reliable character it's already from the things are unreliable but. Nevertheless the the this will be the talk of the weekend in many ways are a lot of accusations and here you know she. She accuses of them I'm eating paper right she walks economy's heating. That's an there's a lot uglier than that and others and another Bosnian artifact but yet it's Friday ended his back to Friday at an official is here with is that tech. Those thumbs don't take the week off and he would actually being. And basically all are factored this week are about the tweets that that the biggest one was about the California. Forest fires and they have record breaking fires going there it's a tough situation and he. Basically used California mismanaging its water supplies thing they need to be diverting water from the river to not. Putting it out in Q that Pacific Ocean. But the big factor here is California fires says we don't need anymore what we have leaks all around the fire ever using. One of the big fears is that. He's really wading into an age old griped that these central valley farmers have that they want more this water for agriculture. And it's a fight with the fisheries and environmentalists they want to protect the salmon. So. That's what the big one and and it just seems like there might be in all alternative motive there to sort of insult involved in this I don't know militant White House. No then the when he said that our partners there in the state pushed back immediately and that was not the case. Also speaks to some. Pretty great insensitivity is on the president's part about cable that lost their lives in California and thousands of structures destroyed. The pictures have been terrifying and heart breaking this week. And the fact that the only treatment president was to kind of blamed escape but this actually an accurate statement. Felt a little. Actually ordered the Commerce Department experts these control of the water flow. Which raised a lot I mean that goes a lot farther than tweets and that is what really has people concerned that he could be. Unilaterally making decisions about what to do the water and another another topic and you're tackling online today sanctions the president loves the right things is ranks of the biggest the best if the boldest ever this is all about undoing the Iran deal and when you when he and did the Iran deal. All of these sanctions that the US had previously lifted on Iran word she snapped back in the place that happening this week. Om and but then he called them the most biting sanctions ever. But they're all snapped back sections that or already in place and so. Consider that and also consider the fact that. The Europeans haven't with lifted their sanctions so that's what made it really worth. When there was you know global. He cooperation on sanctions we don't have that now it's just unilateral US sanctions. To called the most biting ever is is not accurate. All right as we want is to close on a Friday as you mentioned it's a very brief weekend here in Washington of the weekend in Iowa as well with the Iowa state fair and Michael OpenId stormy Daniels lawyer is making the rounds and Iowa letting it be known that he is considering a run for president. I'm not gonna ask you guys for him when he thought he had to count on this one. But not by Wilson that our our colleague Jonathan Karl's gonna interview him live here in Washington after this appearance he's gonna be talking to a big Democratic Party. Dinner tonight. And our colleague Jon Karl's five years ago today interviewed someone else that no one thought was serious not running for president ever. Little love businessman Donald trying to so we'll see donuts yet and he became president. I think that's right I guess a tactic Julia fact that is true. Madonna is one of action if few people. Have at dinner and number of Democrats. There party floating the possibility. If he would what's your prediction an easier road and then. There's a 25. Democrats that rats and apple now and it's different and Iowa you. You really headed off around us solve table. A group of people and white kitchen or one backyard and acknowledge that he does have that quality though it's sort of like the. Rhetorical answer to president trap like no fear Kynan annual art have been impressed by his ability to. I think throughout can study better known than about half of those 25 that you're actually right there aren't that doesn't. Or for this edition of the briefing room for justice official Mary Alice parks are reclined thanks for watching here at ABC news lot.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.