Transcript for The Briefing Room: Trump Organization CFO called to testify

Hi there welcome the ABC news live you got a full house here in our ABC news newsroom for a full in his state Johnson Tucci Serena Marshal Mary Alice parks I'm Rick Klein from ABC news we've also got Jordan Phelps an Alley rolling joining us from the White House and Capitol Hill but let's start with the big headline. I Johnson Tucci this is on your beat directly I'm just just a couple of days after we hear Michael Cohen's voice in you know any recording with president trop. One of the names that comes up in this Alan Weiss Weisel Burke. Comes up to date in fresh reporting your reporting that he has been subpoenaed by the grand jury in the southern district tell us why we care. Oh you care so it scale of one to ten and we broke at scale. You don't let me all right can we their past eleven Allen Weisel berg is one of the few people that worked in trump tower the date from our hope. He is one of the original key players and everything related Donald Trump. Donald Trump's business his finances the trump foundation which we know is under investigation by authorities also in New York. Different there at the attorney general's office but now to bring him in under oath. When he will learn things about the trump financial records that. No one knows I mean the only person that knows some of the dealings that he is an outsider Michael Cullen. But the whole record here that goes back for the forty somewhat years the Trump Organization is Alan white's. And so far -- Indian in front of a grand jury which of course a secret but it does give us an important clue potentially as to what the southern district is looking. Because a lot of people civil Michael Collins involve a lot of stuff a lot of it could be shady stuff he's got those cab licenses all these potential areas you know it and pray that this bill has. A lot to do direct lines the president you have to go back at 65 line I don't warrant that prosecutors in New York ex acute and I'm Michael Collins home his office and his hotel room. One of the categories on their work financials most of that we thought. Was personal finances but now with this news we're seeing this is hitting right to the heart of Donald Trump the Trump Organization. And where that might take us rate you know it's not only just women here on that as we know that's without recording that you spoke of the kidnapped earlier this week. Involving Michael Cohen and Tron alluded to that payment to Karen McDoogle reimbursing and my the publishers The National Enquirer. This could open a pandora's box. And I really don't know where it can take us but he is a wild story I've been told by sources that the president is livid. Over at extremely furious over it because remember Donald Trump said if Robert Mueller or any investigators went into his finances that would be a red line. We now crossed and India in the inner circle bottom line but as if our. This isn't Robert Mueller but remember how many times have we seen already in Robert knowledge investigation. You don't cross pollination and deals so we've seen circumstances where local US attorney's offices around the country I can think of one out in California that's forty had to deal with them. Down that they would bring testimony from the keys in a local jurisdiction member even though we like to think Robert Mueller is on a surprise on which he kind it is. It's not only has a bridge back to the Department of Justice this noble thing it. Cohen and the southern district did start with mr. absolutely and that's where this all began so we're trying to figure out where this all happened was that the TP triggered your interest Alan Weisel berg was it something else. We're still digging on that we June each remember though that tape and the timing of this are what's fascinating. We only learned about the tape is we first reported last Friday we heard on Monday that was the scene did they were all turned over prosecutors in New York. Timing ski you know. Importantly it back to work and phone and a if you think you will if he attacks. Who and a an open question. Well I went out I I I am asking students at two different red line is going to be like jumping carp about suspect a that we. I don't know why I'm idea that liberty and out from weeks three years ago want to all right. Thank you John. Big day today a deadline today the court ordered deadline to reunify the families that were separated at the border. This is a big stories the few weeks ago the court deadline has come and on. And Serena Marshall you've you've been following this very closely in the White House is claiming that the administration's claiming they've gotten this done but that's little with a number. Deadlines technically at Mitt technically at midnight tonight so they still a few hours to get on board were supposed to get new numbers from the administration at around 6 o'clock. As of right now on Tuesday the latest numbers the government gave us. Without of those nearly 2500. Children there were over the age of five under the age of seventeen they needed to reunify. They've actually already. Reunified they found 16100 parents. Are eligible for unification and of that thousand of them have been reunify but there's an apples and oranges thing going on here wreck. You have 16100 parents who are eligible rededication but 2500 children. Do we know if one parent is to one child or other two parents those single child or two children to a single parent. They're not giving this is consistent data points and so whether or not the rest of those children Levine reunified whether eligible for unification. They've also told us 450. Parents were deported without their children already how will they reunified those families that want to get back together there are still a lot of questions. And we've also learned today the Department of Homeland Security inspector general has opened an inquiry into this entire policy. That the department archives is also opened an investigation into that so called records destruction. That some outlets reported odd couple weeks ago so this isn't gonna go way even as the deadline hits tonight at midnight. And this is Blake. Knowing your got a failing tests so you try to change the great system. The the government wasn't. Going to be able to meet this deadline of the court sat. And so they deemed a number of these parents in eligible kids eligible but that doesn't mean they're not going to be. So ever eligible because like he sat department supported which means the problem is like in any harder to solve. And I wanna turned out enrollment is up on capitol hill's at a protest earlier today this is gotten a lot of love attention on Capitol Hill with members of congress who drove this of the four Ali what. What are you hearing in terms of the the acceptance of way to test and top administration saying they're they're prepared to say that they've basically not the job done. Gap Rick there was a huge protests this morning we were there that mothers fathers with their children. They were chanting and singing nursery rhymes. They did get up however they were sitting in on senate floor. The Florida senate Hart building but they got up before they would have been arrested it certainly didn't want to be arresting little children. But in terms of the action that is happening on the senate floor or I should say lack of action on the senate floor on this issue. There are a group of about four senators working behind closed doors on a bipartisan bill. That would prevent the tribe administration from doing this if they ever decided to do it again because. Obviously DHS is arguing that this is all wrapping up and we're going to reunite the families. But they want to you make sure doesn't happen again they also want to send that political message. But it appears as if those talks might be. Breaking down or at least hitting a rough point yesterday on the senate floor. There were as a pair of Republicans and a pair of Democrats who were seeking to pass bills that were completely on party lines. As relates to this issue now all of those efforts failed. But it does underscore. The degree to which this is such a hot button issue up here. And is is so politically right I think we might have a sound bite of senator Mazie Hirono speaking after a senate republic and ride. To get his bill on the floor on this issue take a listen. And we don't have this down this is it. This bill being offered by my colleagues on the innocent of the is a partisan political stunt. Designed to distract the American people from the crisis created by Donald Trump's zero tolerance policy. So as you heard this is something that. Is incredibly politically trends we don't know if they're going to be. Resolving anything anytime soon passing any bells certainly it seems that if this family reunification is completed. By when the current administration's. It is. There might not be a reason for any immediate it legislation but certainly this is going to continue especially if all of those families are reunited wreck. All right other organs in the on this case and Rick says alleys when about the film is being reunited. Remember they're being reunited but there are still being held in detention facilities so we're not gonna hear Republicans or Democrats. On capitol will go away quietly on this issue because you're holding up parent and a child. In a detention facility for. Who knows how long until their case many of member claiming asylum. Take up to three years three going to be keeping these young children and their parents together for three years and attention facilities. As of right now if the child is under five the administration has returned to that so called. Catch and release that the president hates to see happen critic and ankle monitor on the parents. Release them into the interior well they're silent cases pending appeal still have 5678. Year olds being held for possibly years and a US government attention almost. Were the soul has to be done on that president on the road to date guys making the case for tariffs heading to. Across the midwest is an Iowa only today well we've been talking to farmers ABC news outlets now doing great reporting TV abcnews.com talking to the the about the real world impact of this now he trotted out the EU president yesterday that bit of surprise announcement at the Rose Garden. To save its that there had been agreement with the Europeans. And here's what he had to say earlier today about trade with Europe. We just opened up Europe the EU farmers you're not gonna be too angry with trump. You haven't I think you can look at failure was clothing and yeah with the new trading with Europe for 200 years or so maybe a little longer than that but Jordan Phelps. Awe at the White House it does seem like strategically. That the White House is trying to signal something much different about tariffs that it was just a couple of days ago. It seems like the message coming out is that everything's going to be okay he seems to have taken off the gas. Yeah I am Rick remember it was just two days ago that the president was on Twitter tweeting tariffs are the greatest. And then yesterday we heard him in the Rose Garden saying that really he wants to get to zero tariffs so what's really going on here are well. This is from speaking in these classic rash link ways. Basically saying I'm not afraid to break every China cup in this tiniest or if it means I'm gonna get that trade deal I want sale. The White House and the approach they're taking is the president using these top approaches these tariffs as it means to get to a battered deal and they are clinging to you you know the progress that was me yesterday. I their crediting the president's top rhetoric or for getting us here. EU could also argue that the president back down. The White House and ever talked about it this way but actually twice this. First that rescinded Russian invitation. And then this 180 on trade when he was standing out there just a week after calling the U well. Now saying you want to get to a zero tariff policy. Tweeting pictures of getting kids to buy that. The president anything yeah it it it looked like a real 180. Because politically he is getting under the legal pressure from the last we have farmers all across the midwest that are freaked out terrified. They're looking at potential huge surpluses they can't get rid of stop at RD. Served sitting in their backyard. And we have Republicans really putting a camera down. Present an Alley wrote in a curious is this is is lessened any of the pressure on on the White House the Republican senators that. And in recent days been saying they want more oversight on tariffs of eight by and that's. Pretty they are Rick but the problem is that they're very aware of the fact that this president has made a lot of promises that don't end up coming true. And so I think there's very healthy skepticism. That this deal with the European Union is actually going to you come to fruition. They are also concerned. Especially Republicans from farm states they're concerned that. The opening back up of additional trade with Europe loosening of these terrorists. Potentially getting more in Europe buying. Our soybeans that's not going to be enough to make up for the difference in these terrorists that have been in the trick it. They're not gonna make up the difference in the trade war that the United States has begun weak China so the question is does that. Does Herat going up in soybean purchases does that offset the marked the lost market in China. These Republican senators are skeptical of that and I think until they see results and evidence that that's not going to be up. Problem for they're farmers they're not gonna let up. Pressure on this White House and. All right Ali wrote you know another big story out of Capitol Hill to DA articles of impeachment haven't filed by some members of the house freedom caucus against rob rose and Stein top of the Muller investigation. Earlier he is the deputy attorney general he is in charge of overseeing. This investigation we've been hearing rumblings about something like this for quite it's quite some time now this happened right before congressional recess. I I wanna play though what's Paul Ryan's response was to this was I think it's pretty telling Villa. I don't think we should be cavalier with this process with this term. Number one number two. I don't think that this rises the level of high crimes and misdemeanors. So Paul Ryan death and that's maneuver. In Los how to work mister McDonald out of Canada heats called it silly things entertainer and comments on. So what's going on why does that witness are only eleven Republicans at a tenant 36 and house signed on to Davis bell this. These. Statements resolution of impeachment we're trying to buy an extreme wing of the party that wanted some fireworks before summer. Their gonna be gone for five weeks big summer recess they wanted something to take back. These are sort of far right members of the party that in joy at being a pain in the side. And intriguing here though all eleven attitude is 36 Mary Alice is number but I I want a president trump would come down on this when Jordan Phelps can we have seen it's we get from the president but he's no great fan of Bob Rose and son or his boss Jeff Sessions. Now but we do know that the president has demonstrated a bit more restraint and he hasn't Hines passed. As it relates to talking about the special counsel no doubt that president as a private opinion on this point but he hasn't shared it publicly. Now counselor Kellyanne Conley did tell us this morning she when it offered direct opinion on what the White House thinks about this but she sent. Ultimately what the president wants is means parents see now an important thing to remember here is. Even though this might not be as serious proposal it's not expected to go anywhere this is an introduced by some at the president's most ardent allies in congress. And say oh this does have the ad at act perhaps. I in the public's fear of further souring public opinion among the president's supporters it outright Rosen signs of ports overseas the special counsel's. Inquiry act and this White House me while now wants that to go away but the president knows he's in a tough spot thank. He can't just fire rod residents not face tremendous political backlash. Today and when it buyers yeah. What is ardent supporters who was a part of its new. Watching the next speaker of the house yeah maybe not understand today's that it is important yet and turning Jeff Sessions also back on residents became heated cup news Bentsen and that was put down as well. All right thank you to Jordan Peltz an Alley Rogen before we wind down here today a presidential tweet that. Man I gotta say it's one of these I I'm on Twitter a lot and I didn't know what he was talking about here I had a little but the president. And -- out against shadow Manning and now we're gonna have to unpack this a little bit for our. Audiences of academic do you have an article and I put so so. The back story on this is that there's were going around at some conservative right wing circles that Twitter has been taking steps to muzzle the visibility of some prominent Republicans. Not quite as simple as the president would suggest that it is in fact it's nowhere near that level but runner on the McDaniel the RNC chair. Among those that according to vice news has been shadow banned under new policies put in place by Twitter to try to combat controls. But not they. Not making this up so that's certainly it does is wet there it's new algorithm has died and did the reason they don't Clinton searches. Is it that they have identified his algorithm troll accounts. And sir and metrics in order to weed out those troll accounts some of those metrics are you how to verify your email address the frequency of responses to certain people who you interact with on Twitter. And as a result of this algorithm they're finding certain Republicans were kind of lumped into that. Was it because they're interacting with trolls possibly did they know they were trolls probably not but -- interesting on how of that whole thing came full sir. It's in the lungs it's a longstanding right wing being out there than it did detect companies are trying to muzzled the voices whether it's FaceBook Twitter. Ever let it that everyone it out to get. If that's and that's right feeds into that narrative without any proof. All right that was it for this edition of the briefing room for Serena ethical plane. Mark I decline the index under any person's life.

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