This is a rush transcript from "Special Report," June 18, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: I did, bears on the playground. I love that one. Thank you.
Good evening. I'm Bret Baier. Breaking tonight, Joe Biden is increasing his lead over President Trump in brand-new Fox polls releasing right now. The presumptive Democratic nominee holding a 50-38 advantage among registered voters, that is a four-point gain from last month in this poll. The president's job approval numbers holding steady at 44 percent positive, 55 percent negative.
The latest figures come as the president and his former national security adviser go after each other over the contents of a new book. John Bolton says President Trump is unfit for office. The president calls Bolton a sick puppy, trying to avenge his firing.
The administration is taking Bolton to court to try to prevent the release, next week's release of his book but it cannot stop Bolton from making the rounds with the media.
I will talk with John Bolton next Tuesday on SPECIAL REPORT, you don't want to miss that. And I will speak live with counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway about all of this in just a moment.
Tonight, we have Fox team coverage. Peter Doocy in Wilmington, Delaware, with the latest from the campaign trail. But first, Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts starts us off tonight on the North Lawn about The Room Where It Happened. Good evening, John.
JOHN ROBERTS, FOX NEWS CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Bret, good evening to you. Between President Trump, the Department of Justice and Congressional Republicans and Democrats, it seems everyone is out to get John Bolton.
But unless a federal judge were to throw out the doctorate of prior restraint, it's likely that Bolton will be laughing all the way to the bank.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: President Trump spent much of the day ripping his former National Security Adviser John Bolton on Twitter, calling Bolton, quote, wacko. Insisting the room where it happened quote is a compilation of lies and made up stories all intended to make me look bad.
In the book, Bolton portrays the president as willing to intervene in legal action against countries he wanted to carry favor with including China and Turkey. Criticizing President Trump as not up to the job from a foreign policy perspective.
JOHN BOLTON, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I don't think he's fit for office. I don't think he has the competence to carry out the job. There really isn't any guiding principle that I was able to discern other than what's good for Donald Trump's reelection.
ROBERTS: In the book, Bolton writes that President Trump quote, pleaded with Chinese President Xi Jinping to buy U.S. agricultural goods so the president could win the farm vote.
But U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer who was also in the room disputes Bolton's claim, telling the Senate Finance Committee:
ROBERT LIGHTHIZER, U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: Absolutely untrue. It never happened, I was there, I have no recollection of that ever happened. I don't believe it's true. I don't believe it ever happened.
ROBERTS: While President Trump is concerned with the political fallout, national security officials are worried about the damage to intelligence from what they say is a significant amount of classified information still in the book. Bolton writes extensively about negotiations on China, Afghanistan, North Korea, and Russia.
BOLTON: I think Putin thinks he can play him like a fiddle. I think Putin is smart, tough. And I think he sees that he's not faced with a serious adversary here. I don't think he is worried about Donald Trump.
ROBERTS: At the request of the Department of Justice, Federal District Judge Royce Lamberth had scheduled a hearing for tomorrow with 1:00 to consider a temporary restraining order blocking the book's release.
PETER NAVARRO, WHITE HOUSE TRADE ADVISER: It's the deep swamp political equivalent of revenge porn. The guy got fired because he didn't obey the chain of command because he was out of touch with what President Donald J. Trump stands for in terms of foreign policy. He created his own autonomous zone here at the White House. He disrespected everybody.
ROBERTS: Bolton is also taking fire from Democrats, angry that he saved his allegations for a memoir and didn't share them with impeachment investigators.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Bolton's argument was essentially known that it would potentially impede on the president, that it would violate potentially his constitutional duty. Apparently, those concerns gave way to a $2 million book offer.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Bolton's publisher Simon & Schuster says efforts to stop the book are too late. The thousands of copies have already shipped around the world ready to hit the stores next Tuesday.
And Bret, as you pointed out at the top, it certainly hasn't and won't stop Bolton from talking to people. He has already done a broadcast network interview to air on Sunday night and then he's got the interview with you on Tuesday morning, Bret.
BAIER: John, thank you. And as John just mentioned, I will interview former National Security Adviser John Bolton next Tuesday. You can see that interview Tuesday, 6:00 p.m. Eastern on SPECIAL REPORT.
In tonight's Democracy 2020 report, the fear factor in the presidential election. Our new Fox News poll indicates 63 percent of Joe Biden's supporters are more motivated by fear over a Trump reelection than enthusiasm for the former vice president. The numbers are basically reversed for Trump supporters.
Those results come as we learn new details about the makeup of the two campaigns. Correspondent Peter Doocy reports tonight from Wilmington, Delaware.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETER DOOCY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: This is what the Biden coalition looks like. Voters under 30, voters over 65, suburban voters, women voters and black voters by an overwhelming 85 to six percent margin over President Trump. According to a Fox News poll that also finds 88 percent of black voters disapprove of the way President Trump handles race relations.
The Trump coalition is held together by white evangelical voters and voters in rural areas and last night he spoke confidently about his chances against Biden.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's not running his campaign, people are running his campaign. I see quotes all the time that he said this, he said that about me and they are long, beautiful flowing sentences. I said Joe didn't make that statement.
DOOCY: One Biden statement today is about claims made in John Bolton's new book about President Trump talking to Chinese President Xi about the upcoming election. The former V.P. says my message to China's leaders or anyone else who President Trump might invite to interfere, stay out of our democracy, stay out of our elections. That says the current V.P. campaigns in Michigan.
Biden did not host any public events today but his campaign picked on Pence's trip with this, as Mike Pence's great American damage control tour hits Michigan, the truth is sinking in that Donald Trump's corrupt recovery is prioritizing wealthy donors and billionaires instead of working-class Michiganders.
Michigan is one of the most important states to Biden's electoral strategy along with Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina because those are the six places the campaign is spending $15 million to run their first T.V. ads of the general election.
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're in the battle for the soul of this nation, what we believe maybe most importantly, who we want to be is all at stake.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DOOCY: The stakes are highest in head-to-head debates. Right now, there are three between Trump and Biden's scheduled but I've confirmed today, the Trump team wants more. They've got Rudy Giuliani helping them pressure the commission on presidential debates into sending additional invitations, Bret.
BAIER: Peter Doocy in Wilmington. Peter, thanks.
Let's get the Trump administration perspective tonight on the latest polls, the Bolton book, other topics. Kellyanne Conway's Counselor to the President. Kellyanne, thanks for being here.
KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT: Good evening, Bret.
BAIER: I want to start out with this book. The administration's been fighting to prevent it from being released, going to court over it. John Bolton is now out doing interviews. He will be as I mentioned on SPECIAL REPORT next week. He is saying and it's in the book that the president from what he saw in the room is unfit for office. What do you say to that?
CONWAY: Well, a couple of things. When people do tell-all books, I prefer that they tell us all what they accomplished in those position.
So I've known John for a long time. Serve alongside of him in the White House for all 17 months he was there. And much of his national security accomplishments that happened and there are many in the Donald Trump presidency happened before he got there or after he left. The capture of al-Baghdadi, Soleimani, sanction in the ICC, getting the Afghan troop withdrawal down to almost a half and with the target I talked to our national security administrator today or director today, Robert -- Ambassador Robert O'Brien said, we'll probably get to zero by May of 2021. So many of these things have happened since he's gone. And I like when people tell us all that they accomplished.
I also would point out and others have done this, that ambassador Bolton, John Bolton had many nice things to say about the president complementary but I think the one that's most important to some of the allegations in his book is what he said in the White House briefing room.
He said quote, since 2017 -- January 2017, President Trump has been -- has taken decisive action against election meddling and interference. In his book he claims that the president is asking President Xi to help him win farmers in the Midwest, this makes no sense. I personally have had private meetings with John Bolton where we've discussed Chinese fentanyl for example since I ran the drug crisis at the White House. And he never said to me gee Kellyanne, we have a problem with getting the Chinese (INAUDIBLE) analog schedule as President Xi has promised because after all, the president -- President Trump is asking help in the election. So some of this smacks people as brand-new information in false as well.
I know you're interviewing him next week and I would just remind you that and everybody who's watching that Bolton aside, these books are never fact- checked.
So you interviewed James Comey in December of 2019 or 2018 and he lied to you. He lied to you and you called him on it and he was -- it was revealed that he lied to you. He didn't know -- he said he doesn't know that the Democrats funded the Steele dossier. You said, what do you mean you don't know, and he said I still don't know it's the fact the Republicans did, you said no. you correctly said no, they didn't.
And it turned out when we saw the FISA --
(CROSSTALK)
BAIER: Right.
CONWAY: -- an honor about October 12th, 2016, he had been briefed about that and then he included that unverified dossier which is a French word for a load of bunk in the briefing --
BAIER: So you're saying -- you're saying that in this book, there are lies and that his perception is not accurate but yet Bloomberg points this out, Eli Lake says --
CONWAY: Well, his perception is new for somebody who writes --
BAIER: Bolton himself is a legendary note-taker who keeps a detailed record of his life. One of his former staffers told me, this is Eli Lake, that Bolton takes notes on what he had for breakfast. Also, if Bolton's book is all lies, why would the White House try to block its publication and claim he is revealing classified information?
CONWAY: So to make clear, I didn't say that.
BAIER: Bolton's account of the Trump presidency is important because it's devastating.
CONWAY: Excuse me, I'm sorry, there's a little delay, Bret. I didn't mean to interrupt.
So, no, I didn't say it was all lies, what I said was it's important to put it all in the perspective of the tenure that he had there, what has happened since he left, and the fact that he didn't raise any of this in a meaningful way while he was there.
And I will tell you that those of us who do work there our duty bound, we took an oath to the constitution, we work for the country. We are duty- bound to give advice and try to brief the president and work with other members of the Cabinet, of the senior staff, of the outside world, Congress certainly on any number of issues to try to improve this country. That's what we're trying to do there.
So, I know he's a note-taker, I witnessed it firsthand. And all I'm saying is I think we need context here that Ambassador Bolton is somebody who was crediting the president not just for being decisive around the globe on many different -- on many different actions.
In fact, he's on tape saying that many times but at the one that really caught my eye today when I went back through some of it was him in the White House press briefing room saying that for the entire presidency of Donald Trump, President Trump has taken quote, decisive action against election meddling and interference.
And does anybody believe that the president asked President Xi to help him win the election? It's so ridiculous. In fact, Ambassador Lighthizer was asked it with no warning yesterday by Senator Menendez in a hearing about other issues. And Ambassador Lighthizer was under oath and immediately said, immediately spontaneously said never happened. I was there. It happens.
BAIER: Can we play the sound bite?
CONWAY: So Ambassador Lighthizer is saying, this is in the room that where it didn't happen.
So, I think, look, these are the -- there are a lot of books out there that turn out to have tremendous falsities. I don't know why these books aren't fact-checked. Even names are wrong. Dates are wrong. Sometimes quotes are attributed to somebody positively and somebody else said it, they weren't even there.
So I do -- I'm glad you have a chance to interview him. I think that's important. And I think the Department of Justice has made clear it's unusual to release a book like this while people that you work with are still doing their jobs and while the president is still in office. That's the unusual part.
BAIER: Well, other people have done it. We had former Secretary Bob Gates who wrote a book about the Obama administration while he was still in office. Other people have done it but you're right, to be this pointed and this direct, there are a lot of things that are getting picked up.
I want to quickly -- I only have a few seconds. Is this rally happening in Tulsa 100 percent? It's not going to be moved outside? It's definitely going to happen?
CONWAY: The information I have from the campaign is that it's happening and I think people want to get out there and express their beliefs peaceably. You've seen people do it through protest, where peaceful protest and otherwise. And you're seeing -- you're going to see people whether it's in Tulsa or else wise, Bret, they want to participate in our great democracy also.
I also would say to Oklahoma, I believe is in phase three. And so, you can have gatherings of a certain number indoors and I know that people are adhering to the protocols but we can't pick and choose who can beware, wearing a mask or not, based on our politics, based on whether some people think that folks are irredeemable and deplorable. They have the same rights as anybody else to peacefully assemble -- peacefully assemble under our constitution. And I think it's important that they do that.
Also, I know you were talking a lot about the polls since I'm -- there's a pollster for many years.
BAIER: Yes.
CONWAY: I respectfully -- we never did one single national poll when I was campaign manager Trump-Pence 2016, why? There a colossal waste of time and money. Statewide polls are really the gold standard.
David Plouffe, another successful campaign manager for President Obama, backed me up on that yesterday and said, these are like 50 different governors' races state by state.
Let's look at the statewide polls. And I think the polls in the states right now are about where I would expect him to be depending on the poll with Trump and Biden both under 50 percent in most of those statewide polls and within a few points of each other.
I saw that in 2016 the day Donald Trump asked me to become the campaign manager in August. And we saw they were both under 50, they were within a couple of points of each other, and then you go into those state-by-state.
We know President Trump and Vice President Pence are going to spend more time out in the swing states than Joe Biden ever can.
(CROSSTALK)
BAIER: Yes.
CONWAY: And they will be connecting directly, talking about the progress report of the Trump administration, and laying up the vision for the next four years.
BAIER: Well, that's definitely a national poll out tonight, but we do swing state polls, and that a great ground state polls as well. Kellyanne, we appreciate your time.
CONWAY: Thank you, Bret.
BAIER: Just been -- in our latest survey, say the coronavirus and unemployment are the biggest threats to the country's stability, with racism not far behind. The top two are at 67 percent, racism. The next at 64, just 32 percent of those questioned approve of the president's performance on race relations.
"BREAKING TONIGHT," the fired white Atlanta police officer charged with felony murder in the death of an African-American man last week has turned himself in. His former partner, who faces less severe charges, and may or may not testify against him also surrender today.
Some Atlanta officers are expressing their displeasure with the situation as its being developed. Correspondent Steve Harrigan has details from Atlanta tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVE HARRIGAN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Some Atlanta police officers failed to show up for work in the wake of a murder charge against a former officer for the killing of Rayshard Brooks last Friday.
The mayor said she did not know how many officers were refusing to work, but assured residents that the city was covered.
KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS, MAYOR OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA: We have some officers who are staying on a bit longer to cover a longer shift to make up the difference. But we've already notified many of our other partners just in case we need to call others in. But, we're fine.
HARRIGAN: Atlanta P.D. also tried to reassure residents with a tweet that they are able to "respond effectively to 911 calls."
Fired Officer Garrett Rolfe, shot Brooks twice in the back after Brooks failed a sobriety test, fought with police officers, stole a police taser, and fired it while running away. 27-year-old Rolfe, now faces 11 charges, including felony murder, with the possibility of the death penalty or life imprisonment.
The district attorney who is running for election, announced the charges before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation completed its investigation.
VINCE CHAMPION, SPOKESMAN, INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF POLICE OFFICERS: That's a worst day in law enforcement in the city of Atlanta that's ever been.
HARRIGAN: The prosecutor also acclaimed, Rolfe kicked the body of Brooks after he had been shot and lay on the pavement dying. Rolfe's lawyer denied the charge.
LANCE LORUSSO, ATTORNEY FOR GARRETT ROLFE: My client never kicked Mr. Brooks. He could be leaning down to try to give him first aid, it could have been when he was trying to evaluate whether he needed handcuffs.
HARRIGAN: The other officer involved, Devin Brosnan, surrender to police Thursday morning, and was released a short time later.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIGAN: There's no bond for Rolfe, but his attorney says he will be vindicated when all the evidence comes out. Bret.
BAIER: Steve Harrigan in Atlanta. Steve, thank you.
One of the main sticking points in discussions about improving law enforcement is liability protection for officers. Chief congressional correspondent Mike Emanuel shows us this evening where the battle lines are being drawn and why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE EMANUEL, FOX NEWS CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One issue that could threaten police reform is a battle over qualified immunity. It largely protects police officers from civil suits and potential financial ruin.
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): I'm not in favor of changing our qualified immunity.
EMANUEL: The Senate Judiciary chairman, says he doesn't want a change to add to the burden of an already dangerous and difficult job.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I would vote, hell no. Police officers need not worry about losing their house or being sued if they act the good faith and performing duties that are hard on any good day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The House will be in order.
EMANUEL: The House Democrat's bill, which expected to be voted on next week would remove the immunity for officers. Top Democrats, say the Senate G.O.P. plan must get tougher.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): It does nothing on qualified immunity, which shields even police who were guilty of violating civil rights from being sued for civil damages.
EMANUEL: The Senate is also expected to try taking up its police reform bill next week. Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said differences in the House and Senate measures do not need to be sorted out now.
REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D-CA): But we'd like to end up in conference because that's how Congress works. Its will -- the House act, Senate acts, and you go to conference and try to reconcile the legislation.
EMANUEL: Indiana Republican Senator Mike Braun is expected to introduce a bill next week that would reform qualified immunity.
SEN. MIKE BRAUN (R-IN): In these egregious instances that there is accountability and you're not protected, just like you aren't and other elements of society. And make sure that you're not hampering already the toughest job that's out there with frivolous lawsuits.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
EMANUEL: South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott has warned removing qualified immunity for officers as a poison pill, perhaps, fine-tuning it to allow lawsuits against police departments or cities, and not individual officers would be a way to address this thorny issue. Bret.
BAIER: All right, Mike, Thanks. The U.S. Supreme Court, meantime, strikes down President Trump's bid to end legal protections for the DREAMers. We'll explain all of that and the implications next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BAIER: The U.S. Supreme Court is rejecting President Trump's attempt to end legal protections for young people brought to this country illegally by their parents. The ruling on the so-called DREAMers is being billed as a major defeat for President Trump.
Fox News chief legal correspondent, anchor of "FOX NEWS @ NIGHT", Shannon Bream is here with details tonight.
Good evening, Shannon. Where does this leave the status of the DREAMers tonight?
SHANNON BREAM, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Well, good evening, Bret. For now, the framework protecting them from deportation, and allowing them to have work permits remains in place.
Now, writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts, said this case is not about the merits but that the Trump administration did not get the process right. "Here the agency failed to consider the conspicuous issues of whether to retain forbearance and what if anything to do about the hardship to DACA recipients."
Well, the administration points to the memo authored by then-DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in 2018, explaining why they believed DACA is contrary to the law and should be rescinded.
In his dissent, Justice Thomas, said that should be enough. Now, he is worried about the long-term impact of today's decision. "Under the auspices of today's decision, administrations can bind their successors by unlawfully adopting significant legal changes through executive branch agency memoranda."
So, the White House, based on this decision, could take another stab at outlining its reasoning for getting rid of DACA, but it's not clear tonight, Bret, that that's an avenue they want to pursue in this election year.
BAIER: Yes, there is some big decisions we're waiting for from the court as it wraps up its turn, right?
BREAM: Yes, and there are two sets of cases that actually could be, you know, having a direct impact on the presidential election. First, we have those attempts by House committees, and a prosecutor in New York to get access to the president's tax and financial information.
So far, the president has refused but the companies who hold those financial records have said they will cooperate if the Supreme Court rules they have to turn them over.
Second, we've got the so-called faithless electors. People are chosen by their states to vote in the Electoral College, who then decide. When they get that, they don't want to vote the way their state has voted.
In a close election, even a handful of those electors swinging one way or another could change who becomes president. We're also awaiting a decision regarding whether the Little Sisters of the Poor, an order of nuns can be forced to take part in providing cost-free contraceptives to their employees.
There also other cases on abortion, whether tax dollars can be used at religious schools, many others. We'll get opinions, again, Monday morning, Bret.
BAIER: And we'll be watching -- we'll be watching you tonight at 11:00. Thanks.
BREAM: See you then.
BAIER: Up next, Tulsa gets ready for President Trump and his big campaign rally Saturday night despite the coronavirus. But as we head to break, Jean Kennedy Smith, who was the last surviving sibling of President John F. Kennedy has died.
Smith served as ambassador to Ireland in the Clinton administration and is credited with playing a key role in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Jean Kennedy Smith was 92.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BAIER: As the country continues to emerge from coronavirus lockdown, more locations are reporting spikes in new cases. As we've been saying, the testing is increasing, so you have to look at the positivity rates. One of those places as Tulsa, Oklahoma, site of President Trump's return to the campaign trail Saturday night. The positivity rates is about the same there. Correspondent Casey Stegall is in Tulsa tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY STEGALL, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Days before President Trump's first political rally in months, there are mixed feelings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the city chosen by the White House to host the event. While they mayor calls it a tremendous honor to be selected, local health officials aren't happy with the timing.
BRUCE DART, TULSA HEALTH DEPARTMENT: COVID is here. It's transmitting very efficiently in our community.
STEGALL: This week Tulsa County reported its largest daily increase of new coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, and doctors are worried those numbers could skyrocket from crowding more than 19,000 people inside the BOK Center, the venue's max capacity.
DART: Let me be clear. Anyone planning to attend a large-scale gathering will face an increased risk of becoming infected.
STEGALL: Oklahoma is among at least two dozen states where new coronavirus cases are on the rise, including Texas, where hospitalizations of spiked more than 80 percent since Memorial Day.
SYLVESTER TURNER, (D) HOUSTON MAYOR: Wearing a face mask is critically important as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Houston and Harris County.
STEGALL: In California, the State Department of Health now requires almost everywhere. Arizona is increasing their mask mandates, too. At the same time a handful of resorts and casinos will now temporarily close just after reopening following an uptick of cases in that state. All while the president continues to downplay the latest data, attributing the spikes to increased testing and media hype.
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are very close to a vaccine, and we are very close to therapeutics, really good therapeutics. But even without that, I don't even like to talk about that, because it's fading away. It's going to fade away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STEGALL: Masks that hand sanitizer will be handed out here in Tulsa to those going inside the venue. People will also have their temperature checked upon entry. Bret?
BAIER: Casey Stegall in Tulsa. Casey, thanks.
There are new accusations tonight that several countries are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to gain advantage, or at least rattle some cages with their adversaries. Correspondent Benjamin Hall tells us this evening who they are and what they're doing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BENJAMIN HALL, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Iranian cruise missiles striking targets near the Persian Gulf in a display of new Iranian capabilities, new Chinese military maneuvers high in the Himalayas after clashes with Indian troops left at least 20 dead following a border dispute, and Russian bomber formations entering Alaskan air defenses before being escorted away by U.S. F-22s -- all these provocative actions took place the last week alone, adding to fears that some countries are flexing their muscles, trying to exploit weakness during coronavirus. Today the British foreign minister called them out.
DOMINIC RAAB, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Certainly, Russia and other countries, and, indeed, nonstate actors see the challenges that COVID has created, and they are trying to exploit it. And we are making sure we've got the resilience, the defense, the capabilities to prevent them from doing so.
HALL: Even as China tightens its grip on Hong Kong, in clear violation of international laws, they have repeatedly denied exploiting the virus. So too has Russia. Putin spokesman saying simply, "We categorically disagree with such statements." But other countries in the Five Eyes intelligence networks are speaking out, too.
MARISE PAYNE, AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: For our part, it is troubling that some countries are using the pandemic to undermine the rule of democracy, to promote their own more authoritarian models.
HALL: As well as military provocations and landgrabs, there is evidence these countries are behind large scale cyberattacks. But whatever the threat, Secretary Pompeo says it will be handled.
MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: Stand against bad actors is at the core of America's values.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HALL: The British foreign minister also said that Russia had tried using misinformation and propaganda cyberattacks during the last U.K. election, but that he didn't believe it had any impact on the outcome. Bret?
BAIER: Benjamin Hall in London. Benjamin, thank you.
Up next, how an empty field of dreams is hurting not just baseball but business as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BAIER: About 1.5 million people filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week. It's the 11 straight weekly decline in applications since they peaked at nearly 7 million in March as the coronavirus shut down much of the U.S. economy and caused tens of millions of layoffs.
Stocks were mixed on that news today. The Dow lost 40, the S&P 500 finished ahead two, the Nasdaq gained 33.
There are serious concerns tonight about whether America's pastime will be part of America's return to sports. Owners and players are engaged in what would appear to be serious talks about resuming the season delayed by the coronavirus lockdown. But the bickering over money at a time when millions of people are out of work is not going over too well. Lucas Tomlinson reports from Nationals Park in Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY GIFFORD, WALTERS SPORTS BAR OWNER: Our revenue is down roughly 90, 95 percent.
LUCAS TOMLINSON, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Bars and restaurants have been crushed amid the coronavirus pandemic, a situation made worse with no Major League Baseball. Jeremy Gifford owns Walters Sports Bar outside Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
If the Nats didn't win the World Series, do you think you would still be in business today?
GIFFORD: No. This should be post World Series champion hitting a banner, and instead it's bleak.
TOMLINSON: After the World Series, it was just packed.
GIFFORD: So people who couldn't get in were watching it from here.
TOMLINSON: And now it's deathly quiet.
GIFFORD: Yes, you can hear a pin drop. Some of these businesses they worked super hard all winter to get open for opening day, and, you know --
TOMLINSON: There is no opening day.
GIFFORD: Not this year. All the restaurants down here probably won't make it if something drastically doesn't change.
TOMLINSON: Minor League affiliates are also suffering, a staple of small- town America for over a century. We spoke to the owner of the Nationals Single-A affiliate outside the nation's capital.
SETH SILBER, FREDERICKSBURG NATIONALS PART OWNER: It's obviously disappointing to us and our fans that it doesn't look like we're going to have Minor League baseball here. The season actually hasn't been officially canceled, but at this point we're not expecting to have affiliated games.
TOMLINSON: This afternoon, the World Series champs should have been hosting the San Francisco Giants.
GIFFORD: This is when the season really picks up is when school lets out.
TOMLINSON: As for Walters Sports Bar, Gifford isn't sure when things will be back to normal.
GIFFORD: I still don't really know how long will be. And so turning to staff and saying, hey, guys, it's two more weeks and we're going to be fine -- we are not going to be fine until baseball fans are allowed back into the stadium.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TOMLINSON: D.C.'s mayor says restaurants can begin seating customers indoors beginning Monday at half capacity, but the owners want baseball back to bring the big crowds. Bret?
BAIER: Let's hope. Lucas, thank you.
Up next, President Trump and John Bolton exchange some pretty harsh language ahead of Bolton's new book. We'll have thoughts on all of that from the panel.
First, Beyond our Borders tonight. Venezuela has released a video showing six American oil executives jailed in Caracas. The men have been in custody for more than two years since officials under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro asked them to travel from the Houston based CITGO Headquarters for a meeting, and then they were arrested. Relatives are appealing for international help in securing their release over fears about the men's health amend the coronavirus pandemic.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Prince Charles place wreathes at a Charles de Gaulle statue in London. The ceremony part of events marking the statesman's famed World War II appeal to resist the Nazis.
Just some of the other stories beyond our borders tonight. We'll be right back.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOLTON: I don't think he's fit for office. I don't think he has the competence to carry out the job. There really isn't any guiding principle that I was able to discern other than what's good for Donald Trump's reelection.
TRUMP: He broke the law. He was a washed-up guy. I gave him a chance. He couldn't get Senate confirmed so I gave him a non-Senate confirmed position where I could just put him there and see how he worked. And I wasn't very enamored.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: President Trump and John Bolton talking about this book coming out. In it a whole bunch of allegations, scathing at points, devastating potentially politically. Others, like Kellyanne Conway, say they just blow it off.
Here's the thing about impeachment in the book. "Had the House not focused solely on Ukraine aspects of Trump's confusion of his personal interests, whether political or economic, but on the broader pattern of his behavior, including his pressure campaigns involving Halkbank, ZTE, and Huawei, among others, there might have been a greater chance to persuade others that high crimes and misdemeanors had been perpetrated. In fact, I am hard-pressed to identify any significant Trump decision during my tenure that wasn't driven by reelection calculations." Again, that's John Bolton.
What about the political implications of all of this? Let's bring in our panel, Jason Riley, "Wall Street Journal" columnist, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, Amy Walter, national editor for the "Cook Political Report," and Charles Hurt, opinion editor for "The Washington Times." Amy, that last little section of the book really has to send Democrats on the House impeachment panels into a tizzy.
AMY WALTER, NATIONAL EDITOR, "COOK POLITICAL REPORT": Well, they wanted to see him testify. Obviously, Democrats in the Senate wanted to see him testify. He was not subpoenaed in the Senate, and lo and behold, now when the book comes out, he is spilling a lot of this information.
As for its political implications, I think, much like impeachment, this is going to just simply fall into the category of, if you already like Donald Trump, you don't believe what he's saying, you believe what the president sign. If you already dislike the president, you're going to hold on to what John Bolton is saying as further proof for the fact that you believe Trump isn't able to do this job.
But I think as we pan out to what it could mean for the campaign, it does make it more difficult for the president to go after Joe Biden on issues like China. Already the president has seen that as a topic that he wants to go after Joe Biden, saying he's too soft on China, implicating Biden's son Hunter in deals he's made with China. But combined with the coronavirus pandemic and the way the president handled that, voters not approving of that, and the fact that now you have someone who is going to say on camera I worked with the president and he tried to get things done with China in order to get reelected that hurt this country, it may not move Republicans, but for those voters who aren't paying as much attention to politics, it could stick in there and be a factor.
BAIER: Yes. Charlie, what about that? First of all, he didn't testify, didn't testify under oath. The pushback from the White House is that he's lying about these things. He is historically a very detailed notetaker, John Bolton is. What about this and what Amy said about the political implications?
CHARLES HURT, OPINION EDITOR, "WASHINGTON TIMES": I don't doubt that he is certainly a copious notetaker, but that's really not the issue here. The idea that he is going to accuse the president of trying to do things to get himself reelected, that's what politicians do. And the idea that President Trump is going to go to China and try to get a good trade deal for farmers back home, somehow this is somehow nefarious because it lines up with his own political interests, I find absolutely preposterous, especially when you compare it to what president -- what Vice President Biden and his son are accused of trying to do in the case of his son trying to feather his own nest financially.
And to listen to John Bolton, who has been around Washington and foreign policy circles forever, talk about President Trump being unfit for office, my goodness. He is fit for office in one respect. He had been elected to something. John Bolton has never been elected to anything. Donald Trump got elected to be president to stand up to China, to reduce American military footprint around the world, and he has fought tooth and nail, whether it's John Bolton or the generals in the military, he's fought tooth and nail to try to make good on those promises. Does that help him get reelected? Of course it helps him get reelected. That's how politics works. That's how democracy is supposed to work.
And to listen to John Bolton pooh-pooh that and talk about, well, he's unfit for office, it really does call into question his wisdom. And for me, the biggest question is, I don't know why Donald Trump hired the guy the first place. I know why John Bolton wanted to work for Trump. He wanted to undermine him. But I don't know why Trump hired him in the first place.
BAIER: That was quite a little rant there, Charlie. Let me bring in -- that's all right. Let me bring in Jason. The polls out today, speaking of the election, the choice for president, we put them up before, 50-38 in registered voters in our new poll. Biggest motivation in the vote for president, fear of the other candidate winning, basically fear that President Trump would be reelected is the biggest motivator for the former Vice President's supporters, not support of him, at 31. And Kellyanne Conway said it doesn't matter a nationwide poll. The RCP average, Trump versus Biden in the battleground states, has Biden update eight, five, five, four, four, and tied in North Carolina. Jason, where do you see this race right now? And does this Bolton situation affect it?
JASON RILEY, "WALL STREET JOURNAL" COLUMNIST: I don't see the Bolton situation affecting it that much. I agree with Amy, people are in their camps. They're chosen their sides. They're going to dig in. I don't see this having much of an effect.
Bolton talks about things like it being a chaotic White House, Trump using foreign policy to help himself domestically. Whether you agree with that or not, we've heard it all before. We heard it from Michael Wolff. We heard it from Bob Woodward. We heard it from Omarosa. So I don't think this will move the ball much there.
I think the Biden campaign has a little bit of a dilemma which is how well Biden has been doing holed up for the past few months and just letting Trump be Trump. Biden has not only done pretty well in the polls, he's doing pretty well in fundraising as well. And the temptation there is just to stay out of Trump's way if you're the Biden campaign.
But they are announcing these ads, television ads in these six competitive states. Like you said, Biden is doing well in most of them. He's leading or tied. And he's focusing on leadership, and I think that's a smart thing to do. Things are pretty chaotic right now in the world, and a large proportion of both the country as a whole, voters as a whole, as well as Republican voters see things going in the wrong direction right now. So I think it is smart to run on leadership and to run ads in these states. The question is whether Biden is going to mess up a good thing here by going on offense.
BAIER: All right, panel, thank you very much.
When we come back, the brighter side of things, some good news.
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BAIER: Finally tonight, the brighter side of things from police officers who do good things around the country every day. There's a couple of them. Police Officer Jeff Schwarz stopping to fix an American flag that fell outside a closed car repair shop in Nebraska. After noticing that the flag- holder was damaged, Schwarz folded the flag and rested it against the building.
Officer Jessica Mausolf in Hudson, New York, was caught on camera having a tense dance battle with five-year-old Neymar Henry. Mausolf noticed Neymar dancing in the street. She parked her squad car to join in the fun, and had some fun with the filming as well. That's pretty good. Good moves there.
Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. That's it for this SPECIAL REPORT, fair, balanced, and still unafraid. Don't forget, Tuesday interview with John Bolton about his new book.
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