victoria nuland was willing to go there and that made her a target. just a few weeks after her visit to key effective in that incredibly tense moment this audio from her private phone calls got hacked and stolen. now it's not unusual for a u.s. diplomat to have her phone tapped overseas. that presumably happens all the time. what was not a thing though was a high level u.s. diplomat having her phone tap and then the content of that phone call getting extracted and leaked out of context onto the internet to try to create an international incident and specifically to try to embarrass her. now, at the time that happened, that was new. and it was no real mystery who had done it. obama administration noted at the time that the first tweet of that audio clip of new land swearing in a private phone call was tweet tweeted out by the russian government. turned out that was our first big preview of what would go on a couple years later in the 2016 elections. right? in the 2017 elections it was russia again but what happened to victoria nuland was sort of the fi

woodruff: victoria nuland, john meanrsheimer, you. >> you're welcome. thank you, judy. >> woodruff: we heard inhe last segment a little about natural gas produced in the u.s. it turns out, is a big factor the overall growth of energy production in this country over e past decade. but producing and transporting that gas releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas that's gott a lot less attention wh it comes to climate change. miles o'brien reports on how california is zeing in on that very issue, part of our weekly segment on the "leading edge" of science, medicine and technology. >> this is honor rancho. this is about ten clicks north or so. >> reporter: it's time for a preflight briefing at burbank airport. >> we're going to get plenty of data over the, over the sites. >> reporter: i'm flyinwith a team from nasa's jet propulsion laboratory, a place that specializes in exploring distant planets, today is focused on our own. f they're takight over southern california, hunting one of the most potent greenhouse gases of all; methane. it accounts for one fift

victoria nuland, former u.s. ambassador nato, thanks for joining us. >>> let's not forget that in 1949 as this picture shows it was u.s. president harry truman signing nato into existence in the first place. >>> now, for president trump and many nato allies, refugees fleeing war and violence across the globe is a huge issue. the world's fastest growing refugee crisis is the flight of the rohingya muslims. nearly 700,000 of them have fled their homes in myanmar to neighboring bangladesh since last august. bringing with stories of alleged mass murder and destruction at the hands of myanmar's military which denies the accusations but the scars they bear are physical reminders of the persecution they've endured for the ngo called physicians for human rights, they are important pieces of forensic evidence this corroborate firsthand accounts of genocide against the rohingya. a new report by the human rights group exclusively shared with this show looks into the injuries of 25 rohingya refugees from a village where one

but there are a lot of people on this list that are new names to people, like, victoria nuland. you want her to testify? >> first of all, i want to make sure the american people know that this is just one more step in the process. i think we have been very transparent about how we have conducted this process, we went on to fisa abuse and other matters, i have set for a long time that we are looking at the state department. when we began looking at the state department, you had victoria nuland and a few other people who decided to go out and talk about things publicly, which actually helped our investigation out quite a bit. the reason why it is is because we still don't understand how this investigation was actually open to. but we know that many people in the obama era state department were involved in the opening of that investigation. so it all comes down to, how did the information make it from supposedly an australian high commissioner ambassador to the fbi? so we know that that didn't come through what i would call intelligence, it wasn't real intelligence products, it's a

assistant secretary of state victoria nuland to the u.s. ambassador in ukraine she's now left the diplomatic service to run a think tank and it should probably be noted that the president. will probably not on monday talk to president bush and co about the us his role in putting him in power germany's foreign minister at the time frank. now germany's president already arguably spoke for europe when he said he wasn't impressed by newton's remarks i think what mrs nuland said on the behavior of europeans is unacceptable i think there is no space for criticisms about our conduct regarding ukraine germany's president may sometimes think the u.s. act on acceptably over ukraine but that's not the case with britain boris johnson used ukraine to compare russia twenty eighteen to hitler's the olympics in the run up to today's england and russia quarterfinals and the british foreign office is just announced more funding tens of millions of pounds u.k. taxpayer money for ukraine some in the u.k. may be wondering if they are aware that mr barr shanker

joining me now, victoria nuland, former u.s. mbassador to nato, former assistant secretary of state for european and eurasian affairs in john kerry's state department. victoria, great to see you, thank you very much. what went through your mind when you saw that, when you understood that the president talked to vladimir putin at putin's suggestion about turning over a list of americans for questioning by russia? and is considering it, didn't rule it out. >> the president fell into a classic putin intelligence training trap, which is to create moral equivalency between things that are not equivalent. you cannot equate the work of a u.s. ambassador to the work of russian intelligence officers who are trying to suborn u.s. democracy. i was pleased to see secretary of state mike pompeo that that notion is absolutely absurd. i think if we actually went there, the entire diplomatic service would probably resign. >> and there was also the implication in one of the comments, i think from mcfaul, that he would hire a lawyer and was gettin

victoria nuland, how do you read what the president was doing and saying today at this n..o. meeting? >> you know, i think the president somehow thinks that bullying our friends gets him what he wants. i was saddened by it, i have to say, becfausenkly, n.a.t.o. allies are answering the call to increase their defense budgets and are doing it quite smartly, and it began with the russian invasion of crimea when the threat environment changed. so the president had an option today to take credit for this and to instead focus on the unity we need the talk about issues like russia and china that are true threats. >> woodruff: john mearsheimer, the president went after germany, the whole alliance. at one point he was saying what good is n.a.t.o. what does it all add up to? >> well, i think it's very impoant to understand that president trump ran as a rendidate against all of the intetional institutions that comprise the liberal international order, that includes the world tradeth organizatione i.m.f., world bank and n.a.t.o., and as a candidate said n.a.t.o. i obsolete. what he would

seraing alleged emit a government you know called each in a key if it was made by john mike in victoria nuland and many are with the west and. presented us officially. well involved in this process over strolling alleged image government then gave they achieve their goals what they'd blame their option they brought to look at the power as a russian point of your. four forces connected in the second world war with germany that went germans that well fighting russian russian army during the second world war and now they're dominating in the book but polish it a bit pull in a group in crimea refuse to acknowledge this changes and it is for you know ok well let me know ok i'm going to try and bring us back from getting too involved in the incidents of what happened in crimea and ukraine because that is a whole subject that dissolves a whole inside story to be devoted to it is going to bring us back the reaction that we've been seeing to this particular summits and present trump has come under fire for defending russia over accusations of election into ferentz not politicize from both sides of the

that was intercepted it was a call between the assistant secretary of state for european affairs victoria nuland and the u.s. ambassador to ukraine geoffrey pyatt questions of credibility. private chats between top u.s. diplomats was leaked. you know what he. i just think. working for you. probably. so you had this remarkable phone call. of the u.s. government apparently talking about a coup or how they were playing to restructure the government of ukraine. exactly i'm not saying the whole u.s. government feels that way the there is there is division on this but the neo conservative element wants very much to change the strategic dynamic in eastern europe. people and they've been at this for a long time they came in around the issue of propaganda they studied how to create hot buttons for the american people they had this experience when they were getting the american people to get excited about central america back in the one nine hundred eighty s. . and they've been applying those same strategies ever since they remain very dedicated to achieving their goals they still want to get rid of certa

assistant secretary of state victoria nuland to the u.s. ambassador in ukraine she's now left the diplomatic service to run a think tank and it should probably be noted that e.u. president. will probably not on monday talk to president poroshenko about the us his role in putting him in power germany's foreign minister at the time frank. now germany's president already arguably spoke for europe when he said he wasn't impressed by newton's remarks i think what mrs nuland said on the behavior of europeans is unacceptable i think there is no space for criticisms about our conduct regarding ukraine germany's president may. sometimes think the u.s. acts on acceptably over ukraine but that's not the case with britain boris johnson used ukraine to compare russia twenty eighteen to hitler's the olympics in the run up to today's england and russia quarterfinals and the british foreign office is just announced more funding tens of millions of pounds of u.k. taxpayer money for ukraine some in the u.k. may be wondering if they are aware that mr poroshen

phone call that was intercepted it was a call between the secretary of state for european affairs victoria nuland and the u.s. ambassador to ukraine geoffrey pyatt questions of credibility. private chats between top u.s. diplomats was leaked online. you know what he me. on the outside i just think. working for you. probably. so you had this remarkable phone call. of the u.s. government apparently talking about a coup or how they were playing to restructure the government of ukraine. exactly i'm not saying the whole u.s. government feels that way the there is there is division on this but the neo conservative element wants very much to change the strategic dynamic in eastern europe. very smart people and they've been at this for a long time they came in around the issue of propaganda they studied how to create hot buttons for the american people they had this experience when they were getting the american people to get excited about central america back in the one nine hundred eighty s. . and they've been applying those same strategies ever since they remain very dedicated to achieving their goals

phone call that was intercepted was a call between the secretary of state for european affairs victoria nuland and the u.s. ambassador to ukraine geoffrey pyatt questions of credibility. private chats between top u.s. diplomats was leaked online i think. you know what he. i just think. working for you. probably. so you had this remarkable phone call. of the u.s. government apparently talking about a coup or how they were playing to restructure the government of ukraine. exactly i'm not saying the whole u.s. government feels that way the there is there is division on this but the neo conservative element wants very much to change the strategic dynamic in eastern europe. very smart people and they've been at this for a long time they came in around the issue of propaganda they studied how to create hot buttons for the american people they had this experience when they were getting the american people to get excited about central america back in the one nine hundred eighty s. . and they've been applying those same strategies ever since they remain very dedicated to achieving their goals they stil

phone call that was intercepted it was a call between the secretary of state for european affairs victoria nuland and the u.s. ambassador to ukraine geoffrey pyatt questions of credibility. private chats between top u.s. diplomats was leaked. you know what he. i think. working for you. probably. so you had this remarkable phone call. of the u.s. government apparently talking about a coup or how they were playing to restructure the government of ukraine. exactly i'm not saying the whole u.s. government feels that way the there is there is division on this but the neo conservative element wants very much to change the strategic dynamic in eastern europe. very smart people and they've been at this for a long time they came in around the issue of propaganda they studied how to create hot buttons for the american people they had this experience when they were getting the american people to get excited about central america back in the one nine hundred eighty. four. and they've been applying those same strategies ever since they remain very dedicated to achieving their goals they still want to get rid

assistant secretary of state victoria nuland to the u.s. ambassador in ukraine she's now left the diplomatic service to run a think tank and it should probably be noted that the president. will probably not on monday talk to president poroshenko about the us his role in putting him in power germany's foreign minister at the time frank. now germany's president already arguably spoke for europe when he said he wasn't impressed by newton's remarks i think what mrs nuland said on the behavior of europeans is unacceptable i think there is no space for criticisms about our conduct regarding ukraine germany's president may sometimes think the u.s. act on the acceptably over ukraine but that's not the case with britain boris johnson used ukraine to compare russia twenty eighteen to hitler's the olympics in the run up to today's england and russia quarterfinals and the british foreign office is just announced more funding tens of millions of pounds u.k. taxpayer money for ukraine some in the u.k. may be wondering if they are aware that mr poroshenko

assistant secretary of state victoria nuland to the u.s. ambassador in ukraine she's now left the diplomatic service to run a think tank and it should probably be noted that the president. will probably not on monday talk to president poroshenko about the us his role in putting him in power germany's foreign minister at the time frank. now germany's president already arguably spoke for europe when he said he wasn't impressed by newton's remarks i think what mrs nuland said on the behavior of europeans is unacceptable i think there is no space for criticisms about our conduct regarding ukraine germany's president may sometimes think the u.s. acts on the acceptably over ukraine but that's not the case with britain boris johnson used ukraine to compare russia twenty eighteen to hitler's the olympics in the run up to today's england and russia quarterfinals and the british foreign office is just announced more funding tens of millions of pounds u.k. taxpayer money for ukraine some in the u.k. may be wondering if they are aware that mr poroshenk

out successfully and distracting and deflecting successfully so the big picture is for instance victoria nuland told me yesterday, a former ambassador to nato is that these new days the summit in brussels, the summit in helsinki in her words will determine whether the united states of donald trump will bolster american leadership around the world or whether it signifies its deathnal and we have to keep that in mind. that's the paradigm under which all of this is happening right now. >> and, again, i think that was the concern that we were hearing two hours ago while this emergency session was going on. all of our phones were going off with text messages from people connected to it with the word the president was threatening to go it alone saying he would do his own thing if he didn't get his way and the white house had to put out a statement, jeff zeleny reporting that senior officials are saying no, no the united states wants to stay in nato. that's a remarkable thing from a senior official from the administration to have to say. that's not supposed to be in con kengs, that's supposed to be a

ambassador to nato, victoria nuland and she was -- she's also written this summit and the summit with president putin will either show show american leadership or kill it off. she was very concerned by the disagray that the meeting started with, the back-and-forth between you all over the breakfast and she suggested this was music to putin's ears and that in her towards me president trump's disruption of this alliance for whatever reasons he wants to do that leaves those on the opposite side of defense "drooling." are you concerned about his position going into the meeting with vladimir putin? >> president trump has a different style. he's very direct but also that has helped allies to really hear his message especially on burden sharing defense spending. dialogue is a sign of strength. so as long as we are united and firm in our approach to russia. even without the relationship with russia we need to manage a difficult relationship with russia so tensions are high as to now it's more important to talk, we have more military presence around our borders. we need to avoid accidents, mis

also on the list, career state department official victoria nuland, passed by congress last month onontact with a former british s, who compiled the trump dossier. >> i was first shown excerpts from the dossier, i believe, in mid-july of 2016. >> based upon our review of the visitor logs of the state department, mr. steele visited the state department briefing officials on the dossier in october of 2016. did you have any role in that briefing? >> i actively chose not to be part of that briefing. >> but you were aware of the briefing? >> i was not aware of it until afterwards. >> that testimony also raised new questions about when the fbi turned its attention toward trump campaign eight in russian involvement of the 2016 election. eventually the they opened the case in 2016, and she writes that she asked for oppo research two weeks earlier. >> shannon: thank you very much for the update. president trump longtime personal lawyer breaks his silence and appears to distance himself from the president and his first interview since the fbi raided his office and hotel room. the interview was

seraing alleged emit government you know called each in the key of it was made by john mike in victoria nuland and many are with the west on presented us officially. well involved in this process over strolling allegedly made government then gave they achieved their goals what do you blame their option they brought to look at the power as a russian point of your. four forces connected in the second world war with germany that went germans that well fighting russian russian army during the second world war and now they're dominating in the oak re-employed but polish a people in a group in crimea refuse to acknowledge this changes and it is for you know ok well let me know ok i'm going to try and bring us back from getting too involved in the ins and outs of what happened in crimea and ukraine because that is a whole subject that dissolves a the whole inside story to be devoted to it is going to bring us back the reaction that we've been seeing to this particular summits and present trump has come under fire for defending russia over accusations of election into ferentz not politicize from both

seraing alleged emit a government you know called each in a key if it was made by john mike in victoria nuland and many are with the west on the present that yes officially. well involved in this process over is drawing a legit timid government then gave their chief their goals what they'd blame their option they brought to look at the power as a russian point of your. four forces connected in the second world war with germany that went germans that well fighting russian the russian army during the second world war and now they're dominating in the oak re-employed but polish a people in a group in crimea refuse to acknowledge this changes and it is for you know ok well let me know ok i'm going to try and bring us back from getting too involved in the ins and outs of what happened in crimea and ukraine because that is a whole subject that dissolves a whole inside story to be devoted to it is going to bring us back the reaction that we've been seeing to this particular summits and present trump has come under fire for defending russia over accusations of election into ferentz not politicize from

. >> brennan: we turn now to victoria nuland, former assistant secretary of state for european and eurasianat the center for new american security, and tom donnelland served as national security adviser to president obama. they're both with us now. there is so much to unpack from what we heard from president trump with my colleague jeff glor. the first idea of a foe of the united states, the european union. that's what he said. what does rhetoric like that do? >> margaret, i think it's very dangerous, whether it's the rhetoric against the european union or the rhetoric against nato. the president has spent more time in the last week attacking our democratic family than preparing for the real foe, president putin, who he identified in his own national security strategy as a main threat to the united states. so we're essentially beating the family on the front lawn of the house and letting our adversary enjoy that. so it's quite worrying. >> brennan: tom, what do you make of this? because some would say this, you know, this is sound and fury signifying nothing. this is trump being trump and t