Guilty. And north korea bragging that its taking a major step of the goal towards reaching the u. S. With its missiles. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the lead. Im jake tapper. President trump touched down in israel today and met with Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu, becoming the first sitting u. S. President to ever visit the holiest site in the jewish faith, the western wall. At about the same time as that visit we learned that fired National Security adviser Michael Flynn plans to plead the fifth and will not testify before the Senate Intelligence committee. That was big news, though, of course, the president is focused on his swing through the middle east. That began in riyadh, saudi arabia, where the president disturbed even some in his own party by suggesting in his speech that he would not, quote, lecture countries on how to live which many took as an abdication of the traditional role of the United States in publicly preaching the values of freedom and democracy, values that some critics suggest the Trump Administration might not fully appreciate. Case in point, a source close to former fbi director james comey told me that in comeys february 14thth Oval Office Meeting with President Trump the president expressed irritation with news stories about private phone conversations he had had with the leaders of mexico and australia, the president telling comby that he needed to pursue the leakers. Comey tried to explain to the president that leak investigations are quite difficult for Law Enforcement because often you end up having to threaten to jail journalists. The president told comey he should throw journalists in jail. This, the source said, is recorded in that memo composed contemporaneously by comey as first reported by the New York Times. Another example of the values. Secretary of state rex tillerson, a man who as americas top representative of the world is supposed to publicly demonstrate the importance of free speech and of free press. Tillerson held a News Conference sunday in riyadh without alerting any american reporters that he was doing so. Not exactly leading by example on the virtues of freedom of the press, but it was secretary of commerce wilbur ross whose analysis of his time in saudi arabia truly stunned observers. Theres no question that they are liberalizing their society and the other thing that was fascinating to me, there was not a single hint of a protester anywhere there during the whole time we were there, not one guy with a bad placard. The anchor pointed out that saudis dont have the same rights of free speech or Free Assembly that we have in the u. S. To which secretary ross replied this. In theory that could be true, but, boy, there was certainly no sign of it. Its not theory. In the wake of the arab spring in 2011 the Saudi Ministry of the interior informed the saudi people, quote, regulations in the kingdom forbid categorically all sorts of demonstrations, marches and sitins as they contradict islamic sharia law and the values and traditions of saudi society, unquote. Dissent in saudi arabia has been criminalized. Amnesty international this year noted that, quote, human rights activists in saudi arabia are an endangered species. One by one they are vanishing, prosecuted, jailed, intimidated into silence or forced into exile, highlighting authoritys zero tolerance approach to freedom of expression, unquote. But ross noted that at the end of his trip a number of Saudi Security guards asked for a photograph with him. And then they gave me two gigantic bushels of dates as a thank you for the trip that we had had. A pretty from the heart very genuine gesture. Two gigantic bushels of dates. Thats all it took for the saudis to cover up an abysmal human rights record, funding for extremism all over the globe, evidence of government participation in 9 11 and current alleged war crimes against civilians in yemen . A critic might say you guys are cheap dates. Pardon the pun. Cnn senior White House Correspondent jim acosta is traveling with the president in jerusalem. Jim, today the president seemed to perhaps inadvertently confirm that story that sources say he shared intelligence with the russians. Reporter thats right, jake, and the white house is hoping the president can change the narrative back home by showing off the alliances hes building with leaders other in the middle east, but the president finds new ways to step on his own message. He did that today when he tried to offer up an explanation for his sharing of Israeli Intelligence with the russians that didnt add up. President trump is discovering its not so simple to bring the art of the deal to the holy land after suggesting middle east peace might be easy just weeks ago, the president acknowledged what his predecessors have known for decades. Its not. Ive heard its one of the toughest deals of all, but i have a feeling that were going to get there she gently. I hope. Reporter even as mr. Trump continued this photoop for his foreign trip by becoming the first sitting u. S. President to visit one of judaisms holiest sites the western wall hes doing damage control with his israeli hosts had. The president appeared to confirm he recently shared classified Israeli Intelligence with top level russian officials with this misleading explanation. I never mentioned the word or the name israel, never mentioned it in that conversation, and they are all saying i did so you had the story wrong. Never mentioned the word israel. The problem is those news reports never stated that the president mentioned israel by name in that meeting with the russians. While some in the administration insist theres no need for apologies. I dont know that theres anything to apologize for. Reporter others are conceding some reassurances may be helpful. Trying to reassure all of our counterparts that what they tell us is kept, trusted and valued, and we will return the favor. Reporter but the president and israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu are both touting their strong ties with sharp criticism of the Iran Nuclear Deal that was crafted by the Obama Administration. It was a terrible, terrible thing for the United States to enter that deal, and and believe me iran will never have a nuclear weapon. That i can tell you. Reporter still, the president has yet to follow through on his Campaign Promise to tear up the nuclear agreement. I think that agreement is a disaster for this country, for israel, for middle east. Reporter rand thats not the only contradiction from this trip. Contradict the president s rhett kick from the president on the campaign trail. I think islam hates us. Reporter with the softened language that the president used in saudi arabia. Theres still much work to be done. That means honestly confronting the crisis of islamic extremism and the islamists and islamic terror of all kinds. Reporter the president slipped and said islamic terror inside of islamist terror because the white house said, hes quote, exhausted, but Top Administration officials who danced the night away with the saudis are stepping around that comment. Hes doing better than i am. And hes got a few years on me. Reporter and the president will find that the bargaining will only get tougher when he sits down with the palestinian president mahmoud abbas. Abbas will obviously have to be a partner in any peace talks and while the president will have his soninlaw Jared Kushner at his side when he enters the talks, two of the top officials have already returned back to the white house, chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist steve back none are already back at the white house. Jake . Jim acosta live in jerusalem, thanks. With President Trump overseas the russia investigate full steam ahead and cnn being told Michael Flynn will plead the fifth. Coming up next, exploring all the options. That next. You love, sit behind it. parents whisper jingle safelite repair, safelite replace. That stood up to any amount of sunlight. No matter how bright. If a paint could protect your doors color against the strongest uv rays. Is it still paint . Aura grand entrance from Benjamin Moore ®. Bp developed new, industryleading software to monitor Drilling Operations in realtime, so our engineers can solve problems with the most precise data at their fingertips. Because safety is never being satisfied. And always working to be better. Ayou dont have to choose just one thing. Choose your trio with any 3 of 9 selections for 15. 99. Like new creamy lobster pasta toasted parmesan shrimp and southernstyle crab cakes. Come create your trio before it ends. Bring you more ways to helps reduce calories from sugar. With more great tasting beverages with less sugar or no sugar at all, smaller portion sizes, clear calorie labels, and signs reminding everyone to think balance before choosing their beverages. We know you care about reducing the sugar in your familys diet, and were working to support your efforts. More beverage choices. Smaller portions. Less sugar. Balanceus. Org. Welcome back to the lead. Our politics load and something of a set pac for the Senate Intelligence commit is investigation into russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion by members of the Trump Campaign team, a source telling cnn the fired National Security adviser will invoke his fifth amendment rights in response to a subpoena. Just because flynn is taking the fifth does not mean hes done with this committee. No, jake, far from it. The top democrat on that Committee Mark warner just told cnn senators are looking at next steps, including whether to hold flynn in contempt, but his lawyers say flynn fears any documents he provides would be used against him, citing an escalating public frenzy by members of congress leaking information and calling for his prosecution. Tonight as criminal probes between possible collusion and the Trump Campaign mount fired National Security adviser is expected to invoke his fifth amendment right refusing to comply to a subpoena from the Senate Intelligence committee. A source close to flynn tells cnn it does not make sense for him to testify when several members of congress have called for his prosecution, a move then candidate trump said was evidence of guilt when used by Hillary Clintons aides to avoid testifying over her use of a private email server. You can see the mob takes the fifth. If youre innocent, why are you taking the fifth amendment. Reporter sources tell cnn russian officials in conversations picked up by u. S. Intelligence bragged they could use flynn to influence trump. Newly appointed special counsel former fbi director Robert Mueller now looking at whether President Trump sought to obstruct justice by trying to pressure then fbi chief james comey to drop the bureaus investigation into potential wrongdoing by flynn. In february cornering comey alone in the oval office telling him, quote, i hope you can let this go according to a memo comey wrote recalling his conversation with the president. Trump denies he made the request. No, no. Next question. Reporter but has pointed to the russia investigation as a reason for firing comey. When i decided to just do it, i said to myself, i said, you know, this russia thing with trump and russia is a madeup story. Its an excuse. Reporter and according to the New York Times the president called comey a, quote, nut job and said his firing would ease pressure on him regarding the Russian Investigation during a meeting with russian officials. The white house also said comeys firing could help end the investigation sooner. We want this to come to its conclusion. We want it to come to its conclusion with integrity, and we think that weve actually by removing director comey taken steps to make that happen. Reporter comey is expected to testify before the Senate Intelligence committee after memorial day. Meanwhile, jake, lawyers and lawmakers hope that they will get ahold of those comey memos before this. Thank you very much. How will congress get answers in the russia probe . Senator Patrick Leahy from the Senate Judiciary committee joins us next. Stay with us. Its an important question you ask, but one i think with a simple answer. We have this need to peek over our neighbors fence. And once we do, we see wonder waiting. Every step you take, narrows the influence of narrow minds. Bridges continents and brings this world one step closer. So, the question you asked me. What is the key . Its you. Everything in one place, so you can travel the world better. When they thought they should westart saving for retirement. Le then we asked some older people when they actually did start saving. This gap between when we should start saving and when we actually do is one of the reasons why too many of us arent prepared for retirement. Just start as early as you can. Its going to pay off in the future. If we all start saving a little more today, well all be better prepared tomorrow. Prudential. Bring your challenges. Welcome back. Lets stick with the politics lead. While President Trump is on a busy trip overseas, back at home congressional investigations into possible russia ties are moving forward. Joining me now senator Patrick Leahy, democrat of vermont. Senator, thanks so much for coming on. As always a source telling cnn that former National Security adviser Michael Flynn intends to plead the fifth in a senate probe into russia ties. When Hillary Clintons i. T. Staffer pleaded the fifth in the investigation into her email use, this is how then candidate donald trump responded. So there are five people taking the fifth amendment like you see on the mob. You see the mob takes the fifth. If youre innocent, why are you taking fifth amendment . If youre innocent, why are you taking the fifth amendment . Is that a fair question for anyone . Well, i was a prosecutor for eight years. I prosecuted a lot of criminals who took the fifth. They had the right under the constitution, but general flynns lawyers say he wants to take the fifth because it may be a frenzy. No. Fifth amendment gives you protection against incriminating yourself for a crime, not protecting yourself against a frenzy. So you think that he should be what do you think the next step should be then . I dont know. I would like to hear to him. Hes obviously under investigation. Hes certainly theres certainly reasons to hear from him. I think the congress has asked for that. If hes unwilling to testify there are a lot of other people that we should talk with, and i think even though its a republicancontrolled congress, i think theres a growing feeling that we need to get to the truth of everything that has happened for the american people. Are we in control of the government, or is russia in control of the government . As you know, youre a former prosecutor. After the New York Times reported that the president told russian officials about firing comey, quote, i faced great pressure because of russia. Thats taken off now, unquote. You tweeted, quote, this is what obstruction looks like, unquote. A lot of other democrats are not willing to go that far, but you think thats evidence of obstruction of justice . I think it is reason enough to at least look at that, and thats why we have to go through and ask more questions. For example, attorney general sessions has agreed to come before the house and the senate this week. I commend him for doing that. If hes voted to come forward and tell the truth about what happened, well know far more about that, and i think we have to. They say they dont know what went on in the oval office but russia says, well, gee, weve got the notes on it. We have the transcript of what went on. I hate to think that we have to go to russia to find out what our government is doing. After that meeting in the oval office with the russian officials, there was a lot of questions about what the president revealed about intelligence, intelligence that might have come from a friendly source, some in the media said some sources told media that the source was israel. That i had in israel President Trump told reporters that in that meeting with russians he didnt mention the word israel when he met with russian officials. Take a listen. Just so you understand, i never mentioned the word or the name israel, never mentioned it in that conversation. They are all saying i did, so you heard the story wrong. Never mentioned the word israel. Now, of course, none. Media reports said he had ever mentioned the word israel. The question is whether or not he gave enough information that the russians would be able to figure out the source of the information. What was your response . Russia has a worldwide intelligence service. In fact, they are constantly spying on the United States. If you give a very dire