Trump Says He’s Banning CNN, Politico, MS NOW from the WH

25:18Well, I think what we can do is create that legislative body that brings it all together. We need something like the FDA or NHTSA or the SEC. You know, the tech experts are saying we should do it. They should do it self-regulating. And they do make the point that they can bring in more people faster, pay them better. But without overall federal guidelines, you just need one to say they're not going to do it. Right now, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenAI, and even Elon Musk say they would like to do this. And we also have the open weight models, the ones that aren't like that. You need to have some kind of governmental U.S.

25:57government oversight and enforcement of the things we need, like testing. So we know of some of these incidents that have happened. We know about the Hugging Face incident. We know about the six other incidents that I think it was ChatGPT just acknowledged. We know about Anthropic working on its next level. But let's say that there are 10. I'm making up the number, but it's like 10 or under incidents that are alarming. How many do you think there actually are? Oh, many, many more. And I think you're little by little OpenAI and Anthropic are reporting on the others. Maybe they didn't want to scare us.

26:31They're not legally required to, though. No, but they should be. Right. And they should. You know, we have legislation. There's a bunch of good pieces of legislation on the Hill right now. The challenge has been that Mike Johnson won't bring them to the floor. And of course, the bipartisan letter that we led, Democrats and Republicans, said we need to come back, not go off on a seven week vacation to begin to pass this legislation, put it in place. Before you go, I do want to ask you about your reaction to President Trump announcing that he's going to ban CNN, MSNOW and Politico. You know, I just think it's another very dangerous step towards the end of our democracy.

27:03And it frightens me. You know, I've been trying to encourage our voters that to make sure that these elections are fair. Many, many people worry this is the last chance they'll have to get to vote come November. But this is a huge step in the right direction. This is what autocrats, dictators do. And by the way, I very much agree with you that it is tied to high inflation, rising interest rates, a terrible war that was very foolish. The fact that so many young people can't afford to buy homes or have babies. You know, the country is a mess right now because of what he's done the last two years.

27:35And this is a distraction from that. All right. Democratic Congressman Don Byer of Virginia, thank you so much. As these alarming instances of AI going wrong continue to be learned, the new call today to create a kill switch for AI. And I'm going to speak with famed Grand Chess Master Gary Kasparov, arguably the first known person to lose their job to AI when he lost a chess match to a machine. Stay with us.

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28:37We're back with the latest in our series, AI friend or foe. As calls grow louder for regulation, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, just signed an executive order that will convene a group of world-leading experts to, he says, build a framework to govern AI technology. This nation needs to get in the game. Washington, D.C. needs to do its job. If Congress again won't act, California will. Today's move comes as many of the AI industry's leaders have recently called for a collective slowdown. Our next guest disagrees and instead argues the U.S. should not take its foot off the gas, especially as China and Russia remain full steam ahead with their AI programs.

29:18Gary Kasparov just penned a new piece. It's titled, A Machine Beat Me at Chess, I'm Still Rooting for AI. Gary, who happens to be a world chess champion, joins us now. Gary, good to see you right now. So there's a lot of fear right now surrounding our future with artificial intelligence. You don't seem scared. Why not? No, we should be scared. It's a typical risk-reward situation with any new technology. And after I lost my infamous match, some say famous match, against DeBlu in 1997, I've been arguing that it's not about us competing with machines. It's about cooperation. It's impossible to rely on machine 100 % because nothing is 100 % in this universe.

29:56And machines can make mistakes, but humans can make mistakes. And actually, machines making fewer mistakes. And it's very important for us to find the right algorithm. AI is not a magic wand, but it's not a terminator. It's not a harbinger of utopia or dystopia. It doesn't offer you a free pass to heavens, but it doesn't open the gates of hell. It's a tool we have created and we have to excel on finding best ways to use it. And you pointed out, so we can do whatever we want here in the United States. But China and Russia will not follow the regulations and restrictions that we're going to impose.

30:30In your piece, you write, quote, we can pursue AI's benefits without giving up the habits of thought that make us capable citizens of a democracy. the democratic world urgently needs a coherent, positive vision for artificial intelligence. That vision should be buoyed by AI's enormous potential to improve the life of every person and grounded in the reality that authoritarian regimes will continue developing this technology, even if free societies stop, unquote. Now, in this series that you're part of right now, AI Friend or Phone, we've covered a lot of the advances, the fantastic work, especially in the world of medicine.

31:02But what is the biggest risk you see if the U.S. slows down and China and Russia don't? Look, I wish we have another moonshot speech, you know, the famous speech of JFK in 1962 that challenged Americans to lead the way and to go to the moon. So and it's imagine if instead, you know, you would be talking about, you know, slowing down and just calculating risks and the benefits from AI, they are incompatible to the benefits of moon landing for average person. You mentioned medicine and countless opportunities for small businesses. Yes, there are risks, but this is, yeah, that's a coin, you know, there's no free lunch.

31:42But I think the benefits, when you look at us as humanity, it's a win-win. You're talking about 8 billion people. Yeah, maybe, you know, just some people will suffer, you know, just, okay, I don't want to sound callous. Some jobs could be lost on the chopping block of automation. But think about, you know, the advices, medicine advices that we can offer to Africa, to Asia. So humanity always wins, though, again, it's not win, win, win situation. And point out, Russia and China will never, will never abide by the regulations. And it's a competition that, as Ukrainian war shows, if you are behind, you are in trouble.

32:16Before you go, sir, I want to get your reaction to President Trump saying he plans to ban CNN, MSN, MSNOW, and Politico from the White House and other news organizations might also be banned in the future. It's a stunning move. What's your response? I was born and raised in the Soviet Union, the country where any criticism was criminalized. I left. I was forced to leave Russia facing imminent arrest because Vladimir Putin pushed Russia back to the Soviet days. Again, today you can go in jail for a tweet. And it's a First Amendment, of course. It goes without saying. And you're connecting it to the topic we're discussing now.

32:50I keep repeating that it's no matter what we think about AI, humanity, humans still have monopoly for evil. Gary Kasparov, thank you so much. Good to see you as always, sir. Thank you for inviting me. Next, a new report from the United Nations says the U.S. may have committed war crimes in Iran and the Iranian regime may have committed crimes against humanity.

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33:58Plus the Bare Knuckle Middleweight Championship of the World is on the line. When the reigning champ Dave the Redneck Mundell defends against undefeated British challenger Jack the Meat Cleaver Cullen. BKFC 94. Till vs. Romero. Watch it live only on DAZN. Sign up now at DAZN.com. In our world lead, a new report from a United Nations fact-finding commission concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the U.S. committed war crimes by striking both a school and a sports complex on the very first day of the Iran war, February 28th. Now, the lead has extensively covered the February 28th strike on the school in the southern Iranian city of Minab.

34:37At least 156 people, including 120 children and 26 teachers were killed. Sources tell CNN, and it likely was targeted due to outdated intelligence, indicating it was still part of a neighboring Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base. The UN report also looked at a separate strike on the first day of the war that hit a sports center in the southern Iranian city of Lamerd, killing 22 civilians. It, too, was adjacent to an IRGC compound. In both instances, the report suggests, the U.S. committed the war crime of, quote, quote, launching an indiscriminate attack resulting in loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects.

35:14Both the White House and State Department are dismissing the U.N. report. A White House statement says, in part, quote, the only party in this conflict that has committed war crimes is the Iranian regime, which has murdered thousands of its own people, killed Americans overseas, executed acts of terrorism in the state of Hormuz, and launched indiscriminate attacks against its neighbors in the region, unquote. We should note that this same U.N. report also takes issue with the Iranian leadership, finding Iran's gross human rights violations during the regime's violent suppression of protests this past January, in which thousands of Iranian civilians were murdered and imprisoned.

35:48Amounts to crimes against humanity, the U.N. says. Let's bring in Kareem Sajipour. He's a CNN global affairs analyst and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. So, Kareem, nobody really comes off looking good in this report. But the big question, do you think it will make any difference? I don't think so, Jake. What's unfortunate is that in this context, the United States inadvertently killed innocent Iranian civilians in the first day of the war. As you said, hundreds of Iranian civilians. It's a terrible tragedy. And there should be full accountability and transparency.

36:24You know, what distinguishes the United States from other countries, authoritarian countries, is that we do have accountability. At the same time, Iran, the Iranian regime, deliberately killed many thousands of its own citizens. So there's no equivalence there. But as the United States, we open ourselves up to charges of hypocrisy when we don't acknowledge our own errors, but we cite the human rights abuses of others. Yeah, I mean, you're making a reference to the fact that the Pentagon has yet to release its reports more than six months after the fact, about the strike on the school and how much more it would help the credibility of the United States if we just acknowledged this horrific accident?

37:12A hundred percent. You know, there was a time in which, you know, America's interests were, American values were considered American interests. And I'm reminded of Ronald Reagan. He used to say that the greatest force in the universe is the human heart's desire for freedom. And I think we've really forsaken American values, certainly over the last few years. And that's a mistake because I think ultimately human beings everywhere want to live under governments that are accountable, transparent. And when we don't exhibit that ourselves, we are less of an example to the world. Speaking of the human heart's desire for freedom, this report also goes into great detail about the Iranian regime's slaughter of freedom-seeking protesters last January, as well as the follow-up mass arrests, torture, executions of surviving protesters.

38:05We're now at nearly seven months into the war. What are you hearing from your sources in Iran? I think inside Iran, there's just been enormous demoralization. As you said, last January, when people took to the streets en masse, They were slaughtered. Potentially tens of thousands were killed. Many of those same people hoped that President Trump would make good on his promise that help is on the way. But six, seven months into this war, it's really been a debacle for the people of Iran. It's strengthened the most authoritarian forces within that system. And the cause of freedom and democracy is much further away now than it even was before the war began.

38:49Kareem Sajapur, good to see you. Thank you so much. as always, for being here. Back to our breaking news in the politics lead. President Trump says he's banning news organizations, specifically CNN, Politico, and MSNOW from the White House. This was the president's explanation a short while ago as to what that ban might mean. What does that mean in practice? Are you taking away their badges? Are you banning them from the pool? Are you banning them for the Oval Office? What does that mean? I still don't know what that is. What do you envision the ban for the Black Press in the media outlets? Oh, the ban on the free press, right?

39:20A very simple ban. I don't want him in my office. I don't want him here. I would say the ban would go as far as you can. The ban on the free press, he said. Let's discuss with Republican strategist Ashley Davis and Charles Booker, a Democrat running for Senate in Kentucky, who is I think you're making your lead debut today. Is that right now? Is that right? This is your first time on the lead? It is. Welcome to the lead. Charles, did you ever think we're going to come to we'd hit a point where the president of the United States was banning news meeting organizations? I wish I could say I would be surprised, but there is no bottom.

39:52I mean, this is an attack on democracy. It is an infringement on the Constitution, and this administration has shown a disregard for the Constitution, the Second Amendment as well. And so they're avoiding accountability. They don't want to answer tough questions. And people in Kentucky are tired of that, where I'm from. I'm seeing it in my own race, where my opponent doesn't want to debate me, doesn't want to speak about the issues that are impacting Kentuckians and why he's okay with the endless war, why Andy Barr's okay with tariffs breaking the backs of people. They're looking for results. They're looking for relief.

40:24They're not looking for a ban on CNN. Yeah. And we should note, I mean, I'm sure, Ashley, you heard the quote, I know you don't support banning the press, so I'm not even going to put you in the position of defending it. But he said, in a, I wouldn't call it a rare moment of candor, he tends to say what he actually means and his defenders then try to pretend that he didn't just say what he means. But he said there's something wrong with a country when people are allowed to write purposely negative stories. Right. I mean, obviously... Do you think there's something wrong with a country that allows people to write purposely negative stories?

40:55No, on both sides. And by the way, I do think there's just a lot of talk of, like, is the administration trying to not have accessibility? I mean, we all have to agree that the president talks to the press more than anyone we know. Sure, of course. But... By the way, we've acknowledged that a billion times. I think he texts you, right? We've acknowledged it a million times. Yes, he does. I mean, just like he claimed that we didn't cover the drug prices deal, and we did. Yeah, and I'm not sticking up for this, but there's two things I want to say about this. One, it's going to bring out the base on the Republican side.

41:30It's going to like, they're like, yeah, we don't like MSNBC. We don't like CNN. And it's going to bring the base out on the Democrat side the same. But also, I don't understand why we continue to fall for this. There is a huge meeting at Camp David tomorrow about what the fate of the war in Iran with gas prices and everything else. Hormuz, like let's go through everything else. The gas prices are so high. And we're talking about this. And so I'm not saying we shouldn't be talking about it. But he's brilliant at changing the conversation. So it's Friday at 3 o 'clock. What's he do? He throws things against the wall that are like super controversial.

42:08OK, but let me let me play devil's advocate with you on that, Ashley, because the event, Charles, was about the president getting all 50 states as part of a deal to lower drug prices through Medicaid. And it's not that we're not talking about the Iran war. We're talking about this. It's we're not talking about that achievement, which is worth being covered. We're talking about this. And that, I think, would mean more to the people that you want to vote for you. That's absolutely right. Ultimately, it seems like with this administration, everything's a game. We are dealing with real issues. And when there are opportunities to find progress and work together, we need to celebrate them.

42:47And the challenges that we're facing, we need to talk about them. The rising gas prices, we're seeing gas prices in Kentucky over 58 percent since the start of the war. And diesel is more and more unaffordable. We need to talk about those things as well. And that's a big reason why I'm seeing in my campaign so much more support from people who voted for Trump, because I'm actually speaking to the challenges they face and lighting a path for a vision where we can all have more money in our pockets and be healthy. But this administration is showing a disregard that is really frustrating. I mean, you have heard President Trump talk more about the structures he wants to build.

43:22Not you. All of us have heard more about President Trump, talk more about the structures he wants to build, the ballroom and the arch. and this and that and the other Kennedy Center instead of no tax on tips, right? I mean, wouldn't you rather he be talking about that? Well, absolutely. And no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security. I mean, yeah, I'm on the symphony board, you know, for the Kennedy Center. I witnessed the meeting this week. I mean, yeah, but that's not what we should be talking about. But I don't know how Republican, I mean, if you're a Senate Republican, if you're a House Republican, and you see the frustration, it's not bubbling out maybe in the media, But yeah, there's frustration that we have done some good things that aren't getting out there.

44:04But at the end of the day, I think that the gas prices and the diesel prices are taking the air out of the room. But now, you know, now we're talking about something else. Speaking, you're running for the senator from Kentucky. The retiring senator from Kentucky, Mitch McConnell, showed up on Capitol Hill this week. He didn't look that great. I mean, I'm glad he's he's alive. I'm glad he's functioning as he is. I don't know how well he actually is functioning. I mean, they weren't allowing video to be, you know, they didn't allow reporters to film it. What do you think about this whole situation?

44:43Mitchell McConnell needs to step down. I was the first in my state to call for transparency and what was going on with him. And none of this is about politics. Dealing with the medical health emergency is a real issue. I'm a type 1 diabetic, and I know how important it is to tend to your health. But what we're seeing out of Mitch McConnell is a disregard for the responsibility he has as a senator. And it's clear he does not have the capability to do his job. And what we're needing is leadership that can show up for us, that can be accountable to us and not run from us, and certainly not run from the issues.

45:14And what's clear in Kentucky is people are frustrated with that status quo. Mitch McConnell is underwater 80 % in Kentucky. Donald Trump is underwater in Kentucky. And recent polling shows that when people hear my message and my opponent, Andy Barr, who is the spawn of Mitch McConnell, we're tied in the polls. So people are looking for real change. Not the literal spawn of Mitch McConnell, just to clarify, because we've had some issues in the past with the U.S. Senate. Anyway, thanks to both of you. Really appreciate it. We're going to go back live to the White House. where CNN teams are remaining right now, still reporting, despite whatever ban the president put on Truth Social unconstitutionally.

45:52What is coming from that announcement? Well, we're all going to find out in real time back after this.

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46:41Well, late tonight and a stunning move this afternoon, the president made a sharp rebuke of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, claiming in a post that he's banning news organizations, including CNN, MSNOW and Politico, from the White House for what he calls, quote, constant reporting of, quote, fake news when we cover him in his administration. President Trump took some questions on the ban. He said it was effective immediately, though CNN reporters remain in the building as of now. Earlier today in the office, there are guesses as to which particular story from which outlet was the straw that broke the camel's back.

47:14But here's some of what the president said. It's really just cumulative stories over the last few years. You get sick of it. They're smart people, but they purposely write negative news. And they do that because they want to try and diminish the Republicans and a Republican administration. And honestly, we've done a fantastic job. The president also slammed The New York Times and The Washington Post, calling them fake and disgusting. They are not either. He threatened that they could be the next to be banned from White House grounds. He said this was just the beginning. Now, Politico said in a statement that Politico will continue to report fairly on the White House and future ones.

47:54we will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them. The claims that Politico received government subsidies are false and have been thoroughly debunked. That's something that Trump said in his press avail. CNN said in a statement, quote, CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting. We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government. Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally protected right, unquote.

48:22CNN has not yet heard from MSNOW about this ban, and CNN journalists remain in the building at the White House. CNN's Kristen Holmes, for the time being, is still there. Kristen, maybe it's because anybody who would carry out this order has been clearly briefed that it's unconstitutional and illegal, and they don't want to do it. I don't know. What are you learning? President Trump himself seemed to say that it didn't matter if it would hold up or not that he wanted to send a message. he was asked specifically about wanting to do these kind of bans in the past and how they were not upheld legally.

48:57And he said, whether it survives or it doesn't, I don't think someone should be allowed to come in here and write what he calls fake news. Now, it became very clear during that meeting in the Oval Office that what he is referring to is stories that he does not like, particularly negative stories. He said repeatedly that he doesn't get free press. But when it comes to the actual logistics of what this means, he did not have a definitive answer. Take a listen to this. A very simple ban. I don't want him in my office. I don't want him here. I would say the ban would go as far as you can. And if they could straighten themselves out, you know, if they could straighten themselves out, I'd love it.

49:38Look, they're very dishonest people. And obviously you hear him say they're saying that if they could straighten themselves out, he would love it. essentially seemingly asking to change coverage in order to stay here. Now, just a couple of things to note. The pool, which is a rotation of the networks that is on television that has the camera, that has the reporter in the room, we were not pooled today. We are not pooled tomorrow or Sunday. This is a rotation. And we were never going to be. So that is unclear. The idea of saying he doesn't want CNN in his office, again, is raising a lot of questions.

50:15Does he mean in the Oval Office or does he actually mean here on the White House ground? So right now, Jake, this is something he has said. And we are here doing our job and we will see if and when it is executed upon. All right. Kristen Holmes at the White House. Thanks so much. My panel's here. Jamie Gengel, you and I remember when CNN had to challenge the first Trump administration for taking away Jim Acosta, who is our White House correspondent, taking away his credentials. They didn't like how he did his job. They tried to kick him out. Jim, CNN won. Trump lost. Now he's trying to ban the entire organization.

50:54So for context, Trump's attacks on the press go back his entire career, not just as president, but when he was in public life. So my question is, why take it to this level today? And even Even though he said there was no reason, it was cumulative, he was just sick of it, I do think with time we may find that there were some things that he read or saw today that triggered him. But I would add to that, this is not a good time for Donald Trump. His poll ratings are 35 percent. Historically low. He has the war in Iran. He is facing midterm elections where Republican candidates may lose. Exactly the kind of thing that would make him sensitive.

51:47All presidents get frustrated with the press. Frustrated is a nice word for how they feel. I don't think one of them has ever liked me, to be honest. There you go. But this is not normal. This was a temper tantrum. And it is what dictators and authoritarian leaders try to do. So, Gabe, you're with the Reporters Committee for a Free Press, and the president of your organization, Mr. Brown, says, quote, a ban like this would be flatly unconstitutional. The First Amendment is clear that once the White House invites in some journalists, it can't ban others because it doesn't like the reporting. This is textbook viewpoint discrimination and will be quickly struck down by the courts if challenged.

52:26How will court challenges in these cases look any different than in the first administration, if at all? Well, so this particular case is even more stark because you have the president saying that he is excluding news organizations from the White House explicitly because of coverage that he does not like. And if there's one thing that is crystal clear under the First Amendment is that even in a place like the White House, where the White House doesn't need to open itself up to journalists, once it opens itself up to journalists, it can't exclude journalists because it doesn't like what they say.

53:00So let me just read this quote. I just can't get over this. This is what President Trump said today. Quote, I mean, there's something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories. Unquote. I mean, honestly, if you're the CNN MSNOW political attorney, you just put that down, put that in front of the judge. Case closed. There's not something wrong with the country. There's everything right with it. And even if you don't like it, that's the First Amendment. Right, absolutely. And I mean, it's also good for, I mean, it's good for the president, right? It is good to have an adversarial and independent press holding government to account.

53:39It makes government better. It makes us all free. And it makes the public able to do its job when it has to go to the ballot box to figure out who should lead the government. So something else really, really telling, Jamie, that President Trump said today when when he was asked about the specifics of what he wants to come from this band. Take a listen. If they could change themselves out, I'd love it. Look, they're very dishonest people. They write in a very dishonest way. ABC Fake News gave me$16 million that was agreed to, $16 million that I won from ABC News because George Slapidopoulos wrote incorrect stuff.

54:21CBS gave me$38 million because they broadcast Kamala Harris on 60 Minutes. And the question borrowed no relationship to what she said. I mean, first of all, so many things that he just said are not true. But I guess we're just kind of like numb to that at this point. But it does seem to suggest, I mean, he's saying if they could straighten themselves out. And then he starts talking about ABC giving him 16 million, CBS giving 38 million, which is news to me. I didn't know he gave that much. I didn't think they had. So is his idea of straightening out is giving him cash? Well, that is normal for Donald Trump.

54:59I mean, there is a history of that's what he wants. Look, I just, it shouldn't need to be said, but CNN is not fake news. We report the facts to the best of our ability. What you saw here today is that Donald Trump doesn't like the facts. He does not like what's going on, and he can't control the press. And the best he can do to control the press, I guess, is to try to get money in these cases. One of the things that's always interesting is watching people who know better, who are, you know, allegiant to the president, how they deal with the president doing extraordinarily damaging and unacceptable things.

55:46His former press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, from the first term, is now the governor of Arkansas. And she was asked about the ban because she was there for this announcement about drug prices coming down because all the states can negotiate through Medicaid, a story that we'd be covering more if the president had stepped on his own event with this nonsense. Anyway, here is Governor Sanders. I think it's hard for you to argue against a free press when you're literally standing in the Oval Office asking questions of the president of the United States. He's been more accessible and easier to talk to than any president in history.

56:22I think the president is right to support the First Amendment, but he's also right to ask that you be honest and fair. That's not an unreasonable thing. So the governor dissembling there, but also not defending the ban, right? I mean, she is talking about how accessible he is, which is true. He's right to support the First Amendment. He's not supporting the First Amendment. He's also right to ask that you be honest and fair. That's not what he's doing. I mean, it's interesting to watch the contortions. Yeah. Well, you know, access is great. And, you know, it's great that Governor Huckabee is emphasizing the importance of access.

56:59What's dangerous is selective access, because that is what leads to a distortion in the information that is going out to the public. And that distortion can improperly boost the political fortunes of the ones who control that access. That's the problem. All right, Jamie Gengel and Gabe Robbins, thanks so much. Really, Rotman, sorry. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it. Much more on the breaking news ahead. As President Trump says, he's banning three media outlets, including CNN, from the White House. Why? We don't really actually know. Plus, a CNN exclusive report revealing that the U.S. military nearly boarded a Chinese ship in the Middle East, thinking it was carrying the ship parts of a nuclear weapons program, but the U.S.

57:42military had to call this all off after realizing that the false report was because of a mistaken information channel from AI. We'll explain.

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58:34The U.S. military had plans to intercept a Chinese ship in the Middle East that they believed was transporting components of a nuclear weapons program, sources tell CNN. This was just before the planned operation that officials dug deeper into the intelligence report to learn that it had been generated with help from AI, artificial intelligence. And once they dug even deeper, that the AI had inaccurately identified the material that the ship was carrying. The report, according to one source, almost started a war. A report from Katie Bo Lillis and Zach Cohen from our Pentagon team. Joining us now, Democratic Congresswoman Madeline Dean from the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

59:14Congresswoman, your reaction to this AI story, the fact that this false AI report seems to have almost triggered a military confrontation with China. Well, it's stunning. and yet it shouldn't be surprising or shocking. And look where we are. We were in session this week, three days when the speaker sent us home. Not that there wasn't important stuff to work on like AI. I note that you just had my colleague Don Beyer on. We are not unprepared to deal with AI at the federal level. We have experts within our Congress. We have experts with whom we rely. And yet the speaker had no interest in holding us there.

59:56as that report comes forward. And several of the reports today are extraordinarily troubling, but they were ready. They had planes in the air. They had military people prepared to get on that vessel and tackle the problem. And this was in the Middle East. Think of what that risk risked in terms of lives, in terms of a greater escalation of war, a war then with another adversary. So it's stunning. my grandfather, who did a lot of woodworking, and I used to join him, he would say measure twice and cut once. Thankfully, somebody here measured twice. The Pentagon, they didn't inform Congress about this, but they informed Congress that the U.S.

1:00:38war with Iran has cost, as of now, $45.1 billion, we're told. What do you make of that$45 billion as you talk to constituents back in Pennsylvania? I fear, number one, it's an underestimate. I don't know what that encompasses. I don't know if that encompasses all of the military people who are there, 50 ,000 or more in the region. I don't know if it encompasses the number of vehicles lost, the planes lost, the bases damaged. Of course, the loss of life and the other extraordinarily troubling report today that it's no longer 18 service members dead. It is either 22 or 23. So my fear is that number is an underestimate of our losses.

1:01:22I think it might be closer to$100 billion, and I could be off with that. And I'm an appropriator, so I care a lot about it. And I care a lot about it because my constituents care about their lives and their cost of living. Everything they are buying is up. I just filled my tank yesterday in Montgomery County. in Flower Town and topped the tank, and it was$99.89. I'm lucky I could do that, but I know some who are filling it up$10 at a time,$20 at a time. Everything is costing more. This war has not proven to be successful. We don't even know what the mission is, and I really feel for our military, who I have to tell you, they are exquisite.

1:02:08I have visited with them on aircraft carriers and submarines and on the ground. They're exquisite. They deserve better. Before you go, Congresswoman, I want to get your reaction to the breaking news. President Trump this afternoon saying that he is banning certain news media, including CNN, also MSNOW and Politico from the White House. He says this is possibly just a start. He also singled out the New York Times and the Washington Post as, quote, fake and disgusting, unquote. Obviously, they're not fake or disgusting. What's your reaction to this? Again, awful, but not surprising. The president is so thin-skinned.

1:02:45And you notice what he said, Jake, about some of your reporting. It's negative. That doesn't mean it's false. It means he doesn't like it because it's not flattering him. Well, we are not in Russia where they are known for their propaganda. We're not supposed to be, You're not supposed to be a propaganda machine. Congress is not supposed to be somebody who just boosts the ego of this very fragile emperor with no clothes. So it's very troubling. It's obviously against our Constitution, the First Amendment. I want to point out something I'm reading, which I've read this summer, and I gave it to everybody who works with me on Tyranny by Timothy Snyder.

1:03:25If you worry that tyranny might be in our future, it's here. when you're curbing freedom of the press, when you're lying about war dead and using euphemisms to rename war dead as overseas operations casualties, you know we are in tyrannical times. And that's why I'm very excited that in fewer than 50 days, we're going to have free and fair elections in this country where we will reject this president's bigotry, narcissism, and childlike behaviors. Pennsylvania Democratic Congresswoman Madeline Dean from the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I said that twice because I like that Commonwealth so much.

1:04:04Thanks so much for being with us. Appreciate it. We like that. Today was the first day of testimony in the trial of a former American Idol contestant accused of killing his wife and staging a fake crime scene. What we learned from the first witnesses ahead.

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1:04:54Whether you're a frequent flyer or a weekend road tripper, Smart Bunny's got your back. So before you pack your bags, pack your peace of mind. Download the Smart Bunny Insurance app today and travel smarter. Wherever you go, we go with you. Smart Bunny Insurance. Fast, easy, and always ready to hop into action. Smart Bunny. Smart Bunny. Insurance sold by Smart Bunny Insurance Services, Inc. Out of written by various insurers. Coverage exclusions and limitations may apply. Our Law and Justice lead now. Today marked day one of testimony in the murder trial of former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn.

1:05:29Flynn, a former music pastor, is accused of shooting his wife to death last February inside their Ohio home and then staging a fake crime scene to appear as though her murder had been at the hands of an intruder. Flynn has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. CNN's Gene Casares is following today's opening statements for us. Gene, take us inside the courtroom today. What happened? Jake, the prosecutors wasted no time. They told this jury in their opening statements the evidence will show that Caleb Finn had a mistress, that it was a years-long affair, over 100 ,000 texts in a year, and this self-proclaimed music pastor, man of God, Here are some of the texts that he sent to the mistress about what he wanted to do to his wife.

1:06:20Take a listen. I was up until 4 a.m. last night crying, literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail. If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat. That is how dark and how hateful I feel. And the defense pushed back saying, well, the texts, a lot of them talked about that he was going to get a divorce. That's what he wanted to do. And just because he had a theory in his mind, it doesn't mean that he executed it. But the prosecution said the DNA, the ballistics, the electronics, all of the forensic evidence we have is going to poke holes in his theory and show that he was not telling the truth to law enforcement.

1:07:12Let's turn to another high profile case, the Lindsay Lindsay Clancy trial, which you covered so well for us. It ended obviously in a mistrial two weeks ago after the jury was deadlocked. Now that one holdout juror is speaking out. Tell us what he's saying. Well, it's fascinating because what he is saying basically, and I'm going to read this statement to you, is that he deliberated. That's what a jury is supposed to. And we had heard the opposite from the 11 jurors. Not all of them have come out, but the four person sent a note talking about how he wouldn't deliberate, wouldn't follow the law, wouldn't follow the instructions.

1:07:46Here's what he says. Let's look at this. I didn't have any doubts. As I tried to explain different possible theories during deliberation, I kept getting cut off as if I had doubts based on the evidence present. Based on all the physical evidence, key witnesses and what the prosecution presents, I thought it was enough proof that she, Clancy, knew exactly what she was doing and planned. And this holdout juror is now represented by law enforcement, Jake, an attorney. Gene Casares, thanks so much. Appreciate it. But crowds gathered outside the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. tonight as President Trump continues to insist that his name needs to be added to the building in exchange for renovations.

1:08:30And if not, there's this threat that the building might be demolished. JFK's niece, Kerry Kennedy, is going to join us to respond.

1:08:47International lead, you are looking live at the start of a hands around the Kennedy Center rally here in Washington, D.C. Supporters of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts joining hands to protest what they see as President Trump's wrong headed attempts to take over, change, close, even potentially demolish the historic building. demanding that his name be put on it at the very least. CNN's Sondland Serfati is at the Kennedy Center. Sondland, tell us what you're seeing. Well, Jake, certainly there are a couple hundred people out here in Washington showing up on a Friday night to acknowledge what is happening to the Kennedy Center and protest against it.

1:09:27We see many people in the crowd. I'll take you through this crowd and acknowledging right now that they're singing the national anthem. They're talking about no kings, you're no JFK. They are noting that this arts institution is made irreparable, that there is harm to this building that is irreparable harm. And I want to point you over here in this area of the crowd. It's hard to see because there are so many people here, but they actually have a piano out here on the street. And they've been singing songs, playing live music, getting back to what is core to this building. It's arts and music that is provided to Americans.

1:10:04I spoke with many people in the crowd, many people who said they had to be here tonight. They've been watching over the last weeks, months, and better part of the year what's happening at the Kennedy Center and wanted to come out and show their support of this center that is just a tear in the base site by the moment. I talked with one woman. She came here on Monday before it closed. She said she came in specifically. She wanted to see herself if there was any damage to the building, any renovations that were needed, anything that would prompt this building to close temporarily. Rarely she said she didn't see anything, and it's so sad what is happening.

1:10:37I talked to another woman. She actually works at the Smithsonian, and she said, I need to come and see what's going on here because potentially my work office could be next. And that's just an acknowledgment, Jake, of course. President Trump's projects, his focus here in D.C. remains a constant concern for many people here as he works to remake D.C. in his style and his liking. Jake? All right, CNN's Sondland Serfati at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Thank you so much. Joining us now is a rather high-profile member of the Kennedy family, Carrie Kennedy, a daughter of JFK's younger brother, a former attorney general and Senator Robert F.

1:11:15Kennedy. She's also the author of the upcoming book about her mom. It's called Ethel Kennedy, The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy. Can't wait to read it. Carrie, thanks for joining us. First of all, what went through your mind when that photograph popped up of President Trump on Air Force One and through the windows? You could see he was holding some sort of poster that said Kennedy Center demolished. Yes, you know, it's heartbreaking to me. It's heartbreaking because this is the monument to our slain president. And this is also the monument to the arts, the most important monument to the arts in our entire country.

1:11:59And these are the actions of a petty tyrant who can't get his way. And because he can't add his name to it, he's going to blow it up. It would be like the Trump Eiffel Tower or the Trump Buckingham Palace or, you know, the Trump tomb of the unknown soldier. Keep your name off our buildings, Mr. Trump. Do your job. Lower our prices. Stop the war in Iran and get to work on what's important. Let me let me play a clip for you of something President Trump said this afternoon when he was asked about wanting to put his name on the Kennedy Center and the future of the Kennedy Center. Take a listen. I can save it easily.

1:12:53But why should we be doing that and then raise money for the rest of our lives to keep it afloat? Because that's what you have to do if we get no recognition. I think the Trump administration should be recognized as having saved the Kennedy Center because nobody else can do it. So he won't save it unless he gets his name on it. What's your reaction? Well, like I said, it's a temper tantrum from a petty tyrant. But I think, you know, it's not that he has to raise the money. The money has already been allocated by Congress in the big, beautiful bill,$256 million, more than enough to completely remake the Kennedy Center.

1:13:40So this is just a false narrative. And for the ongoing work of the Kennedy Center, there are three sources of funding, government, charity, and ticket sales. will charity and ticket sales plummeted as soon as Trump put his name on the building. So all he has to do is step away and people will come flooding back. Have you, your brother, Bobby Jr., Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is obviously the Health and Human Services Secretary. Have you talked to him at all about this? Because he seems to have a close relationship with the president. that? Yes, I have. You know, all I can tell you is what I've read in the paper, and he feels he's got other more important things to do.

1:14:32Then focus on this. But I think that this is more than slapping a name on a building. This is the arts. This is the premier arts organization for our entire nation, millions and millions of people tune into the Kennedy Center Honors. And this is an opportunity for people in the arts to be recognized, to be lauded, and to be encouraged to express themselves from their heart, from their creativity, in a way that we can't do in politics or journalism or any other, in any other way. Has anyone with the administration, including those on the Trump-appointed board of the Kennedy Center, has anyone been in touch with your family about the future of the Kennedy Center?

1:15:32No. We mentioned that you've written a book about your mother, Ethel Kennedy, May She Rest in Peace. How often did she visit the Kennedy Center? What do you suppose she would think about all this? Well, when she started Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights in 1968, and then when the Kennedy Center opened, we went there every year for our journalism awards, which, of course, lauds journalists who expose injustice in our country and around the world. So it's always very central to us. I remember as a young child, the architects coming to Hickory Hill and laying out the plans for the Kennedy Center. So this has always been important to me and to our family.

1:16:23And my mother went, of course, quite often when she was in Washington, D.C., and that's where we grew up. But it's not just our family. It's central to what it means to be a Washingtonian. You know that, Jake, because you live in Washington, too. But it would be like the Trump Eiffel Tower. You don't do that. Or the Statue of Liberty, the Trump Statue of Liberty. This is an iconic building, and it's a central force in the life of Washington and in our nation. And the president should just focus on stopping the war in Iraq, which he started, and is devastating our country and the world. And he should focus on lowering prices for ordinary Americans.

1:17:15You know, it occurs to me, Carrie, the last time I saw your mom was at the Kennedy Center. She was in a wheelchair. I think you might have been with her. I'm not sure. But I was in an elevator with her. I mean, she was going to the Kennedy Center as long as she could. And it was great to see her. And she loved every minute of it. She loved the performances. She loved the people there. And she was a big supporter. Yeah. Kerry Kennedy, thank you so much. Really, really appreciate it. Thanks, Jake. Health officials are warning about a new deadly drug that's believed to be 10 times stronger than fentanyl, if you can believe that.

1:17:59Those details are next.

1:18:10And our health lead officials are warning about a new opioid described as 10 times stronger than fentanyl. The White House says cyclophene, cyclorphene, sorry, cyclorphene, it's brand new, so I don't even know how to pronounce it. Cyclorphene has been involved in at least 55 deaths and identified in at least 10 states and has the potential to spread across the country. Joining us now to discuss Daniel Tsai. He's the director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Dan, police say that this new drug, cyclophene, killed a 16-year-old in San Francisco earlier this year. What do we know about it, this drug?

1:18:51That's right, Jake. It was a very, very tragic overdose death, the first that we recorded of cyclorphine, which is this new, very powerful synthetic opioid. And the message we as public health officials want to make sure folks are aware of parents, youth, the entire community, is that there is an extremely potent new synthetic opioid. It's known as cyclorphine. It's now entered, as you noted, the illicit drug supply across the country here in San Francisco. We've seen it in counterfeit pills and tragically involved in overdose deaths. There's two things that I think are particularly dangerous about this drug.

1:19:27First, it's 10 times more potent than fentanyl, which means it's probably at least 500 times more potent than oxycodone. And in San Francisco alone, we've had over 4 ,000 deaths, overdose deaths since 2020, primarily from fentanyl. And even as we've made real progress in tackling the fentanyl crisis in San Francisco and our overdose death numbers are down 24 percent, I can't overstate how dangerous this is. Human beings should not be taking cyclorphine. If there's anything we've learned from fentanyl, it's tackling this head on with the treatment and tools we know and develop in response to fentanyl is incredibly important.

1:20:05So some people. Second. Oh, go ahead. I'm sorry. I just want to say that particularly in the youth piece, youth teenagers are disproportionately impacted with counterfeit pills. And we've seen teens on Snapchat, chat, looking to buy pills. I've even had questions from folks like, how do I know if my pill is safe? The short answer is you don't. Never take a pill that hasn't been prescribed to you by a doctor that you haven't gotten from a pharmacy. And really importantly, even one pill can kill you. and treatment available if you need it. So I guess the big question about cyclorphine is some people take fentanyl purposefully, but a lot of the overdose deaths are because somebody put fentanyl in cocaine or even like an herbal pill or a fake opioid or whatever.

1:20:56Like people don't know that they're even taking it. Is that what's happening with cyclorphine too? People don't even know that it's in whatever they're ingesting? Well, to be clear, here in San Francisco, we've had one overdose death so far. And in that instance, yes, very tragically, the teenager that took it did not know, at least as we understand, that there was cyclorphine. And cyclorphine does not show up when you do. We have things called fentanyl test strips to test for certain compounds if they have fentanyl. Cyclorphine is so new in the drug supply that it does not show up on that. Yet, we also know that people, you know, there's a whole range of situations in which people are using drugs.

1:21:37And we want to make sure folks understand, even folks intentionally trying to seek out opioids, how dangerous, how potent cyclorphine is, and that it is now in the drug supply. Is Narcan effective at all at reversing an overdose on cyclorphine? The short answer is yes, Narcan is effective. It works. Narcan is often known as naloxone. It It works at reversing overdoses from opioids. And cyclorphine is an opioid. But because it is so much more potent, it is possible that you may need more one dose. But if you're with someone that has an overdose, the same approach applies. Give someone Narcan, call 911, and in two to three minutes, if needed, give another dose of Narcan.

1:22:25A reminder for everybody out there, as you said, don't take medicine that hasn't been prescribed, even if you think it's an herbal supplement, there could be fentanyl in it. And now that we know, there could be cyclorphine in it. Daniel Tsai, thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it. Thank you, Jake. Take care. Coming up next, renowned chef David Chang is here for a happier story. He's going to give us a preview of his brand new CNN series before it premieres this weekend. Stick with us. Anything less is a day excursion. Yes. How much caffeine does this happen in?

1:23:02Our pop culture lead now. Are you looking for some inspiration for your next meal? Well, you're not alone. Join acclaimed chef David Chang and his friends on a wild journey to discover delicious foods in the all-new CNN original series, The Detour, with David Chang. Here's a preview. I absolutely love a Mutant 3. So just a fair warning, I'm gonna overorder. Could I get moxtails and dressing? Pinto beans with that and cabbage. The fish, the catfish. Can I try the meatloaf? Do you like the meatloaf? Meatloaf looks really good. Can I add a couple sides too? So it's like a meat and five. Can I add a couple sides?

1:23:45Can I get the green beans and the mac and cheese? You're sharing everything to be crystal clear.

1:23:56With me now, the chef, host of the new show, David Chang. David, you're an over-orderer. That's very clear to me. You're an over-orderer. Explain why. You know, life is short, and you've got to try a little bit of everything. And when I get to a place like a meet-in-three, everything has to get ordered. So it's better than being an under-orderer. Oh, 100%. I was always raised thinking you have to clear your plate, and you don't. You don't have to clear your plate. That's the point. Well, you can always invite people over to finish the food. That's what I like to do, too. So the premise of the show is to use word of mouth to discover new foods as opposed to using Yelp reviews or whatever.

1:24:37How different is an in-person recommendation from one that you might read online? It is the polar opposite, right? And again, I'm guilty just as much as anybody else of using the algorithm or just being sort of information-fed what everyone else is using. And I wanted to go back to the way it used to be, like discovering a book or a band that you were into. And when you have a recommendation from somebody, a stranger on the street or a diner that's already in the establishment, I think it just completely changes the dynamic of what to eat, how to eat, and just sort of the context of the restaurant.

1:25:13So it was a dream that CNN let me just basically wander around asking people what to eat. So it's called the detour because your road trip is it's not necessarily in a straight line. Is that kind of a life philosophy just to kind of go where fate and the whimsy and the wind push you? Yeah, I mean, I haven't been on a proper road trip since college, quite frankly. And I wanted to remind myself of what discovery was once again. And again, like, I can get stuck in a rut just like anybody else, and especially with food. So it was really refreshing to go back to a more simple time. And not everything we ate was delicious, but that's not the point, right?

1:26:03Sometimes a restaurant or an eatery, it's the sum of its parts, right? And the experience and talking to people and the ambiance, that's everything. And you're also joined by different people on your travels, on your detours. Did connecting with different people change the outlook on cooking, on food, on life? Especially this trip, because sometimes we're going with individuals that knew that area quite well. Like Gillian Jacobs, we went from her hometown of Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, a town that she didn't know quite as well as I did. So each guest brought their sort of strengths in terms of what they knew.

1:26:40and sometimes I knew quite a bit and I could teach them. So it was a lot of fun, a lot of laughs, and a lot of great eating. I'm from Philly. Where did you go in Philly? We went to Mark Vetri's great restaurant, Fiorella. And the problem is we couldn't fit everything in, and hopefully sometimes the extra content we film will be living elsewhere. And we went to Bang Bang Room in Philadelphia. You haven't been. That was just an outstanding restaurant. I'll have to check that out. Were there any meals or concepts you discovered while traveling that you might want to incorporate into a future David Chang dish?

1:27:14Well, I'll tell you, the most shocking meal was probably the best meal. And that was, again, in Pittsburgh at a restaurant called Apteka. And that's Gillian Jacobs' favorite spot. And when she told me it was a vegan Polish restaurant, I was hesitant. But, again, like Pittsburgh, that restaurant sort of blew me away. What are you most excited for people to see on the show? I just think getting some friends together and not having a plan. And that's sort of what the pitch was to CNN. Like, let's just go to a place, not have really any idea what we're doing, and then see what comes out of that. So getting to make that with Morgan Neville, the Oscar-winning director, was a dream come true.

1:27:51All right. Be sure to tune in. This all-new CNN original series, The Detour with David Chang, premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. David, thank you so much. Good to see you again. Thank you, Jake. Thank you. Coming up Sunday on State of the Union, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, Maryland Governor Wes Moore. That's Sunday at 9 a.m. at noon Eastern, only on CNN. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, ThreadsX, and on the TikTok at Jake Tapper. You can follow the show on X and Instagram at The Lead CNN. If you ever miss an episode of The Lead, you can watch the show on the CNN app. Download the CNN app, folks.

1:28:22Aaron Burnett Out Front starts now.

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1:29:02See terms. The news is better. We are in the toilet. Together. Hey, how do you think I feel? The Have I Got News For You crew is back to keep you safe. Do you think anyone here knows what you're talking about? Nope. Have I Got News For You, now streaming on the CNN app.