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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Rep. Michael McCaul, (R-TX), Is Interviewed About Watchdog Finds Hegseth Group Chat Risked Endangering Troops, Senate Holds Hearing On Abducted Ukrainian Children; Dell CEO Donates $6.25B To Trump Accounts For U.S. Children; Trump Commutes Sentence Of Private Equity CEO Convicted Of Fraud; Republican Wins TN Special Election But Democrat Gains Ground; HBO's Miniseries "Task" Renewed For Second Season. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired December 03, 2025 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

Unfair system that helps the president's friends and nobody else.

KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: There definitely is. I mean, one of the through lines and especially the Epstein situation also is this idea that Donald Trump, who was once seen as this populist who could, you know, support the average American is now one of these powerful elites who separate out.

All right, guys, thank you so much for joining today. Always wonderful to have you. Don't forget, you can now stream The Arena live. Catch up whenever you want in the CNN app. Just scan that QR code below you.

You can also catch up by listening to The Arena's podcast. You can also follow us on X and Instagram. "The Lead with Jake Tapper" starts right now.

[17:00:38]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: The self -- self-described secretary of war put American troops at risk, the Pentagon watchdog says. The Lead starts right now.

It's a story we broke here at CNN a few hours ago, the Pentagon watchdog pointing fingers at Pete Hegseth. Sources say that the inspector general report finds that he risked, endangering the lives of U.S. troops by sharing those sensitive war plans in a group chat on the unsecure messaging app Signal. I'm going to get a reaction from a key Republican joining us in moments.

And just one day after President Trump called her and the entire Somali American community garbage in a display of bigotry shocking even from him, the president repeated the smears today. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is going to be here to respond.

And joining us on The Lead, Michael Dell. Yes, that Michael Dell, the man behind one of the world's biggest tech companies who with his wife just offered more than $6 billion to a new Trump investment plan for kids. Welcome to The Lead. I'm Jake Tapper. We're going to start with our politics lead in a story that I broke earlier today with CNN Pentagon reporter Zach Cohen. Sources tell us that the months in the making classified Pentagon inspector general report delivered to Capitol Hill last night concludes that the secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, risked endangering American service members by sharing sensitive attack plans for targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen. Specifically, the IG report says Hegseth risked the potential compromise of sensitive Department of Defense information which could harm military personnel mission objectives.

Now that infamous group chat took back -- took place back in March. It became known as Signal Gate and included materials deemed classified details of a pending attack, details so specific. One message from Hegseth read, this is when the first bombs will definitely drop. It's information we learned when a Trump administration official on the chat accidentally added a journalist to the chat, Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic. Now, Hegseth did not sit for an interview with the inspector general, but offered a written version of events in which he claimed that he made at that moment the operational decision to share that information and simultaneously, in his mind, declassify it.

The inspector general notes that Defense Secretary Hegseth does have the authority to declassify. However, the inspector general found no evidence or documentation of such a decision before Hegseth started sharing that information on text.

Sources also tell us that the IG report details how Hegseth shared this highly sensitive information with unauthorized individuals and failed to preserve those communications as required by law. This afternoon, the White House responded to our reporting saying Trump, quote, "stands by Secretary Hegseth." Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell says that the report is a, quote, "Total exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along, no classified information was shared," unquote. It is certainly not a total exoneration of Secretary Hegseth.

Here's the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reid of Rhode Island just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JACK REED (D-RI), RANKING MEMBER, ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: Shows again his poor judgment. And anyone else, I think, would be charged with a criminal offense if they did that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: All of this as other questions swirl about what Secretary Hegseth knew about multiple strikes on September 2 on a suspected drug boat, including a strike on survivors clinging to the wreckage, according to the Washington Post. Potentially against international law and the Pentagon's own rules, as Hegseth seems to be throwing the admiral in charge of the operation, Mitch Bradley under the bus. Just in the last hour, President Trump said he would support the release of video of that second strike. Joining us now to discuss Texas Republican Congressman Mike McCaul. He's on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Good to see you, Congressman. Do you --

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): Hi, Jake.

TAPPER: Do you think that Secretary Hegseth still can be trusted as Secretary of Defense?

MCCAUL: Look, I think they've taken a beating over this. I think there are lessons learned. You don't go on Signal to discuss future war plans, especially when you're putting American troops in harm's way.

[17:05:09]

The good news is they were not jeopardized by this. I know the secretary said this is unclassified information, but I think they've also learned the lesson. You got to do this stuff in secure comm space. When I discuss things like this, we're in the skiff, which is a classified briefing room, have a classified phone as well. Using, you know, this Signal chat as a way to communicate, I think they learned their lesson and they fixed that problem.

But I do think the point is well taken. The discussions about future attacks in the immediate near future against foreign adversaries should never be done on this type of communication device.

TAPPER: And do you buy his explanation that at the time he was sharing this information on that Signal chat, he was simultaneously in his mind, declassifying it?

MCCAUL: It'd be nice to get briefed on this by the administration. I don't have all the details. I think the IG will be coming for Congress, you know, on this. He does have the power to declassify. And I know that's been their suggestion all along, whether it be Mike Waltz to the Secretary of Defense or war, is that this was unclassified.

I know the CIA Director Ratcliffe has said the same thing. This was not classified information. I think that will be borne out by Congress. This has to be taken at hearings and briefings with the American people that we represent.

TAPPER: Let's talk to the current controversy about these strikes on Caribbean boats of alleged narco traffickers. I want you to take a listen to Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul yesterday and today criticizing Secretary Hegseth's explanation about these boat strikes. Take a listen.

MCCAUL: Yes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): Secretary Hegseth said he had no knowledge of this and it did not happen. It was fake news. It didn't happen. And then the next day from the podium, the White House are saying it did happen. So either he was lying to us on Sunday or he's incompetent and didn't know it had happened.

I think it was wrong on all fronts. But I don't like the Secretary of Defense blaming on a military commander. These commands came from him. And I think the buck stops with him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: What do you think?

MCCAUL: Well, several things. I mean, you know, first of all, I think it's imperative the administration again brief Congress and the relevant committees on this Venezuelan situation. But if I could back up in terms of the policy, I think there's been a lot of talk about failure to brief, there's been a lot of talk about hanging senators, which I think the rhetoric needs tone down. The policy itself, though, is this, we have secured our land border and a lot of that in my home state of Texas, and provide the deterrence. Now, we are trying to secure our maritime border to stop vessels carrying, you know, drugs and poison into this country to then kill Americans.

The president, it's very clear it's been done before with Reagan and Bush 41 has Article 2 authorities under the constitution of self- defense, particularly in this case where it's international waters involving a foreign terrorist organization that's been designated as such and that is a cartel. So I think there's a legal justification here and a sound policy here to keep drugs out of the country to poison, you know, in this case, 30,000 people Americans, die of cocaine every year. I do think the messaging needs to be better and the briefings to Congress needs to better. Because the thing is, Jake, if they do invade Venezuelan waters or on land, then that does invoke the War Powers Act. They would be required to notify the Congress and my committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, would have to take up within 60 days either a declaration of war or an authorized use of military force.

TAPPER: You were a witness earlier today at a Senate hearing focused on the Russian abduction of Ukrainian children.

MCCAUL: Yes.

TAPPER: After yesterday's marathon meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow, Vladimir Putin made it pretty clear he's not ready for any sort of cease fire deal. You say Putin will continue the kidnapping and abuse of the children until he feels enough pressure to stop and end the war. So what is your advice to Witkoff and Kushner and Trump to achieve that?

MCCAUL: Well, I think, number one, is that the return of these 20,000 children, and now we heard today 43,000 in the occupied territories have been put in these indoctrination military camps to turn against their own country. And beyond that, it's Ukraine, Europe and NATO itself, which really says a lot. So that has to be really high up in the priority in these negotiations.

[17:10:12]

Secondly, you know, Jake, this security agreement has to be ironclad. It cannot be like 1994, the Budapest Agreement where Ukraine gave up all of its nuclear weapons for nothing, assurances that amounted to nothing and then Russia invaded, that can't happen again. And I agree with Lindsey Graham, we need an up or down vote in the Congress on this so the American people will speak. I do not -- I think Ukraine is negotiating good faith. They made concessions.

I don't see one concession on the part of Putin. I hope that changes. I hope they're successful in Moscow. But I go into this clear eyed and I carry a heavy amount of skepticism.

TAPPER: Congressman Mike McCaul of Texas, thank you so much, sir. Good to see you again.

MCCAUL: Yes, thanks, Jake. Thanks for having me. TAPPER: Ahead that 24 hour spat, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is

accusing House Speaker Mike Johnson of lying, describing her fellow Republican as an ineffective leader. Today she's dramatically changed her tune. Is there any truth in what she's saying or is she just trying to get attention? But first, Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, he's going to be here on The Lead to talk about his major financial contribution towards the new Trump accounts for children. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:15:26]

TAPPER: In our money lead today, Michael and Susan Dell made headlines yesterday for donating more $6 billion, billion with a B, towards expanding Trump accounts. That -- these are the President Trump's investment account proposal for American children born between January of this year and December 31, 2028. The Dells even got a shout out during President Trump's formal unveiling of the program yesterday at the White House. Michael Dell, the CEO of Dell Technologies, joins us now to discuss.

Mr. Dell, thanks so much for joining us. So your donation of $6.25 billion is going to fund $250 per at least 25 million children ages 10 and under born before January of this year. That expands the number of children eligible to open accounts. They all have to live in zip codes where the median income is less than $150,000 a year. Tell us more about why you decided to expand this program and make this really unbelievably generous donation.

MICHAEL DELL, CEO, DELL TECHNOLOGIES: Well, Jake, great to be with you. You got it right. So the Invest America Act was passed earlier this year. And you know, I believe it creates a platform for companies to match the government grant for families to contribute, you know, small sums to these accounts, friends, you know, communities and philanthropists.

And what -- you know, my wife and I created a foundation 26 years ago. We focus on children. And so as we thought about this, we first thought, well, maybe we'll just do it in Texas. But then we thought, well, why don't we go bigger and do it across the country. So, for all the children that are 10 and under that are not part of the government grants that start in 2025, that live in zip codes where the median income is less than $150,000, we'll cover most of them and it will cover 25 million of them.

And so every child 18 and under will have an Invest America account that they can claim. And you know, anyone can contribute to those accounts. So I think there'll be other philanthropists. I've spoken with a number of others and I think we'll see some other large gifts, whether it's at the state level or nationally because people understand these accounts can make a big difference in the lives of young Americans. When a young person has an account like this, they're way more likely to graduate from college or high school, start a family, buy a home, and be a productive member of society.

TAPPER: So this is a massive donation to help children. You've said it's not a partisan donation. It is in conjunction with the Trump accounts. Do you not see this as political in any way?

DELL: No. You know, I've spoken with a number of senators. You know, Senator Booker has been very supportive of this program, and it's been a bipartisan effort to bring this to light. And, look, this is formally called the Invest America Act. And, you know, if you're not for children, what are you for, right?

This is, like, the best investment we can make in our country. And we think that the impact of this in 10, 20, 30 years, a lot of companies have already signed up to match the government's initial contribution, Dell being one of those, but I'm sure will be thousands of other companies that will do the same. And the effect of that over time will be substantial. So we're very excited about this, and this is not a political effort in any -- in any context.

TAPPER: Can you tell us any of the others who are talking about maybe donating? There are -- I mean, there are lots of -- there are plenty of billionaires and others who could afford to be as generous as you, and I'm wondering who you're talking about.

DELL: I wouldn't want to steal their thunder. I have spoken with a number of folks both before we made our announcement and after, and we'll let them make their own announcements.

[17:20:03]

TAPPER: All right, Michael Dell, thank you so much, and congratulations on the big announcement.

DELL: Thank you, Jake.

TAPPER: It was a damning day in trial for Brian Walshe, the Massachusetts man accused of killing and dismembering his wife and lying to police. The photo evidence prosecutors revealed today is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) TAPPER: In our law and justice lead today, bloody rags, shoes and tools, all things found in trash bags near the home of Brian Walshe's mom. Brian Walshe is, of course, the Massachusetts man on trial, accused of killing and dismembering his wife in 2023. Now, Walshe claims that his wife died unexpectedly and he found her in bed, but he told investigators he didn't think anyone would believe him that he just found her dead. He has pleaded guilty to misleading police and to disposing of his wife's remains. Her body remains missing.

[17:25:04]

CNN's Jean Casarez is following this trial.

And Jean, what do we know about this trash issue? JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, once law enforcement realized

they had his phone, they got a warrant because they wanted to see what he was doing and where he was going because there were days there before he was arrested and they found he was going to dumpsters around the community and dumping big, large black trash bags. And the jury learned today through pictures and then entered into evidence, the evidence bags, exactly what it was right -- first of all, there's a bloody rag. I say blood red and brown stains. And someone else will determine if it was blood. But it is blood.

And then you've got the bedroom slippers of Anna Walshe. That is her robe right there, her white robe. And then we see other aspects. There's one photo that has her boots. This is partially it.

You're going to see her jacket over there. You see some of her personal effects. You see her bedroom slippers. But there's one that shows her boots, her hunter boots, her purse, her jacket, her COVID card and her wallet. And these items, Jake, the jury saw them.

But the defense theory is that she died of unexplained death in her bed. So why are you throwing away her clothes if she was in her bed? And I think that could be part of the prosecution's premeditation because they've got -- they've got challenges, the prosecution. Cause of death, there's no body. They've got to prove to this jury beyond a reasonable doubt that he caused the death.

They've got to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he premeditated the death. Those are two challenges right there.

TAPPER: And we understand tomorrow could be a big day of testimony in this trial. Tell us why.

CASAREZ: Real big. Anna Walshe was having an affair. A very successful real estate agent with Sotheby's right there in Washington, D.C. where you are. She had met him because that's where her big new job was at a real estate company. And they were having an affair.

They had gone to Europe over Thanksgiving. She told her husband she was working on Christmas Eve. She was with him. Brian Walshe and the kids were all by themselves. So he's going to take the stand and the defense wants every single text message that those two sent back and forth to each other. TAPPER: Jean Casarez, thank you so much.

Follow every step of this case on the new CNN app. You can watch the testimony in court streaming live and get analysis from Jean Casarez and Laura Coates and others with the CNN legal team. It's all on the new CNN app. Just go to the tab. Watch.

Next here on The Lead, hear from a woman scammed out of nearly a half million dollars by a man who was sent to prison, but just freed from prison by President Trump after serving less than two weeks of a seven-year sentence. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:32:15]

TAPPER: In our Law and Justice Lead, today, Texas Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas filed for re-election just moments after President Trump pardoned him and his wife.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D-TX): I want to thank President Trump for this action that he took on behalf of my wife and my family. I want to say thank you. I think the facts have been very clear about this. Now we can get back to work. Nothing has changed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: In 2024, federal prosecutors charged Cuellar and his wife with accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities in an alleged scheme lasting nearly seven years. Cuellar denies any wrongdoing by him or his wife. And while Cuellar's case did not go to trial, this is just the latest high profile figure to get a pardon from President Trump in a matter of days. Many of them powerful, wealthy criminals, which begs the question, how exactly are these people getting to Trump and convincing him to pardon them or commute their sentences?

These individuals include former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, whom Trump pardoned on Monday, erasing a major U.S. drug trafficking conviction for, according to a U.S. attorney in New York, helping, "to facilitate the importation of an almost unfathomable 400 tons of cocaine to this country and billions of individual doses sent to the U.S." Hernandez, according to federal prosecutors, once said he was going to, "stuff the drugs right up the noses of the gringos." He's now a free man.

And then there's the commutation of the seven-year prison sentence for convicted fraudster, David Gentile, wiping away any further fines and restitution as well. Gentile is the former CEO and owner of GPB Capital Holdings. He, along with another private equity executive, were convicted in 2024 in what federal prosecutors described as a $1.6 billion scheme defrauding more than 10,000 investors.

Why on earth would President Trump commute the prison sentence of this fraud? Well, here's what the White House said when asked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And this is another example that has been brought to the President's attention of a weaponization of justice from the previous administration. And therefore, he signed this commutation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Who brought this case to President Trump's attention and claimed it was weaponization? I asked the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. She did not respond. I mean, it couldn't have been Trump's handpicked U.S. attorney in New York who brought it to President Trump's attention because that U.S. attorney, in May of this year, applauded the seven-year sentence for Gentile. He called it a "well-deserved and should serve as a warning to would-be fraudsters that seeking to get rich by taking advantage of investors gets you only a one-way ticket to jail."

[17:35:24]

So who brought it to President Trump's attention? It couldn't have been the assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York field office because he said that Gentile and his co-defendant "wove a web of lies to steal more than $1 billion from investors through empty promises of guaranteed profits and unlawfully rerouting funds to provide an illusion of success." So who was it? And why were they more compelling than the thousands of Americans whom Gentile defrauded?

The American people, especially the victims, deserve answers. And joining me now is one of those victims, CarolAnn Tutera and Adam Gana, who represents CarolAnn and several other victims. CarolAnn, thank you for joining us. You lost nearly half a million dollars. You have been able to claw back $40,000, but you -- most of it's gone. What was your reaction when you heard that President Trump had commuted Gentile sentence? So we only served 12 days of a seven-year sentence.

CAROLANN TUTERA, VICTIM OF DAVID GENTILE: I'm totally disgusted because it wasn't only myself. It was my elder mother in her 90s and my sister as well. We all got defrauded.

TAPPER: What would you say to President Trump if he were watching right now?

TUTERA: I'd ask him why he did this. It makes no sense. I don't have an answer as to why this guy can do what he did, basically build the Ponzi scheme, walk out scot-free. And you got Bernie Madoff, who had to live it up, and people were returned funds. I had to hire, with the help of Adam, who did a great job, claw back a measly pop or some of nothing. And it makes no sense to me. I don't understand why.

TAPPER: So CarolAnn --

TUTERA: Who bought him off?

TAPPER: Who bought Trump off? Is that what you're asking?

TUTERA: No.

TAPPER: Who bought --

TUTERA: Who bought off David Gentile off?

TAPPER: Yes.

TUTERA: Who did Gentile have to pay to get out?

TAPPER: Right. CarolAnn, what were these GPB capital products that you were investing in, and when did you realize that you were being ripped off?

TUTERA: One of them was to do with an automobile fund, Armada Waste. And when I went to ask for my money back, because I had grief brain, my husband -- my late husband had just died, and I was told, wonderful products to get into. You've got to do this. Let's get your family into them. Well, you're not really functioning for quite some time after you lose your spouse of many, many years. And when I asked for money back, oh, no, they're just waiting. What are they waiting for? Call me in about six months. Time went on and there was no money, none.

TAPPER: Do you have any hope of getting back the hundreds of thousands of dollars you lost?

TUTERA: No. No. I wish. I mean, my mother lost over $100,000. My sister is in the same boat as I am. You know, you just -- you lose faith in these type of people. I've lost faith in Wall Street.

TAPPER: Adam, according to "The New York Times," other victims include farmers, teachers, veterans, nurses. I read a number of these very moving accounts, people taking care of their disabled children, people in their 80s who have medical issues and we're counting on this money for their retirement to deal with cancer treatments. You also represent victims who are living paycheck to paycheck now as a result of this fraud. What recourse do victims have now that President Trump has commuted the sentence?

ADAM GANA, ATTORNEY REPRESENTING VICTIMS OF DAVID GENTILE: Jake, thank you for having me. Victims still have the opportunity to bring civil claims against the broker dealers that sold these investments to them. And we're here to help them with things like that. We represented hundreds of investors of the 17,000 plus investors that have been victimized by David Gentile and GPB.

We even represented a not for profit organization that provides shelters and therapeutic services to at risk youth. This should not have been a political issue. David Gentile committed fraud and David Gentile's sentence should not have been commuted.

TAPPER: So Adam, the White House argues this is not a Ponzi scheme, that Gentile did not make any fraudulent statements. They claim this is another example of weaponization by the Biden administration. What's your response to that?

GANA: Joseph Nocella, who is the Eastern District U.S. Attorney, said that this was a Ponzi scheme. He was appointed by Trump himself. He said it back in May. So you tell me, was this a political commutation of Mr. Gentile's sentence or not? And why only Mr. Gentile? Why not his partner? His partner is still serving his sentence. And if Mr. Gentile really was innocent, why not give him a full pardon?

[17:40:21]

TAPPER: We reached out to Gentile's lawyer who told us no comment. CarolAnn Tutera, Adam Gana, thanks to both of you, appreciate it.

The major issue that has some Republicans splitting with President Trump, especially after yesterday's election in Tennessee, plus the very public spat that had Congresswoman Elise Stefanik calling out House Speaker Mike Johnson. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: In our Politics Lead, Republican Matt Van Epps holding off a Democratic upset in that special congressional election in Tennessee. The Army combat veteran, a Republican, scored a nine-point victory over Democrat Aftyn Behn. But remember, Donald Trump won that congressional district by 22 percentage points last year. So that is something of a warning sign for some Democrats that he was only able to get in single digits.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[17:45:16]

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you concerned at all that this was closer than it has been in the past?

REP. TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): I'm always concerned, to be honest with you. And yes, we got a real problem and we better wake up.

RAJU: What about issues like affordability and the like? Do you guys need to do a better job on that, those issues?

BURCHETT: Of course we need to. The best friend the Democrats have right now is the Republicans' messaging, because we do a terrible job of messaging.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: My panel joins me now. So, Arshi, the Republican won, but he won by eight and a half, nine points in a district that Trump won by 22. It is an off-year election, and December is a weird time to hold an election. But do you think this is actually good news for Democrats in a way?

ARSHI SIDDIQUI, FOUNDER, BELLWETHER GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS: It was a shot in the arm for Democrats. I don't want to overstate this, but the fact of the matter is Republicans had to spend millions of dollars. They had to use star power, whether it was Speaker Johnson, the President, and a lot of energy and focus, whereas Democrats were able to overperform in a significant way. And honestly, when you look at her as a candidate, she probably wasn't the best fit for the district.

So if you -- I'm sure there are moderate Democrats in -- in that district thinking, wait, maybe this is a proven concept to really actually maybe take a run at the seat.

TAPPER: So you heard Republican Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, talking about this affordability issue. He stressed about it. Other Republicans also sounding the alarm of this issue. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSH HAWLEY (D-MI): We have got to help people be able to afford the necessities of life and just get by day to day. And there's no better place to start than health care.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: So that's Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. But if you ask President Trump, this affordability thing is not legit. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, this whole thing is they use the word affordability. It's a Democrat hoax. They're the ones that drove the prices up. And all they do is say affordability. And you're supposed to say, oh, that means they had low prices. No, we inherited the worst inflation in the history of our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: So, T.W., what's your take?

T.W. ARRIGHI, VICE PRESIDENT, PUSH DIGITAL GROUP: Affordability is an issue. And I think President Trump's vision for remaking the economy, the global trade environment, all are good things and worthy goals. We'll take time to materialize and we'll see what that looks like next year. But working with candidates all across the country, I can tell you, on the ground, they are hearing about the cost of living. Yes, health care. Yes, prices. Yes, heating. It's coming into winter, depending on where they are. It's a -- it's a big issue and it needs to be addressed.

And to what Arshi said about -- about the race, look, yes, Trump won it by 22. It's important to also note that Marsha Blackburn only won it by a half a point. It covers parts of Nashville, parts of Franklin. It's not exactly the -- the biggest deep red district of all time. And you said something very important there. The type of candidate that was nominated, she doesn't like country music, tried to dissolve a local police department, had a bunch of bad stuff there. That's -- you're going to see that play out in a lot of districts across this country. I think the Mamdani win has accelerated that. You see people like Jasmine Crockett think about jumping in in Texas. Ayanna Pressley is going to jump in Massachusetts. A far leftward lurch -- leftward lurch. The generic ballot for Democrats looks pretty good right now in the House, but they can blow that, just like the Republicans did in 2010, if they go down that leftward path.

TAPPER: So we saw some top Republicans in something of a public spat in the last 24 hours. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York, who's running for governor, she called out House Speaker Mike Johnson for not including a provision she wanted added in the House's annual defense policy bill. She took to Twitter, or asked, and said, "just more lies from the Speaker." And true to form, the Speaker texted me yesterday claiming he knew nothing about it. Yes, right." So, Arshi, her provision eventually did make its way into the bill. What's going on here? That's very strange Republican on Republican violence.

SIDDIQUI: I thought it was interesting. I mean, I defer to T.W. on the politics of what's going on within the conference. But I think it's interesting, A, what does it mean for her race in -- in New York, right? Because she, you would think she would be New York, New York, New York all the time. So that was one piece. And I think it also, there has been a lot of rumbling on the Democratic members that I've been talking to, and I don't want to overstate this, but they all feel like the Speaker is in trouble.

But at the same time, does it matter who's the Speaker of the House, given that there has been such a rubber stamp with the administration in terms of Congress.

TAPPER: So in a new "Wall Street Journal" article, Stefanik was quoted saying this about Speaker Johnson, "he certainly wouldn't have the votes to be Speaker if there was a roll call vote tomorrow. I believe that the majority of Republicans would vote for new leadership. It's that widespread." What is she doing here? Because, I mean, obviously, look, she's running for governor. We can't pretend that's not potentially part of this. Is she looking at polls that say that the House of Representatives is unpopular? Because, I mean, as far as I can tell, the Speaker Johnson has been pretty nice to her. Like she -- you know, her -- he U.N. ambassador thing didn't come to fruition, and he got her back on the House Intelligence Committee. He brought her back into House Republican leadership, and this is what she's doing.

[17:50:23]

ARRIGHI: And he made a role for her. That role didn't exist until Mike Johnson. Look, Mike Johnson has a really hard job. And Elise Stefanik is running, as you just said, running for governor of New York. I'm confused, as anybody, on how this helps her. Look, that provision, don't doubt that it's important. I do think it's very important. She tried last year, didn't say a peep. She should be all New York all the time.

TAPPER: This provision, it's about the FBI has to notify Congress if members of Congress are being investigated. ARRIGHI: Correct, correct.

TAPPER: Which is, by the way, a privilege that the three of us don't enjoy or anybody watching. It's only members of Congress, so I don't know what kind of representation for New York that is.

ARRIGHI: Right, right. And that might play really well in the halls of Congress, maybe on both sides of the aisle. I don't know. I haven't studied it that closely. But it does. I don't think anyone outside of Albany or -- or New York is worried about that. Look, she's frustrated. You mentioned the U.N. She's frustrated about the Mamdani meeting. She's frustrated. But don't take it out on Mike Johnson, who, by the way, doesn't have anything to do with it being in the bill in the first place. It's a -- it's a Jim Jordan and judiciary problem. And guess what? Jim Jordan is supportive of it. So talk to him. Don't talk to Mike Johnson.

TAPPER: All right. Thanks one and all. Glad you guys had good Thanksgiving. We were catching up before -- before.

Today, House Democrats released even more photos and videos from Jeffrey Epstein's private island. What the images show, one of the lawmakers putting these images out is going to be here coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:56:01]

TAPPER: In our Pop Culture Lead great news, HBO is renewing the crime thriller "Task." It's a show that follows an FBI agent leading a task force hunting down a masked man, a couple of masked people, behind a string of violent robberies at drug houses outside Philadelphia. Let's bring in one of the stars of the show who plays that serial robber, Tom Pelphrey, is the name of the actor. We should mention that HBO is also owned by CNN's parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery, but I legitimately love this show, regardless of what channel it's on. Tom, congratulations. People love this series.

Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 96 percent approval rating. It's written by Brad Ingelsby, who also wrote "Mayor of Easttown," another amazing HBO show. When you read the script, did you know it was going to be as big a deal as it was, as critically acclaimed and as watched?

TOM PELPHREY, ACTOR, "TASK": I -- I knew it had a chance to be. I thought it was one of the best scripts I'd ever read. I loved the role immediately. You know, there's a lot of ingredients that go into the soup of making something successful, but you know when you have a script that's as well-written as that, you have the highest chances of success.

TAPPER: Pennsylvania is investing nearly $50 million into the production of season 2 through the Commonwealth's Film Production Tax Credit Program. Can you tell us anything at all about season 2? I don't want to spoil anything about season 1, but your character, Robbie, does he come back in any way? PELPHREY: I don't know if we're going to see any more Robbie. We'll -- we'll have to -- we'll have to wait and find out what Brad has in store. But I guarantee it'll be good.

TAPPER: So Brad is the Bard of Delco. For viewers unfamiliar with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Delco is Delaware County. It's -- it's the blue-collar suburb right outside Philly. The accent there, and I say this as a Philadelphian who has been dinged for my Philly accent, the -- the Delco accent is quite a thing, very distinctive. You really got it down. Did you have like an elocution lesson? How did you do that?

PELPHREY: Oh yes, I had many lessons. Susanne Sulby was the dialect coach. Many lessons with her, and then a lot of deep diving on YouTube. I really was searching for clips of actual Delco speakers speaking in a way where they weren't self-conscious about people listening. So like local news clips, things like that, really kind of helped me push it over the edge.

TAPPER: And there are a lot of local news clips that come out of Delaware County.

PELPHREY: It's amazing.

TAPPER: No offense -- no offense to my friends from Delco, but a lot of news comes out of Delco. There was a woman who did something to a car not long ago that was quite a thing. Speaking of acting methods, did you fully immerse yourself into the Philly culture? I ran into Ruffalo the other day. He really has become an Eagles fan. I don't know how long that's going to last given the last two games, but are you now a Birds fan? I know you're from Jersey.

PELPHREY: No, sir, and I know you are, but I'm a diehard New York Giants fan. I bleed blue, always have since I was a child. So it was -- it was amazing to be welcomed into the -- into the Philly life, but I can only go so far.

TAPPER: My last question is just whatever Philly gourmet food you love. I don't know if it's soft pretzels. You have a particular wawa order, a place you love to get the cheesesteak. How you order it. Your favorite hoogie. Like what? Just tell me -- tell me what you like.

PELPHREY: They're going to kill me because I can't remember the name right now, but there is an Italian restaurant there in Philadelphia that went to and they stuffed us so full you literally had to roll me out the door. That -- that Italian food in Philadelphia is some of the best I've ever had in my life.

TAPPER: Well, Tom, you were amazing on "Ozark" and you were amazing on "Task." Continued success. We're all going to be watching your amazing work. Tom Pelphrey, thanks for joining us.

PELPHREY: Jake, thanks for having me on.

[17:59:46] TAPPER: Welcome to The Lead. I'm Jake Tapper. This hour, chilling photos and video of Jeffrey Epstein's private island released by House Democrats on the House Oversight Committee today. That island off the coast of St. Thomas has long been a focus for investigators. As it allowed Epstein to carry out his crimes out of the public eye. I'm going to ask the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee about the status of the investigation and the meaning --