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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Trump Says, A.G. Bondi Sent Gabbard to FBI Search of Georgia Elections Office; Officials Say, No Suspect, No Person of Interest Yet in Guthrie Case; Understanding the Dangers of Gambling Among Adolescent Boys. Email Appears To Authenticate Photo Of Former Prince Andrew & Giuffre; TrumpRx Set To Launch In Effort To Lower Drug Prices. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired February 05, 2026 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to The Lead. I'm Jake Tapper.

This hour investigators believe that Nancy Guthrie is still alive as the search for NBC Anchor Savannah Guthrie's mother is in day five. The sheriff in a one-on-one interview with CNN revealing that investigators have gone through more than 100 tips, but they remain, quote, waiting for that one big break. A former FBI criminal profiler will join us live in moments to analyze the new details.

Plus, the latest release of the Epstein files contains an email that appears to confirm that this photograph of then-Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre is legit. The now former royal previously suggested that the picture could be a fake. He said he doesn't even remember ever meeting her. Virginia's brother and sister-in-law call these developments vindication, and they're going to join us ahead.

Also, more than $1 billion are expected to be wagered during this weekend's Super Bowl, and the odds are a young man in your life could be one of those gamblers, somebody under 18. We're going to talk to an expert on how sports betting has targeted this one specific part of the population.

And for some, it's the countdown to kickoff, for others, it's the countdown to halftime. Bad Bunny gave fans a preview of what they can expect during his performance this Sunday in the Super Bowl, and we have the details,

All of that coming up this hour, but The Lead tonight, President Trump remains laser focused on rewriting his 2020 election loss while calling on Republicans to, quote, take over the voting in future elections in 15 places that he lost. This morning at a prayer breakfast, a pastor Trump questioned how any per person of faith can vote for Democrats regardless of the commandment, thou shall to not bear false witness. Trump then veered into the holy topic of the FBI seizing 2020 election ballots from Fulton County, Georgia Elections Office. Georgia was central to Trump's false, debunked claim that the 2020 election was rigged, which it was not. Trump tried to explain sort of why his director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was present during that FBI search.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We have our director of National and International Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard.

She took a lot of heat two days ago because she went in, at Pam's insistence, she went in and she looked at votes that want to be checked out from Georgia. They say, why is she doing it? Right, Pam? Why is she doing it? Because Pam wanted her to do it. And you know why? Because she's smart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Pam is Pam Bondi, the attorney general. But why send Gabbard? It's a question that is baffling many senior intelligence officials and election law experts who say that Gabbard's job as director of National Intelligence gives her no legal authority over an FBI search.

Today, the White House tried to defend Gabbard's presence there after President Trump was asked about it in an interview with NBC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why is Tulsi Gabbard there?

TRUMP: I don't know, but, you know, a lot of the cheating comes from -- it's international cheating.

China or any of these countries are involved in our elections that would bring her into it. And everybody knows that Russia, they talked about Russia, turned out to be a hoax. It was Hunter Biden. It wasn't Russia.

Look, we have to have honest elections.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

TRUMP: There should be nothing wrong with the fact that they went in, got ballots from a while ago and they're going to look at it. And now they're going to find out the true winner of that state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Oh, you want to know the true winner of the state of Georgia in 2020, President Trump? I can clear that up. It was President Biden. No matter how badly you wish that were not true, the idea that Trump won Georgia has been thoroughly debunked by Republicans in multiple recounts and audits and top officials in Trump's first administration, even the Republican governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, refuted Trump's claims back in August 2023 when he tweeted, quote, the 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen. For nearly three years now, anyone with evidence of fraud has failed to come forward under oath and prove anything in a court of law. Our elections in Georgia are secure, accessible, and fair, unquote. But the truth is not what this is apparently about for President Trump. It's about his ego. But that's not my interpretation of this. That's what he said today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They rigged the second election. I had to win it. I had to win it. I needed it for my own ego. I would've had a bad ego for the rest of my life. Now I really have a big ego. Beating these lunatics was incredible.

[18:05:00]

The first time, you know, they said I didn't win the popular vote. I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Remember, that's at a bipartisan prayer breakfast. President Trump again did not win the popular vote in 2020.

The real issues here, though, when it comes to whatever investigation the administration's cooking up when it comes to these ballots is, A, the Trump administration and President Trump regularly lies to the public about even things that we can see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears, and, B, we already know what happens when President Trump requires a pre-ordained outcome in law enforcement activities related to his political desires. Just look up FBI Director James Comey or New York Attorney General Letitia James, hence Attorney General Bondi understanding the assignment and sending Tulsi Gabbard down to Georgia. We'll see what they come up with.

With us now, CNN Anchor and Chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, also CNN Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Paula Reid.

So, Kaitlan, this afternoon, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt once again tried to explain, if not, sane-wash Trump's comments on having Republicans take over elections in 15 places where Democrats won, or battleground states, even though the Constitution very explicitly gives that power to the states to run their elections without federal interference. How does Karoline Leavitt continue to try to explain this away?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So, what she has put pointed to repeatedly is that the president, she says, is talking about what they're trying to pass on Capitol Hill right now. Some Republicans, what they want to have a vote, which is this act that would essentially require you to prove your citizenship before you could register to vote. It's called the Save America Act. And, repeatedly, she has said that is what the president is talking about since he called for this a couple of days ago and he's only doubled down on it since. He has not talked about it himself specifically, Jake --

TAPPER: You asked him about it Tuesday.

COLLINS: And he didn't bring up the Save America Act.

TAPPER: No.

COLLINS: Despite the fact he was standing there with the House speaker right behind him and several other top senators from the Republican Party. He did truly, about a minute ago while you were reading that introduction, tweet about the Save America Act and call on it to be passed.

But when you look at that, Jake, and what it's talking about what it wants Americans to do before they can register to vote, it's not what the president is talking about where he's talking about having -- essentially, what he's implying is the federal government counting the votes or administering the elections. Because when I asked him about it the other day, he was arguing the states are agents of the federal government and that they cannot do that in good manner, essentially, because he's arguing there's fraud.

TAPPER: Yes.

COLLINS: But he only named places cities, Jake, and states that he lost in 2020. And, obviously, he has not disputed what those states also did in the last election when he won. And so I think that has been something that it's been this difficulty for even his own administration to defend because, one, it goes against the Constitution and Republicans have shot it down, some of them. Some of them have actually reported it.

TAPPER: Right.

COLLINS: And it's not even clear exactly what he's saying.

I think it's the ambiguity though, that has concerned people because what could he do with that is their question.

TAPPER: Yes. And when you asked him what 15 places he's talking about, he actually listed a few of them, Philadelphia --

COLLINS: All places he lost in 2020.

TAPPER: -- Pennsylvania, Fulton County. What a coincidence.

Paula, what exactly does Tulsi Gabbard's job have to do with elections, if anything?

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Jake, it's unprecedented for ODNI to have a role like this in investigations into elections. I want to give the White House a chance to weigh in here. Our colleague, Kristen Holmes, asked about all this today. Let's take a listen to what they said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Do you have any evidence that there was international interference in the 2020 election in this election center? KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: What I do have evidence of. And what the media seems to be undermining is why Tulsi Gabbard is there in the first place. And I would point you again to federal law that clearly assigns the DNI and the office with the statutory responsibility to lead counter-intel matters related to election security.

That it is more than appropriate. In fact, it is Tulsi Gabbard's job to ensure that our elections are safe and secure, and that's exactly what she's been doing on the ground in Georgia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

REID: No, she did not answer Kristen's question, which is the question. Because why are they down there in Georgia when we know the first Trump administration's Justice Department looked into these claims of voting problems down in Georgia, didn't find enough to even investigate? So, is there new evidence? Is that why you are down there? Or are you down there for some little investigative theater to appease your boss?

So far, no one can answer that question. And remember, they don't really have a lot of credibility here because there are roughly 60 lawsuits that they brought with these election claims, almost all of them were tossed out of court.

Now, we'll note a judge signed off on this search, so I leave open the possibility that there is new evidence, but so far no one can answer that question that Kristen asked.

TAPPER: Kaitlan, where do you think this is all headed?

COLLINS: I think part of this also has to do with Tulsi Gabbard's standing in the administration and where that has sorted out. Remember when the Nicolas Maduro capture happened? She was someone who was not included in that decision-making process in the last minute details. She wasn't there at Mar-a-Lago when they were kind of sussing this out, when it actually went through.

[18:10:00]

So, part of that has been, you know, this is something, a game, that all the cabinet members and the president's administration play where they're trying to do things that he wants them to do.

TAPPER: Yes.

COLLINS: And obviously he's obsessed with the 2020 election and still talks about it regularly, as you noted.

I think one question that people have, and that obviously so many Democrats have raised, is, when the president says things, people take him seriously in terms of nationalizing elections and calling out 15 states because they are conducting raids when it comes to Fulton County, Georgia. They're also trying to look into what happened in Puerto Rico in 2020. And so I think people are taking it seriously given how much the president talks about what happens if Republicans lose in the midterms. And he knows for him it is going to change fundamentally his presidency.

TAPPER: And, Paula, we know Tulsi Gabbard office also obtained voting machines from Puerto Rico and probe them for security vulnerabilities. What's that about?

REID: So, this is some great new reporting from our colleague, Sean Lyngaas. He's reporting that she obtained these voting machines from Puerto Rico to probe them for security vulnerabilities. Now, in a statement, ODNI claimed to have found, quote, extremely concerning cybersecurity and operational deployment practices.

Now, in justifying this probe, they're citing publicly reported claims relating to elections in Puerto Rico. But I reiterate, this is unprecedented. This is way beyond their authority or their expertise. Sean reporting that this happened last spring, and it's unclear if they're ever going to make any of this public.

TAPPER: So, the other thing that's interesting about the Tulsi Gabbard of it all, Kaitlan, is that she pushed forward some theory last year that nobody with like real knowledge or expertise took seriously about like Obama like trying to sabotage Trump, right, and like the idea that she's willing to politicize intelligence is something that she's already done, according to her critics.

COLLINS: Well, and also when she came out to that briefing to talk about that, I had heard concerns from people inside the administration that they were trying to go after John Brennan potentially for an indictment. And they thought actually publicly revealing what was she was talking about that day could hurt that, something the president obviously wanted to see. And so I do think a lot of this is having to do with what the president here wants.

But on why she was present there. I mean to Kristen's great question in the briefing today, it's just there's a complete lack of clarity from the administration and it matters, obviously, given it's typically not in her purview. And she said one thing in a letter to Congress, the president immediately said when he was asked last night, I don't know, even though she said it was at his direction, then today he was saying it was at the attorney general's. And the White House says that people are playing semantics with that.

But, obviously, if this does become something that they turn into -- try to turn into a real investigations or that does affect the midterms, it will really matter who's in charge.

TAPPER: Well, and I think after January 6th, 2021, people are willing to take seriously any theory about where this is going.

COLLINS: And also remember then the president was going to basically anyone who would do what he wanted at the Justice Department. When the attorney general wouldn't, he would go to the next person in line. They had ideas to install people in those roles to basically have people who wouldn't.

TAPPER: And now he doesn't need to do that because the people in his cabinet are very obedient, I think it's fair to say.

Paula Reid, Kaitlan Collins, thanks so much.

Don't miss Kaitlan on her show, The Source with Kaitlyn Collins. Her guests tonight include Democratic Senator Mark Warner. That's tonight at 9:00 Eastern, only on CNN.

Local officials confirming to CNN that a front door camera is missing from Nancy Guthrie's home. What else they're revealing as day five of the search drags on with no suspect yet publicly identified.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:15:00]

TAPPER: And we're back with the breaking news at our National Lead in that urgent search in Arizona for Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of Today Show Anchor Savannah Guthrie. Officials in an update earlier today say there remains no prime suspect or person of interest in this case. The FBI did reveal the two deadlines listed in a ransom letter sent to media outlets, the first one coming at 5:00 P.M. today, presumably Arizona time, the second next Monday.

CNN's Ed Lavandera just sat down with Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who says he believes Nancy Guthrie is still out there and alive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF CHRIS NANOS, PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA: People are always asking, do I believe she's alive? Absolutely. There's nothing to say she isn't. And so we have to live on that, and we have to -- that I hope keeps us motivated because we do know the dangers of each passing day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Let's bring in former FBI Profiler Candice DeLong and CNN Chief Law Enforcement Analyst John Miller.

John, so the FB I's leading the investigation into this random letter. Do you think they believe it could be legitimate based on what we've heard in the last day from them and from the Guthrie family?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: People within the investigation have different opinions and levels of confidence about that letter, but because the letter contains certain information that had not leaked out at the time the email was sent, about the appearance of the inside of the crime scene, and some things that only somebody who was there during the abduction might know, and it comes with a deadline and a threat. It's the kind of thing that they can't afford to not treat as 100 percent real until they can eliminate that possibility, thus the push to try and make that a two- way conversation. TAPPER: So, Candice, put on your FBI profiler hat. What kind of person, what type of person would try to pull off this type of crime, preying on an 84-year-old woman for ransom?

CANDICE DELONG, FORMER FBI CRIMINAL PROFILER: First, I think it's somebody that probably has some kind of criminal history. This is not a first time offense. But in terms of a personality type, when you think about it, somebody would have to be enormously confident in themselves and narcissistic. They -- you have to be narcissistic to think a couple of things in modern day crime fighting.

[18:20:01]

One, you can get away with murder, and, two, that you could get away with the crime of this magnitude with the ability these days of the FBI and other law enforcement to figure things out, digital footprints are left all over the place in addition to real footprints, things like that.

So -- and I imagine this person, they're not nebbish, they're not shy and retiring. They're bold and confident. And after they're caught, people that know them will go, wow, yes, this guy was real. He was just always out there, you know, taking command of a room, and that's how.

TAPPER: So, John, we are in what some people call the post-news media era. We're in a social media era, so many people who provide information, are influencers who are focused more on getting clicks and growing an audience than they are in providing accurate information, and that reared its head. Law enforcement had to comment today about a number of unverified, if not completely false claims, about suspects and evidence to dispel the rumors. And I wonder, what is the real world result of influencers pushing unverified nonsense for clicks? What's the impact on the family? What's the impact on the investigation?

MILLER: Well, I mean, if you listen to the sheriff today, he was kind of -- you could see he was upset. He said, you know, we have never said there was forced entry, or wasn't forced entry, but people are reporting that. We have never said there's a prime suspect or any particular suspect. We have, you know, never said that the doorbell camera was destroyed. Where do people get those things? And these are inaccurate.

But the dangers of kind of the online sleuthing or the social media scoop that's not based on reliable information are manifold. I mean, remember the Boston Marathon bombing? Online sleuths identified two people and put their pictures out there as the suspects. It made its way into the newspaper. And these two people were in great danger and almost assaulted and had to be really rescued from, you know, the mob. On the other hand, if you look at this case, where they've talked about prime suspects and intimated family member and everything else, A, the sheriff says that's not the case. And, B, it inhibits people who have information from coming forward because they read that reporting on their social media feeds, they think it's real news, and they may say, oh, well, they already know who did it. I think I have this tip I should pass on, but I probably won't. That's another bad result.

People need to make sure that they get vetted information from places where they know what they're talking about, and social media is not always high on that list.

TAPPER: I would also imagine it would be very time consuming for the family and for law enforcement to have to chase down and tell legacy media that's not true, that's not true, that's not true, instead of actually spending that time trying to find who did this.

MILLER: It's a distraction.

TAPPER: Yes. Candice, in this gut-wrenching video from the Guthrie family last night, Savannah and her brother and sister, Savannah mentioned how technology can make proof of life much more difficult for victims of hostage-taking these days. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NANCY GUTHRIE'S DAUGHTER: We live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she's alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Candice, how does the FBI verify communication from kidnappers in this era of A.I.?

DELONG: I am not exactly sure. That wasn't my specialty. But you did hit the nail on the head regarding A.I. Somebody that knew what they were doing could produce some kind of video that very much looked like Nancy Guthrie and have her talking. But the FBI does have the ability to tell the difference between fact and fiction.

TAPPER: Candice DeLong and John Miller, thanks to both of you, I appreciate it.

For anyone who might have any information about Guthrie's case, regardless of false theories making their rounds among influencers, please call the Pima County Sheriff's Department at 520-351-4900, 520- 351-4900, or call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or reach the agency online at tips.fbi.gov, tips.fbi.gov.

As we head into Super Bowl weekend, there are growing concerns about the number of teenagers, especially boys who will be wagering on the big game, and that story's next.

[18:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. Seeing these second half odds, I'm going to lie better than the win. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $200 instantly just a betting $5.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get daily boosts on Super Bowl 60 all week long.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: In our Tech Lead, if you watch T.V., especially sporting events, you have probably seen ads like those for popular sports betting apps. But even if you have not, chances are a young man in your life has seen them. A recent study by Common Sense Media found that 36 percent of boys ages 11 to 17 have gambled in the past year, 30 percent, with the greatest share among 16 year olds at 51 percent.

[18:30:02]

And among those boys, 60 percent reported seeing betting ads on their social media feeds.

Joining me now to discuss is Jonathan Cohen. He's the author of Losing Big, America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling. Jonathan, thanks for joining us.

What do you think makes adolescent boys particularly susceptible to online gambling?

JONATHAN COHEN, AUTHOR, LOSING BIG: I would say, first and foremost, is that gambling still feels adult and it still feels cool. And the fact that, legally speaking, you technically need to be 21 to gamble on a website like DraftKings or FanDuel. I think that sort of adds to the mystique and the allure. Not to mention the fact that, and I'll say this as a for once 16-year-old man, young man, I love sports and I wanted to prove to my friends how much I knew about sports. And I wanted to try to make money off of my sports fandom. So, all those things, plus the social media influence that you mentioned, I think, created this sort of toxic cocktail for young men in particular.

TAPPER: So the American Gaming Organization estimates a $1.76 billion, $1.76 billion are going to be waged in the Super Bowl this Sunday. How should adults approach the young men in their lives about the risks associated with gambling?

COHEN: Yes. I would say, first of all, to start with this concept that the young man in your life is probably already gambling, whether you know it or not, whether they know it or not, because there are so many video games these days that have gambling mechanics built in that someone might literally be gambling without understanding that that's what's happening. So, I think taking a sort of just say no or an abstinence only approach is not going to work and you're probably already playing from behind.

And I think what young men what young men might not understand is what gambling can do to their brain chemistry and the ways that they can become addicted or develop a problem or gamble more than they can afford or than they intend without even realizing that that's what's happening to them. Not to mention the fact that these companies are, in some cases, sort of predatorily seeking out young people and trying to get them hooked.

So, I hope that all those messages are more inspiring and are what would be more resonant for a young person than just sort of wagging our finger at them and telling them not to gamble.

TAPPER: All right. So, let me do quick, two quick follow-ups on that. One, how are they predatorily going after like 15, 16-year-old boys? And, two, what does gaming gambling do to a young person's brain?

COHEN: Yes. Well, I'll just -- to start with the second question, gambling is -- of course, it's not a substance that you ingest into your body, but it actually has a similar effect to your body, like drugs or alcohol, in that once you start using it, you might need a larger dose to get the same so-called high that you've gotten from previous doses. So, gambling with $5, you might be able to gamble with $5 for a long time, but then at some point you might chase your loss, you might switch over to $50 bets and all of a sudden you need $50 to get that same excitement that you once got. And that's a dangerous journey. And that's sort of something unique to gambling relative to other behaviors that are out there.

TAPPER: And what about predatoraly? Like how do they -- how are they doing that? I mean, all the major sports betting apps and companies have rules that, in theory, prevent boys, prevent people under 21 from gambling, but, clearly, they're finding ways around it, both the boys and presumably the companies.

COHEN: Right. So, the companies, actually, they have, as best they can, age verification systems. And if a 16-year-old, for example, is gambling on DraftKings, it is because they have the Social Security number of an older relative or a sibling or something. So, that -- and they don't want, I think, for the most part these companies, these legal companies don't want young people on their platforms.

The problem is these gray market or black market operators that have weak or non-existent age verification systems. I'm not even going to name them because they're the absolute scum of the Earth. But they are -- these are the companies that are sort of inundating young people's social media platforms, offering them the chance to gamble either with real money or you buy sort of tokens and you gamble with those tokens and you convert them back into money. And those have no age verification system at all. And that's why I insist that regardless of the legal status of gambling in your state, the young person in your life has access to gambling if they want to find it. So, it's not a matter of whether they're going to gamble, it's what they're going to gamble on.

TAPPER: Again, the book is called Losing Big, America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling. The author is Jonathan Cohen. Thanks so much, Jonathan. Good stuff.

COHEN: Thanks, Jake.

TAPPER: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologized earlier today to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, as the questions grow around one of Starmer's former ambassadors, ambassador to the U.S., in fact, and his ties to the dead sex trafficking pedophile. We're going to explain in moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:35:00]

TAPPER: In our World Lead, if you ask President Trump about the Justice Department's most recent Epstein document dump, it's time to move forward, he says, and leave the past in the past. But as CNN's Melissa Bell explains, the rest of the world, particularly our friends across the pond in Great Britain, well, they're not yet ready to heed that advice.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: It was a conspiracy against me, literally by Epstein and other people. But I think it's time now for the country. Maybe get onto something else.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): But the rest of the world is not moving on, with the British leader now fighting for his political survival, Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologizing on Thursday to Jeffrey Epstein's victims.

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you.

TRUMP: It was beautifully stated. What a beautiful accent too. I'd like to have that accent. Thank you. My mother would be proud.

BELL: Keir Starmer's former ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, at the center of the political firestorm.

STARMER: It had been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein, but none of us knew the depth and the darkness of that relationship.

[18:40:06]

BELL: London's Metropolitan Police launching a criminal probe into allegations of misconduct when Peter Mandelson was business secretary back in the late 2000s. But the prime minister's judgment is also now under scrutiny.

STARMER: I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government.

BELL: Given the fallout, there is also the question of what Epstein was doing and why. The Polish government is now investigating whether Russian intelligence services may have been involved.

DONALD TUSK, POLISH PRIME MINISTER: It is highly probable that this was a premeditated operation by the Russian KGB, this so-called honey trap, a sweet bait, a trap set for the elites of the western world, primarily the United States.

BELL: Allegations the Kremlin has dismissed as a waste of time, even as the fallout continues, consuming also the reputations of European royalty. Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit expressing embarrassment for her close friendship with Epstein, and the former Prince Andrew further disgraced by the latest revelations and now evicted by his brother, King Charles, from Windsor, revelations that may cost Mandelson his title too. Starmer has called for legislation that would strip the man once known as labor's prince of darkness of his peerage making Lord Mandelson plain old Peter.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: And our thanks to Melissa Bell for that report. Those are not the only developments in the Epstein files related to the man formerly known as Prince Andrew. And in moments, I'm going to be joined by the family of Virginia Giuffre after an email in the latest release appeared to confirm that this photo showing Virginia and then-Prince Andrew is completely legitimate.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:45:52]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: In our law and justice lead, emails in the new Epstein files appear to confirm this photograph of Britain's disgraced former Prince Andrew with his arm around the waist of Virginia Giuffre, is authentic. Giuffre, who died by suicide last April, was one of the most outspoken survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's child rape trafficking ring.

The former prince has long denied allegations that he sexually assaulted Giuffre when she was a teenager, and has long questioned whether the photo had been doctored.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

INTERVIEWER: Just to clarify, sir, you think that photo has been faked?

FORMER PRINCE ANDREW, FORMER BRITISH ROYAL: Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored, but I don't recollect that photograph ever being taken.

INTERVIEWER: And you don't recollect having your hand round her waist in Ghislaine Maxwell's house on any occasion, even if it was a different day.

ANDREW: Sorry, but if I, as a member of the royal family and I have a photograph taken and I take very, very few photographs, I am not one to, as it were, hug and -- public displays of affection are not something that I do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Okay, among the millions of documents the Justice Department released last week, there is a 2015 email to Epstein from his longtime accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, and it reads in part, quote, "I was in London when redacted met a number of friends of mine, including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken, as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family.

And joining us now to discuss are Sky and Amanda Roberts, the brother and sister-in-law of Virginia Giuffre.

First, Sky, it is nearing a year since your sister has been gone. How are you doing?

SKY ROBERTS, VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S BROTHER: That's a hard one. I asked myself that every day.

You know, it's very difficult. We wish she was here to see all the impact that she's making, especially from beyond. You know, there's so much momentum that's gaining traction. And, you know, we get to talk to survivors every day. And many of them credit for coming forward and even just being here today to her.

And so, you know, I'm just -- I'm very proud of her --

TAPPER: Yeah.

SKY ROBERTS: -- for everything she was able to accomplish and everything she keeps accomplishing from beyond -- I'm like, girl, whatever you're doing from beyond, it's, you know, quite, quite incredible. So, you know, were just really, really proud of her, Jake.

And we're doing okay. I really appreciate you asking that.

TAPPER: You should be proud of her, because her courage is all the more notable now. The courage that she had in speaking up.

Amanda, it must be -- I mean, I know there's almost nothing good about any of this, but there must be some vindication that your family feels to see these documents, including that email from Ghislaine Maxwell about that photograph of Virginia and disgraced Prince Andrew.

AMANDA ROBERTS, VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S SISTER-IN-LAW: Yeah, I remember it being brought to my attention yesterday, and I had a moment where I did -- I broke down for a minute because it felt so vindicating in that moment. And you know, when these things happen, we're usually calling each other and screaming and just, you know, giving her that, that credit that she's owed.

And, so it was bittersweet. I wish that I could pick up the phone and tell her, like, you're doing it, and I'm so proud of you. But it was so vindicating. Virginia had been telling the truth every single time.

And it -- and it brought me back to a quote that she said in her interview is that I know what happened. He knows what happened. And only one of us is telling the truth. And I know that's me.

And just her conviction to the truth. It's just amazing to see it actually in fruition right now.

TAPPER: Just for the record, there are a lot of us who knew she was telling the truth.

[18:50:03]

And it looks like there are a lot of people in the royal family who knew it too, even if it took them forever to act.

There's another email that reveals that the day after the British press published that photograph, Andrew -- Prince Andrew emailed Epstein and said, quote, "It would seem were in this together and we'll have to rise above it. Otherwise, keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon," unquote. Play some more.

Sky, how do you process and deal with the fact that to this day, Prince Andrew continues to deny all the accusations she made against him, no matter how much evidence and how much the royal family distances himself from him?

SKY ROBERTS: Yeah. I mean, I think right now you're seeing a strong form of social justice come through. I think you're seeing you know, people out there that are that are incredibly demanding, I would say. I think, you know, from a social environment, a social standpoint, we want to hold them to account. And so, he knew it the whole entire time.

I mean, not only, you know, was it that he knew it, but there was others around him that also knew it as well, including his very good friend Ghislaine Maxwell. And so, you can tell they actively tried to silence victims, including my sister, for so long. And, you know, she was just so headstrong in her truth.

She knew, as Amanda just said, she so bravely said, only one of us is telling the truth. And so, you know, Jake, I think that his day is coming, and we hope that they open up a criminal investigation on him, quite frankly.

TAPPER: Yeah. Since last November, which is not really that much time, there have been three times that women reporters have confronted or asked President Trump some pretty basic questions about the Epstein files. And all three times he lashed out, once he said, "quiet, piggy" to a reporter, female reporter. And then just earlier this week, he attacked our own Kaitlan Collins again, asking, doing her job, asking questions.

And at the same time, President Trump said its time for the country to move on.

Amanda, what was your response to hearing that?

AMANDA ROBERTS: I'm just curious as to why he's so triggered every time, and specifically when we're talking about survivors. Every time the reporter, especially Kaitlan Collins, when she brought up survivors, she's asking him to address the victims. Right? Who were girls? They were children, okay?

We see them as women now, but they were children. And he's asking them to address their feelings. And he's so triggered by that. I find that so astonishing. Number one, that he gets so triggered by that. And no one can, should or can move on from child abuse. Okay? We should never move on from child abuse.

And the culture is shifting, right? We are finally in this space of saying this. Whatever has been happening, this power, this, this position, it's time for it to change. It's not working. We are not protecting our children. And that should be our priority.

And so I just -- I just find it astonishing that he's just so triggered by survivors.

TAPPER: Sky, what -- you talked about social justice for Prince Andrew and his shunning and all that. What does full justice ultimately look like for you and your family and the memory of your sister?

SKY ROBERTS: Yeah, it's a really good question, Jake. I think we're living it right now. You know, you have the DOJ violating the law. You have Pam Bondi and her team violating the law by redacting the names of the survivors and redacting the names of perpetrators.

We need to uncover who these people are. We need to understand the magnitude of what this took place in our own very government. And so -- and we got to hold them accountable. We've got to -- I mean, as you just said, Jake, socially, we can do that right now. It takes no time.

They should be stepping off of boards. We should not be supporting their businesses. We should be calling on people to take action in our own social community, to not allow them to hold places of power.

But in terms of actual justice, we need to see our Department of Justice hold them to a standard. We need to get past this. There should be no statute of limitation. There should be no statute of limitations for child sexual abuse.

And quite frankly, they need to come forward. Any of these perpetrators and prove their innocence. It's not about the survivors anymore proving if they're right or not, or if they're telling the truth. It's about you proving your innocence.

You are in these files. You have questions to answer. Period.

TAPPER: Sky, Amanda, thank you both. I know it's not easy talking about this stuff. But it's so important to keep the story going and keep the fight for justice going.

May Virginia's memory be a blessing.

SKY ROBERTS: Thank you.

AMANDA ROBERTS: Thank you.

TAPPER: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:59:18]

TAPPER: Our last lead start in our health lead. In just moments, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, the Trump administration plans to unveil an updated TrumpRx website. This is part of the president's efforts to lower prescription drug costs by connecting patients directly with drugmakers. It is not yet clear if this direct-to-consumer approach will actually result in lower costs for patients, but we certainly hope so.

In our money leads, say goodbye to a household staple, Minute Maid frozen juices. The brand's parent company said today that after 80 years, the frozen juice concentrates will be discontinued in the coming months due to less demand. Consumers can still get their favorite flavored frozen juice while supplies last.

And in our pop culture lead, the Super Bowl halftime show is almost here, and Bad Bunny says fans should not worry if they don't know Spanish. Some football fans stressed about the language barrier, as he will be the first Spanish language artist to headline the show, but to that, Bad Bunny says it will be a huge party or fiesta and that viewers only need to, quote, worry about dancing.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now. See you tomorrow.