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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Hours Away from Final Talks of Trump-Xi Summit; Judge Grants Richard Glossip Bond Ahead of New Murder Trial; High-Ranking U.S. Official in Cuba. Comey On Trump: "Compared To 6 Years Ago... Something's Off"; Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks Resigns; Honda Reports First Annual Loss Since 1955. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired May 14, 2026 - 18:00   ET

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

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

This hour, President Trump getting ready for his final meetings in China tonight after a direct warning from Chinese leader Xi Jinping, drawing a red line on the matter of Taiwan. We're going to get reaction from a Republican closely watching this historic summit.

Plus, a major victory for one-time Oklahoma death row inmate, Richard Glossip.

[18:00:04]

First, he was granted a new trial, now he's even being granted bail. It's a story we have been covering for years here on The Lead, and Glossip's attorney's going to join us in minutes.

Also, new video just in showing a U.S. government plane in Cuba. CNN is learning which Trump cabinet official was on that plane. We're going to go live to Havana.

And setting the stage for a lawsuit after last year's Operation Midway Blitz. Hear from residents of a Chicago apartment complex who say they were terrorized by Trump's immigration crackdown.

The Lead tonight, Chinese leader Xi Jinping's stark warning to President Trump, don't test China when it comes to Taiwan. China's ruling Chinese Communist Party views Taiwan as part of its territory, despite having never controlled it. Xi warned if Taiwan is, quote, mishandled, this could lead to conflict and push, quote, the entire China-U.S. relationship into a highly dangerous situation, unquote, this according to China's readout of the private meeting between the two leaders.

The White House's readout omitted any mention of Taiwan. But in an interview with NBC, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the U.S. policy on Taiwan is unchanged.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE: The issue of Taiwan is unchanged as of today, and as of the meeting that we had here today. It was raised. They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics. We know where they stand, and I think they know where we stand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Aside from Xi's blunt message, he and Trump struck a more positive tone during the state banquet, emphasizing partnership between the two countries.

Joining us now to discuss, Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson of South Dakota. He sits on the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party. Congressman Johnson, always good to have you here.

Before he left for China, President Trump raised concerns among some China hawks, saying that he was willing to discuss U.S. arms sales to Taiwan with Xi. As you know, the U.S. has been supplying military assistance to Taiwan for decades under law, the Assistance to Taiwan Act -- Taiwan Relations Act, rather. Do you worry at all about Trump's position when it comes to Taiwan?

REP. DUSTY JOHNSON (R-SD): Well, first off I would tell you, arms sales to Taiwan is a pretty -- I don't want to say popular, but I would say there is a broad consensus on both sides of the aisle in Congress that Taiwan has a right to defend itself, and that American arms is a very effective way for them to do that.

Listen, the president is seemingly always willing to talk about anything. I do think the way Secretary Rubio described it is right. China raised their concerns, like they've been raising for decades. The president kind of established our position and brushed past it. I don't expect that there's going to be any kind of an announcement about a pullback on arms sales to Taiwan out of this conference.

TAPPER: Do you worry at all about the U.S. commitment to Taiwan?

JOHNSON: I think the best way to deter a Chinese action is for them to know that America is serious. Now, I know for decades we've had this strategy of, you know, strategic ambiguity. I get the value of that. But I think in a pretty bipartisan way in recent years, we've trended in a stronger direction, which is making it clear that China does not get to invade Taiwan, and that the United States and a number of our allies will stand with Taiwan if it comes to it.

TAPPER: Looming over the high-stake summit, of course, is the Iran war. Trump and Xi did talk about the Iran war. In a Fox interview taped after the first day of the summit, Trump said that Xi offered to help. He was also asked this. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: You've been asked about it, and you've spoken about it, and that is China's support of Iran. How big a discussion was that today?

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: It was -- we discussed it. I mean, when you say support, they're not fighting a war with us or anything.

HANNITY: No.

TRUMP: He said he's not going to give military equipment. That's a big statement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Trump also said Xi wants to keep buying Iranian oil. Do you truly believe China will stop supplying weapons to Iran? And what about China supplying intelligence to Iran?

JOHNSON: I don't trust the Chinese Communist Party at all. I think they pretty routinely mislead our country in these kinds of summits and conferences. I don't have any doubt they've been providing them intelligence. And, of course, they're going to continue to buy oil. That's a really good deal for the two countries.

I don't want to overstate the relationship, though. These are not like real friends. These are work friends. This is very transactional between the two countries. I don't think China would do a single thing to injure its strategic position to help Iran.

And I think it's good that the president and Xi are talking about these issues. You know, it's interesting, the American readout of that meeting was very different.

[18:05:00]

The American readout made it clear that China agrees that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon and that the strait should be open without any kind of a toll. The Chinese readout omitted that information, which I think is an interesting gap.

TAPPER: Earlier today, Senator Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan, asked the CENTCOM commander, Admiral Cooper, about the U.S. and its abilities, its military powers, to open the Strait of Hormuz. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELISSA SLOTKIN (D-MI): If we have the power to militarily open the straits and their threat is, quote, moderate or small, why wouldn't we just do it?

ADM. BRAD COOPER, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: Senator, I really would defer to policymakers on, in this particular matter. And the strait clearly is in the middle of a negotiation being undertaken now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: If the decision to open the Strait of Hormuz and bring down gas prices for your constituents, if this is a policy decision and not a matter of military capability, shouldn't the U.S. be doing everything it can to open the Strait of Hormuz? JOHNSON: The president has made his views pretty clear, and I think he's supported by lots of us in Congress, and that is that a peaceful settlement is far preferable to using additional military force.

Listen, it may come to that. I hope it doesn't, but we cannot have a situation where Iran is controlling the strait on a permanent or semi- permanent basis, charging tolls, wreaking havoc on global trade like that. Let's hope that cooler heads prevail and that they understand that that is not going to be something the United States and allies can stand for.

But, listen, let's give the president and his team a little more time to try to get a peaceful resolution to that issue.

TAPPER: All right. Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, member of the Select Committee on China, thanks so much, sir. I appreciate it.

JOHNSON: Thank you.

TAPPER: I want to turn now to Josh Lipsky. He is the vice president and chair of the International Economics Department at the Atlantic Council. He previously worked at the State Department and the Obama White House. Thanks so much for being here, Josh. I appreciate it.

So, so far, no official trade deals have been announced, but Trump did say President Xi agreed to order 200 Boeing jets. Is that a real commitment? Is that substantial?

JOSH LIPSKY, V.P. AND CHAIRMAN, INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS, ATLANTIC COUNCIL: It probably is a real commitment, Jake, but it's a disappointing one. We were actually looking for somewhere between 300 and 500 jets. That's why you saw Boeing stock have a rough day today. So, this is disappointing based on the expectations, even if they follow through on the order.

We'll get more details in the coming hours, what kind of jets they ordered. That's important. But I think the broader point here is, while the optics have been fantastic on day one, there's been very little substance. Maybe day two will give us a little more, but we're looking for things on soybeans, we're looking for things on beef. But where are the big trade deals? Where's the big arrangement we were talking about?

And remember, a year ago, we were debating liberation day, the resetting of the global economy between the world's two largest economies. Now, we're nibbling around the edges a little bit, from my perspective.

TAPPER: So, give us the detail. You said soybeans, for example, but what kind of trade deals with China does the U.S. need in order for President Trump to say that he got something substantive out of the summit?

LIPSKY: Well, the baseline that should be expected is that China follows through on the commitments they made to the president in Korea, and that was the original trade deal. And all this summit is about is executing on that trade deal because none of the purchases that were agreed to in Korea eight months ago have been followed through on yet.

So, here, we're looking for at least $150 billion agricultural purchases. There's LNG on the table. That should all be executed on. On the Chinese side, they want to see more advanced semiconductors from the United States follow through. There's been some loosening on that, but they actually haven't delivered the chips.

So, from my view, this summit is actually just about delivering on what was agreed. And remember, this is a delicate dance going forward. As the president said, he invited President Xi to Washington September 24th. That happens just six weeks before the one-year exemption expires on the deal they made in Korea. I think that's where some of the tougher conversations are going to be had.

TAPPER: The U.S. delegation to China includes some of the top business leaders in the country and the world, frankly. Tim Cook, Elon Musk, Trump's son, Eric Trump, is there who alongside his brother, Don Jr., leads the Trump organization. It is said -- Eric has said he's there as a son, not as a businessman.

But what exactly is Eric doing there, do you think, and what conflicts of interest might there be? I mean, I remember President Trump, then citizen Trump, hammering pretty hard Joe Biden having Hunter Biden on a plane to China with him.

LIPSKY: Yes. I would say that it's always messy when you're involving family business interest on a government trip, no matter who's doing it. I will say from the Chinese perspective, they're not surprised about this in any way, shape, or form. They understand how the president operates. And you see this around the world, not just in China. You see this in the Gulf, where there's a series of arrangements and meetings in a similar fashion. So, it's nothing new. That doesn't mean it's good, but I also don't think it's what's going to dominate the conversation behind closed doors.

TAPPER: All right. Josh Lipsky, thanks so much. I really appreciate it.

Major developments today in a case The Lead has been on top of for years, that of Richard Glossip, a former death row inmate in Oklahoma.

[18:10:06]

After nine execution dates that were canceled, three last meals that turned out not to be his last, his new chance at freedom ahead.

Plus, the fight over Nebraska's so-called Blue Dot district, it's one of the most competitive Congressional districts in the United States. I'm going to talk to the Democrat who just won the House primary there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) TAPPER: In our Law and Justice Lead, a story we have been covering literally for years here on The Lead. Today, former death row inmate Richard Glossip was granted bail after nearly 30 years in prison for a crime he swears he never committed, and there's lots of reasons to think he's telling the truth. Glossip was convicted in the 1997 murder-for-hire plot of his boss, Barry Van Treese, a crime that Oklahoma's attorney general and dozens of other state lawmakers do not think that Glossip should be executed for. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court tossed his conviction and death sentence and ordered a new trial.

Here now is Don Knight. He's the attorney for Richard Glossip. Don, good to see you again, as always.

Since Glossip's incarceration, he's faced nine execution dates.

[18:15:02]

He's had three last meals. What is his reaction to this news that he's been granted bail?

DON KNIGHT, RICHARD GLOSSIP'S ATTORNEY: Well, thank you, Jake. And, you know, his reaction, I was on the phone with him today when the order came out and it was obviously joyous. He was screaming and yelling, and it was, you know, quite a day.

We knew the order was going to come down today. We just didn't have any idea how it was going to go, so we are extremely thankful to the judge for her consideration of what truly has been a great injustice and her decision was the right one.

TAPPER: How soon might he be able to post bond, and what conditions, if any, did the judge impose?

KNIGHT: Well, she wanted an ankle monitor and, you know, sort of the standard conditions. You know, he must have a place to live, and he'll be living with his wife and, you know, no alcohol and things like that, check in regularly. He -- it's a $500,000 bond, which means $50,000 has to be posted with a bondsman. It's going to happen. I would expect he'll be out here probably later tonight, if not tomorrow morning, something like that.

TAPPER: The state does plan to hold another trial, they say, but they also say they're not going to pursue the death penalty again. Are you confident that Glossip will ultimately be exonerated this time with a more fair trial?

KNIGHT: Absolutely. This was a bad case in 1997. It was a worse case in 2004. It'll be a disaster for the state in 2027 or whenever it's going to be tried, if, in fact, it gets that way. So, many witnesses have died. The state destroyed and lost a lot of evidence. They never collected a lot of evidence. This time, you know, we will have a very good pretrial run, and then we expect if, in fact, it goes to trial, that Mr. Glossip will be exonerated.

TAPPER: Since we're going to keep covering this, remind our viewers, if you can, just why so many people, including officials in Oklahoma, think not only should he not be put to death, but that he was not actually responsible for this crime.

KNIGHT: Well, you know, this crime was always a bad one from the start, it seemed like. The maintenance man at the motel ultimately admitted to killing Mr. Van Treese, but the state promised him life in prison without parole instead of the death penalty if he would just point the finger at Richard Glossip. There was never any reason for that, but he did that, of course, because he wanted life rather than a death sentence, which he probably would have gotten at that time.

And so they basically threw a case together against him. Richard's had terrible lawyers along the way, and it wasn't until we got involved in 2015 that people really started taking a serious look at it. Once you start looking under the hood of this car, you can see right now that there's not much there.

TAPPER: No, it's pretty messy.

The Associated Press is reporting that he's leaving prison right now. I just heard an email come in on your on your email system. I don't know if you want to check your messages to see if he has reached out to you to say that he's out, but if he if he has, we'd love to hear it. But anything going on?

KNIGHT: He is. He's out. He is out right now. Yes, he is out.

TAPPER: All right.

KNIGHT: I just heard from my team.

TAPPER: Well, I don't know what the situation is going to be. I think it's -- honestly, it sucks that he's not allowed to have alcohol because if anybody deserves to have a cold beer right now, it's Richard Glossip. But we will be in touch.

KNIGHT: That's true.

TAPPER: And we'd like to talk to you, and we'd like to talk to him, and congratulations. I'm glad he is breathing that sweet air of freedom.

Don Knight, attorney for Richard Glossip --

KNIGHT: It's amazing.

TAPPER: -- thank you so much.

KNIGHT: Thank you so much, Jake. Okay. Bye-bye.

TAPPER: Breaking news in our World Lead, a U.S. government plane turned up in Cuba today. What we're now learning about which Trump administration official was on it and why he's there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

TAPPER: Breaking news in our World Lead, you're looking at images of a U.S. government plane, and the odd thing is where it's parked, Havana, Cuba. Officials in Cuba say that CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to the communist country.

Let's get right to CNN's Patrick Oppmann, who is in Havana. Patrick, what can you tell us?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN HAVAN BUREAU CHIEF: Well, you know, tensions have not been this high between Cuba and the U.S. probably since the Cuban Missile Crisis. So, the stakes could not be higher. And, certainly, to have the U.S. spy chief, you know, visiting a country that has accused the CIA of trying to sabotage it over the decades is telling.

But, listen, the backdrop to this is Cuba has run out of oil. There are blackouts now up to 20 hours a day. It is -- the island is running on fumes. They, of course, blame the oil blockade that the Trump administration has put in place on this island. The Cuban officials said that they took this meeting today to try to make the case that they are not a threat to the United States, as the Trump administration says.

But, clearly, the Trump administration says that there are spy bases in Cuba, that Cuba has housed terrorists over the years, and that Cuba represents a threat to the U.S., and they want the Cuban government to open up politically and economically, or else. You know, Trump himself has threatened military action against Cuba after the war wraps up in Iran, that the U.S. could take a similar type action as it did against Venezuela, Cuba's close ally.

So, things are very much on edge here, and the fact that Cuba took this meeting is willing, Cuban officials say, to accept U.S. aid with some very serious strings attached just goes to show how desperate the situation is here. We are seeing people coming out in protest in a way that we've not seen in some time.

[18:25:03]

The Cubans I have talked to say they simply feel like they have nothing left to lose.

TAPPER: All right. CNN's Patrick Oppmann in Cuba, thank you so much, fascinating news.

Returning to our Law and Justice Lead, a new legal complaint stemming from Operation Midway Blitz, you might recall, that was the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Chicago and the surrounding area. Residents of the apartment building that was raided in that military-style operation last September in Chicago, they're now suing the Department of Homeland Security.

CNN's Omar Jimenez spoke with one of the civil rights groups filing the complaint on behalf of 18 residents who say they were targeted and terrorized at the hands of federal agents based on race and ethnicity. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This video was produced by the Department of Homeland Security like a scene out of a movie, law enforcement rappelling from helicopters and storming a building on the South Side of Chicago in September during an immigration raid, resulting in the arrests of 37 people. Now, 18 people from the building are claiming in new filings they were victims of an unprecedented militarized raid that resulted in emotional trauma, physical injuries, and brutal detention, as well as property damage and loss.

Specifically, one man, Jose Miguel Jimenez Lopez, claimed an agent, upon pointing his gun at Mr. Jimenez, one agent said to the other agents, here's another one. And that later, when he presented a city of Chicago I.D. card, the agents falsely claimed his identification was not real, and they physically broke the I.D card in front of him.

Another said when he was on the floor and zip-tied, agents asked him if he was Tren de Aragua. Not everyone is identified by name in these claims. One six-year-old, I.D.'d simply as J.M., was woken up as the complaint says agents broke down the door to the apartment and entered the bedroom pointing large guns at J.M.'s family, flashing lights and shouting to get out.

NICOLE HALLETT, ATTORNEY REPRESENTING CLAIMS: It looked like something out of a military action abroad.

JIMENEZ: Nicole Hallett is one of many attorneys representing these administrative claims, which are a required prerequisite to a lawsuit against the federal government.

HALLETT: What we're trying to do in this lawsuit is hold the federal government accountable for what it did to them, and to try to seek justice for them and make a point that the federal government cannot do this kind of thing without there being consequences.

JIMENEZ: Not long after the raid, federal officials defended their tactics.

GREGORY BOVINO, BORDER PATROL OFFICIAL: We had 300 law enforcement officers in and around that five-storey apartment going after those Tren de Aragua members. That overwhelming force does keep our agents safe.

JIMENEZ: The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday the operation resulted in the arrest of two confirmed Tren de Aragua members, though no one was ever federally charged in that jurisdiction, according to the Northern District of Illinois.

Many were detained and eventually removed from the country, Hallett says. But for her, pushing back on the tactics used to detain people that night represents more than just their case.

HALLETT: This is not just about this one particular raid, but it's really about standing up to the government and saying, this is not acceptable.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ (on camera): And, by the way, the two people we mentioned as part of these claims are not part of Tren de Aragua, as their attorneys tell us.

Now, we also reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, who told us in part that this operation was in full compliance of the law as they defended it. But then when you zoom out in terms of those bringing these actual claims, this is just the latest in a number of similar legal efforts happening in places across the country tied to immigration enforcement tactics, trying to get to a form of government accountability. Jake?

TAPPER: Omar Jimenez, thank you so much.

Up next here on The Lead, an attorney for Alex Murdaugh, a former South Carolina lawyer himself who was just granted a new trial for the murders of his wife and son. So, what is next after this stunning decision to overturn his convictions? That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN WILSON (R), SOUTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL: We don't agree with that decision. We respect that decision, and we're going to comply with that decision.

Our hope is to get this case retried by the end of the year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: In our Law and Justice Lead, that is the South Carolina attorney general reacting to the South Carolina Supreme Court overturning Alex Murdaugh's double murder convictions for the deaths of his wife and his son.

Let's bring in one of the attorneys leading Alex Murdaugh's defense legal team, Jim Griffin. Mr. Griffin, thanks for joining us.

So, you said that Mr. Murdaugh still can't believe this decision was possible, but the family is, of course, now facing another trial. Have you spoken to his surviving son, Buster? How does he feel about this?

JIM GRIFFIN, ALEX MURDAUGH'S ATTORNEY: Yes, I have not been able to speak with Buster yet. It's been a whirlwind since the decision came down yesterday. I have spoken with Alex, and I do know that the family is, you know, not looking forward to going through another trial. But they also know and believe in Alex's innocence, and they're glad that he no longer has the moniker of convicted murderer of his wife and son. TAPPER: So, just for the people who don't know, he's in prison serving a sentence for pleading guilty to financial crimes when you spoke to him. He's in prison. He's not a free man. We should just note that.

GRIFFIN: Yes, that's right. He received lengthy sentences for financial crimes to which he pled guilty.

TAPPER: Yes. So, Murdaugh has maintained he didn't kill his wife and son. So, who does he say maybe did kill them?

GRIFFIN: Well, Alex doesn't know who killed his wife and son. He wishes he did. We all wish we knew exactly what happened down at the kennels on the night of June 7th. But we don't. We know that Alex didn't do it. Alex says he didn't do it. The forensic evidence doesn't support that he did.

I mean, Jake, for people who followed this case know that the murder of Paul was brutal and was an execution, and the resulting bloodbath as a result of blowing the brains out of Paul's head would have covered the shooter.

[18:35:14]

There's no doubt about that. Everyone agreed. But yet there was no blood, no forensic evidence whatsoever linking Alex to anything of that sort, nothing on his clothing, nothing on his body, nothing in his car, nothing on the golf carts. I mean, so we don't know who did it. We wish we did.

TAPPER: You said earlier today that your team had received tips that could offer new leads about potential third parties and potential motives. Is there anything you could share about those details, about those tips? And have you shared any of that information with law enforcement?

GRIFFIN: You know, I can't share that here tonight other than to tell you after Alex was convicted, we received a fair amount of information. And there are folks out there who are, you know, investigators who are actually, you know, continuing to work on this case to solve it, because no one believes the truth has come out.

And there's been some really solid information that has been shared with SLED and has been shared with us. You know, SLED, up until now, had no incentive to do anything about it, and we had no ability to do anything about it, because we didn't have subpoena power. There's no active court case. All that's changed now. So, hopefully, something will break.

TAPPER: So, the attorney general also said he sees no reason a retrial can't be held in the same venue. Do you think it's possible after all the publicity for the trial, the podcasts, the news specials, the documentaries, the books, and a Hulu miniseries, is it possible to find an impartial jury in that same venue?

GRIFFIN: We don't think so, and, certainly, we will file a motion to change venue to a different location in the state.

Now, I mean, it's not possible to find a jury of 12 who haven't heard anything about, you know, this case but that's not the goal. The goal is to find 12 jurors who can put aside the noise and listen to the evidence in the courtroom and apply the standard as the court gives them --

TAPPER: Yes.

GRIFFIN: -- and determine whether there's proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

And, you know, we didn't get a fair trial. Alex did not get a fair trial. As the Supreme Court said, the clerk of court put her fingers on the scale of justice.

TAPPER: Yes. Murdaugh --

GRIFFIN: She tipped it in the state's favor.

TAPPER: Before you go, sir he your client took the stand last time and, obviously, even though that's not always the case. Often defendants don't take the stand but he took the stand in his own defense and the jury -- it didn't work. He was convicted. Here's an exchange that you two had.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Did you take this gun or any gun like it and blow your son's brains out on June 7th or any day or any time?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I did not.

Mr. Griffin, I didn't shoot my wife or my son any time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Are you going to have him take the stand again?

GRIFFIN: Jake, that's always a client's decision, and that's always a game day decision. You never make that decision until the time comes. You always enter a trial having prepared your client to testify.

I will tell you that this trial, the next trial, will be different in a lot of respects. If we can maintain focus on the state's evidence, more particularly the lack of evidence, as opposed to dealing with financial crimes, dealing with a whole host of other things that weren't related to the murder. And, you know, would Alex testify then if the case is focused on just the evidence presented as to guilt or innocence on the murder? You know, I can't say that he will. I can't say that he won't.

TAPPER: The only reason I ask is because I know you are convinced of his innocence, but the jury heard him and they were not.

GRIFFIN: Here's what I want to say about that, and the Supreme Court spoke to that. What happened before Alex testified is that the clerk of court, the second-highest court official during that trial, lobbied the jury to not believe Alex completely. And that's what the Supreme Court said, is that they -- that there was a character assault, a character witness against Alex in the jury room by a court official before he even testified.

[18:40:02]

So, the jurors come out, and they were interviewed, and they said, oh, we didn't believe him. Well, they were told not to believe him. I mean, that was a tainted jury that evaluated his testimony.

TAPPER: Okay.

GRIFFIN: That will never happen again in this case.

TAPPER: Jim Griffin, thank you so much. I appreciate your time, sir.

GRIFFIN: All right. Thank you, Jake.

TAPPER: Coming up next, inside the failed presidential bid of former Vice President Kamala Harris. What her former deputy campaign manager says her team underestimated then and still underestimates now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: In our Politics Lead, you know, I'd like to hear that election music today. Ah, there it is, that sweet, sweet CNN election jam. Political activist Denise Powell is projected to win the Democratic primary in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, also known as the state's blue dot. This is a race that could become one of the nation's most competitive, and it could potentially tip the scales of which party will control Congress.

Denise Powell joins us now. Denise, congratulations. It has been a --

DENISE POWELL (D), NEBRASKA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Thank you.

TAPPER: It has been a decade since the Cornhusker State sent a Democrat to Capitol Hill. Why do you think you can end that drought?

[18:45:00]

POWELL: I think it's due time, don't you, Jake? I'm really excited, and I think that it is just so clear that voters are ready for some change here. This has been a really exciting year.

And people in this district are really, really fired up and they are frustrated by what's happening. They're frustrated by an administration that is breaking its promises. And everyone in my community is really struggling right now. I hear it every day from families, farmers, veterans, seniors, folks in this state deserve better. And I think they're ready for fresh leadership. So I'm excited to have a shot at it.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Have you heard from the House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, since your victory? And will you support him for speaker, if your party does win the majority in November and you win in November?

POWELL: Well, that is -- it feels like getting the cart before the horse. I'm just trying to survive the next six months, but I will tell you, I'd be the first Latina, the first person of color to ever serve in federal office here in Nebraska. And honestly, it would be an honor to support the first black speaker of the house as well.

TAPPER: You're running to fill a seat held by somebody we have on the show a lot, Congressman Don Bacon, an Air Force General. He's held it for a decade. His views appeal to voters across the spectrum. He would win, obviously, not just the Republicans in the district, but Democrats as well.

How do you think Congressman Bacon has served this district? And is there anything you did -- he did rather that you will emulate?

POWELL: Yeah. I mean, I think Congressman Bacon has done a really admirable job. I have enormous respect for how he has pushed back against Trump and the administration in a lot of ways. And, you know, one of the things that I most admire is how much I have heard from some of his colleagues that he was somebody willing to have conversations, willing to come to the table.

And that's something that, you know, feels really rare these days. So that's something that I hope to emulate. I want to be the kind of leader that is focused more on getting things done for the people of this state than in scoring political points.

So, it's exciting. It's exciting that now this is an open seat. So, we have a shot to actually get a fresh perspective and a fresh voice.

TAPPER: Democratic turnout for the race was fairly low. Why do you think that is? And will the Democratic Party unite before November?

POWELL: I have no doubt the Democratic Party will unite before November. You know, these midterm primaries are really, really tough. And I think as we get closer to November and people fully understand the implications of this race and in this moment they're going to get excited. I know there's a lot of energy on the ground right now. There are a lot of people trying to organize.

One really fun fact that I learned right before the primary election was that the League of Women Voters was registering students at the local area high schools, and they had record turnouts of young people registering to vote.

In one school, these kids waited in line two and a half hours to vote. And so -- or to register to vote, I should say. So, there is a lot of energy on the ground. People know that Nebraska two is one of the top flip opportunities for Democrats in the country right now. So, I'm really hopeful. I think there's going to be some really, really good momentum as we get to November.

TAPPER: All right. Denise Powell, thank you so much. My panel joins me now.

Adrienne Elrod, Democrat at the table. What are the chances that she turns this blue dot blue.

ADRIENNE ELROD, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, to borrow a line from Denise, I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but things are looking pretty good. I mean, first of all, you see people in Nebraska who are still struggling with the affordability crisis. Donald Trump has done nothing to lower prices, even though he said he would.

And this is the ultimate bellwether seat, Jake. I mean, when you look at the presidential campaigns, for example, as you know, Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that divide their electoral votes. Kamala Harris among the six swing states and Nebraska, two. In 2024, she lost all the swing states. She did win Nebraska two.

And we were just talking before the break that Mitt Romney carried it in 2012. Obama carried in 2008, Trump carried it in, I think 2016.

It flips back and forth, but it feels like the momentum is definitely on her side. You know, especially given the fact that voters in Nebraska are still struggling with the everyday issues that Americans are facing across the board.

TAPPER: Kevin, I'm sure you disagree with her, but what did you think of her?

KEVIN MADDEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: No, I actually don't disagree. I mean, I disagree with Denise Powell's politics.

TAPPER: That's what I meant.

MADDEN: I don't disagree, I don't disagree with Adrienne's assessment.

I think there are some structural or historical trends right now that are in the favor of any Democrat in swing districts. The fact that we have -- you know, the incumbent party usually gets a little bit of a backlash in midterm elections. Right track, wrong track. Right now, the president's approval rating are not helping.

But first of all, you think you have a very well stocked Republican campaign committee in the NRCC, they have raised the money. They have the infrastructure in place.

They're also going to use that infrastructure and that money to make sure that Democrats, like the people running in swing districts, are tied to a national brand that is very out of step with a lot of the voters in places like Nebraska.

So, it will be a very competitive race, no doubt. There will be a lot of money by the campaign committees, and then there'll also be a lot of money by the outside groups that are going to be -- that are going to be participating in this. Because you're right, the stakes of the majority of who is who's in the majority at the House of Representatives that's in play.

TAPPER: It could and it could come down to two or three votes without question.

[18:50:01]

Kamala Harris's -- speaking of Kamala Harris, her deputy campaign manager, Rob Flaherty, wrote a piece today about the DNC's never released autopsy of just what went wrong in the 2024 presidential campaign. Flaherty wrote in part, quote, "We underestimated then and underestimating now just how disillusioned people are. There was and is a pervasive sense that nothing works. And the institutions holding us up have failed. Media, government, business. No one trusts anyone anymore for reasons both of Democrats' own making and from simply being incumbents. The Democratic brand sucked," unquote.

This is writing in "The Bulwark". So, I mean, he -- that's Kamala Harris's deputy campaign manager, agreeing with what Kevin said about the Democratic brand.

ELROD: Yeah. Yeah, I know Rob really well. And we were both a part of that 2024 campaign. And it was very -- it was very difficult because our brand, even though Democrats are doing well across the country right now, it's flipped a lot of special elections. We've reduced the margins in some of the competitive seats that Republicans have won, have won. Our brand is still hard to -- it's not in a great place.

TAPPER: Why?

ELROD: I think it has a lot to do with -- I mean, you know, first of all, just to be frank, running a -- an incumbent for reelection who was in his 80s, I think people have seen the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, too, as being run by a bunch of old people. And they want to see some younger, fresher faces moving up in the -- in the Democratic Party apparatus. But Rob's exactly right on a lot of things.

I will also say that, I think this autopsy should be released. I think all of us can sit here and pontificate why we lost the election. But if you're Ken Martin, you ordered the autopsy to be done. You hire people to do it, and then you never release the results. When you say you're going to, it creates a lot of mystery and confusion.

And loses -- that it forces the DNC to lose a lot of credibility, too.

TAPPER: Speaking of politicians in their 80s, President Trump is about to turn 80. I mean, he will before I mean, he had his birthday already. So next year he'll turn 80. He's 79 right now.

The point -- wait, when is it the 14th? Okay. Anyway, the point is he's not a young man. Former FBI Director James Comey was on with Kasie Hunt earlier today. And she asked him why Comey continues to describe President Trump as off.

Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: Well, mostly the 2:00 a.m. social media posting of craziness, of other people's work, of himself as Jesus, all these sorts of things is, is not okay. I mean, I've always thought Donald Trump was a little bit off, but -- whoa, compared to even to six years ago, something's off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: What do you think, Kevin?

MADDEN: Well, the presidents definitely a workaholic. He's definitely somebody who likes to put together his own message and disseminate his own message and program directly to his most ardent supporters. And he'll continue to do that. And it's actually been a huge asset for him.

At the same time, it also does present a lot of surface area for criticism and a lot of surface area for attacks from his opponents. And I think, you know, it provides folks like Comey and also Democrats up on Capitol Hill, a lot of that -- the momentum that they need to sort of point out that criticism of the president.

TAPPER: What do you think?

ELROD: Again, I think we agree here. I mean, look, it is a smart approach that Trump has where he does communicate directly to his voters, constituents, people who support him vis-a-vis his social media, you know, when he's tweeting or posting on Truth Social, that is actually usually him who's doing it directly. But then he turns people off by tweeting pictures of him and Jesus or him as Jesus, and he criticized --

TAPPER: He says he thought it was a doctor. He says he thought it was a doctor.

ELROD: Okay, okay.

MADDEN: And one other thing --

ELROD: I just think, look, I just think that, like the things that are actually attributes to him oftentimes turn people off because he takes it too far.

MADDEN: But one other thing that I point out though, is, is Trump would tell you right now, and Trump supporters would say he is, he is where he is. He's in the White House. And Comey is, you know, ended up on the talking heads circuit. And that by fiat of that, he's actually won, right?

ELROD: Yeah.

MADDEN: The other thing too, is Trump has this incredible ability to serve as the executive producer for the world news cycle. With one tweet, with one statement, he can shift all that attention back onto him, back on his message in a way that serves him pretty well, and his political operation pretty well.

So, I think they always believe that they come out ahead in that.

TAPPER: I mean, his approval rating is like 35.

MADDEN: That's -- that's an entire other segment.

TAPPER: All right. Thanks. I don't know that it's another -- I think it might be related, but we'll talk about it next time. Thanks, everyone.

Coming up next, a first for the carmaker Honda, going back more than 70 years. And what this could predict for the entire auto industry. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:58:55]

TAPPER: An abrupt resignation tops today's last leads. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks told CNN that he is stepping down, effective immediately.

In a statement, Banks said he was proud of his time at border patrol and was leaving to spend time with his family. His resignation is the third high profile departure at the Department of Homeland Security in just two months. Trump, of course, fired the agency secretary, Kristi Noem, back in March, and then acting ICE Director Todd Lyons resigned last month.

In our money lead today, Honda posted its first annual loss in more than 70 years. Honda and other global automakers downshifted on making electric vehicles after the Trump administration changed the emissions rules and removed the electric vehicle tax credit, car companies expected much stricter regulations, leading them to invest billions of dollars toward electric vehicles, making these changes from the Trump administration quite costly.

In our sports lead, Shakira, Madonna and K-pop group BTS will co- headline the first ever FIFA World Cup halftime show during the final game. The World Cup final is set for July 19th at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. The show, curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, will be produced by the nonprofit Global Citizen and benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

You can follow the show on X and Instagram @TheLeadCNN. If you ever miss an episode, you can watch the show on the CNN app.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts now.