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The Lead with Jake Tapper
Trump Brushes Off Concerns He's Profiting Off His Presidency; Dangerous Heat Wave, Record Highs Through July 4th Weekend; Manhattan DA Explains Decision Not To Re-Try Harvey Weinstein; Axios: Harris Reached Out To Mamdani, Pro-Palestinian Activists. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired July 01, 2026 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN F. KENNEDY, 35TH U.S. PRESIDENT: Knows the thrills of high achievement. And if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: Proud to have the show be named in honor of that. Thanks very much for my panel. Thanks to all of you at home for watching as well. Don't go anywhere. "The lead with Jake Tapper" start starts right now.
[17:00:33]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Trump made more than $2 billion last year. How'd you do? The Lead starts right now.
From crypto to real estate, watches and Bibles, President Trump is cashing in on his presidency, making more than $2 billion just last year. And everybody's just cool with that, right? How does it influence his day job? And it's not just him. The profits are all in the family to think Jimmy Carter put his peanut farm in a blind trust.
Plus, some crazy kids earlier today climbing the tower atop the Empire State Building in the name of love. What authorities are now saying about the couple that pulled off this daring stunt? Plus, dangerous, even deadly heat setting in major cities ahead of a major holiday weekend. The collision course with massive festivities in D.C. and beyond.
Welcome to The Lead. I'm Jake Tapper. We're going to start with our Money Lead. Today, we are getting a much clearer picture of just how much President Donald Trump and his family have been profiting in many ways since Trump's return to the White House. We're going to walk you through multiple examples, starting with President Trump's newly released 2025 financial disclosure required by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 that shows his total income for 2025 exceeded $2.2 billion.
That is up from $622 million in 2024 before he returned to the White House. This 927 page report is a staggering look at President Trump's growing fortune made while he's president through cryptocurrency holdings, royalty payments, property investments and much more. Trump's total crypto earnings alone totaled about $1.4 billion during his first year back in office. One point four billion with a B. And it's important to note President Trump began making cryptocurrency regulations, or the lack thereof, a big part of his presidency.
Some of the crypto earnings on the financial disclosure include more than $526 million from sales of cryptocurrency tokens tied to World Liberty Financial LLC, which is managed in part by his sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr. Also, an agreement with Celebration Coins paid Trump $635 million. This is thought to be behind the Trump meme coin, which has plunged in value since he launched it days before taking office. After Trump and co sold them, they plunged from a high of $74.27 to their current value around $1.70, according to Coinbase. Another big source of money is Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, obviously a destination since you might be able to see or even pitch an idea to the president.
Mar-a-Lago generated $77 million alone in resort related revenue. That's up from about $50 million last year. Then there's more of the deals that Trump struck to lend his name to random products and ventures which lead to huge royalties and licensing fees, such as Trump watches generated $4.7 million in royalties. Don't forget the $208,000 related to a Bible that the president frequently promoted, plus $67,634 for Trump sneakers and fragrances.
What exactly is a Trump fragrance? You don't know?
Aside from business ventures, Trump's financial disclosure also includes gifts and his various, quote unquote, "settlements" with social media companies and news organizations whom he sued or threatened to. Eight million dollars from Twitter or X after Elon Musk settled with Trump last February. Sixteen million dollars each from ABC and from CBS donated to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, of course. Twenty-four point five million dollars from Facebook parent company Meta also donated to the Trump Library. Twenty-two million dollars from YouTube given to the Trust for the National Mall.
In terms of Trump's actual profit making, it is unprecedented for a sitting president, and it's drawn criticism from opponents and others who say there are multiple conflicts of interest. The White House denies that. And today Trump downplayed any concerns that he could be profiting off the presidency.
[17:05:09]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, your financial disclosure shows you had a very lucrative year last year. What message does this send to average Americans, especially those who may be struggling right now financially?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, you know, I don't get involved in my personal. We have funds that run my money.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To critics who say you're profiting off the presidency --
TRUMP: Well, you know why I'm profiting? Because the stock market's going up. Everybody's profiting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: The stock market is not why he made $2.2 billion last year. Now, the financial disclosure that he filed, as he's required to do by law, that's only part of the picture, of course. Trump has promoted businesses and policies that stand to benefit both himself and his family members. And of course, his family members have businesses of their own. The most obvious source of Trump family profiting comes from cryptocurrency, as I mentioned, and Trump's vocal support for the cryptocurrency industry.
In addition to the $526 million for cryptocurrency tokens tied to the firm managed in part by Eric and Don Jr., First lady Melania Trump also made $6 million from the sale of a non-fungible token, or NFT. It's a type of cryptocurrency. Last night, a former member of Trump's legal team, Ty Cobb, gave his assessment of what's going on to CNN's Erin Burnett.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TY COBB, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE ATTORNEY: It's a slimy industry. You know, certainly the way he's going around it, where he creates policies that can only enrich himself and his family, is something that I think the average American should be staggered by. But you mentioned the scale and I think the scale here is just -- it's intentional.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Also earlier this week, the typically Trump friendly New York Post owned by Rupert Murdoch, called out the president and Eric and Don Jr. writing, quote, "Insider deals, finders fees, backdoor introductions to family members are business as usual in third world banana republics, but these slimy practices have now been normalized in the White House to the shame of the nation." Again, that's the New York Post.
The Post went on to reference the billion dollar tungsten mining deal that we told you about a few weeks ago that Eric and Don Jr. are tied to. It's one that the U.S. government is partly financing in Kazakhstan with President Trump calling into the meeting in which the deal was finalized. The Post writing, quote, "The Trump sons, meanwhile, are part-owners or investors in companies neck-deep in a key defense contract to mine tungsten reserves in Central Asia. It stinks to high heaven," unquote.
Again, the Trump friendly New York Post. In statements to the New York Times and the White House -- I'm sorry, in statements to the New York Times, the White House and the Commerce Department rejected any suggestion that the Trump administration was improperly combining government actions with family business. And of course, many who have signed deals with Trump family members and companies have business before the government. That includes Elon Musk and other billionaires who have benefited from regulatory decisions that President Trump oversees. I'm sorry, Elon Musk is now a trillionaire.
So there's family and friends, and then, of course, there's foreign governments who by now know how to play the Trump game. Hoping to gain a favorable position with the Trump administration by spending billions of dollars, sometimes in cash, sometimes investments in crypto, or even, as we saw today, a plane.
Today, President Trump is in North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library after taking the inaugural flight on the brand new Air Force One luxury jet donated by the government of Qatar. Reports have put the value of the plane around $400 million. This massive gift to end all gifts was formally given to the Pentagon, though it is expected to exit the administration along with Mr. Trump and head to Florida along with Mr. Trump. A source telling CNN that the plan was for the aircraft to be donated to Trump's Presidential Library. We'll see.
Critics have raised several legal, ethical, and even national security concerns over a U.S. president accepting such a massive foreign gift. Today, President Trump said the U.S. couldn't build a plane like this because we wouldn't be willing to spend that kind of money.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: This was a gift from a country that's treated us very well. I went to Qatar. I said I'd like to use it for a period of time because the other ones, as you know, are under construction. They'll be here in two years. And because, you know, the plane is 35 years old.
So I said, I'd like to use it. And the Emir, Tamim, who's a great gentleman, he said, no, no, I'd like to make a contribution to the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: What a guy, that Emir. What a guy. And while Trump is happy to receive these gifts of questionable origin, we should note he's also happy to complain about giving. Back in February, he said that he gets no credit for donating his presidential salary, which amounts to what's basically pocket change, $400,000 a year.
[17:10:02]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: In the history of our country, there's never been a president that waived his salary. I'm the only schmuck. I get no credit for it. You know what, I get no credit for it. Nobody ever writes about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: OK, a couple things. Regardless of whether or not he's a schmuck, he's not the only president who donated his salary. Herbert Hoover did. John F. Kennedy did as well. Second point, Trump's tax documents from 2020, his last full year in office in his first term, showed that he reported $0 in charitable giving. Zero. But now he wants credit for donating $400,000 while his presidential position allows him to rake in more than $2 billion?
And what about Congress? Where are they in any of this? So many of the same people who criticize President Obama for barely profiting on book sales when he was president, or the people who investigated the Biden family for their alleged profiting off the vice presidency and presidency, they are silent today. They have nothing to say. Nothing.
It is crickets. So one can only conclude this is now a precedent that is being set. Because why would any future president not just cash in as much as possible? We are a long way from 1900 when Teddy Roosevelt wrote in an essay, quote, "No man who is corrupt, no man who condones corruption and others can possibly do his duty by the community." Teddy Roosevelt, whose library President Trump visited today.
My next guest follows Trump and his money closely. We're going to get his take on this unprecedented cash flow. Plus the new reporting on a private call from former Vice President Kamala Harris to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Is she looking for his endorsement? Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:16:05]
TAPPER: We're back with our Money Lead and President Trump's staggering fortune. In addition to the half billion on sales of crypto coins tied to World Liberty Financial LLC, which is tied to the United Arab Emirates, the New York Times also points out that Trump has further, quote, "blurred the line between foreign policy and private enterprise" and made millions, quote, "licensing the Trump name to properties in countries that are crucial to U.S. foreign policy interests, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar."
Joining us now, Matt Bai, a national affairs columnist for Rolling Stone.
Matt, so good to see you again. So Senator Bernie Sanders posted on X pointing out all these foreign deals benefiting Trump and wrote, quote, "America First? Really?" How do you think this is playing around the country? Not just with Bernie Sanders supporters --
MATT BAI, NATIONAL AFFAIRS COLUMNIST, ROLLING STONE: Right.
TAPPER: -- who probably already felt that way. I'm not saying the wrong, but like with Trump's supporters, Trump's base, moderate people.
BAI: So that really is the key question, right? Because there's impropriety and then there's appearance of impropriety. We could talk about impropriety, but we shouldn't really have to explain why monetizing the presidency to the tune of $2 billion annually is probably like wrong, right? TAPPER: Right.
BAI: But appearance of impropriety is something different. I mean, you and I have been doing this a very long time. We covered, I think the first presidential campaign for both of us was 2000.
TAPPER: Yes.
BAI: We've probably interviewed hundreds. You certainly have. I think, you know --
TAPPER: Yes.
BAI: -- we've known everybody and we've known that they always were concerned mostly about their integrity, but almost universally about the appearance of their integrity.
TAPPER: Not even -- like Bill Bradley. I think that might have been when I first met you.
BAI: Bill Bradley? Yes.
TAPPER: I'm sure he wouldn't have even taken a Freeman (ph) (inaudible).
BAI: John McCain. You remember how burned he was --
TAPPER: Yes.
BAI: -- by the Keating scandal --
TAPPER: Yes.
BAI: -- when we knew him? This -- he doesn't care. Trump doesn't care about the appearance. And so then the question becomes, to your point, does the public? Because we don't have a system of accountability for that. That's not actually -- it would be great if Congress were a little more on the job on this, the Republican Congress.
But in fact, the president is answerable to voters. And I think if you -- we don't know. You know, the voters haven't had a chance to weigh in since he was elected. I think it's important to remember that because the signs are very, very ominous for them. I think the voters may care more than we assume they do, and that may show up very soon.
TAPPER: So in May, the Justice Department reached a settlement with Trump that bars the IRS from investigating Trump and his family. Trump also famously said in a 2016 debate that not paying taxes, quote, "makes me smart." So not only is this a pattern, that he doesn't want to pay taxes.
BAI: Proud of it.
TAPPER: According to, you know, legally, legally avoiding taxes as much as possible. He's also now apparently has impunity. BAI: Yes. Well, J.D. Vance was at the Nixon Library last week, right? And he said Watergate would be a 12 hour story today. And I think it was kind of misinterpreted. A lot of people in our business were like, wait a minute, trying to remind everybody Watergate was actually a serious scandal and this happened and that happened.
I think they missed his point. I think Vance's point, I think he's right. And I think his point is we can do whatever we want because --
TAPPER: Yes. You think that's what he actually meant? I mean, I know that --
BAI: I'm not sure he intended to make that point, but that's what, to me, that what it betrayed in his mind was basically today, everything washes through in 12 hours. Nixon would have been fine, is what he was saying, because we're all fine. And I think that's the question, you know, is he right? Yes, it seems that way because we go through this stuff, we cycle through it so quickly.
But I don't -- I don't discount the voters that quickly. I really don't because I think this is -- I think it's troubling for people and I think the numbers show that it's troubling for people.
TAPPER: So drill down, if you will, for a couple minutes on the meme coins. You say they're the most Trumpian thing ever. First of all, explain to people what are meme coins?
BAI: I don't know that, Jake. We're too old to know that.
TAPPER: OK.
BAI: My kid knows --
TAPPER: Yes.
BAI: -- because he traded them in high school. And, you know, I can't even repeat the names on them because the FCC would come down here. But --
TAPPER: Oh, no, we're fable. We're fine, we're fine. But go ahead.
BAI: But --
TAPPER: Why are they the most Trumpian thing ever?
BAI: Because they're a total scam. It's like Trump University, but it's easier and more universal, right? They have no value. You issue them -- they're basically statements of loyalty. You issue them, you make a ton of money, they lose value overnight.
[17:20:04]
You should probably try this. You probably have enough of an audience to get this done, you know? So I could be your agent. So they -- so, you know, the Trump coin is the most Trumpian thing ever. It's a total scam based on celebrity appeal and loyalty of an audience. And if you can get people over a short period of time, initial offering to pay you a bunch of money, you make hundreds of millions of dollars, whatever it is he made off of that. And it's over a billion, right, in crypto. And people lose all their value. I mean, in a sense, it's almost a victimless crime in the sense it's legal, but in the sense that, like, if people really want to do that and throw their money away on meme coins to show their support, you know, more power to him, it's something he can pull off, but it's an utter con.
TAPPER: Yes. One of the things that is so staggering about this, though, of course, is when you compare what Hunter Biden and Jimmy Biden, President Biden's brother, what they were accused of doing in terms of cashing in on their proximity to Joe Biden. And they did. But they are pikers compared to all of this. And I haven't even mentioned the word Witkoff.
I mean, the Witkoff sons are part of that World Liberty --
BAI: That's right.
TAPPER: -- Financial thing, while their dad is traipsing around the world making deals, meeting with people. I mean, I guess, I wonder, as you know, you and I are about the same age, once a standard in D.C. is eroded, it doesn't come back.
BAI: It doesn't come back.
TAPPER: I mean, like, this is not the same thing, but when Barack Obama went out of the presidential --
BAI: President Obama.
TAPPER: -- financing in 2008, that was it.
BAI: That was it.
TAPPER: It was gone.
BAI: No more financing. Right.
TAPPER: Like, what is President Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? What's to stop her from doing anything she wants to make money while she's president?
BAI: No, I think that Trump -- I think Trump will erode standards permanently and also erode standards of combat permanently, right? I mean, there's going to be -- Democrats will have a very hard time resisting, you know, the same sort of imperviousness to regulation that he has shown. Unless, you know, unless it proves to be politically highly detrimental, which, you know --
TAPPER: Hasn't yet.
BAI: I think it will. I don't know the extent of it, but I think November's going to be interesting. But it is -- we've never seen -- I mean, look, you and I could sit here and make a list of the 10 self- dealing -- top self-dealing transgressions of Trump in one year. And it would surpass anything we saw in politics before that and anything the country saw in politics before you and I even got here. This is a whole -- this makes Watergate.
By the way, Watergate, you know, important to note, Nixon actually wasn't ever trying to enrich himself.
TAPPER: No, He's --
BAI: He was actually trying to hold power.
TAPPER: Right, right.
BAI: Right? He believed he was best to govern the country. He was incredibly misguided and insecure. But it was in the service of holding power and governing the country. It was not in the service of getting richer.
That was never his thing and it was never most.
TAPPER: How do you think presidents would cover it if they found out that I was like getting free ties? That's my --
BAI: Tickets or, yes.
TAPPER: That's my question. I mean, like, how do you think --
BAI: Yes.
TAPPER: -- Fox would cover it? I mean, I think pretty aggressively.
BAI: No. If they find out the billion you made off meme coins last year, they're going to be -- they're going to be all over you.
TAPPER: I don't even -- I can't even pronounce the word billion. Matt Bai, thank you so much. Appreciate it. Tell our friends at Rolling Stone we say hi.
BAI: Thanks for having me.
TAPPER: Coming up next, arguably the wildest story of the day, a couple climbed the Empire State Building. Ahead, see the video NYPD just released of their arrest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:27:44]
TAPPER: We're back in our national lead and the eye popping proposal today at the top, and I mean the very top of the Empire State Building in New York. The dramatic scenes unfolding around lunchtime earlier today as a couple scaled the iconic landmark all the way up the spire before coming down to a small platform where the man got down on one knee. Photos posted to the Instagram of Angela Nikolau, who has been identified as one of the two climbers, shows the ring in some jaw dropping videos from 1,454 feet in the air. The incident grabbing attention of those on the ground and high above.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, what's all the hoopla going on over there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two geniuses climbed to the top of the Empire State Building at the top of the spire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, that's awesome. It's a little hot for that, isn't it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just the beginning of this week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: CNN's Jason Carroll's in Manhattan. Jason, I thought I was pretty clever for my proposal on a beach. This couple, however, faces some serious trouble for this stunt of love.
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right, Jake. They could be looking at serious trouble. All jokes aside, I mean, the official charges haven't come in yet, but when you think about what has happened here, I mean, they could be looking at trespassing, reckless endangerment, simply because they put the, you know, the officers who came to put them under arrest, I mean, their lives were put at risk when they did that. And in fact, when it comes to that, I want to show you some new video that's just come out from the NYPD showing exactly what happened in the moment that the couple was taken into custody. Very, very calm.
And at one point, Angela Nikolau says that she's OK, that she's doing fine. And the officer asked her, what other languages do you speak? She said, we speak Russian.
Now, this whole thing started to unfold just at about noon. That's when she call initially came into NYPD that two people, a couple wearing black masks, had made their way all the way to the top of the Empire State Building, all the way to the top of the antenna. And at first, Jake, there were questions about what was the motive here. And it quickly became apparent what was going on because you could see the couple hugging, you could see them kissing, they were taking selfies. And then they started posting to social media what was going on.
[17:30:05]
And as you say, at one point, one half of the couple, he got down on his knee and it was clear that this was an engagement. They also unfurled a banner at one point which read, when the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace, of course, referring to Jimi Hendrix. This all unfolding around noon. There were scores of people around here, not far from the Empire State Building at Madison Square Garden. Here's what woman had to say -- here's what one woman had to say about everything that happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw the banner. I understand the message. If it is a proposal, I don't think that's a proposal I would want. But I commend them for using something personal to try to make a more global impact.
CARROLL: See a lot of crazy things in New York from time to time. How does this one rank?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think this ranks probably the top 10, but we just had the Knicks win a championship.
CARROLL: That's right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I think right now in New York, you have to go to an extreme to try to top what's been going on the last six weeks or so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Well, this raises all sorts of questions about security. It's the Fourth of July weekend here at Madison Square Garden, just a few blocks away from the Empire State Building. You've got the Taylor Swift event going on. So, again, lots of questions about security. There is going to be extra officers here at around MSG, but it also, Jake, brings to the question, should there be more security at other sites like the Empire State Building and other tourist attractions around the city? Jake?
TAPPER: Again, with a Knicks reference. You'd think no other team ever won a championship before.
All right, Jason Carroll, congratulations on the Knicks and thanks for that report. We appreciate it.
Now to the breaking news in the National Lead. A brutal heat wave intensifying across much of the central and eastern United States. More than 180 million people are under a level three or four heat risk, according to the National Weather Service. Over the next few days, temperatures could climb into the mid-90s to low 100s, with humidity pushing feels like temperatures as high as 110 degrees.
CNN's Tom Foreman is on the National Mall, where thousands are fitted together this weekend for the Fourth of July. Tom, this could be the hottest Independence Day the nation's capital has ever recorded. How are D.C. officials preparing?
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, with two different messages, for one thing, local officials in particular are pointing out that this is an extreme heat warning, and they're telling people, you've got to get water. You've got to be in shade at least, air conditioning if you can. You can't expose yourself to this very long.
And they're pointing in some ways like to the visitors here at the Great American State Fair events here, because a lot of these people are out in the sun, and it's only going to get hotter. In fact, some of the exhibits today, they've had intermittent power problems. They lost air conditioning today, so much that the workers there simply left their stations and said, fend for yourself, tourists, as best you can.
Different message from the administration, though. They've been very troubled by the anemic showing of people here, not that many people. They've been troubled by the embarrassment of what's happened with the Reflecting Pool down the way, and they really want to have a lot more people out, especially for the Fourth. But a big challenge there, too.
Security is going to be at the level of an inaugural event, which means more roads closed, more blockages for pedestrians, more waits. And by the way, Jake, the fireworks are not expected to go until maybe 11 o'clock at night. That's more time waiting in the heat.
TAPPER: All right, Tom Foreman, come in out of the heat, get some air conditioning.
[17:33:37]
The Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, he had the power to retry former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein on a single rape charge. Why didn't he? Hear his explanation in a CNN exclusive, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TAPPER: In our Law and Justice Lead, in a CNN exclusive interview, the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is explaining his stunning decision to let an unresolved rape charge against Harvey Weinstein go. The 74-year-old disgraced Hollywood mogul is still in prison, convicted of a sexual felony in New York and others in California. CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister sat down with District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Elizabeth, what kept Bragg from putting Weinstein on trial for a fourth time?
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, Jake, so Harvey Weinstein, who you know has denied every allegation against him for years, he says that this case should have never taken place in the first place. But Jake, when I sat down with Alvin Bragg, he explained to me that it was actually because he wanted to keep the survivor in mind. I just sat down with him this morning. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WAGMEISTER: So I want to start off by reading some of Jessica Mann's letter, which is emotional and heartbreaking to read. She says, I could no longer endure going through this any longer. In my fight to see justice, it has nearly stolen a decade of my life and put me through more harm than good. Was the decision not to proceed with another trial because of Jessica Mann and that she did not wish to do so?
ALVIN BRAGG, MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY: So the letter is sobering and heartbreaking and it grabs you. I thought it was great to hear her in her own voice. You know, so much of this process is lawyers talking, a judge talking. We hear from jurors, we hear from witnesses. And to have her unfiltered speak. So I thought that that was important.
[17:40:04]
WAGMEISTER: Did you make that decision alongside her?
BRAGG: Yes, yes, in consultation with her, mindful of her thoughts, some of which are, you know, articulated in the letter.
WAGMEISTER: When you look at the Weinstein case holistically, what do you feel about it? Do you feel that it was a positive thing? Was this a win?
BRAGG: I think one thing I can say unequivocally is that there are no winners here. But I think there are lessons learned. I think there's accountability. I think there's support. And I think, as you mentioned earlier, you know, one positive development is that the courage of survivors who have the power to come forward, given who he was at that time.
WAGMEISTER: Your office recently announced that you are investigating Eric Swalwell. And that came after my colleagues at CNN came out with reporting that a staffer said that he had sex with her when she was not able to consent. Any updates on that investigation?
BRAGG: We're here to support. We're here to help. We're here to listen. And so if there are any survivors with information about anyone you just mentioned, or anyone, we're here for all of them.
WAGMEISTER: That investigation is still ongoing, though?
BRAGG: I'm not going to comment as a particular other than to say survivors should feel free to come forward to us and that we're here to listen and support them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WAGMEISTER: Look, Jake, you heard there we were talking about some of the more high profile cases that Bragg's office has prosecuted. But Bragg reiterated repeatedly through my interview with him that this is a crisis that is happening every day to our neighbors, to people around us. Those are the cases he really wants to focus on. And Jake, I just want to read you a few stats.
The reality is 98 percent of perpetrators walk free. For every 1,000 sexual assaults, only 28 cases lead to conviction. So this is a huge widespread problem, and it's something that he wants to continue to shine a light on.
TAPPER: All right, Elizabeth Wagmeister, thanks so much for that.
Coming up next, the reporter breaking the news today about a telephone call from former Vice President Kamala Harris to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Did she want to talk about 2028?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:46:40]
TAPPER: In our Politics Lead, former vice president and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, seems to be reading the progressive writing on the wall. Axios reports that she called up New York Democratic Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani last week and has been holding meetings with other progressives and pro-Palestinian activists, possibly in preparation for a 2028 presidential run.
Our panels here and Alex, let's start with you on your scoop here. So you report that Harris reached out to the leader of the uncommitted movement that sprung up in opposition to Biden's support for Netanyahu and his Gaza policy. The uncommitted did not endorse Harris. Possibly hurt her ability to win Michigan and other places. Do pro-Palestine voices see her outreach as a positive sign of change?
ALEX THOMPSON, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, AXIOS: I would say the people that she has met with did feel that she actually really engaged and listened and had a number of conversations. In fact, she met with the co-leader of the uncommitted movement in Detroit just last week and had several conversations before that as well. Now, the broader movement, I don't, I mean, based just on the reception to this story alone, they don't feel that way because they didn't see her do any real voicing.
Now, being a vice president is a difficult job when you -- if you disagree with the policy of the principal, you're not really allowed to articulate that. That being said, even there's not been reporting to date of her voicing significant objections internally, inside the meetings. And that's what a lot of these people are pointing to. But to the broader point about how this affects the potential presidential election, you don't make these moves unless A, you believe that the left is ascendant and B, that you feel you have to protect your left flank in a potential presidential primary. And she, the last six, this is not a one-off, the last six months, she is acting like a candidate.
TAPPER: Oh, absolutely. Xochitl, Mamdani was asked about his contact with Harris today. He kept it pretty short and sweet. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did she mention the presidential race in 2028?
MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK: I have a lot of respect for the former vice president. I don't think that that relates to our preparations for this weekend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: It's amazing he gets away with that. Honestly, what the heck? Do you think Mamdani wants to be associated with Harris? Progressive seemed to have a solid amount of momentum without her.
XOCHITL HINOJOSA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean, I think that he is, I don't think it is that. I think he's probably having his respect for a former vice president and their private conversation. I do think that Mamdani will probably be courted by the left flank of the party. And there are many that are considering whether they're going to run for president. And a lot of the Bernie Sanders sort of type of staffers that used to work for him are eyeing different candidates right now and looking to work and to see who they all fall in line with. And I think there's a lot of talk about AOC. There's a lot of talk about Ro Khanna. I am sure he's going to be pulled in all different directions.
But I think with Harris, this was actually the first time, Alex is reporting, that I -- it actually seems like she is running. I thought the book was something that, you know, she wanted to stay relevant. She wanted to be involved.
TAPPER: One hundred and seven days of the book, yes.
HINOJOSA: So this is the first time where I feel like this is actually her taking a step towards running. This isn't what a former vice president does. This is someone who wants to know where the energy of the party is. And I do think that with his recent policies, whether it is freezing the rent or universal child care, affordability is the name of the game.
[17:50:02]
And if she is going to run for president, she knows she's going to have to run for unaffordability. And she's going to want some of the input and some of the support by some of the far left. And so I do find it very interesting. This seems like a step towards running.
TAPPER: So let's talk about the left flank here for a second, Governor, because the DSA candidates have beaten Congresswoman Diana DeGette last night in Colorado. They failed two Democratic incumbent congressmen last week in New York. They picked up a seat in Philadelphia. But that's four seats. There might be one or two others.
Are we in the media making too big a deal out of the socialist left ascending? Or do you see this the same way as Republicans looked at the Tea Party?
ASA HUTCHINSON (R), FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: No, no. I think it's a very fair conversation. I was in Congress with Congresswoman DeGette that lost that election. And whenever you see the party moving that left, when you see socialists winning these elections, that's a big story. And so I'm amazed by this conversation, actually. And that is really helpful for the Republican side in 2028 when you look at Kamala Harris seeing the party shifting left.
And then she's got the burden of the Biden presidency, in which she, in the debate, could not even distinguish any views that she had different from President Biden. So she really has a lot of ground to make up. And the shift to the left, I think, plays in the hands of the Republican Party and wanting to maintain leadership in 2028.
TAPPER: So let's talk about the birthright citizenship decision yesterday, because this is a point of contention within the conservative movement. Yesterday, Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert posted on X or Twitter, "The State Department should immediately cease to give out visas to pregnant applicants. Sorry, birth tourism cannot continue."
This is in reference to the Supreme Court upholding that if you're born in the United States, you are automatically conferred American citizenship. Now, Sean Davis, founder of The Federalist, CEO of The Federalist, suggested as one potential remedy for this ruling, barring all female foreigners, "Require sterilization of visitors to this country." Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin seemed to agree that some steps should be taken. A "Fox News" host suggested barring pregnant women from traveling to the U.S. Here is what Mullin had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Looking at the territories, whereas China especially is abusing in Guam or other places and saying, OK, you're eight and a half months pregnant, maybe you shouldn't get on that plane.
MARKWAYNE MULLIN, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Well, because where they go to and they show up late, it can cause a health issue for the mother.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Now, it is true that women who are that pregnant eight and a half months airlines say you probably shouldn't travel. What do you make of this whole conversation?
HINOJOSA: It's just interesting to me that the Republican Party claims that they're the party that is pro-life, but yet they're inching towards discriminating and profiling pregnant women. I would say that Border Patrol is not. What are they going to start doing? They're going to are they going to try to start identifying women at the border and say, hey, you look pregnant. Maybe you shouldn't come over. I mean, is that where our country is going, where now pregnant women will be the ones that are harassed because they are potentially undocumented or are not or have legal status and are not U.S. citizens and could give birth in the United States?
I mean, that is a very scary time. Being pregnant, being a woman is already tough as it is. And then also now to be targeted by your federal government because you're pregnant, that to me is not pro- life, pro-family, which the Republican Party says that they are.
TAPPER: Now, there is birth tourism is an actual thing where Chinese, a lot of people who are Chinese national go to Guam to have their children. But is it big enough for there to be a debate about whether or not pregnant women should be barred from entering the country?
HUTCHINSON: First of all, I understand about 20 to 26,000 births happen in the United States from people that come in here who are not citizens. And so it's really a small number, but it's illegal. If you have birth tourism, that's a crime. You'd be prosecuted for it. We have a lot of protections already through our not Border Patrol, but through our State Department that interviews people who are applying for a visa. There can be a lot of considerations that that they could address.
I think all of this is really a debate that leads to the solution of a constitutional amendment. And I think that's a much more thoughtful approach to the concern that people have that just because you're born in the United States does not mean you're automatically a citizen.
TAPPER: Yes. Go ahead.
THOMPSON: Well, this may be the end of the legal debate for now, but it's only it's only part of the larger political debate. J.D. Vance is on "Fox News" last night, basically said we had one bad decision, but we're going to keep trying. And if you're a candidate running for president and the GOP side in 2028, you are most likely going to run on either a constitutional amendment or changing legislation to end birthright citizenship in a certain way. This is not -- this issue is settled legally, but not politically.
[17:55:12]
TAPPER: All right. Fascinating stuff. Thanks, one and all. Appreciate it.
President Trump made more than $2 billion just last year. You guys, you guys did that. Well, Alex, you have $2 billion? No, OK. Who's calling it out? Do Republicans care about potential conflicts of interest? I'm going to ask a Republican lawmaker next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TAPPER: Welcome to the Lead. I'm Jake Tapper. This hour, the midterm elections are quickly approaching. But instead of aiming their fire at each other, the two parties are embroiled in civil wars. House Speaker Mike Johnson sending Republicans home as their agenda is derailed by GOP hardliners while another Democratic socialist knocks out another long term time Democratic incumbent. What is the path forward for these parties? I'm going to ask a member of each party, each stuck in the middle of the chaos and moments.
[18:00:03]
Also, nearly half of all Americans are facing heat alerts as a major heat wave settles in.
