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Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) is Interviewed Trump's Ratings Dropping on Key Campaign Issues; Zelenskyy Calls for Peace; Elinda Labropoulou is Interviewed about an American Professor Killed in Greece; A Rare Jury Trial in Miami Regarding Tesla. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired July 21, 2025 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Democrats been able to capitalize on what clearly seems to be frustration with the president?

REP. SUZAN DELBENE (D-WA): Well, let's be clear. People across the country have seen the kind of broken promises from Trump and Republicans in Congress over and over again since the beginning of this year, promising to lower costs for American families. And yet this big, ugly bill ripping healthcare away from families, food assistance, raising costs for families, add in that tariffs that have been raising costs for families, broken promise on immigration.

He said he was going to go after the worst of the worst. And yet now we see a scenario where communities are scared of no due process. The American people are reacting, they're outraged and they're scared.

And they want representatives who are going to stand up for them. Congressional Republicans aren't even willing to stand up to Donald Trump ever. They've given up their power.

You know, we won in 14 districts across the country. Democrats won in 14 districts across the country that Donald Trump won in last cycle. We have strong representatives.

We know how to win in these districts, and that's why we're going to take back the majority next year.

BOLDUAN: I mean, you say that what American people want is people that will stand up for them. I mean, but Democratic Party's favorability is at 28 percent. And you also add to that other CNN data was nearly six in 10 Americans say most of the Democratic Party's members of Congress do not deserve re-election.

Democrats themselves are seven points less likely than Republicans to believe members of their own party deserve re-election. Can you win back the House with numbers like that?

DELBENE: We picked up seats last cycle, overperformed across the country because we had great candidates who were authentic and independent-minded, talking about the issues that matter on the ground and coming to Washington, D.C. to get things done for the American people. That's what people want. That's why we overperformed.

That's why we have 14 Democrats in Trump districts. We only need three more seats to take back the majority. But remember, when you're on the ground, people want to make sure they have a representative who's going to stand up for them.

We had great candidates. That's why we overperformed. And while we feel like we're in a very strong position right now, 35 districts across the country on our map where we have an opportunity to win, we only need three more to take back the majority.

And the American people are with us on the issues.

BOLDUAN: The polling suggests, though, that the American people are not with you in trusting Democrats right now. There seems to be a disconnect in the strength you see in candidates and how the American people view their Democratic members of Congress right now.

DELBENE: Actually, when you talk to people about their representative, when you talk to people about the folks that have won, especially in these swing districts, remember, that's what decides the majority, these swing districts, these purple districts across the country. We won. We won in Trump districts.

We continue to have incredible candidates who want to run because they see what's happening across the country, and they want to stand up. So I know we have great folks who are running. Some have announced already more and more folks who want to make sure that we have a Congress that's going to stand up for working families.

Republicans are just falling in line with Donald Trump over and over again, giving up their authority as a co-equal branch of government. The American people hate that, and that's why we have such strong response across the country.

BOLDUAN: One question is, what's the map going to look like that you all are looking at come the midterms? Because this is -- you now have this move in Texas to rewrite congressional maps. The president is hoping it means that Republicans can pick up five more seats.

And then you have former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke calling on Democrats to pursue redrawing congressional maps in Democratic-led states to kind of push back against these efforts that we're seeing in Texas. Let me play how he put it yesterday to Jake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETO O'ROURKE, (D) FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: I think it's time that we match fire with fire. I think Democrats in the past too often have been more concerned with being right than being in power. We have to get serious. We have to be absolutely ruthless about getting back in power.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Beto's talking about states like California, Illinois, New York. Do you agree with him?

DELBENE: Well, first, let's talk about Texas. The Republicans are running scared. They know they can't win on policy, so they figure they have to rig the system.

And if we look at what's happening in Texas, remember, when they start trying to change these lines, they're going to put a lot of Texas Republicans in districts where we can win. So, absolutely, we are going to be competing in those districts across the country if they go forward with this plan. That gives us a great opportunity, and Republicans are going to lose their jobs.

People are responding. You expect there to be a strong response because of what's happening.

[08:35:01]

We absolutely are going to respond. We're going to compete everywhere in Texas. And across the country and take back the majority.

BOLDUAN: But does the D Trip endorse a move among Democratic-led states to go this path as well, to move towards partisan gerrymandering?

DELBENE: We are going to -- if they go down this path, again, they're going to create districts where Republicans are going to be vulnerable. We'll be competing in those districts everywhere.

But of course you expect folks to respond. Of course they're going to respond, governors across the country. We absolutely are going to respond because we want to stand up for working families. We want to make sure that voices are being heard and that Republicans are not rigging the system.

BOLDUAN: But when you say respond, when you say respond, you're saying you're OK with the response being working to rig the system the other way as well?

DELBENE: Talk to governors across the country. If Republicans go down this path, we are going to make sure that we are standing up for working families, that we are standing up to make sure that Americans' voices are heard. Again, if they go down this path, be careful what they ask for because they're going to create opportunities for us and Republicans are going to lose their seats.

BOLDUAN: Quite a statement coming from the chair of the DCCC right now.

Congresswoman, thank you for your time.

Coming up for us, a humanitarian organization in Gaza says the hunger crisis there has reached, quote, "new levels" of desperation.

And, Tesla's autopilot system is on trial today. How the politics of Elon Musk are already complicating the legal proceedings.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:41:09]

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, Russia launched a barrage of cruise, ballistic and hypersonic missiles across Ukraine. At least two people were killed, more than a dozen wounded in the past 24 hours. This comes as Ukrainian drones caused havoc at airports in Moscow, grounding flights and causing long delays. The timing of Russia's strikes is complicated, though, as less than 24 hours ago Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media that Russia is ready to move quickly on achieving a peace deal with Ukraine, but he reiterated that the main goal was to achieve Russia's, quote, "objectives."

Joining me now is CNN's senior military analyst, retired Admiral James Stavridis. He is also the former supreme allied commander of NATO and is partner of The Carlyle Group.

Appreciate you being here.

Let's start with -- with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He's calling for talks with Russia next week to push forward ceasefire talks. We're also, though, hearing from the Kremlin spokesperson this morning who says Russia has a draft memorandum. Ukraine has a draft memorandum. And right now they are completely diametrically opposed. So, still a lot of work to get done. Where do you start to try and make inroads here?

ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST: Russia simply continues to play rope-a-dope with the world, and it's a stack of lies that goes back three years, Omar, when we heard from Peskov and the entire Russian leadership to include Putin that, oh no, we're not going to invade Ukraine. We're simply holding maneuvers on their borders. Shortly thereafter, the invasion occurred, and here we are today, as you correctly point out, in essentially a military stalemate, attacks on both capitals, rising drone warfare.

So, what happens next? We have to think of this really as a triangle at this point, not a static Russia, Ukraine. The third point, of course, is the United States of America. Here I give credit to the Trump administration for realizing that Putin is no friend to the United States. He is simply playing us along and therefore what we ought to do at this point, and the president announced a lead time of 50 days on this, is put additional economic pressure on Russia, continue providing weapons to Ukraine, confiscate Russian monies in the hands of the west. Those are the pressure points. If we use those, we can push Putin to the table.

JIMENEZ: And, you know, some glimpses -- or the few glimpses of diplomacy I will say to this point is we have seen some prisoner exchanges back and forth between Russia and Ukraine to this point. But the last round of ceasefire talks ended pretty quickly. And the reporting from Russian state media is that Russia put forward maximalist territorial demands as part of their preconditions for a ceasefire while Ukraine has previously refused to consider any territorial concessions in exchange for peace. What is the role of NATO and the United States? I know you touched on

the United States a little bit there. But what is the role of NATO and the U.S. in brokering a ceasefire or peace deal?

STAVRIDIS: NATO has an extremely important role. My successor as supreme allied commander wakes up every morning thinking, how do I get more weapons into the hands of the Ukrainians? These weapons are largely being manufactured and purchased from U.S. defense entities. They're flowing through NATO and our European allies. They're going into the hands of the Ukrainians. These, alongside the fighting spirit of the Ukrainians, are the reasons that Putin has not been able to conquer the entire country.

Back to the diplomatic side, Omar, my sense of it is that the Ukrainians are willing to come to the table, have a conversation about where a territorial line should be drawn.

[08:45:00]

Russia is the problem. They continue to demand simply the conquering of Ukraine. We cannot permit that to happen.

JIMENEZ: And, before we go, President Trump, as we talked about a little bit here, had offered that -- that 50-day window. But we heard from the Russians that 50 days, it used to be 24 hours. It used to be 100 days. We've been through all of this. And so, what -- what options does the president have? Because, look, Russia is no stranger to sanctions and economic pressures.

STAVRIDIS: The big two that still are unemployed, we haven't used them are, number one, secondary sanctions, Omar. That's moving beyond simply sanctioning Russia and Russian entities and sanctioning those who do business with Russia, notably China and India, would like to avoid that. But I think that's a -- a very big tool. There's a bill in the Senate to do that.

And then, secondly, we don't talk about it a lot. We have options in the world of cyber, which could help put some more additional pressures on Russia. And I'll give you a third and final one, Russia has 300 billion, perhaps a bit more than that, of their money in western banks. That could be confiscated and provided to the Ukrainians for reconstruction. There's three big tools we haven't used yet that we ought to think about.

JIMENEZ: And those assets, still frozen at this point. But as you point out, could be permanently confiscated.

STAVRIDIS: Exactly.

JIMENEZ: Admiral James Stavridis, really appreciate the time. Thank you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: At least 73 people were killed and some 150 people injured by Israeli gunfire in Gaza while seeking aid on Sunday. This is according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. There is graphic video showing people collapsing outside of nearby hospitals as medical teams face a surge of patients.

Now, Israel says it fired warning shots to disperse an imminent threat as thousands gathered near that border crossing there.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is tracking this one for us.

And, Paula, what is the very latest that you're picking up here?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, we know that over the weekend there were more than 100 Palestinians that were killed whilst waiting for food. We have had an update from the U.N.'s World Food Programme. They have specified in one of these incidents that they had 25 trucks, a convoy that was coming across the border into Gaza. They said that they encountered a large crowd of civilians who were desperately looking for aid. And they say that that crowd was then fired upon by Israeli tanks, by Israeli snipers and gunfire.

Now, they have condemned this. They have said they are saddened by what has happened, and they have specified, as they have said they have done to all parties in the past, that there should be no armed groups anywhere near these aid convoys because they desperately need to get humanitarian aid to where it is needed.

And we are hearing ever more concerned calls from the U.N., from aid groups, about malnutrition, about more people dying of hunger within Gaza, as well, WFP, saying that Gaza's hunger crisis has reached new levels of desperation. We know that a four-year-old girl was -- died on -- on Sunday from hunger. We'd spoken to her mother just a month earlier when she was in hospital with malnutrition, saying there is nothing in the hospital, no milk, not in the pharmacy, to be able to strengthen her. She lost her fight for life on Sunday. And we know that she is one of four children to die of hunger in the last three days.

We're hearing as well from hospital officials that they are seeing an unprecedented number of starving people coming to the emergency room. Now, Israel says that it is helping to get humanitarian aid in. The U.N. and other groups say it's simply not enough.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: For sure. Paula, thank you so much for that update. Really appreciate it.

Omar.

JIMENEZ: All right, coming up, an American was murdered in Greece and his ex-wife is one of the suspects. We're going to tell you how prosecutors say a custody dispute turned into murder.

And passengers on an Alaska Airlines plane were stranded on the tarmac for hours. We'll tell you what caused a ground stop, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [08:53:31]

BOLDUAN: Five suspects in the murder case of a U.C. Berkeley professor were in court this morning for a plea hearing. The American professor was gunned down in broad daylight while trying to pick up his children in the midst of a custody battle. One of the accused, his ex-wife's new partner, who claims he acted to stop that custody battle.

Joining me right now from Athens is journalist Elinda Labropoulou with the very latest. And what are you learning? What happened?

ELINDA LABROPOULOU, JOURNALIST: Well, we know that four of the five have already pled guilty. So, now we're waiting for the ex-wife, who has said that she is not a moral accomplice to this, which is the charges that she is facing. But her boyfriend has confessed to actually being the murderer, having killed the professor. And he has said that what led him to this decision, he said it was his own decision, that the ex-wife was not involved in this decision, was simply because he was trying to make sure that the professor does not take the children to America.

This is basically a custody battle that has been going for a very long time between the couple. The wife is a Greek national. The professor and the children were both U.S. and Polish nationals.

And now, as we're starting to get more -- the details of this emerging story, it seems to be a case where the mother was very much afraid of what would happen to the children. Her lawyer spoke to us earlier.

Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXANDROS PATSIAS, LAWYER FOR MURDER VICTIM'S EX-WIFE (through translator): We continue to maintain her innocence.

[08:55:01]

Based on the case file and what we will present, both in our written submission and during the oral proceedings, we will highlight the key points that prove she had absolutely no involvement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LABROPOULOU: So, what we're waiting to find out today is whether the five or some of the five will be remanded in custody pending trial, or any of them may be acquitted. And this is very crucial to how the child custody case goes, because, at the moment, the custody has been with the mother until now. The Polish family of the victim is claiming that they want custody. And, of course, if the mother is remanded in -- in custody today, it is very likely that the father's side will be able to get the children.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Yes, much more to learn still just today. Thank you, Elinda. Really appreciate that.

Omar.

JIMENEZ: All right, a former police officer convicted in connection to the deadly raid on Breonna Taylor's home will be sentenced today. Brett Hankison took part in the botched no-knock raid. He was found guilty of violating Taylor's civil rights when she was shot and killed by police in her Louisville home. He's not the one who shot her, but the Justice Department has asked that Hankison be sentenced to one day in jail. Now, if the judge follows that recommendation, it would be a sentence of time served and Hankison won't go back to jail.

A Customs and Border Protection officer is recovering after being shot in the face during an attempted robbery. Police say two men on a moped pulled up to the off-duty officer in Manhattan Park Saturday. The officer realized he was being robbed and pulled his service weapon. They exchanged gunfire. The officer was shot in the face and arm. A 21-year-old suspect was arrested there.

And then, flights are back in service after Alaska Airlines lifted its systemwide ground stop, but passengers still feeling the impact. This morning, dozens of Alaska Airlines flights still canceled or delayed. It was an I.T. outage yesterday that actually stopped all Alaska and Horizon Air flights. Alaska warns delays will continue as crews reset operations.

And, sure, there may be a heat wave in your city, but it is never too soon -- it might be too soon -- to start talking about Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte. This year, I mean, look, look, it's still -- we're in July. You're going to have to wait a little bit longer to get it, though. When the time comes because Starbucks just announced their coveted PSL, they're calling it PSL, will officially hit stores --

BOLDUAN: You know, people have acronymed that?

JIMENEZ: I -- I don't know. I -- like, have I not ordered it in too long? It officially hits stores August 26th. That is four days later than it debuted last year. A PSL.

BOLDUAN: Thank God. Thank God.

JIMENEZ: PSL. Yes. I mean, why not?

BOLDUAN: Thank God it's debuting later because it's an atrocity is what it is.

JIMENEZ: Yes.

BOLDUAN: An absolute atrocity.

JIMENEZ: PSL, baby.

BOLDUAN: You know, I take -- I have very few very, very firm convictions, and pumpkin spice lattes are just --

JIMENEZ: You've got to draw the line somewhere these days.

BOLDUAN: A step too far.

OK, I know what Omar is getting me after the show.

Then there's this. Tesla, Elon Musk's electric car company, is facing a rare jury trial in Miami. The case focuses on a deadly crash in the Florida Keys that's linked to Tesla's autopilot system. Now, one thing that has already proven a challenge in this case is Elon Musk's politics.

CNN's Randi Kaye has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, let's get the suction. Let's put him in the back. Come on, fast.

RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This was the scene around 9:00 p.m. on an April night six years ago after George McGee's Tesla slammed into a parked Chevrolet Tahoe in Key Largo, Florida.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You hit this car?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I slammed on the brakes and saw it.

KAYE (voice over): McGee said he dropped his phone while behind the wheel of his Tesla Model X, which was operating on autopilot at the time. That system is supposed to accelerate, steer and brake on its own.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was driving on cruise, going through and then I looked down and to get the phone I dropped. When I popped up and looked, I saw a black truck. It just happened so fast.

KAYE (voice over): His Tesla barreled right into this couple's car. They were on a date and had parked at the end of the road. The driver found Dylan Angulo bleeding on the ground and called 911.

DRIVER: I just ran into a car and a guy is unconscious.

KAYE (voice over): Later, paramedics found the body of Naibel Benavides Leon, a 22-year-old college student, in the bushes. She had been thrown from the scene and died instantly.

The victims' families filed a joint lawsuit against Tesla after the crash. They had also sued the driver in a civil suit, which was settled.

The lawsuit against Tesla claims the Tesla failed to detect the parked Tahoe directly in its path and drove into it at high speed. It also argues that Tesla's autopilot system was still in beta, meaning it was not fully tested for safety and was not designed to be used on roadways with cross traffic or intersections.

[08:59:57]

In a statement to AP, Tesla said the "crash had nothing to do with Tesla's autopilot technology," blaming it on "a distracted driver." Also, in response to the lawsuit, Tesla denied nearly all of the lawsuit's.