Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Hurricane Erin Causing Life-Threatening Surf; Kohberger Described as Creepy and Domineering; Trump Talks Ukraine-Russia Deal. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired August 19, 2025 - 09:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:31:32]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we have brand new measurements just in. Hurricane Erin is now a category two storm. Winds just a hair below 110 mile per hour. I don't want to use the word downgrade because I don't want this to fool you. It is a dangerous storm still. There are concerns about treacherous rip currents and huge waves up and down the East Coast. It has led to evacuations and tropical storm watches for much of North Carolina's outer banks.

Let's get right to CNN's Derek Van Dam for the latest track.

What are you seeing now, Derek?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, John, I think you pointed it out very well there, it is not necessarily a downgrade. We're splitting hairs when we're talking about the difference between a category three and a category two. Our messaging to you at home, still the same, impacts will be felt along the eastern seaboard. In fact, over a thousand miles away, the water has already been churned up here, just south of Atlantic City. This is Wildwood, New Jersey.

And yesterday alone there were dozens of water rescues along the coastal areas of North Carolina in advance of this tropical storm that is riding parallel with the eastern seaboard and it's going to send very large swells.

Let's go back 24 hours. Remember yesterday morning we were all waking up to a strengthening category four hurricane. This morning, what a difference a day makes. It's now starting to be felt by some strong upper level wind shear that's helping degrade the western periphery of the storm, helping downgrade or lower this status to a category two.

But there will be fluctuations in its strength as it moves over warm ocean waters. We're still anticipating that north to northeasterly turn between the goalposts. The outer banks of North Carolina and Bermuda. But this is going to propagate large, destructive waves as the wind field of this hurricane expands in size. This is what happens with large hurricanes as they move towards the poles, they expand in size. And that's what we anticipate with this. So, it's going to agitate the ocean. There's a few different things

actually happening here. We're going to have some of the highest tides of the month occur when the storm passes along the coast of the Carolinas. We have the agitated ocean sending 20-foot seas into the coastline here of the outer banks.

And then, on top of that, we have two to four feet of storm surge anticipated as we push up the waters from the Atlantic Ocean. This area is particularly susceptible. We're going to watch out for Highway 12, popular traveled area here in the summertime, for potentially washed over for days on end as this storm moves parallel with the coast.

John.

BERMAN: That's a really good point. I mean 20 foot waves there could wreak some serious havoc out on the outer banks there in some pretty popular areas.

VAN DAM: Absolutely.

BERMAN: Derek Van Dam, thank you very much.

Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Also new this morning, there's more detail about the man who admitted to murdering four University of Idaho students in 2022. More detail coming out just today. In a trove of newly released documents, Bryan Kohberger's former professors and classmates describe his behavior in the months leading up to those brutal killings.

CNN's Jean Casarez is following this and has all this detail for us.

And what did they say?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is from the Idaho State Police. And they interviewed so many people after the murders, before Kohberger was arrested, after he was arrested. But the students, the PhD students that he was around all the time, told -- said he was creepy, that he was arrogant, that he was a black sheep among them all, that he tried to know it all when they would have a criminal justice conversation.

[09:35:01]

He was the one that was always right and he was always macho about the whole thing.

One girl, I've got to tell you this, there was a meet and greet right when school was starting, and she met him, as well as her fellow classmates. She then had a football party at her apartment, and he was there. And after that she says that he went to people saying, what prescriptions she was on. And she thinks he was in her bathroom, in her medicine cabinet, looking at the prescriptions because she never told people what medications she was prescribed by a doctor. Now, let's go to the stares, because numerous students, mainly

females, said that he would stand there and just stare, gaze at them. One said that in a class, another one said they watched him stare nine times in one class. So, we have a little bit of a quote here from one of the interviews. "Kohberger always seems to want to be in the general area of her and others in the program that did not want to have anything to do with him."

Now, let's go back to the trial. The defense attorney focused on the stares in her argument, saying that that was a part of his autism spectrum disorder, which wasn't diagnosed until he was charged. We don't know if that is true or not, because there was never a trial, and doctors never took the stand. But that's what the defense said at the time.

Now, as far as blocking the exits. When you're a PhD student at Washington State University, you would have your office. And numerous students said that he would come to the doorway and just start talking and talking and talking and talking and talking. And he wouldn't leave. And they would finally say, got to go, and he would block the exit with his physical stance so they couldn't get out. Now, he was -- there was an HR complaint against him, another female student. A civil rights complaint within Washington State University. And so, the teachers started talking about him, talking a lot. And one professor said as they were focused -- continue, because they would have meetings to talk about students. One professor said, "mark my word, I work with predators. If we give him a PhD, that's the guy in many years when he is a professor, we will hear is harassing, stalking and sexually abusing." And it was weeks later that four young college students were murdered.

Now, Kohberger was talked to and he said, I'm misunderstood. They don't understand. Other people said, we felt he just wanted friends, but he didn't know how to do it. Others said he was trying to flirt, but he didn't know how to do it.

But these -- these now are just coming out. They may have been a part of the trial. But we're getting to learn them.

BOLDUAN: Yes, again, because there was no trial, because they reached a plea deal.

CASAREZ: He wanted -- he -- he was in favor of the death penalty, criminal justice candidate. They had discussions about the death penalty. He was for it. But he said the family of the victims need to be able to really weigh in.

BOLDUAN: That -- seeing that in the light of today is startling.

CASAREZ: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Jean, thank you so much.

Coming up for us, new this morning, President Donald Trump says that he has, quote, "sort of" set up a meeting between the Ukrainian president and the Russian president as the Kremlin, though, this morning is reiterating its refusal to commit to said meeting.

And two jail workers jumping into action to help an inmate who's found choking.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:42:49]

BOLDUAN: The breaking news this morning, President Trump is appearing now to rule out sending U.S. troops as part of a -- any peacekeeping mission in Ukraine after leaving the door open to doing just that during Monday's White House summit. Also now Russia is again refusing to commit to a face to face between Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, even as President Trump continues to push, saying he, quote -- he, quote, "sort of has set one up," a meeting.

In just the last hour, President Trump spoke about potential land swaps as part of a deal to end the war, while appearing to blame Ukraine, not Russia, for starting the conflict. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ukraine is going to get their life back. They're going to stop having people killed all over the place. And they're going to get a lot of land. But this was a war, and Russia is a powerful military nation. You know, whether people like it or not, it's a powerful nation. It's a much bigger nation. It's not a war that should have been started. You don't do that. You don't take -- you don't take on a nation that's ten times your size and.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining us right now is retired Admiral James Stavridis, a CNN senior military analyst.

I see you shaking your head. What do you make of what the president said right there?

ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST: Well, first and foremost, as always, let's remember, this is a war of choice by Russia, and specifically by Vladimir Putin. He invaded his neighbor. And the Ukrainians are fighting for their lives. They're fighting for their children. They're fighting for their families. They're fighting for their civilization and for their language. And I think we need to honor the way in which they are fighting, not imply in kind of a loose way, as the president did a moment ago, that somehow they're to blame.

One and only one person is to blame, and his name is Vladimir Putin.

BOLDUAN: The president, yesterday appeared to leave the door open to American troops being put on the ground as part of a peacekeeping force to Ukraine. If you use a double negative, he, you know, did not completely rule out not putting troops on the ground as a part of a peacekeeping force.

[09:45:05]

But today he was asked about that, and let me play what he said about that as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But, Mr. President, what kind of assurances do you feel like you have that, going forward, and, you know, past this Trump administration, it won't be American boots on the ground defending that border?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, you have my assurance, and I'm president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Regardless if he's a yes or no, Admiral, do you think that U.S. troops need to be part of a peacekeeping force for -- for Ukraine for it to be successful?

STAVRIDIS: Kate, I do not. I think the ground forces could easily be supplied by France, the United Kingdom, Poland, the Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, whose leader was in the White House yesterday. There are plenty of European troops that could provide the boots on the ground.

What the U.S. has to provide is cybersecurity, intelligence, possibly some Air Forces, support to those Ukrainian F-16s we passed along to them, logistics muscle. All that can come out of the supreme allied commander, the job I had in Europe.

But the United States ought to have a significant role. But we don't have to put boots on the ground. The Europeans will be glad to do that.

BOLDUAN: Admiral, just as leaders were arriving at the White House and meeting with President Trump yesterday, Russia launched another attack. Its biggest aerial attack on Ukraine since July. Multiple people died. Many were injured. What message should President Trump and all of those leaders take from that, do you think?

STAVRIDIS: That Vladimir Putin is going to continue to commit war crimes, that he has a significant military force, that he needs to be stopped and that he is in every sense, I'll use a nautical term here, putting a shot across the bow of the president of the United States. We ought to be mindful of that and respond to it with real force and strength.

You know, the Russian military has a saying, when you use a bayonet and you encounter mush, keep going. When you hit steel, withdraw. We need to show some steel in the face of Putin's continuing attacks.

Final thought, Kate, to end on a positive note. Let's look at what came out of that meeting yesterday. You saw the leaders of Europe talk about security guarantees and the president of the United States agree with them. You saw Europeans leaning forward to be involved in this. All of them spoke forcefully. And finally, I'd encourage people to take a look at what the -- the leader of Finland had to say. A relatively small country, but with real determination and knowing he shares a 600, 800 mile border with Russia. So much courage and steadfast steel from those Europeans. We ought to partner with them and face down Vladimir Putin.

BOLDUAN: That -- that being the progress coming out from yesterday. And now we see where it heads from here.

It's great to see you, Admiral. Thank you so much.

Coming up for us, CNN sits down with one of the stars of "White Lotus" as Emmy voting officially kicks off ahead of television's biggest night.

And a landmark church on the move in Sweden. Why this entire 600-ton building is being lifted up and moved.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:53:23]

BERMAN: So, this morning, if you bought a Powerball ticket, you lost and are now that much poorer. There was no grand prize winner in last night's drawing. And if you play again tonight, chances are you will not win either. The next jackpot, $643 million.

An historic church in Sweden is on the move. The 113-year-old Kiruna Church is being wheeled across town after concerns the ground beneath it was gradually caving in. That's a good reason to move it. The three-mile journey is expected to take about two days. I hope they're staying in the right-hand lane. I hope they're not driving in the passing lane. It would be -- like -- if it was passed by, like, by like a different church or a temple. Like, you know, put your blinker on.

BOLDUAN: Yes, exactly.

BERMAN: Just say.

BOLDUAN: Slow down there.

BERMAN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: I think it took all the lanes.

BERMAN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: I think I also saw it going over a bridge as well, which seems like a terrifying feat.

Let's continue to watch this and move on to this.

The Emmy Awards are less than one month away. This year's most nominated shows include HBO's "White Lotus," which scored 23 nominations. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATASHA ROTHWELL, EMMY NOMINATED ACTRESS, "THE WHITE LOTUS": Hi. Good evening, everybody. I'm really sorry to interrupt, but do I know you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh.

ROTHWELL: I work at the White Lotus in Maui, and I'm pretty sure I met you there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Um. I don't think so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister sat down with one of the stars of the show, Natasha Rothwell.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Let's talk about your season three storyline, because we really learned a lot more about Belinda.

[09:55:05]

NATASHA ROTHWELL, EMMY NOMINATED ACTRESS, "THE WHITE LOTUS": You know, she breaks bad. And -- and, you know, someone who's sort of the -- the -- the moral center of the show.

We see that she has that tested in season three. And I do love it because I think that, you know, she contains multitudes. And I think that, you know, the myth, the black girl magic, magical (INAUDIBLE), can't have anything wrong. I was just like, no, she's a little -- she's -- she's not all -- all good and she's -- she's flirting with this danger, which I love.

WAGMEISTER: Talk to me a bit more about the great lengths that Mike White takes to keep everything under wraps.

ROTHWELL: So much of this show is about the tension and the tease of when the shoe is going to drop. Towards the end of production, there were dummy scripts running around and I thought I was dying at one point, and -- but he -- he loves that. He loves that dance with the audience of just teasing out a moment and the tension of that.

WAGMEISTER: Are you coming back for season four?

ROTHWELL: I don't know if I'm coming back for season four, but my passport is always up to date and Mike knows I will follow him to the ends of the earth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Good answer.

All week Elizabeth will be sitting down with more of this year's Emmy nominees. You can catch more of her conversations on cnn.com.

BERMAN: And we're both available for season four Mike White should know.

BOLDUAN: Also available. Passport up to date.

BERMAN: All right, thank you for joining us. This has been CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "THE SITUATION ROOM," up next. They're not available.

BOLDUAN: No.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)