Return to Transcripts main page
CNN News Central
Trump to Deliver Remarks From Oval Office Soon; Judge Rules Trump's Use of Military in L.A. Violated Federal Law; Chicago Braces for Federal Immigration Enforcement Operation; GOP Rep. Massie Formally Filing Petition to Release Epstein Files; House Oversight Panel Meeting With Epstein Victims; Lawmakers to Hold News Conference With Epstein Abuse Survivors; Minnesota Mayors Push for Change to State Law Banning City-level Gun Reforms. Aired 2-2:30p ET
Aired September 02, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:00:43]
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": At any moment, we will hear from President Donald Trump speaking live in the Oval Office, just hours after a judge found that his move to deploy troops in Los Angeles was illegal, saying the president is trying to create a national police force and install himself as chief. Also this hour, a renewed push to release the Epstein files. A Republican lawmaker defying his own party, trying to force a vote in the House over documents related to the late convicted sex offender.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": And murder charges in Houston after a 42-year-old man allegedly shoots and kills a child who is playing Ding-Dong Ditch. We are following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to "CNN News Central."
SANCHEZ: Just moments from now, President Trump is expected to make an announcement from the Oval Office. Let's get straight to Alayna Treene, who is at the White House for us. And Alayna, we are not only standing by for this announcement related to U.S. Space Command according to our reporting, but also for him to answer questions on this judge's ruling regarding his use of troops in Los Angeles.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Absolutely. I think part of the reason so many people are really keen to see the president at 2:00 p.m. and make this announcement is not necessarily because of the announcement itself, which I will get to in a moment, but because, Boris, it is exactly what you point out. This is actually the first time we are going to see the president publicly taking questions on camera from reporters for the first time in a week. The last time we saw him take questions like this was a week ago when he was in his cabinet meeting. He spoke for roughly three hours. But that is unusual for the president to stay behind closed doors, to kind of avoid the cameras for as long as he had, about a week like I said.
We did see him over the weekend playing golf. He has been posting a ton on social media, but a lot of reporters very eager to get in front of him and push him on a lot of the important questions and stories we know that have been taking place over the last several days. But to get to this announcement, we did learn -- I spoke with the White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt this morning. She was kind of vague about what it would be about. She said essentially that it was going to be an exciting announcement related to defense. But then we got more reporting from our colleague Kristen Holmes. So this is going to be about a change in the headquarters, or I should say the location for the headquarters of the U.S. Space Command. And there's been a little bit of controversy around this. I'm going to briefly just fill you in on that.
It was originally supposed to be the HQ centered in Alabama, in Huntsville. That was a decision made under the Trump administration his first time around. But then, then President Joe Biden, former President Joe Biden, had it moved to Colorado and said that he wanted it to remain in Colorado and keep it there, which caused a lot of criticism. Essentially, what we're hearing today is that President Donald Trump is going to be announcing that the headquarters is going to be moved to Alabama, to Huntsville where it was supposed to first be placed, all to say staying tuned for that decision. But even more so, some of the questions that he'll be taking and some of the answers hopefully, that he'll give to us at 2:00 p.m. Boris?
SANCHEZ: Alayna Treene, live for us at the White House. Thanks so much, Alayna. Brianna?
KEILAR: We're also following that major court decision that could stymie the president's efforts to use National Guard troops as law enforcement. A federal judge ruling today that the administration violated federal law when it deployed troops to Los Angeles earlier this summer as part of its immigration crackdown. President Trump has since deployed hundreds of National guard troops to Washington, D.C. and this morning, he appeared to confirm a similar move in Chicago is imminent.
The president wrote online, "Chicago is the worst and most dangerous city in the world by far. Governor Pritzker needs help badly. He just doesn't know it yet. I will solve the crime problem fast, just like I did in D.C. Chicago will be safe again and soon." He later posted "Chicago is the murder capital of the world." Now, Chicago is not the murder capital of the world. It is not the murder capital of the U.S. According to FBI data analyzed by CNN, Chicago doesn't rank among the top-20 cities with the highest rates of violent crime.
[14:05:00]
Chicago did experience a particularly brutal Labor Day weekend. Police say 56 people were shot, seven were killed. But across the board, crime is still down compared to last year. Murders down 32 percent, shootings falling almost 40 percent, both on pace to be among the lowest levels the city has seen in more than a decade. However, because Chicago is so big, this still translates to a lot of lives lost, at least 274 murders, more than 1,200 people shot. Residents that CNN spoke to told us they do not feel safe. One man shared how he has just one family member who's made it into their 40s. A woman told us she isn't able to sit with her grandkids on her front porch or near windows out of fear of being struck by a stray bullet. But neither think the National Guard is the answer. So what is?
Let's talk now with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Mr. Attorney General, thanks for being with us. You hear what Chicagoans are telling us, right? They're seeing the crime trend downward. They know that. But they feel it so much, they still want more help to address crime. They just don't want the National Guard to be the solution. What do you say to them?
KWAME RAOUL, ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: I have the same sentiment. Certainly, there's been a great effort to reduce the violent crime rate in Chicago, and that has come about as a result of a collaboration of great law enforcement leaders on the local level in Chicago and at the state level, as well as great leaders in federal law enforcement agencies. And if President Trump were talking about putting more resources into federal law enforcement agencies that already collaborate with local law enforcement, I would applaud it. I support more resources going into the ATF, for example, instead of trying to defund them like the White House's budget proposal did.
We've had a tremendous collaboration with the ATF here locally in Chicago and have reduced gun crimes and have been able to investigate and prosecute gun trafficking. And so, I would applaud the president if he said, "Hey, I'm going to fully fund those programs. I'm going to fully fund community violence interruption. I'm not going to condition funding for victims on immigration policy within any particular state." But that's not what he's doing.
KEILAR: So, Attorney General Raoul, you are watching this decision out of California District Court judge there. Charles Breyer just ruled that Trump's use of the military in L.A. was illegal, that it violated the Posse Comitatus Act. How are officials like you in Illinois viewing that as you are considering potential legal action?
RAOUL: Well, this is what we understood. I've read our Constitution that through the militia clauses gives Congress the power to dictate how we utilize our military within the United States. And so Congress enacted the Posse Comitatus Act. And so, I think my colleague, Rob Bonta did a tremendous job in challenging what the president did in California. And it's telling for us throughout the nation and particularly in places like Chicago and New York and other cities where the president has targeted for deploying the National Guard. And as your show mentioned, we're not in the top 20. There are municipalities in red states that the president is not talking about with far higher crime rates per capita than the city of Chicago.
And I'm not saying that we don't have a crime problem in Chicago. We do. I'm not happy until we don't have any murders in the city of Chicago. I'm not happy until we don't have any gun crime in the city of Chicago. And I will work at collaboration to try to get to that point. And so, I'm not in denial of whether or not we have a crime problem. We do. But we, through collaboration and through great law enforcement leadership, have been chipping away at that problem.
KEILAR: This weekend, Governor Pritzker said he has not heard from anyone in the administration about these plans to send the Guard to Chicago. Have you or has he had any dialogue with the administration since then? Or do you expect to? Or are you going to reach out? What can you tell us?
RAOUL: We have not. I don't think the intention is for the president to share that with us. If it was -- again, if it was about collaborating, he would embrace the ongoing collaboration that we have with agencies under his control.
[14:10:00]
And I became Attorney General during Trump's -- President Trump's first term. And we had tremendous collaborations with federal law enforcement partners who are trained to fight crime. National Guardsmen are not trained to fight local crime. Our military is not meant to be turned against American citizens. It's bad strategy, it's bad thinking. And instead of that, instead of defunding the federal law enforcement agencies that have proven success, we should put more resources into that and not embrace this distraction of turning the National Guard onto our American -- into our American cities.
KEILAR: Soldiers have to follow legal orders, right? This is -- this is what they do in the military. The administration says that these orders are legal. This District Court judge in California says they're not legal. I know your sense there in Chicago, you believe it is not legal. This issue is going to go higher no doubt, so we're going to see where it ends up. But how do you see a disagreement like this where the military is being asked to do something where the legality of the orders is in dispute?
RAOUL: Yeah, I feel for the men and women who have given themselves to the service of their country, that they be directed to do things like that to be turned against American citizens. If the president illegally deploys the National Guard into the city of Chicago or anywhere else in the state of Illinois, I'm prepared to act just like my colleague, Rob Bonta did in California. And I should add that there are reports of some of these service members being put on 29-day service to avoid providing them with benefits if their deployment is put into -- in excess of those -- that 29 days. And that's a shame to the men and women who dedicated themselves to service of their country.
KEILAR: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, thank you so much for speaking with us at this critical time for Chicago.
RAOUL: Thank you.
KEILAR: And still to come, lawmakers are back here in Washington. That means the Jeffrey Epstein files are back in the spotlight. Hear from the Republican taking on GOP leadership in an attempt to get the case files released. Plus, a father of three says he was sent down a delusional rabbit hole after he turned to ChatGPT for help answering a simple math question from his son. Researchers say he's not alone. And then later, with a $1 billion jackpot on the line, is there any way to increase your odds of winning the Powerball lottery? Will that even stop you from joining? Probably not, right? We're going to ask our numbers guru though. We'll have that a much more coming up on "CNN News Central."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:18:00]
SANCHEZ: Lawmakers on -- back on Capitol Hill after summer recess and already taking action on the Epstein files. Right now, the House Oversight Committee is meeting with Jeffrey Epstein victims behind closed doors. And just moments ago, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna were expected to file a discharge petition aimed at compelling the Department of Justice to fully release all the files related to Epstein's case.
Let's go live to Capitol Hill with CNN's Manu Raja. And Manu, you just spoke with Congressman Massie, what did he share with you?
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, he indicated that he is moving full steam ahead. He believes ultimately that he will have enough Republican support to push this measure through, at least get a vote in the full House. Remember how this will essentially work. The Republican leadership, Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, does not want a vote on this measure to compel code for the release -- compelling the release of these Epstein documents. He says that is not necessary.
He believes that there's already a process underway to release these documents and he says that the -- he's urging Republicans not to sign onto this effort. But there is this often is a long shot effort to circumvent the leadership of the United States House, get enough support, a majority support of the full House, meaning at least five Republicans would be needed to sign with all Democrats in order to actually call for a vote that would put this measure on the floor of the full chamber.
Just moments ago, Massie indicated to me that he believes that he will have enough Republican support to move ahead. And he said that there is considerable pressure coming from the White House on Republicans not to side with him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. THOMAS MASSIE, (R-KY): He says jobs, the economy. Those are always the big issues, but you really can't solve any of that if this place is corrupt.
RAJU: What do you mean if this place is corrupt?
MASSIE: Well, I mean, if they're going to cover up for rich and powerful and politically connected people, which is still what is happening right now here.
[14:20:00]
RAJU: Are you worried about the blow back that you're facing from the White House, from the president? He continues to attack you for taking steps like this.
MASSIE: Look, I got three billionaires right now running ads against me in Kentucky and one of them in Epstein's black book. So I'm not worried about it. I've already poked the hornet's nest here. And once you're in for a penny, you're in for a pound. We're going to get these files released.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: And Massie was sharply critical about an effort by Speaker Johnson to put a resolution on the House floor. There was such a (ph) support this ongoing investigation by the House Oversight Committee. He called that resolution that is backed by the Speaker political cover and he called it a meaningless vote. Just moments ago, the Speaker responded to this, Boris. He said that I would not put much stock in what Thomas Massie says.
The Speaker went on to say that the House Republicans, he says, have been very consistent about maximum disclosure, saying they want to protect the victims in the release of this. And Massie pushed back about that when I asked him about that too, Boris. He said that he too wants to protect the victims of this. And he said the victims themselves, who they're meeting with right now, the members of the House of Oversight Committee, he said some of those victims want this information released here. So, this fight that the Speaker had hoped would subside over the August recess, not dying down, at least certainly not yet. Boris?
SANCHEZ: Yeah, Congressman Massie sounds confident that he has the signatures needed to get the vote on the floor. But the question is, does he have those 218 plus votes?
RAJU: Yeah, I mean, that is going to be the question because some of those Republicans who have indicated that they would support this plan are some of Donald Trump's closest allies. Some of them who frankly need his support for their own election races, will they break ranks with the White House which will is going to -- which is urging these members not to side with Thomas Massie? That's going to be a big question here in the days ahead. And the Speaker has been very clear that he's very critical of these efforts to circumvent the Republican leadership.
Remember, the leaders of the House are the ones who decide what legislation goes on the floor, which is why this is a rarely successful maneuver from a rank and file member to circumvent the leadership, get enough support from both sides of the aisle to get a measure on the floor of the chamber. That rarely is successful here. But given the pressure, given the interest among members on both sides to seeing these files released, we're seeing a different dynamic play out here.
The ultimate question is, can these Republicans sustain the pressure from the White House to side with the president, not side with Thomas Massie? Because Massie himself has faced furious criticism from Donald Trump who has gone after him and wants him to lose his reelection bid. Will they cave to Donald Trump's pressure or will they side with Massie and call in for a release of these files? That's a big question in the days ahead. SANCHEZ: Yeah. And so, Massie and Khanna are holding this press conference tomorrow with these Epstein survivors. What can you tell us about that?
RAJU: Yeah, we expect about 10 of those survivors to be at this press conference tomorrow. And Thomas Massie, I just asked him about that as well. He indicated to me that he believed that those survivors want the release of these files. That he said that the contention among some that they don't want this information released because it could reflect poorly on some of these victims or could be given how sensitive these files could be, he's saying that that is not how these victims view this.
And he says that he wants people to hear directly from them when they have this press conference tomorrow. And it's some of those same victims are the ones who are right now meeting with members of the House Oversight Committee behind closed doors, talking to them about this issue. The Speaker of the House himself is meeting with these victims as well.
We'll see what they say to him, the Speaker, whether they want him to change course on how he is approaching this issue as well. Because the House Oversight Committee indeed is conducting what is now a pretty widespread investigation, issuing a range of subpoenas to the Justice Department, the Epstein Estate, calling for depositions from the like of former Republican and Democratic officials, getting them behind closed doors and now meeting with these victims.
So ultimately, the question's going to be what these victims, what do they say, changes the minds of any of those Republicans who are resistant to a vote in the full House. Guys?
SANCHEZ: A lot to watch for this afternoon. Manu Raju from Capitol Hill, thank you so much. We're tracking a sad story, a familiar prank that ends in tragedy with an 11-year-old boy killed after a Houston man, who is now charged with murder, opens fire during a game of Ding- Dong Ditch. Why police say they don't believe it is self-defense played a factor?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:29:22]
SANCHEZ: The horrific school shooting in Minneapolis is prompting new demands for stricter gun laws. Two children were killed with 18 others wounded in last week's shooting. The mayor of Minneapolis, St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, and other officials are at the state capitol this hour listing out their demands, among them to change a law that preempts cities from passing their own gun reforms. This follows a big rally yesterday where students and parents filled the steps of the state capitol, demanding a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines that can allow a person to fire dozens of bullets before reloading. Brianna?
KEILAR: Turning to another deadly shooting, Houston Police just released the mugshot of Gonzalo Leon, Jr. He is accused of killing an 11-year-old boy who was apparently playing a game of Ding-Dong Ditch. The --
