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House GOP Forming New Panel to Reinvestigate January 6; Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake Reported in Afghanistan; Judge Says Trump Administration Unlawfully Blocked $2 Billion From Harvard University; DOJ Looking at Ways to Bank Transgender Americans From Owning Guns; Italian Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani Died at 91; New Video of Man Arrested in Chuck E. Cheese Costume. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired September 04, 2025 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:32:20]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": On Capitol Hill, House Republicans facing pressure from President Trump just voted to create a special committee to reinvestigate January 6th. The panel is expected to re-scrutinize the work of the original Democrat-led probe, which concluded that Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election led to violence at the Capitol. This new committee could be another step in the president's efforts to change the narrative about that dark chapter in American history.

Remember, he's already pardoned or commuted the sentences of everyone convicted of January 6th related crimes, more than 1,500 people, some of whom were convicted of assaulting law enforcement. Here's what former Capitol police officer Harry Dunn told the original January 6th Committee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRY DUNN, DEFENDED THE CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6TH: More and more insurrectionists were pouring into the area by the speaker's lobby, near the rotunda, and some wearing MAGA hats and shirts that said Trump 2020. I told them to just leave the Capitol and in response, they yelled, no man, this is our house. I sat down on a bench in the rotunda with a friend of mine who was also a black Capitol police officer, and told him about the racial slurs I endured. I became very emotional and began yelling, how the blank could something like this happen? Is this America?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Former officer Harry Dunn joins us now live. Harry, thanks so much for being with us. What's your reaction to this news?

DUNN: Good to be with you. It -- I get so frustrated. I get flustered when you see news like this. On one hand, you have Republicans and the MAGA portion of the country saying, let's get over January 6th. You all just keep bringing it up, get over it, get over it. But at every turn, they have an opportunity to let it go, they keep bringing it up, so we have to always respond. I would love nothing more to be done with January 6th. I've sought out accountability for the people that were responsible. We saw how that ended with Donald Trump pardoning every single person involved in it, and also all the way up to the president. And his accountability was going to be served. Since it wasn't able to be served by the Justice Department, the American people were left with that responsibility to hold him accountable, and they didn't, they elected him president. So here we are.

And now, as we've seen with him doing investigations or with the Smithsonians and rewriting history and focusing on the history that he wants to, I think this is just a continuation with having Congress investigate it to a favorable outcome, favoring him.

[13:35:00]

SANCHEZ: Congressman Loudermilk, who is set to chair this investigation, said that there is still much work to be done. He alluded to questions that hadn't been answered, and it made me wonder what questions you might still be trying to answer about that day, if you had any.

DUNN: Well, I don't. I mean, you know, what I think that the January 6th, the original January 6th Committee did a good job laying out all the facts, and enough to the fact that they brought criminal charges against several people. And a lot of people that Donald Trump pardoned were found guilty by a jury of their peers, and also they pled guilty. So it wasn't just about them having the system against them, they pled guilty. I'm curious as to what other questions are out there that are not politically motivated because I don't know, those two exist.

SANCHEZ: I wonder if you're expecting that you might be called in to be part of this investigation to offer some kind of testimony. Would you agree to that?

DUNN: Well, yeah. Obviously, I'll talk with my lawyer, but I'm -- I'll always show up. I'll always answer questions. I'll always talk about what happened that day. And my belief that the person responsible for it still sit -- is sitting in the White House right now. That has been my -- that's been my stance and it will not change. He pardoned the individuals that attacked my coworkers, beat, bloodied them, and we just -- all we've ever wanted was accountability.

And this is just a continued slap in the face, just trying to rewrite the narrative. Everybody in America, the world saw what happened on January 6th. Like, you could watch that scene that's playing right there on the screen right now. You don't need a pundit to tell you what you're looking at. Just press play and just watch what happened and tell me that's OK.

SANCHEZ: Former Capitol Hill police officer Harry Dunn, thank you so much for being with us.

DUNN: Thanks, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Erica? Actually, when we come back, Erica will tell you about a federal judge siding with Harvard University and its fight against the Trump administration over federal funding, a legal battle that is far from over. Stay with "News Central." We'll be back in just moments.

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[13:41:35]

ERICA HILL, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": This just into CNN. There has been another earthquake in Afghanistan. The USGS says it was a magnitude 5.6, that is slightly weaker than the quake on Sunday. That quake and its aftershocks have killed more than 2,000 people. We are going to continue to keep an eye on this, so we'll bring you more information as we get it. Again, another earthquake striking Afghanistan today.

Meantime, the Trump administration we're learning is planning to immediately appeal landmark legal victory for Harvard. This of course, after a judge found the Trump administration broke the law by freezing more than $2 billion in research funding for Harvard. The judge concluding the administration had used anti-Semitism on campus as a "smokescreen" for targeting the Ivy League School. She also ruled the government cannot withhold any more federal research dollars from the university as a form of retaliation. This is seen as a win for Harvard and higher education writ large. It's important to note though, there is still tremendous uncertainty ahead for the school.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny is following these developments and joins us now with more. So, where then do things stand, Jeff?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Erica, it is a major victory for Harvard. There is no question about it because the judge, yesterday, ruling that effectively these $2 billion worth of government research funds have to be unfrozen, have to be given back to Harvard University. So that is a win. The question is what about the research funding going forward? But as you said, the judge said the administration's argument for anti-Semitism that effectively was a smokescreen to yank all the research funding.

Let's take a look at one line from this 84-page ruling that is very instructive here. The judge, Allison Burroughs, is writing this. She said, now it's the job of the courts to similarly step up to act to safeguard academic freedom and freedom of speech as required by the Constitution. And to ensure, she writes, that important research is not improperly subjected to arbitrary and procedurally infirm grant terminations, even if doing so risks the wrath of a government committed to its agenda, no matter the cost.

So definitely, some sharp words there, but the question is going forward, what about research funding besides this? The administration is saying that they are going to immediately appeal this. The White House spokesperson is explaining their point of view like this. It's clear that Harvard University failed to protect their students from harassment and allowed discrimination to plague their campus for years. Harvard does not have a constitutional right to taxpayer dollars and remains ineligible for grants in the future. We'll immediately move to appeal.

So Erica, there is no doubt it is a win for Harvard, but uncertainty going forward on the rest of grants. But of course, all universities across the country have been watching this very, very carefully. Harvard is the only university that has filed suit against the White House, rather than accepting the White House's claims for fund. So certainly, a major case here, but one that's far from over.

HILL: Yeah, absolutely. Jeff, appreciate it. Thank you. When we come back, the NFL off season officially over, it is game day. We'll take you live to Philadelphia where the new season kicks off tonight.

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[13:49:03]

HILL: Breaking News just into CNN, sources say the Department of Justice is now weighing proposals that would limit the right of transgender individuals to own guns. CNN's Evan Perez has all the new reporting on this. So, walk me through what this proposal is.

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the idea would be for some kind of rulemaking, which is typically done by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives. And this rulemaking would essentially ban people who have been -- who identify as transgender from owning firearms. Of course, there's a lot of legal issues that this -- that could arise from this, including of course, the fact that people who defend the right to -- for people who have Second Amendment rights, for those to be taken away under federal law right now, you have to be judged. You have to be declared by a judge to be adjudicated as mentally defective. That's the term that the law requires or to be institutionalized, right?

[13:50:00]

And so, the question is how do you get to that if someone is perhaps dealing with gender dysphoria --

HILL: Yeah.

PEREZ: -- or has been diagnosed with this, working through with their doctors. But the government necessarily doesn't have a count of the number of those people or some kind of registry of those people. And of course, you know, this is all coming on the heels of the shooting in Minneapolis, where police say the shooter identified as transgender. And of course, that -- you know, the vast majority of shootings, mass shootings in this country have nothing to do with people who are transgender. But that is something that has gained currency on the conservative side.

HILL: You raise some interesting points though here, which is, so one of them being there would have to be some sort of registry. The president says there are only two genders.

PEREZ: Right. HILL: And so, it's my understanding that this administration no longer recognizes someone who may not identify personally with the gender that was assigned at their birth.

PEREZ: Right, exactly.

HILL: So there's that, that is in conflict.

PEREZ: Right.

HILL: In addition to the fact, some sort of registry seems like a slippery slope and somewhat scary and perhaps not even legal.

PEREZ: Right. That's the thing. I mean, you know, I talked to a senior official in the Justice Department and they said, look, this is going to run into very -- you know, a lot of serious legal constraints that they're constrained on remove -- taking people's firearms away for a variety of things. There are millions of Americans who are struggling with mental health issues. Some of them are taking medications to deal with those health issues. Their rights to own firearms are not taken away just like that. It has to be a process. And so the question is, what does this new proposal -- where does this go? And how are they going to accomplish that?

HILL: It is really something. And it'll be interesting to see where this goes. Evan, really appreciate the reporting. We'll continue to follow it, of course. Thank you. Boris?

SANCHEZ: Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour, famed Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has passed away at the age of 91. Armani is credited with curating a quintessentially Italian aesthetic over his decades-long fashion career. Last month, Armani discussed his dedication to the industry saying that his only regret in life is spending too much time working and not enough time with family and friends. And now, we get to see what had to have been a horrifying scene for kids and their parents at a Chuck E. Cheese in Florida. Police have released new body cam video of them arresting Mr. Cheese, or at least a guy in the costume. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't resist. Do not resist. Don't -- let your hands go. Does this come off, man? Is that -- does this just come off the top? I don't want to hurt you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I work here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There you go. I understand you work here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is this about?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: The man in the mouse suit is accused of credit card theft and fraud. Police say the officers planned on handcuffing him outside the restaurant, but he resisted arrest, leading officers to handcuff him inside the venue. That man now faces three felony charges. And once again, last night, no Powerball winner. No one matched all six numbers in the drawing. Meaning the new jackpot has grown to $1.7 billion, the third largest in U.S. lottery history. The next drawing is set for Saturday night.

The tradition, the passion, the Majesty 200 or so days later, what we've all been waiting for, football is back. Tonight, the NFL season kicks off with the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting their hated arch rivals, the Dallas Cowboys in the city of brotherly love. Not much of that tonight. CNN's Coy Wire is inside Lincoln Financial Field, where kickoff is just a few hours away.

Coy, this isn't just the start of a new season. This is a major test for both teams, especially the Eagles looking to repeat.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: Oh, get ready, get ready for a good old-fashioned passionate slobber knocker and some fandemonium. This is one of the rowdiest places I've ever played in my career. The defending champion Eagles facing the so-called America's team, the Cowboys. Tonight, Eagles have been to three of the last eight Super Bowls. One, two of them, including last year's spoiling the Mighty Chiefs chances of getting the first-ever threepeat. So if the Cowboys have been like that perfectly-manicured front lawn version of America's team, the Eagles are the wild overgrown backyard with a rusty grill and a tire swing. They are gritty, they are tough. They are together. They're head coach Nick Sirianni has mastered the art of keeping his stars humble and hungry. It's about the we, not the me.

Now, as for America's team, the Cowboys, they went 7-10 last season. Previous three years, 12 and five. But each time, they had dramatic playoff collapses, haven't won a Super Bowl in 30 years. So why is it that their fans claim that they are America's team? We asked some Philadelphians if the Eagles should be instead? Listen.

[13:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is America's team. And that is America's bird.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Champions, world champions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: America's bird; America's city. Go bird.

(LAUGH)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Birds flies (ph) a bird of prey.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, we are the birthplace of America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, that makes the most sense to me. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Americans never [ph] starts in Dallas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Screw it, Cowboys.

WIRE: How would you describe the Dallas Cowboys?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paper champs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: High school tryout team. Frankie (ph) squad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Losing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, what is a cowboy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They fell from grace, extinct.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody that lives in Texas choose them (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Losers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dancing with the stars, auditioning (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like dinosaurs, they no longer exist.

CROWD: E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: You know, maybe the Eagles are America's team. They're kind of like a cheese steak. A little messy, a little greasy, but authentic with layers. Real working-class heroes. Maybe new America's team right here. Now, this is going to be rocking tonight. This is one of two NFL stadiums where my parents refused to wear my jersey when we played here --

(LAUGH)

WIRE: -- because they didn't want to get beer spilled on them, again.

(LAUGH)

WIRE: I'm feeling greasy too. I had a cheese steak for breakfast and lunch. Must be football season, baby.

(LAUGH)

SANCHEZ: This guy gets it. Cheese steak for -- what are you having for dinner, Coy?

WIRE: Cheese steak.

(LAUGH)

SANCHEZ: Coy Wire, live force in Philadelphia. Thanks so much, Coy. Excited for tonight's game. So amid calls for his resignation and accusations that he's endangering American's health, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is grilled on Capitol Hill. Next, we're going to speak to the top Democratic Senator on the committee that questioned him.

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