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Imelda and Humberto's Dual Threat in the Atlantic; Interview with Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA): Trump Meets with Congressional Leaders for Funding Talks; Marine Veteran Charged with Murder After North Carolina Mass Shooting. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired September 29, 2025 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ... language towards the LDS community here. He said nothing rose to the level where he felt he needed to report that conversation. Now since this tragedy happened on Sunday, he has been in contact with the FBI and also with the Michigan State Police here.

We want to wrap you up, Omar, to bring everyone up to speed on what's happened. Four people are dead, eight others are injured. Today we saw a person in a red vehicle drive through this barricade on the other side here.

You can see they've added these hardened barriers in place now after that happened. A man was arrested. Photos appear to show what looks like a long gun inside of the front seat of that vehicle.

We know that person, a 21 year old, is under arrest. Not sure just yet on the charges that he is facing. Investigators still working to determine this motive.

We know ATF is bringing in a team of renowned specialists to work on this case. That church still being searched through, combed through by those investigators. We know that the FBI is continuing on in their investigation and we do have it confirmed now that three improvised explosive devices were found here -- Omar.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: All this, the investigation continues but Leigh Waldman bringing us the latest reporting there from the scene. Leigh, appreciate it.

Here we are following a lot of other headlines including two powerful storms barreling through the Atlantic and could bring dangerous rip currents to the East Coast.

We'll have the latest with the forecast next.

[15:35:00]

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Happening now. Parts of the southeast are bracing for tropical storm Imelda. It is not expected to make landfall because it's being pulled away from the coast by powerful Hurricane Humberto.

It is though still a threat to the coast. We have CNN meteorologist Chris Warren who is tracking both storms. All right, Chris, where is Imelda right now?

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Brianna, right now Imelda is just moving north of the Bahamas. Now if you're watching on Friday, things have changed. It looks like Imelda -- what was soon to be Imelda -- was going to eventually move and strengthen and go into the Carolinas.

Now it's operating more of like a sidekick to Humberto, which is still a powerful hurricane out here south of Bermuda. So what's going to happen is as what has been expected, Humberto is going to curve around Bermuda. It's going to help bring along Imelda and Imelda will be bringing some potentially hurricane-force winds to Bermuda by the middle of the week.

Here's another kind of look at this little dance it's going to have. As Humberto goes out, Humberto goes out, Imelda kind of tags along, if you will. Essentially Humberto is kind of pulling, kind of the environment's kind of linked up a bit, so it's pulling it away from the U.S. And without Humberto, it's possible things could have been much, much worse for the southeast. Here's the rain right now. Heaviest rain is north of the Bahamas and notice right close to the center is where the heaviest, most powerful part of the storm is going to be. The heaviest rain, the most powerful winds, and that continues to move away from land.

We are grateful here this is not moving here. It is going in this direction. That being said, with all this rain staying offshore, the storms are still strong out here.

So there's still going to be some strong winds, large wind fields pushing a lot of water to the beaches. Very serious rip current risk from Miami all the way up to the outer banks here of North Carolina. Another look at the big winds here, still bringing, Brianna, that threat for some rip currents and dangerous surf in the coming days.

KEILAR: Yes, so interesting. One of the projection lines last week was that kind of stark right turn, and you see it happening there. Really interesting.

Chris Warren, thanks for taking us through that. Really appreciate it.

Coming up, a last ditch meeting at the White House. Congressional leaders meeting with the president is the clock is ticking toward a government shutdown.

[15:40:00]

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JIMENEZ: All right, everyone happening right now. President Trump preparing for a critical meeting with congressional leaders with a government shutdown potentially hanging in the balance. The president hosting key Democrats and Republicans and really what is a make or break moment.

Republicans need seven Senate Democrats to vote alongside them to keep the government funded past midnight on Tuesday. Democrats are demanding an extension of billions of dollars in Obamacare subsidies. Republicans want the bill passed as is.

And just moments ago, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he is hopeful Republicans are, quote, serious about getting something real done on health care.

With us now, Democratic Congressman James Walkinshaw of Virginia. Congressman, appreciate you being here.

I guess just from where you sit right now, I guess we're still waiting for some answers to come out of this meeting. But where -- how are you viewing the potential for for a government shutdown right now?

REP. JAMES WALKINSHAW (D-VA): Well, I'd say unless President Trump changes his approach and decides to be the dealmaker that he used to play on TV in the meeting that's taking place today, the odds of a shutdown are high. I mean, to date, President Trump until today wouldn't even meet. So I'm hopeful that he's willing to have a real conversation and a real negotiation in the meeting that's set to take place very soon.

JIMENEZ: And we were reading the comments from the from the Senate minority leaders saying they have felt the heat in terms of Republicans. Obviously, there's there's this cliff right now for for an extension of Obamacare subsidies.

Is it -- would you say that Republicans have felt the heat right now and that is the impetus for negotiations? Or I guess where's your confidence level and where Republicans might meet you all?

WALKINSHAW: I know that congressional Republicans are feeling the heat about the health care cuts that they've put in place. I was in my district last week and I met with the leaders of a community health clinic and they're preparing for a significant increase in uninsured folks coming to that clinic seeking care. That's happening all across the country if we don't address this health care crisis.

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So I know my Republican colleagues are hearing the same things from their districts.

JIMENEZ: And look for for folks, you represent the 11th District of Virginia, a lot of federal workers in your district and you know, not to go straight to a blame game. But this this is politics and Republicans are already saying, you know, Democrats will be to blame if this happens. Democrats are saying, well, Republicans control House, Senate and the White House. So they're the ones to blame here.

Will your constituents see it that way or will they look to leadership like yourself and say, well, hey, no matter what's happening, I've been furloughed. I've potentially been laid off. How do you see just the everyday impact of the politics that you are dealing with right now?

WALKINSHAW: I think my constituents, just like Americans across the country, want to see a bipartisan deal that keeps the government open, addresses the health care crisis. I think one thing I hear regularly from my constituents, federal workers, contractors, small businesses, is that we've been in the midst of a Donald Trump shutdown of the federal government for nine months now. He's been systematically shutting down aspects and agencies of the government for nine months.

USAID, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and others when he doesn't like them. So my constituents have experienced a Trump shutdown. I think they will know who's to blame if we have another one.

JIMENEZ: Well, one of the things we've heard to this point is and what seems to be one of the gaps here is Republicans are saying, hey, let's vote now to keep the government open and we'll negotiate the health care stuff a little bit later. Where Democrats seem to be saying, well, we don't trust you. Let's negotiate it now because we don't know what's going to happen down the line.

Let's just start on the negotiation aspect. Where do you believe there are places for negotiation right now in terms of keeping the subsidies -- which I know you all want to do --

WALKINSHAW: Yes.

JIMENEZ: ... which would keep premiums at the rates that they are now but also add to the national deficit. Just where do -- are there places that you look at and say, OK, you know what, here's a place that we could make inroads?

WALKINSHAW: Well, look, I think first we have to start from acknowledging from the perspective of Democrats in Congress and across the country, there are a thousand things that Trump and congressional Republicans have done that we don't like. In this spending debate, we've highlighted a handful of issues, most prominently the health care crisis that they have created. So we've compromised already, but I think there's room for real discussion about the extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies.

I believe strongly they should be made permanent. The tax cuts for billionaires were made permanent in the so-called Big Beautiful Bill. I don't see why we wouldn't make permanent these tax credits for working and middle-class Americans as well.

JIMENEZ: And so that's the one-to-one here for you, and I can imagine a lot of Democrats too, that even though these subsidies were put in place initially, essentially to be temporary initially, that if tax cuts can be made permanent, then these can be made permanent as well. That's if I'm understanding.

WALKINSHAW: I think that's right, and we need to acknowledge that Americans are feeling pinched all around, especially when it comes to health care costs. I mean, the cost of living is too high in this country, and these health care costs are a critical piece of it.

JIMENEZ: Congressman James Walkinshaw, appreciate you coming in. Thank you for the time and insight, and I guess we'll see what comes out of this 3 p.m., because you all are meeting later, as I understand?

WALKINSHAW: That's right. House Democrats are here in Washington. We'll meet later tonight.

JIMENEZ: All right, Congressman, appreciate it.

All right, still to come, everyone, new details about the man charged for a deadly mass shooting in North Carolina. The suspect making his first court appearance today. We'll have the details coming up.

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KEILAR: Today, the suspect accused after a fatal shooting at a waterfront bar in North Carolina makes his first court appearance. Authorities saying the 40 year old Marine veteran was on a boat during Saturday's attack, and three people were killed and at least eight others injured.

Let's go to CNN's Dianne Gallagher. Dianne, police are calling this attack highly premeditated. What are you learning?

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, Brianna, the alleged shooter appeared in court for the first time last hour. Nigel Max Edge was denied bond by a judge.

He also requested a court appointed attorney. According to our local affiliate WECT. His next court appearance is set for mid October.

Now, the 40 year old Marine veteran and Purple Heart recipient. He changed his name to Nigel Max Edge from Sean Debevoise back in 2023. He's facing three counts of first degree murder and five counts of attempted first degree murder, among other felony charges.

According to police on Saturday night, a white boat with the center console stopped at the American Fish Company. It's a popular bar in Southport where locals and tourists alike were listening to live music. That's when they say Edge open fire on the crowd before leaving back up the intercoastal waterway.

Now, the U.S. Coast Guard found him, they say, at public boat dock on Oak Island. That's where he lived. It's also just across the intercoastal waterway from Southport. Authorities did call this a targeted and highly premeditated attack, though they have not given any any sort of indication of what the motive may have been.

Edge was well known in the area. His recovery from wounds he received while fighting in Iraq have been sort of chronicled by local media over the years. But in the past five years, he's filed more than 10 lawsuits against the federal government, local government and police departments, his parents, a celebrity. [15:55:00]

Many of those lawsuits containing conspiracies about his service, his injuries and the U.S. Marines.

Now, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein appeared today speaking and trying to console the shattered Southport community. He also talked about what this illustrated the need for maybe more red flag laws, which North Carolina does not have. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOSH STEIN, (D) NORTH CAROLINA: There are people in our community who people know are a risk, a risk to others, a risk to themselves, and they should not have firearms. And that's what a red flag law law allows is for a judge through due process to temporarily remove dangerous weapons from people who are a risk. I think that this public would be well served if North Carolina had a red flag law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: Now, the governor did note that it's not clear that anyone actually reported Edge that even if the state had red flag laws that it would have triggered those.

KEILAR: All right. Very interesting. Dianne Gallagher, thank you so much. Live for us from Charlotte, North Carolina.

And "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts after this short break.

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