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Trump Speaks to Saudi Business Leaders After Hosting Crown Prince; Crown Prince Says Bin Laden Sought to Destroy U.S.-Saudi Ties on 9/11; Convict Sean "Diddy" Combs Under New Investigation in California; Trump Administration Quietly Working on New Peace Plan With Russia; President Trump Says Saudi Arabia Will Buy F-35 Fighter Jets. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired November 19, 2025 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": -- on September 11th, 2001. Some are speaking out and using this White House visit to spotlight the Saudi government's alleged role in the terror attacks. Remember, 15 of the 19 nine over 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals, though the Saudi government has consistently denied any involvement in the attacks. The Crown Prince actually addressed the issue yesterday, but accused Osama Bin Laden of trying to destroy Saudi relations with the U.S. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, SAUDI ARABIA: I feel painful about the families of 9/11 in America. But, we have to focus on reality, reality based on CIA documents and based on a lot of documents that Osama Bin Laden used Saudi people in that event for one main purpose, is to destroy this relation, to destroy the American-Saudi relation. That's the purpose of 9/11. So whoever buying that, that means they are helping Osama Bin Laden purpose of destroying this relation. He know that strong relation between America and Saudi Arabia is bad for extremism, it's bad for terrorism. And we have to prove him wrong and to build our relation, continue developing our relationship is critical in the safety of the world. It's critical against extremism and terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: We're joined now by Brett Eagleson, who lost his father, Bruce Eagleson, on September 11th. He's the President of the Group 9/11 Justice. Brett, thank you so much for sharing your afternoon with us. You just heard the Crown Prince there, and again, Saudi Arabia has denied any government involvement in the attacks. What do you make of that framing that Osama Bin Laden specifically used Saudi nationals in order to harm the relationship between that nation and the United States?

BRETT EAGLESON, SON OF 9/11 VICTIM BRUCE EAGLESON: Well, if you can tell by his body language and the whole setup there, Trump gave him an out, like Trump went and attacked that ABC reporter. MBS didn't have to say anything. He interrupted Trump and he had a pre-canned answer that he wanted to get out there. There's no way he thought up and concocted that answer on the spot.

This idea that Osama Bin Laden picked 15 of the 19 hijackers to be Saudi Arabia, sure, while that may be true, it doesn't -- you can't disregard the fact that right now a federal judge in the Southern district of Manhattan has said and reviewed credible evidence that we have presented, enough evidence that his country must stand trial for the murder of my father and nearly 3,000 Americans. And the contrast could not be more stark yesterday. You saw President Trump and his and MBS sitting in the Oval Office talking about inking deals and an important relationship, and it was a rah-rah moment.

At the same time, in a separate but equal branch of our own government, a federal judge is green lighting the 9/11 families to hold the kingdom accountable. You noticed yesterday, MBS invoked the name Osama Bin Laden. What he failed to say is what about Omar al- Bayoumi, who we just discovered had videotaped casing the U.S. Capitol, calling the Senators that worked there 'Demons of the West.' The same man that had an airplane and an algorithm sketch on his notepad, target showing how you would fly a plane into a building. None of this information that we've presented in court, none of this information ever made it to the 9/11 Commission.

So, it was a pre-canned answer, to go back to your original question, a pre-canned answer that he desperately tried to get out because he does not have answers for the evidence that we've presented in court.

SANCHEZ: I wonder what you say to those, including the president in past instances, who argue that if the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia becomes strained, it opens a geopolitical Pandora's box. It opens the door for China and Russia, and weakens not only American interests, but also the prospect of security and peace in the region.

EAGLESON: That's a great point, and I'm really glad that you raised it because we are not standing here today, calling for an isolationist policy against Saudi Arabia. I personally believe and many of us in our community believe that a good strong relationship with Saudi Arabia is good for the stability of oil markets. It's good for peace in the Middle East. It's good for investment in America. We'll be the first ones to endorse that and applaud that, if and only when, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia accounts for its past.

We have to get the history right. We have to get the historical record right. We need resolution to this 25-year national nightmare that these families have been facing. And yesterday was a disgusting display of America's ability to just whitewash the sins of their past because the Saudis came in with a bunch of money. So, I am not going to say that we shouldn't have a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia. I think that's important. It's important for peace, but what needs to happen is a reckoning and an accounting of what that country did and elements within that government did 25 years ago.

[13:35:00]

SANCHEZ: I wonder what your message is directly to President Trump who has this very close relationship, if appears, with MBS? EAGLESON: Well, my message is a few things because in 2016, President Trump accurately said, live on Fox & Friends, when he was then candidate for president, he said Saudi Arabia knocked down those towers. It wasn't Iraq; it was Saudi Arabia. Somebody ought to open up the files. And he was saying this as a criticism of President Bush at the time. And President Trump knows the extent to which Saudi Arabia was involved.

Our direct ask would be, help these families get resolution on all of these issues that are outstanding. There are still people in Saudi Arabia today that are implicated in this, where is our White House meeting? He will meet with anybody at the drop of a dime. He'll meet with Putin; he'll meet with MBS. But when it comes to the families, we are completely ignored. We're papered over and we're thought as an afterthought.

But one thing I want to say is, we're not going away. Our lawsuit is not going away. We still have a lawsuit that's currently pending, that's heading for trial in next year. So, they're going to have to address this one way or the other, or we're going to see them in court.

SANCHEZ: Well, that's actually what my next question was about. You mentioned the judge's finding, what is next in the case? Do you think it will get to trial?

EAGLESON: Absolutely. It is headed for trial right now. A judge has green-lighted that. And why this is so significant is because we have, for the first time ever, we have used a law called the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which we as a community passed in 2016. And under that framework, a judge has to see or be presented with enough reasonable evidence to say that we can have a lawsuit. So it's not as if I could sue, for example, France because, if somebody from France hurt me or harmed me, that's sort of a frivolous lawsuit.

So the way JASTA works, without getting too far into the weeds here, is that you have to demonstrate to a U.S. federal judge that there's an overwhelmingly amount of evidence to allow the jurisdiction to go to Saudi Arabia. We've done that. We've survived two separate motions of dismissal, and the next step is a trial. Saudi Arabia is trying to appeal this right now. We ultimately think they'll lose, and once they do lose, we're going to have a trial or oral arguments hearing probably next summer, right before the 25th year anniversary of 9/11.

SANCHEZ: Brett Eagleson, we hope to have you on again to discuss what comes next in the case. We appreciate you joining us and sharing your story.

EAGLESON: Thank you for having me.

SANCHEZ: Of course. Erica?

ERICA HILL, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Convicted felon, Sean "Diddy" Combs is now under a new investigation, this time in Los Angeles, where the Sheriff's department is looking into accusations of sexual battery from a man who sued the disgraced rap mogul. Combs right now, of course, is serving a four-year sentence after a New York jury found him guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution last summer. CNN's Kara Scannell following all these developments for us. So, walk us through a little bit more in terms of the details of this new investigation out of L.A., Kara.

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Erica, this investigation is being led by the Special Victims' Bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and they are looking into allegations that were made by a music producer about Sean Combs alleging that he was sexually assaulted by him. This music producer had initially filed a lawsuit in July against Combs and then filed a police report in September.

CNN has obtained a copy of that police report, and what we understand these allegations are is that the music producer said he was working on a collaboration with some other people. And he went to one event in 2020 and he says that Sean Combs was there. At this encounter, according to the police report, this man alleged that Sean Combs had exposed himself to him and had masturbated in front of him. Now, this man says that he then saw Combs again in 2021, and that there was another instance of sexual assault. In that case, this man says that Combs had forced him to perform oral sex on Combs.

Now, this person says that there were witnesses to this, and that is where this investigation will head if the Sheriff's Department can speak to these people and see if any of this can be corroborated. Sean Combs' team has denied this allegation and many of the others that have been raised in civil lawsuits. In a statement, his lawyer says, as Mr. Combs legal team has repeatedly stated for over a year now, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a media circus. Let me make it absolutely clear. Mr. Combs categorically denies as false and defamatory all claims that he sexually abused anyone.

And Erica, this is very distinct from the criminal case from federal charges that Sean Combs went through this past spring. He was convicted of this two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, but acquitted of the more serious counts of sex trafficking his girlfriends with very different allegation than what he is facing in this new L.A. County Sheriff's investigation.

[13:40:00]

Combs is appealing his conviction and his sentence, and he's due to be released in early 2028. Erica?

HILL: Wow, Kara, appreciate it. Thank you. Ahead here, a secret plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine, who is the White House dealing with in this? Is it something that both Russia and Ukraine could actually agree to? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: We are learning about a new push for peace in Russia's war on Ukraine. The Trump administration, it turns out, has been quietly working on a new plan with Moscow. Axios was first to report about the development. A person familiar with the talks telling CNN the president's Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff has been leading this effort. He, of course, has been at the center of the talks as the Kremlin has indicated a renewed openness to a deal. [13:45:00]

An army spokesman says Secretary Dan Driscoll and a top-level Pentagon delegation, meantime, arrived in Ukraine this morning to meet with government officials and discuss efforts to end the war. CNN Senior Military Analyst, Retired Admiral James Stavridis is joining us now. He's former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and is now a partner at the Carlisle Group, an international investment firm. And of course, also serves on the board of advisers for a handful of defense related companies. Always good to talk to you.

When we look at where things stand here, the Ukrainians reportedly are not part of these discussions about this draft plan. But as I just noted, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a top-level Pentagon delegation arriving in Ukraine this morning to meet with officials and for what an army spokesperson called a fact-finding mission. What is still to learn from your view at this point when it comes to what we need to know to end this war?

ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST: I think we need to be in conversation with both sides. So, I think having Steve Witkoff kind of handle the Moscow portfolio makes some sense. So, you send another very high-level delegation, Secretary of the Army, I understand, two four-star Army Generals. That's a lot of firepower from the Pentagon, if you will, to go and talk to Kyiv. Then you see where both sides are, and you try and craft some kind of compromise, Erica.

At the end of the day, there probably is going to be some kind of give on the part of the Ukrainians for some portion of territory. But, on the other hand, one would hope we can provide the Ukrainian security guarantees from NATO, from the United States. So like all negotiations, you start with the two principles, and you try and work them toward the center. I think that's what's going on now.

HILL: I mean, hopefully everybody who needs to be involved is involved, to your point. I was also struck by some of the reporting from Axios that Russia's envoy was expressing optimism about this deal's chances because, unlike past efforts, he felt that the "Russian position is really being heard." What strikes me is that it seems that the Russian position has been over the course of these nearly four years of war, consistently elevated when there is a discussion about how to end the war and concessions. So, is there much that has changed or is Russia sort of calling the shots?

STAVRIDIS: I wouldn't say Russia's calling the shots, and frankly, Russia is bleeding badly. 300,000 killed so far, probably 600,000 wounded. Perhaps 800,000 have departed the country to avoid the draft. Putin's economy is under quite a bit of stress due to sanctions. NATO has never been stronger with the addition of Sweden and Finland. So in my view, Moscow is not calling the shots. And let's back up, Erica, and remember, Putin's objective was to conquer the entire country. At this point, it looks like the absolute best he'll walk away with, and I'm sorry this is the case, but it looks like Crimea and some kind of a strip of land that connects Crimea to Russia. I hate that.

On the other hand, at some point, then the rest of Ukraine, 80 percent of Ukraine can sail on free, Democratic path to the European Union. And I would say eventually a path to NATO.

HILL: It would need those, as you point out, it would need those security guarantees as well, for the country moving forward. I'm struck by the timing here. Maybe I'm a little cynical, but when we look at the timing, we have these continuous strikes from Russia, right? Striking in Western Ukraine at this point, but also the fact that one would imagine President Trump would probably like a headline that has nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. Do you think that timing is coming into play at all? Could Russia be exploiting the president's vulnerability in some ways?

STAVRIDIS: I don't think that's the case here. If we give the Trump administration its due, they've been on this case since they came into office. So I don't think this is a spike, nor do I think, for example, the operations of Venezuela, you could make the same argument or in that category. I think these are probably two separate streams of activity. And frankly, if we can get to just a ceasefire in Ukraine and then negotiate the details, as you and I have been discussing, security guarantees for the Ukrainians, dangle in front of the Russians the chances of coming out from under sanctions. I think that's the nature of the deal that's coming together here. And no, I don't see it as particularly tied to what's happening in Washington.

[13:50:00]

HILL: Can I get a quick yes or no from you? Because I do also want to ask you about those F-35 fighter jets in Saudi Arabia, but do you think these additional sanctions on Russia are having an impact at this point?

STAVRIDIS: I do. And bringing them onto two of the biggest Russian oil and gas companies, that's a big deal. Putin will continue, we'd say in American English, he'll go whistling past the graveyard. He needs to get to a deal. I think that's where we're headed.

HILL: So when we turn our attention now to Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince of course, visiting in Washington. President Trump announcing the U.S. is ready to sell F-35 fighter jets to the Saudis. There has been concern as well that this would increase the chances of that technology falling into Chinese hands. Do you share those concerns?

STAVRIDIS: I think it's always a concern when we take our absolute most-advanced jets. These are the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter nicknamed Lightnings. And they are superb aircraft with an awful lot of stealth technology built into them. They're also a very international aircraft. There are -- many of our allies are in this program already. And I think that the Saudis, I believe, can be trusted with this technology, but it's going to bear watching as any kind of transaction does.

The other party that's quite concerned about it, Erica, you didn't mention it, but it's the Israelis. They have always felt they needed to have, what they call, qualitative military enhancements, that the ability to have those strongest, most capable military. So they worry when they see the Saudis getting these F-35s. But I think at the end of the day, if you're going to move forward with this idea of the kingdom as a major non-NATO ally, I think this sale makes sense.

HILL: Admiral James Stavridis, always great to have your insight, your expertise. Thank you.

STAVRIDIS: Thanks, Erica.

HILL: Boris?

SANCHEZ: Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour, a senior Iranian leader exclusively telling CNN, the country is willing to resume nuclear talks with the United States if they're conducted respectfully. The official also telling CNN that Iran won't change its position on enriched uranium, saying it will continue because the country needs it to fuel its power plants. Those comments follow remarks that President Trump made yesterday, suggesting that Iran was interested in striking a new nuclear deal.

Also, New York City Police Commissioner, Jessica Tisch says that Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has asked her to continue serving once he takes office in January, and that she has agreed. The alliance could be an uneasy one considering Mamdani's previous criticisms of the NYPD and his support for it to be defunded, a position that he has since walked back. In a letter to the city's police, Tisch writes, "You can trust that I will be a fierce advocate for you and for this department."

Meantime, a heroic rescue, the Coast Guard is calling "nothing short of miraculous," a crab boat saving the lives of four men whose fishing vessel was sinking in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington state. When the crabbing crew heard about their trouble, they made a beeline to the scene and they arrived to see two men in a raft, another two in the water, a rescuer jumping in, pulling one of the men out and performing CPR as they were close to drowning. The Coast Guard airlifted the survivors to safety. Very, very lucky group.

Ahead, how the Trump administration is speeding up plans to dismantle the Department of Education. We'll discuss in just moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:58:11]

HILL: Happening now, the Trump administration taking new steps to dismantle Department of Education by giving away much of the agency's work to other federal departments. CNN Washington Correspondent, Sunlen Serfaty for is follow these developments. So, is the education also by moving things to other departments, bypassing Congress?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: In a way it is. It's essentially a workaround right now. The stated goal, of course, of President Trump and Linda McMahon as an Education Secretary is to close the agency altogether. They know and they have acknowledged they cannot do this without an act of Congress. So this is that work around, essentially breaking up pieces, sending it to other agencies, and in essence showing Congress and trying to get them on board with the strategy of ultimately closing the department. And that's something that the Education Secretary admitted, in an interview with our own Dana Bash in the last hour. Here's what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDA MCMAHON, UNITED STATES EDUCATION SECRETARY: What we want to do is to show Congress that this implementation works. It's a proof of concept and it's a show and say, OK, this is how a permanent transfer to this department is going to work. We need their vote to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: Now, practically speaking, this new arrangement, this interagency agreement will take many months to integrate and implement, Erica. But the agency essentially is taking four to six departments within the Department of Education, sending them to other agencies like State Department, HHS, Labor and Interior. And they say that the policy will still be housed in the Education Department, but the process, the carrying out, grants and those sort of things, that will happen at these individual agencies. Certainly, chief criticism of this is that this potentially creates more bureaucracy when that's what they're trying to fight against.

HILL: It is interesting that the policy would live in one place, but then everything else would live somewhere else. We'll see how it works out. Sunlen, really appreciate it. Thank you.

A new hour of "CNN News Central" starts right now.