Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Interview with Rep. Gab Vasquez (D-NM): Pressure Grows on Trump Administration to Release Video of Double-Tap Strike; Pretrial Hearing Resumes for Luigi Mangione; Nearly 75,000 People Arrested by ICE Have No Criminal Record. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired December 08, 2025 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, all this terminology, right, Sara? I mean, it is that time of year we talk about atmospheric rivers. One way for you to think about this is just a river in the sky.

It has the ability to transport, get this, up to 15 times the amount of water that flows through the Mississippi River, and it's all aimed at the Pacific Northwest. And it means business, too. Right now, I'm pretty calm.

Look at the Space Needle. This is a live look at Seattle, 49, cloudy, no issues. But look at this.

You're looking at available moisture, a water vapor, that river in the sky. You can basically track it as I animate this. It's got deep tropical connections near Hawaii, so it's just pulling in the moisture, aiming it towards the Pacific Northwest, and that is going to result in significant rains.

National Weather Service already hoisting flood watches for the coastal areas and the mountains of Oregon and into western portions of Washington as well. You can see in real time the clouds starting to take shape and take aim at the Pacific Northwest. Watch how it fluctuates from north to south.

That is very characteristic of this atmospheric river. Again, it's a narrowly focused area of extremely heavy rain and precipitation. Mountain snows will be measured in feet, but at this lower elevations where the rain will fall widespread 3 to 5 inches for the major metropolitans, Portland to Seattle.

But you get closer to the coastline. Yes, we could see over 10 inches of rain, and that is going to allow for several rivers to reach major flood stage, the potential there for landslides, mudslides and even down power outages because -- down power lines because of the wind associated with this -- Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Really, really dangerous. A river in the sky as you described it. Thank you so much, Derek Van Dam. Do appreciate you.

A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: New pressure on the defense secretary this morning to release the footage of the double-tap attack on survivors off the coast of Venezuela. Why Secretary Hegseth is hesitating after releasing all kinds of similar video.

And we're standing by to see President Zelenskyy of Ukraine meet with European leaders. This as President Trump says he is, quote, disappointed in Zelenskyy.

And a special delivery on the side of the highway. State troopers step in to help a mother give birth.

I'm John Berman with Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SIDNER: So this morning, the pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to release the full video of that deadly double-tap strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. Some have called it a potential war crime. And as of now, the only video we have from the September 2nd attack is of the very first strike.

But we've learned the U.S. hit the boat again, killing two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage. There are mounting bipartisan calls to release the entire video, but for different reasons, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TOM COTTOM (R-AR), CHAIRMAN, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I personally don't -- I don't have any problem with it. It's not gruesome. I didn't find it distressing or disturbing. It looks like any number of a dozens of strikes we've seen on jeeps and pickup trucks in the Middle East over the years.

REP. JIM HIMES (D-CT), RANKING MEMBER, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I've spent years looking at videos of lethal action taken, often in the terrorism context. And this video was profoundly shaking -- shaken, and I think it's important for Americans to see it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: President Trump has said he would be fine with releasing the full video, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the weekend would not commit to that, saying the matter is still under review -- Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you so much, Sara. Joining us right now to talk about this is Democratic Congressman Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee, one of the key committees here.

Let's start with just that. You, like many members, are still waiting to see that classified video of the follow up strikes. You heard what Tom Cotton said about the video.

You heard what Jim Himes said about the video. And as Sara was saying, Pete Hegseth said the matter is still under review in terms of releasing it. I want to play for everyone with the top Democrat on your committee, Adam Smith says. He says it's clear to him that the Pentagon does not want to release the video. Let me play this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SMITH (D-WA): They showed us just the portion that we saw of those two on the boat. It's no different than any of the dozen plus videos they've already released. I mean, it seems pretty clear they don't want to release this video because they don't want people to see it because it's very, very difficult to justify.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Congressman, have you gotten any indication that they do not intend to release this this video? Can the committee force it?

REP. GABE VASQUEZ (D-NM), ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: Well, thank you, Kate. And first, I have to say that I fully support going after the drug cartels, drug traffickers, human traffickers. But it is troubling that the Pentagon has selectively chosen what information to release related to this incident.

I have heard from my colleagues about how gruesome this video is. I deserve to see it. Every member of the Armed Services Committee deserve to see it.

[08:05:00]

And the public should should see it as well so that they can judge for themselves. What is happening with the American military in the Caribbean? And if indeed these actions were unwarranted or potentially a war crime, then the American people deserve to be able to judge for themselves.

BOLDUAN: There have been multiple -- I mean, as Adam Smith was saying -- there have been multiple videos that they have released, without even calls for the video to be released, of attacks on these alleged drug boats, released on Twitter, on True Social, as they have been even just announcing these attacks. What would it say, what would you take from it, if now, on this one particular video, the administration says, no, we're not releasing it?

VASQUEZ: Well, Kate, it's quite ironic that the Secretary of Defense, Mr. Hegseth, is known for leaking information. Just recently, the IG -- the damning IG report, that clearly states that he released classified information through a Signal chat, and now being selective in releasing this video to the American public, doesn't really instill confidence in the American public. The White House says that they're being transparent about just about every issue, so why not be transparent about this?

Clearly there is something to hide if they don't release this video to the public.

BOLDUAN: It will remain a question today. I want to ask you about the issue of immigration. It is something that you have been very focused on in your efforts in Congress. The crackdown by the administration continues, arrests and detentions were seen in Minnesota and New Orleans over the weekend.

There's new data out from the University of California, Berkeley's deportation data project, and it shows that, according to their accounting, from January to mid-October, nearly 75,000 people with no criminal records had been swept up in immigration operations. But DHS has maintained, and every time a representative is on the record talking about it, they maintain that they are going after the worst of the worst, criminals, that is who they are targeting. What do these numbers represent to you?

VASQUEZ: Well, I want the American people to understand and to know that there is an alternative to what we are seeing on the streets of our cities. Residents of this country that are being wrapped up in these deportation raids, the awful treatment of people, the separation of families, the ripping kids away at schools and churches and courtrooms. I've actually presented a plan to the Democratic Caucus.

It's the New American Immigration Plan, and it actually presents an alternative. What we should be doing as lawmakers here in Congress is making people's lives better. And so when we talk about the overall immigration picture, look, in my district in New Mexico, we've got onions that are rotting in the field.

We have positions that we can't fill in our local hospitals, in our schools. The truth is that the American economy drives innovation, and immigrants are a big part of that. And so we need to make sure that we actually have a plan, that we stay competitive with China, that there is an alternative to this draconian deportation force that has been unleashed on American cities.

And it's our job as congresspeople, both Democrats and Republicans, to come together. So I presented a framework to my caucus, to my colleagues here in Congress, to be able to do that. And as somebody who grew up in both countries, on both sides of the wall, both here in Mexico and the United States, representing 180 miles of the U.S.- Mexico border, I hope to be able to lead this and have something to work toward in 2026 so that the American people can see that there is a viable alternative.

BOLDUAN: Look, you're hopeful, but you're also a realist. Do you think there is any chance in 2026, in a midterm election year, you were going to be looking at a bipartisan new immigration policy?

VASQUEZ: Well, I think there has to be a foundation for what Democrats stand for as we go into the next election. And that is a pragmatic solution to many of the immigration issues that we face, including at the border. That includes a strong border, that includes legal pathways to residency and work status for many folks that are here and that have been here for many years, and some resolution for DREAMers as well.

There's so much to be done in this area that we can't just sit back behind and watch this all unfold before our eyes without actually having a plan. And so it starts with a plan, turns into legislation, but we have to get the American people on our side. We can't do that if we don't have a plan.

BOLDUAN: Congressman Gabe Vasquez, thanks for coming in -- John.

BERMAN: All right, Luigi Mangione heads to court today as we see new images from the day police arrested him, what he had written down on his to-do list.

A cockpit recording of the moment a passenger tried to turn off the plane's engines after taking psychedelic mushrooms.

And how Brendan Fraser and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson made a film together without meeting until it premiered.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You worked with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

BRENDAN FRASER, ACTOR: Well, on paper.

DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON, ACTOR: Yes, on paper, on the poster.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:10:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: We are standing by to see Luigi Mangione in court. He, of course, is accused of killing the UnitedHealthcare's CEO. He's pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges.

A judge now is weighing what evidence can be used or tossed from his trial. In the process of this, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office released new photos of evidence. Let's get right to CNN's Kara Scannell, who has covered this from the beginning.

What's the latest from the courtroom?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, we have seen a lot of evidence that was never seen before. One year ago, that UnitedHealthcare's CEO, Brian Thompson, was gunned down. And through this, we have now seen additional footage.

There is some new footage. It's disturbing video, just so people are warned of the moments after Brian Thompson was shot. You can see the killer walk past him, slow down, glance at him before crossing the street.

This was in the early hours of the morning in midtown Manhattan. You'll remember.

[08:15:00]

I mean, it's just a little chilling about how calm that is as that plays out. And we've also seen, you know, this was the nationwide manhunt. Then five days later, he is seen at a -- or the person they believe to be the shooter is seen at a McDonald's five hours away in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

And for the first time, we've heard about this 911 call. We actually have heard it from the manager at the McDonald's who calls it in. You can hear from her voice that it just seems implausible to her that this could be the case.

But take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a customer here that some other customers were suspicious of that he looks like the CEO shooter from New York. They're just really upset. And they're like coming to me.

And I was like, well, I can't approach it, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, of course not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCANNELL: And then so the dispatcher sends officers there. That officer, the responding officer, testified in court. He said he didn't think in a million years this was going to be the New York City shooter.

He had seen all of the widely distributed photos of the person leaving the scene. The image in the hostel where the shooter lowers his mask. And then Mangione is approached in that McDonald's sitting in the corner.

And the man says that when he walked over and asked Mangione to lower that medical mask, he said he knew immediately that it was the person that New York Police Department was looking for in connection with this shooting. And then about 30 minutes later, eight other officers arrived and Mangione was arrested in this instance for a fake I.D. But then they also went through his pockets to search him. They found a pocketknife.

They found a bus ticket with a fake name from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. And they also found that to do list. And on that to do list, it said intel check in and survival kit for that very day.

BERMAN: I got to say, this new evidence really is fairly compelling. You could see why the prosecution would want a jury to see all of this.

Kara Scannell, great to see you. Thank you very much -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Still ahead for us, new data this morning. We're going to dive into it, showing nearly a third of people swept up in immigration raids so far have had no criminal records.

And could President Trump be preparing to move on from Ukraine? We have new CNN reporting just ahead.

[08:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: So there's new data to dive into today. It's released -- newly released data showing that nearly 75,000 immigrants with no criminal record were detained by ICE since the beginning of the Trump administration's crackdown earlier this year.

A research group tied to UC Berkeley's Law School says that under President Trump, under this, you know, ongoing operation, immigration arrests have surged to roughly 220,000 in just nine months. The data comes as ICE activities continue to escalate in many Democratic led cities. We saw a lot of action in New Orleans and Minneapolis over the weekend. Dozens have already been arrested there.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has much more on this. What are you gathering from this new data out?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, this data really backs up what we have been hearing anecdotally from attorneys, as well as advocates who have worked with a lot of those immigrants who have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and by U.S. Border Patrol over the last several months. And in many of these cases, there had not been criminal records. Yes, these are people who were in the United States illegally, but they did not fall into the categories that the administration has repeatedly talked about, about national security and public safety threats just based on their records.

So this data, again, shows that of the 220,000 arrests that have happened in these last nine months, nearly 75,000 people had no criminal records. This is according to the Data Deportation Project, which, as you mentioned, is a group associated with U.S. Berkeley Law School. Earlier this summer, though, we had been seeing similar data crop up that is that less than 10 percent of immigrants taken into custody since -- this was October of 2024 -- had any serious criminal convictions.

So this has been a trend that we have been seeing over the last several months. That is that many of those taken in don't have these criminal records. Now, Tom Homan, the White House Border Czar, was asked about ongoing operations, including the one happening in Minneapolis, targeting undocumented Somali immigrants and who exactly they're targeting.

And this is what he had to say. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM HOMAN, WHITE HOUSE BORDER CZAR: We're looking for public safety threats, national security threats and illegal aliens. Nothing's changed, Dana, from day one.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ALVAREZ: Now, this is something that I have also been hearing from my sources. Again, they continue and maintain that those that they are targeting are public safety, national security threats. But that doesn't mean that if they are targeting someone who is a threat, that they won't also take those around them.

Those are called those, quote, collateral arrests. And those can be people who are here undocumented but may not have a record. We also see this with the U.S. Border Patrol operations in places like Chicago, Charlotte and now in New Orleans. As they do these sweeps, they may just take people in based on reasonable suspicion.

So again, Kate, this all goes to show what we have been hearing in many of these incidents, which is that people across the board who are undocumented in the United States are being taken in by federal immigration authorities and face deportation in many of these cases and in other cases are still trying to work through the immigration process while they are in detention. Which again, Kate, is just overwhelming with around 66,000 people in detention now.

BOLDUAN: It's great to see you, Priscilla. Thank you so much for that -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right, still ahead, he admitted to taking magic mushroom before a flight. Now the pilot can be heard on newly released audio from inside the cockpit as he tries to shut the engines down.

And first it was the Louvre jewel heist. Now it's the elements attacking the Louvre. The damage a water leak is doing to precious historic items there.

[08:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right. breaking news. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is sitting down right now in London with leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

These pictures are from seconds ago. Literally, they're holding high stakes talks on ending the four year long war with Russia since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. It comes as President Trump says he is disappointed with Zelenskyy, saying the Ukrainian leader has not yet read the latest U.S. authored peace proposal.

I want to get right to seeing a chief national security analyst, Jim Scuitto. Jim, as I said, these pictures are from moments ago. What was said when they all sat down?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: John, first of all, this is a deliberate show of unity, right? Europe with Ukraine at a time when U.S. support for Ukraine is at best uncertain. And two phrases stood out to me first from Friedrich Merz just a couple of minutes ago, the German chancellor.

He said no one should doubt our support for Ukraine -- he's talking about Europe. And then he said, I am skeptical of some of the details in the document from the U.S. side. Now, in diplomatic terms, that's some pretty strong pushback from Europe to make clear their ...

[08:30:00]