Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Larry Summers to Retire from Harvard Amid Epstein Scandal; Teen Charged with 300 Plus Counts in Pennsylvania Sextortion Case; Trump Imposes New Sanctions Targeting Iran Ahead of Talks; NASA Reveals Identity of Astronaut with Medical Issue Aboard ISS. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired February 25, 2026 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: The economist and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers says he's retiring from Harvard at the end of the academic year. Summers is on a growing list of high-profile figures linked to Jeffrey Epstein. CNN's Matt Egan is following these developments for us. So what are we hearing from the university now, Matt?

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Erica, look, this is a stunning fall from grace for a legendary economist, right? Larry Summers is not just the former president of Harvard University. He was Treasury Secretary under former President Bill Clinton.

He was a top economic advisor to Barack Obama. And now he says he is resigning from Harvard at the end of the academic year. Summers says that this was a, quote, difficult decision.

And he says it is one that's coming amid growing scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Documents that have been released in recent months show that Summers kept up communications with Epstein for years. And that communication includes e-mails where, in some cases, Larry Summers was making sexist comments and even seeking romantic advice from the convicted sex offender.

[15:35:00]

Now, Summers has previously said he is, quote, deeply ashamed by his relationship with Epstein. Harvard says that Summers is also resigning from a key position at the Harvard Kennedy School. The university says that it accepted Summers' resignation in connection with Harvard's ongoing review of Epstein-related documents that have been released.

Now, Summers is just the latest business leader whose career has been derailed by the release of these Epstein files and by all the questions of judgment that had been raised about some of these business leaders who kept up ties with Epstein years after his 2008 guilty plea -- Erica.

HILL: Matt, there's also a new development, I understand, with Bill Gates. What's that?

EGAN: Yes, that's right. Bill Gates has reportedly, just yesterday, he did address the Gates Foundation in a town hall. According to the Wall Street Journal, Gates admitted that he made mistakes that cast a cloud over the foundation related to his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

According to the journal, Gates said quote, "I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit." Gates insisted that he did not participate in any of Epstein's crimes.

Epstein also said, "To be clear, I never spent any time with the victims, the women around him." That's from Gates. Now, CNN has reached out to Gates, and the Gates Foundation did respond with a statement in which they confirmed that, yes, Gates did speak candidly during a town hall yesterday, and that, yes, he did take responsibility for his actions. Back to you.

HILL: All right, Matt, really appreciate it. Thank you.

An 18-year-old high school senior is now facing more than 300 charges of sex abuse, sexual servitude, sexual exploitation, and more. Our Pittsburgh affiliate WPXI reports that Zachariah Meyers is accused of leading a criminal network that allegedly catfished or sextorted underage boys into sending explicit images of themselves. WPXI citing court filings, also reporting Meyers allegedly directed one boy to have sex with two men. And this is, it's a disturbing story.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: It really is. There's reportedly 21 victims. They attend the same high school Meyers attended.

Investigators told WPXI that many thought Meyers was a young woman or an adult film actress overseas. Now, Meyers' attorney told CNN quote, "We are carefully reviewing the affidavit of probable cause and preparing for a preliminary hearing. To comment on anything additional at this time would be inappropriate from any party involved."

The suspect is expected in court this Friday. But I want to bring in Internet safety expert Alicia Kozak. She wrote the book, "The Internet Safety Guidebook."

And at the age of 13, she was abducted by a predator who had catfished Alicia online pretending to be a girl her age. Thank you for taking the time. You know, I just want to start with, what do you make of the fact that this accused predator was someone in the school, maybe even in their class, as opposed to what someone might typically think, hey, it's someone miles and miles away and not close to home.

ALICIA KOZAK, INTERNET SAFETY EXPERT AND ABDUCTION SURVIVOR: Yes, this is definitely a very disturbing case, but it is it's also an extreme case. But it's really what is hiding under the surface. So I speak in schools very often.

And in nearly every school I speak in, I have a disclosure of sextortion going on. And it is most often by a fellow student. This is becoming incredibly common where it is happening in the room, and the children are harming each other.

And it's something that we're certainly not talking about enough. And it's a very dark area. But it is a reality that this case is bringing to the surface.

And it's an awful case, but I'm glad that we're talking about it.

HILL: Yes, absolutely. It is dark. And it was, I think it was certainly surprising to a number of us when the story was pitched in our morning meeting that this was happening.

That there were so many charges here. Also, the fact that the victims are boys. You say that oftentimes predators can use that to their advantage. How?

KOZAK: Predators do target boys. From what I've heard, even from law enforcement, sometimes more often because boys are less likely to come forward. That there is a stigma and shame and embarrassment surrounding this.

But also, we teach boys and talk to boys from the time that they're itty bitty babies, you're so tough and you're so big and you're so strong. And when it comes to the Internet, yes, that may all be true.

They may be big and tough and strong. But when it comes to the Internet, those things don't add up to anything. They don't offer any protection or any value because it's not a battle of strength. It is a battle of wits.

[15:40:00]

And kids are up against so, so much. Predators are so good at what they do. And how to trick the kids. This was a student who was incredibly involved. He was the class president.

He was somebody so trustworthy. Somebody that you would feel safe with. And these students certainly did from what I've read and what I have heard.

He was hiding right in plain sight. And this had been going on for some time. And what these boys endured was horrible.

But what I'm also seeing and what I also really want to ask people is that as a public, we really have to think about how we respond to cases like this. I'm seeing things online like parents need to teach their kids common sense.

And that if I was 17, I wouldn't have fallen for that. And they victim blame. And when we do that, we are teaching children and boys especially not to come forward.

And with that, there will unfortunately be more victims. So we have to change our language. When it comes to sextortion, a big part of it is that they're going to be exposed and embarrassed.

And then once it hits the public, they come forward and then that is exactly what happens. So we really need to be protective of victims and create a culture and a world where it is a safe place for them to come forward. Because this is happening.

I can almost guarantee you it's happening in school.

JIMENEZ: And even though these are still just charges at this point, there are a lot of charges here. A lot of allegations here that are going to play out over the course of a court process. But you know, I want to talk about you for a second because your survival story is incredible here.

And as we mentioned, you were abducted when you were 13. Enslaved for days by a pedophile as I understand. For the victims in this case, and obviously not quite a one-to-one. We don't know all the details here, but regardless, victims.

And for those who may not know where to go for help or what to do next, what do you want to tell them about coming forward and trying in some form to heal from this?

KOZAK: This is a lot. This is a breaking of trust. This is a secret hell that they have experienced.

There may not be bruises and wounds, but that does not mean that there is not damage, certainly, that has been done. And that comes from a process of healing. But we also really have to teach boys and children how to come forward and who to come forward to.

So even if they do go to their parents and they say that this is going on or they go to a teacher or they go to somebody, if it's not turned over to law enforcement, it cannot stop. The only people who can stop this is law enforcement. Because even if that person does stop targeting this specific child, they're going to go on to that next victim.

And so often they have multiple victims. So to really get a handle on this, law enforcement has to be brought in. And it's difficult because it's a conversation that is so uncomfortable where photos may have been shared, videos may have been shared.

In this case, some really horrible things had happened. And it's hard to come forward about those things. And that's why I said we have to create that safe space.

But we definitely have to get that information to law enforcement because they are the ones who can do something about it.

HILL: Yes, and absolutely. And you telling your story, which I imagine doesn't necessarily get easier, but you are empowering so many to find the courage to do the same. Alicia Kozak, thank you. We appreciate it.

We'll be right back.

[15:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: The Trump administration is adding new sanctions on Iran as it ramps up its maximum pressure campaign against the country. Those new sanctions target Iranian oil sales and ballistic missile production. Tomorrow in Geneva, U.S. and Iranian officials are expected to hold high-stakes negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.

Joining us now to discuss, CNN military analyst Brett McGurk. So when we look at how everything is playing out here, the president addressing Iran last night in the State of the Union. And the president has said that he -- that Iran wants to make a deal.

But in his words, and I'm quoting him here, "They have yet to say" quote, "we will never have a nuclear weapon." What's interesting is that hours before the State of the Union, you had the Iranian foreign minister who was saying, look, we're never under any circumstances going to develop a nuclear weapon. So where is the disconnect?

BRETT MCGURK, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, Erica, Iran has said that for years. They said in the JCPOA, they will, anytime you sit down with the Iranians, they will mention the fatwa from the Supreme Leader against any nuclear weapons. However, the problem is we all know Iran had a weapons program.

The IAEA, the international organization that looks at this stuff, there's a term called possible military dimension, PMD. Iran has never acknowledged having that program. And you add that up with the massive nuclear infrastructure they have, it calls into serious questions the intent of the program.

There's a lot of history here. So yes, they say we'll never have a nuclear weapon. That's not the point.

The point is the nuclear infrastructure, the enrichment, everything that has to be in a deal. And let's hope there's some success in Geneva tomorrow, but I'm a little skeptical.

HILL: For that, for that deal, let me keep the deal for just one moment. For there to be a quote unquote deal, what would the U.S. have give? I mean, would that have to be some give and take?

MCGURK: So, Erica, in all my experience with negotiating with the Iranians, I've sat across the table from them in multiple permutations. They demand, even for small steps on the nuclear side, massive, massive sanctions relief.

[15:50:00]

And I think that is what really is not being discussed here, because to grant massive sanctions relief, really any sanctions relief right now, I think would be very difficult.

And what I took from the president's speech last night, you know, a short portion on Iran, but not insignificant, because he laid out three very clear points. Number one, he said 32,000 protesters were killed in this crackdown, this massacre.

I can't vouch for that number. That's a huge number. And keep in mind, when Assad, the president of Syria, killed about 100 Syrians with sarin gas, President Trump in 2017, I was in the Trump administration at that time, fired 57 Tomahawk missiles into Syria. So some precedent for that. That's one. Number two, and this was news, he said since Midnight Hammer, the

Iranians are once again messing around with their nuclear program in ways that the intelligence community might be seeing. That's also very significant.

And number three, the missile program. He said the missile program continues to advance, and they're working on missiles that can ultimately reach the U.S. This is, of course, a huge concern, not just to us and Israel, even the U.N. Security Council has sanctions on the missile program. So you add those three things up, that's kind of the pretext for a possible military operation. I thought it was significant that the president laid out those three points in very clear detail.

HILL: When you think about the possibility of a military operation, how much is riding on these talks in Geneva?

MCGURK: I suspect, Erica, that this will not be a make-or-break. I mean, the Omani Foreign Minister Busaidi, I know him very well. With the Omanis there as mediators, talks really kind of break down. The Omanis have a real interest in trying to keep things going.

I suspect we'll hear some progress has been made. This might go on a little bit longer. At the end of the day, however, we have a massive force deployed.

It can deploy for some time. So the president owns the clock here, but not forever. It is a kind of eventually you have to use it, or you have to redeploy.

And that is where this is coming to time pressure. So I think within the next couple weeks, one way or the other, the president will have to make a decision. And you know, I suspect, the positions right now are almost irreconcilable on the nuclear side. It's hard to see a deal coming together.

So I still think the direction of travel here is leading towards a military operation.

HILL: Leading towards a military operation. What would it take? I mean, in your view, especially having worked in the first Trump administration, what is your sense of what it would take for the president to back off that possibility?

Because it seems in some ways, he has backed himself into a corner in some ways.

MCGURK: Well, he could really lower the bar and basically do a nuclear deal that would allow enrichment on Iranian soil -- that's Iran's demand -- at a low level. That's very similar to the Obama-era deal that President Trump is very much on the record as saying is the worst deal ever. So I have a hard time seeing him actually do it.

President Trump has also said Iran has never lost a negotiation, never won a war. He said that back in 2018. So there's a lot of history here. Look, end of the day, President Trump can do whatever he wants. The decision is kind of in his hands. But as I'm watching this play out, Erica, I don't see the Iranians coming to the table and offering what the U.S. side would really need to justify a deal. Because that would really require significant restrictions on the nuclear program, dismantling that massive nuclear infrastructure they have.

I cannot see a deal that permits enrichment, especially to levels above the JCPOA-era level. And the sanctions relief is going to be hard. And you have to have a deal for the Iranians. They're going to demand sanctions relief.

HILL: There was a lot at play here, that is for sure. Brad McGurk, always appreciate your insight. Thank you.

MCGURK: Thank you, Erica.

HILL: Well, we now know which astronaut had a medical emergency that sent four crew members on board the International Space Station back to Earth early. We have more of those details, including how the astronaut's doing now. That's ahead.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIMENEZ: We now know that it was Mike Fincke who was the astronaut whose medical event led to an early exit from the International Space Station.

HILL: NASA posting a statement today from Fincke, who said the information was being shared, of course, at his request. CNN senior space and science writer Jackie Wattles joins us now. So, Jackie, what else are we learning from Mike Fincke in this statement?

JACKIE WATTLES, CNN SPACE AND SCIENCE WRITER: Right. Yes, Mike Fincke is doing something extraordinary here. He's coming forward and identifying himself as the astronaut that suffered that medical issue.

But maybe just as notable as what he did say, is what he didn't say. He didn't say the nature of his issue or exactly what that medical concern was. All he said was that it was a medical event that required immediate attention, but that he was quickly stabilized.

He goes on to say, "I'm doing very well in continuing standard post- flight reconditioning at NASA's Johnson Space Center." He says, "Spaceflight is an incredible privilege, and sometimes it reminds us how human we are."

Fincke, of course, is a veteran astronaut. He's logged more than 500 days in space, and that includes across two missions that he carried out even before this mission.

JIMENEZ: And, you know, this medical event forced an early exit from the International Space Station here. Why would that be? How are medical events sort of handled in that setting? WATTLES: Yes, well, this is definitely extraordinary. NASA had never taken this step before of bringing a premature into an ISS staffing mission because of a health issue. And it came about at a very unexpected time.

Mike Fincke and his colleague, Zena Cardman, they were actually supposed to step outside the space station and conduct a spacewalk. And it was during preparations for that event that this medical issue was identified. NASA very quickly made the decision that Fincke and Cardman were going to join their two other crewmates on their SpaceX capsule and come back home from the space station.

So it was a very abrupt reversal and definitely nothing that we've ever seen before from NASA. And their departure left just three people on board the International Space Station. And that's not ideal. NASA typically likes to keep staffing at around seven people to keep those science experiments going and just to, you know, handle routine maintenance on this giant orbiting laboratory. It's about the size of a football field.

So definitely an extreme step that was taken here.

HILL: Yes, and clearly for good reason. But the good news is he is doing OK, which we're happy to hear. And as you said, Jackie, kind of extraordinary now that he is outing himself, letting everybody know that it was him, but also that he's OK.

JIMENEZ: Yes, we'll see what happens. Jackie Wattles, really appreciate it.

And appreciate you all for sticking around. Good to see you, too.

HILL: Always a pleasure, my friend.

JIMENEZ: "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts right now.

END