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Ex-FBI Chief Comey Indicted For Seashell Picture DOJ Says Threatened Trump; Jerome Powell Has Yet To Decide Future At The Fed; FCC Targets ABC Licenses As Trump Demands Kimmel Be Fired. Aired 7:30- 8a ET

Aired April 29, 2026 - 07:30   ET

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

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[07:32:35]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning we're standing by to see if former FBI director James Comey will be taken into custody or possibly turn himself in. This after the new indictment over an Instagram post Comey shared last year of shells on the beach spelling out "86 47." Now the Department of Justice says this was an intentional threat against the president. Comey later removed the post and said he did not realize that some "associate those numbers with violence" -- the 86 part. Overnight Comey said he is "still innocent" and "still not afraid."

Let's get to CNN's Katelyn Polantz for the latest on all this. What are you learning this morning, Katelyn.

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: John, a nine- month investigation into that photo Comey snapped of seashells on a beach last May. It has resulted in the second time -- the second indictment of former FBI director James Comey.

The previous set of accusations -- it was about lying to Congress, and he did not end up going to trial on that. The case was dismissed.

But in this situation, it's a somewhat more serious charge. It's two charges Comey faces right now -- one about making a threat over state lines and then also threatening the president. Both counts potentially carrying up to 10 years in prison.

Now, Comey says that this is not something that he ever believed to be threat to the president. After Republicans and Trump allies criticized that post last May he took it down, he apologized, and he said that he intended no harm. He also gave a voluntary interview to federal authorities who wanted to investigate him over what they perceived as a threat.

And now we have this new charge Comey will be facing in federal court. He hasn't made an appearance yet and there is an arrest warrant out for him. We don't know if he will end up turning himself in or if he will be arrested. That's something that we will probably be learning in the next couple of hours -- how this case proceeds. But as of right now, John, the Justice Department is taking this very

seriously. The Attorney General Todd Blanche and the FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted that the grand jury was told about all of this, including Comey's apology and taking down that post. And this investigation went on for several months.

[07:35:00]

Here's a little bit more about Todd -- from Todd Blanche at a press conference yesterday at the Justice Department.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TODD BLANCHE, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: I think it's fair to say that threatening the life of anybody is dangerous and potentially a crime. Threatening the life of the President of the United States will never be tolerated by the Department of Justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POLANTZ: Now, one of the things that has happened since then is an avalanche of criticism coming in about the Justice Department choosing to charge this case.

First Amendment groups are condemning it, saying that this seems to be political speech. Where is the line? Why would you charge this? Comey intended no harm.

And then the legal community -- many in the legal community, including conservative legal thinkers and lawyers, are saying are you serious? Is that really a threat? Did he really knowingly and intent -- and have a willful intent to threaten the President of the United States' life by making this post on Instagram?

We'll see exactly how a judge responds. There was a grand jury that approved this indictment but ultimately it will be tested in court. Comey will be able to make his defenses there and the judge will decide if the case can go forward to trial -- John.

BERMAN: And legal analysts we've heard from suggest it would be a very tough case to make.

Katelyn Polantz, thank you so much for being with us this morning -- Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Thank you, John.

Joining me now, Democratic Congressman Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts.

Look, as you just heard, the DOJ has once again indicted the former FBI director over a post he made which said in seashells "86 47" -- 86 slang for getting rid of or removing someone. And, of course, 47, the 47th president, Donald Trump.

It is the same symbolism used in posts made by former Republican members of Congress -- Matt Gaetz, for example. In 2024, he posted this. And far-right activist Jack Posobiec who said "86 46" targeting then-President Joe Biden.

So why do you think they were not indicted for threatening the lives of Congress and a president, but James Comey has been?

REP. JAKE AUCHINCLOSS (D-MA): Good morning, Sara. Thanks for having me back on.

It's because this is a political prosecution. Let's be clear about what's happening here. Todd Blanche is acting attorney general. He's auditioning for the job. And Kash Patel is in the hotseat because of unprofessional conduct at the FBI. He is trying to keep his job. And the two of them are commiserating to impress Donald Trump by directing taxpayer resources towards a political prosecution that does not protect the public safety of the American people, nor does it address the rampant corruption of this administration.

SIDNER: Let me ask you about something else that has happened during all of this. The FCC is now sort of threatening and looking into the broadcast license of ABC over late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's comments about Melania and the president.

Are you concerned about this or do you think this is a legitimate investigation?

AUCHINCLOSS: I don't think it's a legitimate investigation. I think what we're seeing is an administration that when it was campaigning for office was very keen on the First Amendment and very keen on calling the Democratic Party censorious is now becoming the party of cancel culture. It can't take a joke and trying to chill protected speech.

SIDNER: For the first time since the United States went to war with Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is coming to talk to you all on Congress.

What questions do you have that you feel like must be answered by him?

AUCHINCLOSS: The fundamental questions actually aren't military; they're strategic. The administration is going to try to dress up their strategic failures with the operational excellence of the U.S. military. They're going to talk about effects on targets. They're going to talk about the number of strikes. They're going to talk about the degradation of Iranians' command and control and ballistic missile infrastructure.

All of it is misdirection because the foundational point is this president launched an unauthorized war of choice that has handed a more hardened and hardline regime a new strategic deterrent with chokepoint control of the Strait of Hormuz. Has not taken away any of their enriched uranium and has, indeed, in the court of global opinion strengthened Iranians' ideological narrative.

This is the first president in American history to start and lose a war by himself and nothing that the military can say is going to change that strategic reality.

The core question now is not directed towards bombs or blockades; it's directed towards what is your end game with Iran now that you're locked in a staring contest? Now that you've elevated your adversary to give them new leverage how are you going to exit this in a way that does not continue to raise prices on Americans and does not continue to degrade the stability and security of the Middle East?

[07:40:00]

SIDNER: Look, Trump just this morning has posted several things, but he said that Iran needs to get its act together and then he posted this with himself holding a, you know, automatic weapon standing in front of a bombed out -- wherever that is -- saying "No more Mr. Nice Guy!"

What do you make of some of the symbolism that they're putting out there and his comments that Iran needs to get its act together?

AUCHINCLOSS: I mean, I don't know what that means but he's constantly doing this, right? The guy who was a perennial draft dodger likes to dress himself up in military gear. His Defense Department briefs on this war like it's a "Call of Duty" videogame. And all of it is a massive depletion of material and U.S. military readiness, particularly in the -- in the Indo-Pacific and none of it has made the American people safer.

And regrettably, we're going to see six more months of this, Sara, going into the midterms. What we're going to see is the president is going to be constantly trying to misdirect with one hand.

He's going to be talking about political prosecutions, boogeymen on the left, whether it's Comey -- I wouldn't be surprised if he goes after the Clintons again. It's going to be outlandish statements meant to drive new cycles. It's going to be posts like this that are meant to make him seem like a tough guy.

And the reason he's doing that misdirection is because on the other hand -- the hand that Americans actually care about, which is the cost of living -- groceries are high, gas is high, housing is high -- he's got -- the hand is empty.

SIDNER: Congressman Jake Auchincloss, thank you so much for taking the time with us this morning. I do appreciate you -- Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So one way the State Department is now joining in the White House -- joining the White House in celebrating America's 250th anniversary, a revamped U.S. passport design -- this one featuring the President of the United States and his golden signature. Officials say that this new passport will be available at the Washington Passport Agency for people who renew in person.

You can also add this to the list of examples of the president leaving his mark on Washington, the federal government, and beyond.

Last year, the Department of Interior unveiled commemorative new designs for park passes, one of which featured President Trump's face with George Washington. Back in February, a large banner was hung outside the Justice Department with his face on it. And also very publicly, of course, you remember that President Trump has now added his name to the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington.

As for the passports, the State Department will begin issuing passports -- these passports this summer.

Let's turn to a big day for the economy and a big day for the Federal Reserve. Today the central bank will announce that its latest interest rate decision -- most likely it's expected the Fed will decide to hold rates right where they are.

But maybe more importantly today what Fed Chairman Jerome Powell will say. Everyone is waiting to learn his decision. Will he leave the central bank altogether once his replacement takes the lead or will he stay in a supporting role on its board of governors?

CNN's Matt Egan is in Washington waiting for this announcement to come out this morning. Matt, what are you expecting about all of this?

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well Kate, it does look like this will be Jerome Powell's final meeting at the helm of the Federal Reserve.

But there's really not much suspense over what the Fed will do today. I haven't talked to anyone who is expecting an interest rate cut. The market is pricing in a 100 percent chance that the Fed keeps interest rates exactly where they are for the third meeting in a row. And yet, the Fed could send some important signals about what's going to happen next.

One of the key questions here is what does the Fed say about inflation? Do they sound more worried about the inflation situation? Because when the Fed last met in mid-March the hope was that this energy crisis in the Middle East was going to be short-lived. Of course, that has not happened. We've got $100 oil, $4.00 gas, and concerns about the supply of everything from jet fuel and fertilizer to plastic.

The Fed basically cannot cut interest rates right now because that would amount of pouring gasoline on a fire. In fact, one of the key questions here is whether or not the Fed opens the door at all to the next move not being an interest rate cut but an interest rate hike. Because not only is inflation moving in the wrong direction but there's hope that the job market has stabilized.

But the subplot that I'm most intrigued by here is the succession drama -- the succession drama at the Federal Reserve, one of the most powerful institutions in the world. Jerome Powell -- his term as chair expires in mid-May and it increasingly looks like his replacement, Kevin Warsh, will get confirmed by the Senate. Now, Powell has the option to stick around because his term on the powerful board of governors at the Fed -- that doesn't expire until January 2028.

Now normally, this is not a question at all but obviously we left the world of normal quite a while ago. And some Fed insiders and former Powell colleagues -- they tell me they suspect that Powell will break with tradition here and stick around for at least a few months. Now this wouldn't be unprecedented, but it would be rare. Every single Fed chair since 1948 has left the board after stepping down as chair.

[07:45:10]

But the thinking is he could stay for two reasons. One, because he's a fierce defender of Fed independence and he could view this as a way to protect that Fed independence from political interference.

Also, it could be viewed as a way to protect himself in case the Trump administration tries to revive its criminal investigation into Powell over those controversial building renovations here in Washington. Now, recently, the Trump administration -- the Justice Department announced they were dropping that investigation, but it hasn't gone away altogether. It's just been punted over to the Fed's inspector general and Trump officials -- they have said that the investigation could get revived depending upon what the IG says.

Now last month Powell -- he laid out the terms for what it would take for him to leave the Fed after his term as chair expires, and he said he has no intention to leave the board until the investigation is "well and truly over, with transparency and finality." And it's not clear at all whether or not those standards have been met here.

So look, Kate, we could hear from Powell today. He could just drop some hints about what he plans to do. He may not say anything about it yet but he's going to have to say something soon because his time as chair is coming up soon. It'll be fascinating to see how all of this plays out.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely, and what response the president will offer shorty thereafter.

It's good to see you, Matt. Thank you so much -- John.

BERMAN: So, school bus kids to the rescue after their school bus driver passes out behind the wheel.

And then a surprising twist for the so-called "Cocaine Hippos" targeted to be put down. A billionaire now swooping into save them.

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[07:51:13]

SIDNER: The FCC is going head-to-head with Disney, calling for an early renewal examination of eight ABC station licenses. Trump officials argue the request is part of a larger, ongoing probe into Disney's diversity initiatives.

But, of course, it comes amid President Trump's clash with ABC late- night host Jimmy Kimmel after he joked that the first lady had the "glow of an expectant widow." Kimmel says the jab was aimed at the couple's age difference. The president tied the joke to the attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, calling on both Disney and ABC to immediately fire Kimmel.

But then during his speech yesterday the president himself made a joke about his age.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They were married for 63 years. And excuse me, if you don't mind, that's a record we won't be able to match, darling. I'm sorry. It's just not going to work out that way. We'll do well but we're not going to do that well. Sixty-three years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: All right.

While Kimmel didn't directly address the FCC escalation during his latest opening monologue, he did reference the president's remarks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, ABC "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!": Wait a minute. Did he just make a joke about his death?

(Applause)

He should be fired. He should be fired for that. Only Donald Trump would demand I be fired for making a joke about his old age and then a day later go out and make a joke about his old age.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: It should be noted that Melania didn't laugh at either of those jokes.

Disney's filings are due on May 28. In a statement the company says it remains confident it is in full compliance with industry standards, John.

BERMAN: All right, with us now this morning our friend CNN senior political commentator David Urban. David, nice to see you this morning.

I want to read you the response of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz from Texas to this new FCC, you know, call for Disney to reapply for its applications there. Ted Cruz says, "It's not the government's job to censor speech, and I do not believe the FCC should operate as the speech police."

Where do you stand, David?

DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Yeah. Look, John, I agree with Sen. Cruz as despicable as I find this stuff, right? I mean, I'm not quite sure who finds people's deaths humorous or, like, widow jokes humorous. It's just -- it's in bad taste and just -- and just dumb. It's not funny. But I don't want the left -- I don't want the Biden administration or

some future Democratic administration policing speech on the right that they might find reprehensible. And I don't want the right to police speech that they find reprehensible on the left.

There's -- look, as you know, anyone who has been to law school -- a first-year law student knows there's a difference between, you know -- there are certain things you can do and certain things you can't do, right? You can't go into a crowded movie theater and yell fire.

There's certain things that classify hate speech. But just because it's disgusting speech doesn't mean that you can't still say it. It's reprehensible, it's dumb. Jimmy Kimmel's not funny. But it shouldn't be prohibited by the FCC.

BERMAN: What about all the energy that now the FCC is putting in this, not to mention the Justice Department looking into James Comey? There's a lot of, you know, man and woman hours going into these various investigations.

URBAN: Yeah. So listen, Jim Comey is another gentleman you'll find I think is incredibly reprehensible. He's a smart man. For him to say oh, I didn't realize that 46 87 might have -- excuse me, "86 47" might have some negative connotations to it.

[07:55:00]

Jim Comey is, again, similarly reprehensible, terrible, not funny. You don't joke about people's death. He's a very smart man. He knew exactly what he was doing.

You know, John, you probably get these over -- emails and things. I get numerous emails that skirt the border of threatening my life. That say I hope you die a slow death, David Urban. I hope your family suffers. People know what they're doing. They don't cross the line. I do get some that say I'm going to you down and kill you, and those go to the FBI to be followed up.

People are smart and they know what they can do and what's up -- just up against the line of acceptable and not criminal. Jim Comey is in that camp of being reprehensible and going up to the line knowing what's -- it doesn't cross over the line. It doesn't mean it shouldn't be condemned.

It doesn't mean Jimmy Kimmel shouldn't be condemned.

BERMAN: Um-hum.

URBAN: But should it be prosecuted? No. I don't think it should be. It should be condemned widely by you, myself, and others just like, you know, back -- think about where this all started John, I think. Remember when Sarah Huckabee Sanders got shouted out of a restaurant in suburban Virginia and then Maxine Waters said wherever you see Trump people, go up and form a crowd. Don't let them out. Shout them out. Scare them out. I mean, that's not acceptable. We shouldn't be doing that. BERMAN: David --

URBAN: There's a YouGov poll out recently --

BERMAN: Hey, David?

URBAN: -- early last year that says that under 45-year-olds -- hold on, let me just finish -- 45-year-olds and under on the left think that -- about 25 percent of them think that political violence is acceptable. It's never acceptable. We've got to condemn it always.

BERMAN: My question was different though. My question was yes or no; do you think the FCC and the DOJ should be putting its energy and manhours into this? Yes or no.

URBAN: No, no, no, no.

BERMAN: All right. David Urban, very nice to --

URBAN: No, but we should be condemning it loudly.

BERMAN: Very nice to see you this morning. For the record, I will only tweet nice things about you. Appreciate it -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: In Wisconsin, prosecutors say a dinner dispute led a woman to stab and kill her boyfriend. That 27-year-old woman is now charged with murder. According to the complaint she told her boyfriend she did not want him to come over for dinner and said she wanted to go out for dinner. But he proceeded to -- according to the complaint, proceeded to come over. He had drumsticks, seasoning, and was planning on using the air fryer. She says they got into an argument. She stabbed him out of the -- out of anger.

The complaint also adds this. "While transporting her, she stated that if the victim's parents didn't hate her before, they will hate her now."

If convicted she faces life in prison.

A police chase ends in a fiery, deadly crash in Atlanta. Police say the suspect behind the wheel lost control and then crashed into a power pole causing an explosion. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, you alright?

(Explosion)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Location again. I don't got location.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: My goodness. The driver was ejected from the vehicle in the crash. Officers had to pull the passenger then from the burning car. That person died at the hospital.

The driver, who was on Atlanta's 10 most wanted list, is in serious condition and now facing murder as well as other charges -- my goodness -- today.

A new twist. Then there's this. A new twist in the bizarre tale of the cocaine hippos out of Colombia. They're the descendants of four hippos originally brought to the country by infamous drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. He wanted to create his own zoo. Regardless, the problem is there clearly not native to Colombia, and their population has just exploded. They're becoming a threat to local wildlife, according to the government, and so the Colombia government has plans to -- announced plans to kill off 80 of them.

Enter the son of an Indian billionaire. He is now offering to move the hippos to his own wildlife sanctuary. The sanctuary says it already had more than 150,000 animals of all types in their care and the sanctuary assures that they will follow all necessary regulation to save -- keep the hippos safe if the Colombian government approves of the move. Hmm.

Now this. Coming out this weekend a new episode of the CNN original series "KARA SWISHER WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER." This time how to hack loneliness and why human connection may help us live longer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ZEKE EMANUEL, ONCOLOGIST: I'm also a big history buff.

KARA SWISHER, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST (voiceover): Every year, Zeke marches with minutemen, Revolutionary War diehards who find purpose in honoring the past. This practice is the result of his annual self- challenge -- try something new.

SWISHER: You do a new thing every year, right?

Something that gets me out of my comfort zone, out of -- that's unrelated to my career that I wouldn't have done regularly.

SWISHER: So play to me the minutemen. Talk about the cognitive benefits for learning, you think. What happens in your brain?

EMANUEL: Learning new things makes more neuro connections between different parts of the brain. When you get cognitive impairment those neuro connections peel back while the more connections you have the longer it's going to take for the peeling back to happen.