Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

DHS Launches Voter Fraud Investigation Surge; Judge to Decide if Charlie Kirk's Alleged Killer Will Stand Trial; Oil Prices Surge on New U.S. Strikes in Iran; Dems Grapple With Moderate-progressive Divide Before Midterms; Dow Falls After New U.S. Strikes on Iran. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired September 01, 2026 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00]

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- to advance the president's crusade on alleged voter fraud. In this case, they are again leaning on ICE, Homeland security investigations that as a branch of that agency usually focused on human trafficking, drug smuggling, and the rest. But now, increasingly moving toward voter fraud and putting unprecedented resources behind that. And this is just the latest example of that.

Starting today, offices in the select nine states are going to have to pursue investigative leads linked to voter fraud. Let me read you part of the guidance that I reviewed that describes what this is. They call it a quote, "coordinated criminal voter fraud surge initiative to pursue investigative leads, conduct field interviews, and support timely prosecutorial review." Now, this investigative action is going to start now and go through mid-October.

Of course, the timing on this is notable because we're only a couple months shy of the midterm elections, and generally federal governments have tried to avoid any overt investigations when it comes to elections, again, for fear of any sort of chilling effect. Now, there are exceptional circumstances. It's unclear whether this falls under that because, again, these investigations have just started to go -- to come back in full force.

Now, when I asked the department about this, they said, quote, "While ICE, Homeland Security Investigations is not able to comment on any active investigations, HSI is actively rooting out and investigating election fraud wherever it can be found," going on to say that under President Trump, HSI is committed to restoring integrity to our election systems and ensuring that American citizens and only American citizens are electing American leaders.

Of course, worth noting, experts say that there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in recent elections, but the department is still touting this, and not just them, the administration as a whole. Last week, for example, touting the arrest of a Honduran national who had falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen and registered to vote.

So, this is a drum that they keep banging and clearly behind the scenes are continuing to work on, especially and even as the midterm elections get closer.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": And DHS Secretary, Mullin announced a big change that's coming for ICE agents who are in the field. What is this?

ALVAREZ: They are going to be wearing body cam cameras, he says, by the end of September. That's a bit of a shift of a timeline. Previously, we had been told that that would be the end of August. However, it's our understanding now that they are distributing those cameras and doing training.

This is how he describes it at a press conference earlier today in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARKWAYNE MULLIN, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We're getting close. By -- I don't -- by the end of September, I'm pretty sure we will be there. And we're talking about how we can activate those faster too. But I feel like we're on track by the end of September to have everybody that's in the field. That doesn't mean every ICE agent, everybody that's in the field will have a body-worn camera. It's for our safety and the public safety too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, there is bipartisan agreement on this issue of having ICE agents have body cameras on their person. They haven't in many of these cases, which means that when there are these aggressive confrontations, we're usually relying on eyewitness videos.

And even within the White House, White House Border Czar, Tom Homan also wants to see them with these body cams. So now we have that deadline, end of September, according to the Secretary, those in the field will have those on their person.

KEILAR: All right, Priscilla, thank you so much. We'll be looking to see if that deadline gets hit there.

A Utah judge will soon decide if Charlie Kirk's alleged killer will stand trial. We'll have the latest from court next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:37:04]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Happening now, a Utah judge is here in closing arguments before citing whether the man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist, Charlie Kirk, will stand trial. Tyler Robinson faces charges including aggravated murder for allegedly shooting Kirk from a rooftop during a speaking event almost a year ago. Prosecution and the defense are each expected to argue for a couple of hours before the judge makes a decision if there's enough probable cause to proceed to trial.

Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk and his parents are expected to be in the courtroom. CNN Correspondent, Nick Watt is following this and joins us now.

So Nick, what are the arguments from each side?

NICK WATT, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, the prosecution is going to tell the judge, listen, this isn't even a close decision. They say that they've got surveillance video of Tyler Robinson on that campus four times on the day that Charlie Kirk was killed. They say they've got his DNA on the alleged murder weapon and other items.

They say that they have essentially confessions from Tyler Robinson in messages to friends and to his roommate/boyfriend. So they are going to say this is not even close. They also say, listen, he turned himself in, this guy, there is enough probable cause to take this trial.

Now the defense, Boris, they're going to say, you know what, the prosecution is relying a lot on hearsay. The forensics were in fact Inconclusive and they've also tried to poke holes in the policing of the event itself to try and sow a little seed of doubt that perhaps somebody else could have done this. Now, the key though, Boris, are going to be, you mentioned aggravated charges, so Tyler Robinson is facing the death penalty if he is charged with murder, with those aggravating factors.

One is that he endangered other people by shooting Charlie Kirk in front of 3,000 people, a 400-plus-foot shot from a rooftop that that endangered other people. Now the defense says Tyler Robinson had no intention of injuring anybody else, he never mentioned that. The other issue is was Charlie Kirk targeted because of his politics. They have said Charlie Kirk was against transitioning and also against gay marriage, and Tyler Robinson, the suspect here, was dating a male who was at the time considering transition.

The defense says you got no evidence to tie those two things together. Boris?

SANCHEZ: Nick, I just want to let our viewers know those were live images coming from the courtroom in Provo, Utah. Has there been any sign of Kirk's loved ones, including his widow, that they are expected to be there on hand today?

WATT: They are and they were at the five days of hearings that preceded today. So we haven't actually seen them yet because the media restrictions are very tight on this courtroom. That judge, who you see there right now, he knows the world is watching.

[13:40:00]

He knows people are desperate to find some sliver of conspiracy. He is running a pretty tight ship. He's going to allow one camera in that court. Now worth noting, Tyler Robinson's parents have also been in that courtroom.

Now as you mentioned, Boris, we expect two hours from each side and then this judge will rule, is there probable cause, is there enough to take this to a full trial? Will Tyler Robinson stand trial for killing Charlie Kirk? Boris?

SANCHEZ: And we will bring you the latest developments from the courtroom as we get them. Nick Watt, thank you so much for that update.

Happening this hour at the White House, the president holding his second affordability focused event this week, this time focused on lowering gas and diesel costs. We're going to take a closer look at how they plan to address the issue, what it could mean for your wallet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:45:25]

KEILAR: This hour, President Trump is hosting a group of energy companies at the White House and the discussion is expected to focus primarily on efforts to lower gas and diesel costs, which remain stubbornly high as the war with Iran enters its seventh month and continues to disrupt global oil supplies.

SANCHEZ: Oil prices are rising again as the U.S. military just announced it has carried out another round of strikes on Iran today in response to Tehran's attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. troops in the region. Gas prices also ticking up, the national average now $4.10 a gallon, up 38 percent since the start of the war.

Let's discuss with our political panel, Shermichael Singleton, who is a CNN Political Commentator and Republican Strategist, and Sawyer Hackett is a Democratic Strategist. Thank you both for being with us.

So, Shermichael, first to you, obviously energy prices are a focus for the president, affordability top of mind as we head into the midterms. If the cost of energy doesn't go down, despite whatever messaging the White House produces, isn't that going to be bad for Republicans come November?

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, WHO IS A CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Oh, it's always bad. I mean, like James Carville was right when he said about 36 years ago now, "It's the economy, stupid." that still persists today. It's those kitchen table issues that Sawyer and I were just debating last night when we were on together, that really moves the needle for a lot of people.

Now, look, if the president can somehow figure out a way, utilize an executive authority to get these CEOs to lower prices, maybe you work with Congress and say, we'll offer a four or five-year tax incentive, Sawyer. That's one potential way. Sawyer disagrees, but I think that's a possibility for the president to try to get ahead of this quickly enough.

But then the question ultimately comes down to the timeline. We're what, about 60 days away until people start to vote come midterm. Will you have enough time, even if you were to do something through the legislative process or through the president's persuasion abilities as the chief executive of the country, they change things, does it impact in four weeks, five weeks, or is this a 60-day process where at that point, people have already made up their minds in terms of who they're going to vote for?

KEILAR: Yeah. And they've been having these high gas prices for quite a while, right? They've been having them for months. The White House announced, Sawyer, this unprecedented deal with Venezuela, which would grant the U.S. rights to billions of dollars of oil as part of a joint venture with the acting president, Delcy Rodriguez's government. That's not going to pay.

I mean, aside from debating sort of just the structure of what that is, which there is a debate to be had over that, if there is an effect, you're not going to see it for a very long time. So to the timing issue, is all of this just a little too late?

SAWYER HACKETT, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yeah. I mean, they're desperately trying to save face and convince the American people that they're going to lower their gas prices before the midterms. That's not going to happen. I mean, based on every expert that's reviewed this deal, that most of those savings, if there are any savings at the pump, are not going to be for another five to 15 years. And it's funny that we keep having these conversations in the midterms about socialism and communism.

Meanwhile, the president is pursuing a plan to have the U.S. military seize a 35 percent stake in a Venezuelan oil company. So congratulations on combating socialism.

(LAUGH)

HACKETT: You brought it into Venezuela and into America. It's great.

SINGLETON: That's a good talking point. I'll give you that one.

(LAUGH)

KEILAR: It's a whole other panel, I was going to say. That's why I had to take it and sort of put it aside for the sake of the question. OK.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: So this GOP convention is next week. It's the midterm convention, but it's really being billed as this Trumpapalooza. What are the stakes here, Shermichael?

SINGLETON: I mean, look, it's happening in Texas, a pivotal state where we have a candidate who has struggled to raise money. The NRSC has limited capabilities. The president's MAGA, Inc., which is reported to have about $850 million in cash reserves, will absolutely have to jump in and help Kim Paxton bring this across the finish line. So number one, I think it's key.

Two, it's a state where the president received 34 percent of African- American men. It's a state where he received a significant percent of Hispanic men. So it's a critical state, I would argue, for the Republican Party, not just because of the Senate seat, but in terms of what can the party do to maintain the inroads it made nearly two years ago with these diverse communities.

Now, I would argue that it's soft support. I would argue that we've lost a lot of that support, and I don't think we've done a whole lot to give those men, Hispanics and Black, a reason to continue to vote for the Republican Party. So my hope is that having it there, that will be a huge part of the agenda.

What does the Republican coalition look like come 2028? Because we're going to need more than just the president's existing base.

SANCHEZ: Sawyer, from Texas to the Northeast in Massachusetts where there's a primary today, surprising that it didn't lead a political panel perhaps because we kind of know where it's trending. You had a younger congressman in Seth Moulton taking on an established sitting Senator in Ed Markey, somebody who's been in office for decades.

[13:50:00]

Moulton tried to position himself as a new generation taking over the role. Markey went as far to the left as he could in a Democratic primary, and it appears to be paying off for him. Polls appear to be trending in his direction. How do you see that race? Is it indicative of all of where the party is in that debate between progressive and more centrist views?

HACKETT: I'm not really sure that that race is going to be kind of emblematic of the kind of shift that we're seeing within the Democratic Party because Seth Moulton has obviously been in Congress for quite some time. He may not be as old as Senator Markey has been, quite as established, but he's kind of a household name.

He ran for president in 2020. I worked for a candidate that ran alongside him. And so that race, obviously, you have Markey kind of staking out that progressive lane. You have Moulton kind of staking out more of a kind of moderate center-left lane but also really taking on ICE, which I think is fascinating that this is kind of a rallying point for Democratic voters in this final stretch of the primary season.

So it's an interesting race to watch, but I think it's more of a race of personalities than of ideological tests.

KEILAR: What do you think?

SINGLETON: I would just say quickly, I think it's also a race about generational divides, right? I think there are a lot of young voters on your side, Sawyer, as well as on my side that are saying it's time to pass the torch to the next generation. We're facing huge hurdles with A.I. and technology in this revolution that's going to fundamentally change every aspect of our lives. And you have members of Congress who don't understand the technology.

And so a lot of younger people who are entering the workforce, they want leaders who get it and who can also provide a pathway for how they're going to provide a living for themselves, start a family, affordability, et cetera. These are very consequential things. And so I think this race is indicative of a lot of people saying, hey, guys, it's time to retire, let the next generation come up and lead.

KEILAR: But it seems like maybe being progressive, certainly in this race, and it is Massachusetts, so --

SINGLETON: Yeah, it is.

KEILAR: -- you know, it's a certain kind of place, right? But it seems like having those kind of progressive credentials maybe could win the day.

SINGLETON: Look at Bernie Sanders.

KEILAR: Even if you've been in Congress for 50 days.

SINGLETON: Yeah, that's true. 50 years.

KEILAR: For 50 years.

(LAUGH)

KEILAR: True moments, 50 days. What can get done?

SINGLETON: I second that.

(LAUGH)

KEILAR: Speed governing. We'll see.

SANCHEZ: Shermichael Sawyer, appreciate the conversation.

SINGLETON: Thank you, guys.

SANCHEZ: Thanks for joining us.

So Tropical Storm Edouard is gaining strength as it approaches the Gulf Coast. Communities there bracing for heavy rainfall. We have your forecast when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:57:35]

KEILAR: We're following a rough day on Wall Street. Investors unhappy with the new strikes between Iran and the U.S. and the rise in oil prices. CNN's Matt Egan is tracking all of it for us.

Matt, what's happening right now?

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Brianna, the latest fighting in the Middle East, it is rattling investors on Wall Street. Stocks were already stuck in reverse. And then, yes, U.S. officials announced these new strikes on targets in Iran, and we saw markets fall to their lowest levels of the day. Taking a look at where markets are right now. The Dow is down just over 400 points, almost one percent. The NASDAQ is down one percent on the day. And, of course, the problem is that the latest fighting in the Middle East, that's just driving up the cost of energy. Oil prices were up yesterday. They were up again this morning.

But then they increased those gains on the latest headlines. You see Brent, the global benchmark, now at $94.50 a barrel, up four percent on the day. Some context, at this point last year, oil prices were just at about $65 a barrel, so significantly higher right now.

And, of course, this is just going to make it more expensive to fill up your tank at the gas station. Gas prices were above $4 a gallon every single day during the month of August. AAA says that that has never happened before.

Now, the fact that we have higher energy prices, more concerned about the war, that is also just adding to the turmoil in the bond market. Bond prices have sold off. That has driven up the yield on the 10-year to 4.79 percent. Some context, that is the highest level since the final days of the Biden administration.

Why do we care about this? Because the higher bond yields go, the more expensive it is to borrow. Because Treasuries, they set the cost of borrowing for everything from mortgages, small business loans, to car loans, to, of course, government borrowing. Mortgages is the big one there. Before the war started, mortgage rates, they were around six percent. Now, they're getting closer and closer to seven percent. That might not sound like that much, but it's adding hundreds of dollars to mortgage payments every single month.

So, look, bottom line here, Brianna, it's all connected, right? The more the war heats up, the higher energy prices are going to go. The more you're going to have these inflationary concerns upset the bond market, and drive up the cost of borrowing. It's really all connected.

KEILAR: Certainly is. Matt Egan, thank you so much.

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