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Video Shows ICE Officers Pull Teen from Car, Punch Him; U.S. Moving Drones to South America Ahead of Counter-Drug Operations; GOP Rep. Salazar Breaks with Trump in Ad: Hispanics Feel Betrayed; Less than 1 Percent of GOP Candidates' TV Ads Mention Trump; Judge: 30-Day Notice Before Major Changes to Kennedy Center. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired September 18, 2026 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: On this slow grounder right here, first baseman Jared Young is going to try to go make a play. But he gets kicked right in the head by pitcher Nolan McClain's knee. Young was knocked out cold, his face planted right into the dirt.

He was down for quite a while. He was eventually loaded onto a stretcher and then carted off of the field. He did give a thumbs up on the way out.

Mets manager Andy Green said the CT scan at the hospital was negative. Young had a concussion and did though have full use of his extremities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDY GREEN, NY METS MANAGER: It was a terrifying moment on a baseball field. It took him a while to come to. It was a really scary collision.

FRANCISCO LINDOR, NY METS SHORTSTOP: It was scary, man. It was scary to sit there and just know that he wasn't with us in that moment. He was just somewhere else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes, John, this is one of the scariest moments I've ever seen on a baseball field. We certainly hope Young is going to be OK. It kind of reminded me of that Mike Cameron-Carlos Beltran collision from years ago.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, the first time I saw the replay, I didn't quite understand what was going on. But when you see it slowed down from the reverse angle right in the head, which snaps back. Andy Scholes, good to see you this morning.

Thank you very much. Glad he seems to be doing OK.

Brand-new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now. KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, ICE agents seen pulling a teenager from a car and punching him in the middle of a busy roadway. That teenager says that he was on his way to apply to join the U.S. military.

And it is Election Day in America. Yes, guys, you did not fall asleep for two months. Early voting begins in three states. But there are also new warning signs for President Trump within his own party. We have new reporting on that.

And video showing an out-of-control driver smashing through a fence, narrowly missing children who were playing in a pool. Oh, my God.

Sara is off today. I'm Kate Bolduan with John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

All right, let's get to the breaking news overnight. There is new video that appears to show a physical altercation between ICE officers and two Texas 17-year-old kids who were on their way to enlist with the Marines. Here's some of the video.

The officers pull one of the teenagers from the car. Moments later, another officer is seen repeatedly punching him in the face while he's lying on the ground.

CNN's Ryan Young is following this one. And, Ryan, I'm just kind of looking at this video as I'm coming to you. What do we know about the situation?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, we know there's obviously two sides to the story. The teens say they were going on their way to enlist in the Marines and at some point, they encountered these ICE agents who were detaining someone. They decided to start filming it, and at one point they were told to get back in their car.

At some point, one of those teenagers apparently went toward the ICE agent's car and then there was that heated confrontation that happened after that. Now, if we play some of this video just to give you a sense about what happened, this has been spreading all over the internet with people asking questions about exactly what happened. But this did happen September 11th in Alamo, Texas.

Let's take a listen to this for about 30 seconds here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CAR HONKING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: And so you can see that Louis Ochoa, he tells us through his attorney that he was driving his red Honda, and according to his attorney, they were going to enlist in the U.S. Marines when they had this interaction with ICE agents. Now, there is a conversation about exactly what happened when ICE agents may have believed they were trying to stop them from detaining someone.

At one point, one of them may have used their Social Security card to slap on the window of the car with the ICE agent in it. Once that happened, this thing really escalated, and you saw the agents get out. Two of the teens were then detained for eight hours.

We actually have a statement from DHS as well that we'll put up on the screen that basically says that "The two agitators proceeded to follow the officers once they returned to their vehicle, and one of the individuals approached the government vehicle and repeatedly banged on the officer's window. Then officers verbally commanded the agitator to stop his actions, but when he refused, the officers exited the vehicle and attempted to detain him. The agitator became verbally and abusively combative."

Now, this video goes on for about another minute and a half here, and you do see those agents going hands-on and basically applying not only body pressure but putting blows on the young men. And that's what really has surfaced and exploded on the internet with people asking questions, did it have to go this far?

[08:05:00]

And according to DHS, they believe the officers used de-escalation tactics not to further push this along this way. The mother of one of the teenagers is obviously asking for some sort of justice here, but at the same time, look, Kate, this was September 11th.

Maybe they believed that they were interfering with their operations there. So there's a big question about how far each side should have gone. But at the end of this, a lot of questions after this video surfaced all over the internet and now being played on the airwaves as people are trying to figure out exactly what should happen next.

BOLDUAN: All right, Ryan, a lot of questions are on this, certainly, very clearly. Thank you very much for that -- John.

BERMAN: All right, we have new exclusive reporting this morning. Sources tell CNN the U.S. military is expected to move critical drones from Africa to South America. This says the Trump administration appears to be increasing counter-narcotics operations there.

Let's get right to CNN senior national security reporter Haley Britsky -- well, break this story. What are you learning on this?

HALEY BRITZKY, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, John, so six sources telling us that MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are used for intelligence collection, used for carrying out precision strikes, are being taken from U.S. Africa Command and moved over to U.S. Southern Command, which oversees South America. So it's unclear how many of those drones are being moved. One source tells us most of AFRICOM's drones are going.

But sources saying this is coming ahead of more anticipated counter- narcotics, counter-terror operations within South America, including potential operations in Ecuador specifically. And this, of course, comes on the heels of -- we've heard from administration officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio just last week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth sort of praising a lot of these countries for increasing cooperation with the U.S. military. Secretary Hegseth in August specifically called out countries like Honduras, Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala for their partnerships and for inviting the U.S. to partake in joint operations against what the administration calls narco-terrorists. And so, you know, all of these drones moving over there sort of insinuating there could be more action that we're seeing.

But it also is raising concerns for U.S. Africa Command. I mean, having covered the military for several years now, I don't think that any military commander, John, says that they have all the equipment that they need that they don't need anymore, certainly. But there has long been a concern that Africa has sort of fallen to the last on the list of priorities for the U.S. military in recent years. The U.S. military's presence there has decreased. It certainly does not look like what it looked like maybe 10 years ago.

And so there are concerns that these operations in Africa against groups like ISIS and al-Shabaab could be impacted by losing these drones, though officials say those missions will continue. Obviously, they will just have to find other ways in. So what this could look like in South America is still a big question mark of what could be coming.

Obviously, we've seen sustained operations over the last year in Operation Southern Spear, where the U.S. has carried out strikes on these alleged drug boats in the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean. At least 230 people killed in those strikes so far, John. So what this could mean for the region is still more to come, I think.

BERMAN: Yes, it really is a notable shift here, and oftentimes resources do reflect policy here. So it's great to point out what's going on. Great reporting on this.

Haley Britsky, thank you very much.

So a fighter jet bursts into flames. What we're learning about the pilot's condition this morning and what happened the moments before the crash.

A blaring warning sign for the White House. Republicans starting to run against the president's agenda.

And opening statements set to begin in the trial of a former American Idol contestant accused of murdering his wife.

[08:10:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: This is not sports unless you consider the midterms to be sports. Happening now, early in-person voting for the midterms kicks off in multiple states. And how is this for an eye-browsing reality greeting these early voters? A new CNN analysis of more than 500 Republican ads finds that they bear just 12, mentioning President Trump this month. 12 out of 500. $1 million worth of spending out of $160 million total spending.

That's about 1 percent. Even more startling, one normally loyal Republican just launched a new ad directly attacking the administration's immigration policy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR (R-FL), SALAZAR FOR CONGRESS AD: Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far. In July, 50 percent of the 50,000 people that were detained had no criminal record. Be careful what your advisors are telling you about immigration policies.

The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Rep. Salazar, Republican congresswoman, on camera with the White House behind her. CNN's Alayna Treene is there this morning. Has the White House got anything to say about this?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Not yet, John. As far as I've seen, I haven't seen any response from the White House. What I will say is I have been speaking with a number of the president's allies, some of his advisors, including members of his political operation, who said they were very frustrated by this ad, that this does not do anything to help Republicans ahead of November.

And particularly, look, I mean, they recognize the president's team, but they are facing a lot of headwinds, obviously. And the president likes to bring this up himself frequently.

[08:15:00]

It's not often traditionally the party in power who is in the White House, they tend to not do as well in the midterm elections.

But there's also, of course, headwinds of their own making. The Iran war and high gas prices across the country are things that Americans are really highlighting as being core issues for them as they look ahead to November 3rd.

Now, Maria Salazar, as you mentioned, a loyal Republican. The president actually helped get her into office. She lives in the president's own backyard.

She's a congresswoman from Florida. And it was a very pointed ad. She was standing right in front of the White House when she delivered that critique.

And that is something that a lot of people said that they were frustrated with. But look, I think for a lot of these candidates, particularly some of them in tighter races and more purple districts, they recognize that distancing themselves from Trump might be the way to help them win an election. And it comes, of course, as the president is soon going to be a lame-duck president.

So I think you're also hearing a lot of people a little bit more willing to come out and push back against the president at this time as they look ahead to their own political futures -- John.

BERMAN: You brought up one of my favorite political words there, which is distancing. You know, when candidates start to distance themselves from the administration, this is just a glaring example of that, like staring right in the camera. Alayna Treene, I'd be curious to see if the White House has anything to say about this over the next few hours.

Thanks very much for your reporting -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: That's one of your favorite political words, distancing?

BERMAN: Well, it's one --

BOLDUAN: There's so many more that you love.

BERMAN: It's not a swear word, at least. So it's one of my favorite non-swear words in politics.

BOLDUAN: All right, let's get a view on that one for us. Joining us right now is Jim Messina, former deputy chief of staff for President Obama and former campaign manager. Distancing, I think there are other -- isn't bedwetting like one of the favorite ones of all time?

Yes, Berman, yes.

JIM MESSINA, FORMER BARACK OBAMA CAMPAIGN MANAGER: I like that one, too.

BOLDUAN: Also not a curse word, by the way.

MESSINA: Correct.

BOLDUAN: Let's talk about this. What do you think of the Republican congresswoman's move there? I mean, it's very decisive.

It was a choice. And do you think it's smart?

MESSINA: I think it's jumping off a sinking ship. I mean, the president's approval rating with Hispanic voters on inflation is 7 percent. She's got to put some distance herself in one of the closest congressional races.

I think it's hard to do when she voted for the same ICE funding she's talking about. I think that's what the Democrats have on TV right now. I don't think that fixes that problem.

I think you're not going to get away from it. I think she's in real trouble. But, you know, you've got to do what you've got to do when you're looking at the poll numbers they're looking at in these congressional races.

BOLDUAN: And that speaks to the analysis of the ad spending that we've been seeing. It was of more than 500 Republican ads that was analyzed and looked at, just 12 TV ads aired mentioning -- Republican ads mentioning Trump this month. It's less than 1 percent of ad spending to TV spots specifically.

You see that, and you think, what?

MESSINA: I think a couple things. I think they look at his numbers and say he's now a problem, not a solution. On the other hand, he's still out there traveling.

He's still every day making it about him, right? He went to North Carolina the other day, one of the biggest Senate races in America, where they're really slipping. When they asked the Republican, why do you want him here?

He said, because I'm not getting Republican turnout in the way I've got to get. So their problem is they need the president to turn out their votes at the same time when the president's numbers at Independence Gate are the worst you and I have ever seen during our lifetime for an incumbent president.

BOLDUAN: So as you were saying with a twinkle in your eye, that you remember when Democrats lost a few seats.

MESSINA: 63 seats when I was in the White House in the 2010 election.

BOLDUAN: Give me that, Jim Messina, and apply it to today. Did you know it then, what you saw afterward? Do they know it now, what they're going to see?

MESSINA: Oh, they know. They know. They're just trying to limit the losses now. And you saw this MAGA, Inc. put $100 million on TV this week in almost exclusively Republican plus five, Republican plus ten districts. Why did they do that, Kate?

Because they're trying to staunch the losses from just losing the House to losing a landslide election in the House. So they know exactly what's happening, but they can't do the one thing that their party needs them to do, which is get the president to shut up and stop talking about the ballroom and the reflecting pool.

BOLDUAN: You're saying gas prices are an inexpensive thing, inexpensive cost.

MESSINA: Correct, correct. They need him to get on an economic message, and he's shown no interest in that.

BOLDUAN: So let's talk about Democrats. I just had Beau Bayh on. He's running for Secretary of State.

He's a Democrat in Indiana, yes, of the Bayh family. As a Hoosier, you know that name very well.

MESSINA: Royalty.

BOLDUAN: Royalty in Indiana, Democratic politics. And I asked him about the Democratic Party and the tension. Yes, he's a Democrat in a very Republican state. It's a different type of Democrat than you'll see in New York City.

[08:20:00]

And I asked him if the Democratic Party is big tent enough for him and the far left, like the people who have streamer and activist Hasan Piker campaigning for them. I want to play for you what Beau Bayh told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEAU BAYH, (D) CANDIDATE FOR INDIANA SECRETARY OF STATE: Those views are reprehensible. That's unacceptable. We live in the greatest country in the history of the world, the United States of America.

Sure, can we do better in some areas? Of course we can. But it's important that we all embrace what makes our country so great and that our love of our country actually spurs us to have constructive conversations about how to improve it.

And in my state, that means lowering costs for Hoosiers, improving people's material lives, better schools, better roads and bridges, safer streets, supporting our police and firefighters. The Democratic Party needs to focus on those issues and not go down these paths of division and focusing on issues that don't matter for 100 percent of people, 100 percent of the time. We have to be very strong and calling out hateful rhetoric like that has no place in my party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: So it was interesting for many reasons, including that when I have asked many elected Democrats about DSA or the take of Hasan Piker, the comment back to me is often, we're a big tent party, we can all be part of it. I'm taking that as the new no comment of the election season. That's not what Beau Bayh said.

MESSINA: No, that's right. And I liked his answer. I thought it was exactly right in saying, look, what voters want Democrats to do is call it like they see it and disagree with their own party as much as they disagree with the other party.

And then you look at what he did, and he went straight back to the economic message. What is the through point to the left and the center and the conservative party in the Democratic Party from Mamdani to Mikie Sherrill to Abigail Spanberger? Economics.

And you saw Beau go right back to economics because that's what unites the Democratic Party. And that's why our poll numbers are looking good in places like Indiana.

BOLDUAN: Yes, it's good to see you, Jim.

MESSINA: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Thanks for coming in. Good to see you.

MESSINA: Good to see you too.

BOLDUAN: John.

BERMAN: All right, a photo of the President holding a poster saying, Kennedy Center demolished, sparks White House speculation. And now a judge steps in.

And a car crashes straight into a backyard, narrowly missing children playing in the pool.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:25:00]

BOLDUAN: Give you a live look right now. That is the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This morning, that D.C. landmark is tangled up once again in President Trump's fight to put his name on it. And it's not the only one.

The U.S. Institute of Peace is also asking a federal appeals court now to step in fast to stop the administration from doing the same, putting Donald Trump's name on that building, too. Actually, the word that they use is carve. The cost of all of the president's projects, renovation projects, his pet projects in D.C., is adding up. The White House ballroom and renovations, estimated to be $927 million. Add to that the reflecting pool, $19 million. Add to that the proposed arch, $100 million.

And the Kennedy Center renovations is looking to be estimated about $285 million. A federal judge has now ordered the Kennedy Center to give, and thus the Trump administration, because of his hand-picked board, to give 30 days' notice before any major changes. That could be renovations, construction, or even demolition.

CNN's Sunlen Serfaty is outside the Kennedy Center, has been following this. I mean, this saga continues on and on, Sunlen.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Legally and politically, this has devolved into a labyrinth, essentially, where both sides are trying to work their way out to get what they want. And at the center, of course, is this arts institution, for the moment, that is frozen and hangs in the balance. Judge Cooper, on Thursday, ordered that he must be given a heads-up by 30 days before the Kennedy Center makes any significant changes to this building.

And that's certainly welcome news to the plaintiffs who are worried that, at any moment, bulldozers could show up here at the Kennedy Center and this building could be demolished. And so much of that concern was fueled by President Trump, who warned that, at some point, this building may need to be ripped down. And we saw that picture of him on Air Force One looking at what appeared to be a poster saying, Kennedy Center demolition. Now, the judge in this case, he has requested more details of the Trump administration and Kennedy Center officials. He wants to know why this building is closed. Earlier on Thursday, we did hear from the lawyers arguing on behalf of the administration.

They said the building's closed temporarily. They say only for one week, specifically for the safety concern inside the building. Now, the judge wants more details, and he wants to hear from Kennedy Center officials by Wednesday of next week.

But the fate of this building, the future of this building, still very much hangs in the balance.

Sunlen Serfaty, CNN, Washington.

BOLDUAN: Sunlen, thank you so much for that.

Still ahead for us, an F-16 jet crashes and bursts into flames during a training exercise. We have new details this morning about what may have caused this crash.

And also coming up, the effects of using AI tools for schoolwork. What is that effect it's having on kids right now? Leading expert on child development says it does to their brains.

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