Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Trump Says He Hasn't Spoken to Paxton Following Leaked Audio; Today: Trump in Texas, Oklahoma to Rally GOP Voters; Saudi Arabia: Suspect in Flydubai Hijacking Attempt Taken to Abu Dhabi; Netanyahu: Flydubai Suspect Underwent Radical Islamist Indoctrination; Christa Pike's Attorneys Say She is Alive, Prognosis Unclear After She Survived Two Lethal Injections in Botched Execution; Donation Pledges to Kennedy Center Fall by More than 100 Percent; Future of Kennedy Center Remains in Limbo Amid Intense Legal Battle 3-3:30p ET

Aired October 01, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:21]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: President Trump beginning a busy month of campaigning. His first stops, though, are in places that Republicans traditionally have had on lock.

BRIANNA KEILAR: CNN HOST: Key questions after a terrifying midair ordeal. Investigators across the Middle East working to find a motive for the apparent hijacking attempt of an Israel-bound flight as we're learning more about the heroic actions of those on board.

And then later, lawyers for Christa Pike say she is alive and receiving life-saving medical care after a failed execution in Tennessee. The state's governor is now pausing all executions for the rest of the year.

We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SANCHEZ: Soon, we are expecting to see President Trump on the campaign trail in Texas, visiting a Peterbilt plant in Denton before heading to a rally in Oklahoma. The President's trip to Texas follows The New York Times publishing audio of Senate candidate Ken Paxton privately complaining to donors and lobbyists that Trump's midterm convention in Dallas did more harm than good. President Trump says he has not spoken to Paxton since the audio leaked. CNN's Ed Lavandera is live for us at that Peterbilt plant in Denton.

Ed, what are you anticipating during the President's stop there?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Trump is planning to make remarks to the group of workers here at the Peterbilt motor -- plant in Denton, which is a suburb north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where he's expected to tout his economic success as well as the tariffs that he has championed for several years now. We'll see what kind of reception that he gets here from the crowd. But this also comes at a time when the Republican Senate candidate

here in Texas, Ken Paxton, is describing Texas as the battleground of this election season, which, when you think about it, is rather stunning. In a state where -- that has been dominated by Republicans for more than 30 years now, Ken Paxton finds himself in a very close race against Democratic candidate James Talarico.

The ad spending and commercial spending is starting to just take off astronomically. We've seen a lot of spending from Democrats. Republicans are now funneling money here to support Ken Paxton, and that is actually causing a lot of headaches for Republicans here in this state. Karl Rove has been quoted as saying that if John Cornyn had been the candidate, Texas would already be locked up.

So, the fact that Republicans are having to spend a great deal of money here in this state to defend what has historically been a safe Republican seat in the U.S. Senate is quite -- is quite something. So, you know, many Republicans very worried that describing the races here, not just at the Senate level but for governor as well, as extremely close. So, that is one of the reasons why President Trump says -- or is coming here to the state.

He says he's coming here to thank voters for their support over the years. Republicans, he's making a stop here in Texas and then flying just north of the Red River border, heading into Oklahoma later this afternoon. Boris.

SANCHEZ: Ed Lavandera, thank you so much for that update from the Lone Star State. Brianna.

KEILAR: We're also getting some new details about that apparent hijacking attempt in the Middle East. Moments ago, Saudi Arabia said the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the plane's captain has now left for Abu Dhabi along with a security team from the UAE where he's likely to face further interrogations. Passengers subdued the Omani national after the plane dropped thousands of feet in just seconds.

The captain, who is from India, was severely wounded. He was also just transported to Abu Dhabi for additional treatment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that the suspect underwent radical Islamic indoctrination. CNN's Nic Robertson is following the investigation in Jerusalem.

So, Nic, tell us the very latest that you're learning.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, this clearly was what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expecting. He's been sort of laying out bits and pieces of the -- of the puzzle of precisely what happened and how it happened, saying that this -- the attacker, the Omani pilot, used an ax to almost kill the other pilot who bravely saved the plane and the passengers on board by opening the cockpit door and letting them in to come -- come tackle the Omani pilot.

[15:05:00] But the Prime Minister was laying out, as well, about this indoctrination, believing they'd had radical Islamist indoctrination, indicating that he understood that through what sounded like the sort of social media postings of this individual. But the -- but Netanyahu also laid out that he and the Emiratis, who, of course, were -- you know, that's where Flydubai, the plane, the company originated from, they would naturally have jurisdiction in this case. Their attorney general has been preparing a case, preparing an investigation.

And the Prime Minister has been saying since early today he expected the Israelis and the Emiratis to work together on this. This is how he laid out what he expected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Attacking pilot is now being interrogated in Saudi Arabia. I assume very soon he'll be taken to the United Arab Emirates. I spoke to the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and he agreed that Israel would join the interrogation.

So, we'll find out very soon if Iran had anything to do with it. But I -- I can't say that in advance of the conclusion of the interrogation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Yes. So, there -- there we have it. The Prime Minister was laying out what he expected to happen earlier today. Now, we understand from the Saudis that that has happened, the transfer has happened. And you have the attorney general in the Emirates saying they're going to investigate terror, they're going to investigate if it was planned, they're going to investigate if there was any support given to this Omani pilot.

So, we're beginning to get the contours of what this is going to look like. And now that he is in Emirati hands, Israelis will be able to be there. Of course, they couldn't be there in Saudi Arabia to interrogate and investigate the Omani pilot because they don't have that diplomatic relationship.

This case can -- what we know about the attacker here, this case can perhaps move forward with a little bit more speed now.

KEILAR: Yes, we'll be looking there. Nic, thank you so much for the latest.

Still to come, the lawyer for Christa Pike just updating her condition after the death row inmate survived two attempts to execute her by lethal injection. We'll have the latest on that.

Plus, exclusive CNN reporting on new DHS guidance that limits which ICE officers can conduct vehicle stops.

Then later, President Trump is apparently not ruling out the demolition of the Kennedy Center as we learn that donations plunged after his name was added to the building's facade. We have that and much more coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:12:08]

KEILAR: Moments ago, Christa Pike's lawyers confirmed she is alive. Pike is the 50-year-old death row killer in Tennessee who survived what was supposed to be her execution last night. Pike received two doses of Pentobarbital, but instead of dying, witnesses say Pike was at times loudly snoring.

Her attorneys say they warned the courts and the state of Tennessee that her blood disorder could mean problems with the lethal injections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN FERRELL, FEDERAL DEFENDER SERVICES OF EASTERN TENNESSEE: All of this was predicted and nothing -- the court did nothing. With her blood condition and her difficult veins for access, that the setting of the line in her -- in her vein was likely to be unstable. The lethal injection drugs were not going directly into the bloodstream, but were rather ending up in her arm. And the fact that she is reported to have said, is my arm supposed to hurt this way or it feels like my arm's about to explode or something -- things along those lines, sounded to me very consistent with what our medical experts predicted was likely to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Pike's lawyers are seeking a commutation for her, after the botched -- botched execution. No word yet from Tennessee officials on that, but Tennessee's governor has halted all executions for the rest of the year. Let's talk now with Clive Stafford Smith. He's a human rights lawyer who has represented over 400 clients on death row.

Clive, thanks for being with us, watching this or understanding what happened there from witnesses, what questions do you have about what may have gone wrong here?

Clive Stafford Smith: Well, it's not so much questions as I think we pretty much know what went on. And, you know, I've been unfortunate that I've been in the chamber for six executions. And we like to think that lethal injection is -- is better and a kinder, gentler form of killing, but it really isn't. And there are two major reasons.

One is that the people who administer the drugs are not medical professionals, because the Hippocratic Oath forbids them. And so, you have people who just can't find a vein very well. We did an experiment in the Science Museum in London, and boy, I was bad at finding a vein. I wouldn't make a good executioner, I'm glad to say. And Christa, of course, had problematic veins.

But the other problem is that the drugs they use, the pharmaceutical companies don't want their life-saving drugs used to kill people. So, it's become increasingly hard for the executing states to get these drugs, and they're getting shoddy, shoddy materials. And I think that that's the other major contributor, that they probably had some -- some bad drugs.

[15:15:04]

KEILAR: So, Pike's attorney said in a press -- this press conference today that last night was cruel and torturous. And I know that many human rights activists would say it's an oxymoron, and you essentially just said it, you know, the idea of a kinder, gentler execution. But how is that line usually observed to avoid it being cruel and unusual in an execution?

SMITH: Well, it's a very hard thing to say. I think one thing you have to look at here, and I want to first say all of us, our hearts go out to the victim in this case from 32 years ago. And because you're opposed to torturing someone like Christa to death doesn't mean we're in favor of that. But there are so many ironies that come into this.

And -- and one of the issues that came up in Christa's final hours was what happened to her. And you have to remember that Tennessee is currently arguing over whether they should execute people who molest children. And up till now, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that that's cruel and unusual under the Eighth Amendment.

Now, Christa was horribly sexually abused at age three, again at age 11, and she was raped at 17, all multiple times. And so, the people who did that to her, the state of Tennessee, say should get the death penalty. And yet, they're turning around and saying we should execute the victim of all of that first.

And I think when you put all of those together, you get a pretty good picture about what cruel and unusual is.

KEILAR: Yes, no, the victim, and if people have looked into this case, it's horrific. It's a heinous crime that she has been convicted of and that she was involved in here.

There were multiple reporters who were there. They emphasize that they were watching and then the curtains would be drawn, there -- on at least -- on multiple occasions during this. What concerns does that raise for you? This is the timeline of it here, as we see the blinds opening and reopening on this timeline and what they saw and did not see. What -- what concerns does that raise for you?

SMITH: Well, of course, sunlight is the ultimate cleanser of everything, and if you can't see it, you have to assume that something bad is going on. And there's been a lot of criticism of Tennessee recently, that they have hidden their whole execution protocol, where they're getting their drugs from. And then, they're hiding from the journalists who are there as the eyes and ears of the people. They're -- they're hiding what's going on behind that curtain.

And I've been there, I've seen that, and -- and that's just wrong. And I don't think we as American people, I know I speak with a British accent, but I am American, that I don't think we want that. I think we want the government to be honest and open with this. KEILAR: Should they have just kept it open? What should they have

done?

SMITH: Well, of course they should keep it open. I mean, if people believe in the death penalty and thinks that -- it's a deterrent, then they ought to do what they used to do in Britain in the old days and do it all in public. If you did that, and if you had it on television, people wouldn't enjoy their Frosties in the morning in their breakfast. And there's a reason why they don't do that.

There's a reason why we do it late at night. I have walked out of the execution chamber six times, looked up at the stars and said, my goodness, did that really make us a safer, more civilized society? I don't think so.

KEILAR: Clive Stafford Smith, thank you so much for being with us.

SMITH: Thank you.

KEILAR: President Trump insists he's the only one that can save the Kennedy Center, but new documents show donations actually dried up after his name was added to the building. We'll have that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:23:47]

SANCHEZ: President Trump is refusing to rule out demolishing the Kennedy Center as a legal battle over the center's name and renovation plays out. In a new interview with Time Magazine, Trump was asked this question, quote, "Would you commit to not bringing in wrecking balls to Washington to demolish the Kennedy Center without the consent of Congress?" He says, in part, quote, "I'm not committing to anything. We're going to see how it plays out in court. But if I build it and if I agree that for the rest of my life, I'm going to be putting up $100 million to have it open so people -- they can see free." He goes on to say, quote, "If I'm going to do this, then I think the Trump administration should be recognized."

Meantime, donation pledges to the Kennedy Center have plummeted. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty has a reporting on this.

So, Sunlen, what are you learning?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, we got our hands on hundreds of documents, internal presentations, documents about the full financial picture of the Kennedy Center from 2024 to this year. And it really paints this picture that over the last year, we've been talking about this problem, the big financial problem that the Kennedy Center has been.

And what it does is really underscore the role that President Trump, when he started to take over the Kennedy Center as chairman of the board, the role he played in the situation becoming worse.

[15:25:02] And it frankly, broadly refutes the argument that the administration

and Trump lawyers are trying to make here in arguing that his name should go on the front of the building and arguing that he alone can fix the financial health of the building.

Now, according to these documents, one document shows in -- that gifts to the institution plunged 42 percent and donation pledges dropped more than 100 percent from April to January of this year compared to three months prior. That's a significant drop that specifically aligns to when President Trump put his name on the front of the building in December during that period.

It also shows that like many arts institution, they face decreasing ticket sales, but the situation these documents reveal worsened when President Trump got involved and they paint really a bleak picture of the financial health of the building going forward. Preliminary numbers show a deficit over $16 million for fiscal year 2025 and projected to grow to 23 million in 2026.

And again, this runs counter to this argument that Trump needs his name on the side of the building. Trump can fix the financial woes and we heard him repeat that in that Time Magazine interview that got posted today. He's saying he's the only one that can save the building. Now, we reached out to the Kennedy Center for their response to this reporting and these internal documents that really show this worsening financial picture. And they tell us that they continue to work through post-pandemic shifts in audience behavior and ticket sales. Boris.

SANCHEZ: So, what happens next in the legal battle?

SERFATY: Yes, the legal battle is ongoing. We expect to get an update from the courts on Friday. And this is when we've seen the Kennedy Center basically on a weekly basis report to the courts why their doors remain closed on a temporary basis. They are arguing that it's because of the health and safety of those who work in the building, that it's an emergency situation. They need to close down for some updates. So, we'll see.

The expectation is that they, again, on Friday, will ask for another week or so to attend to the conditions that say -- they say are in their building.

SANCHEZ: We'll see what comes next. Sunlen Serfaty, thank you so much.

SERFATY: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Still to come, President Trump starting a month-long campaign in a state that Republicans traditionally win. Why his first stop is in deep red Texas.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)