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Department of Justice Subpoenaed National Archive for Additional Jan. 6 Documents; Trump's Legal Team Asks for a Special Master to Review Documents Seized from Mar-a-Lago; Russia Blames Ukraine for Darya Dugina's Death; Three Arkansas Deputies Suspended from Duty After Violent Arrest; Texas Under State of Disaster After Record Level Rainfall. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired August 23, 2022 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. You are watching "CNN Newsroom" and I am Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, the Department of Justice issuing any new subpoena for documents from the National Archives related to January 6 as former President Donald Trump takes his first formal legal action after FBI agents searched his Mar-a-Lago home.

The U.S. urging all Americans to leave Ukraine immediately as Kyiv prepares for the possibility of, quote, "ugly and vicious attack from Russia in the coming days." Plus, a new in-depth study on long COVID and how it impacts the brain.

UNKNOWN: Live from CNN Center, this is "CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church."

CHURCH: And we start with exclusive CNN reporting tied to the January 6 investigation. We have learned the Justice Department has issued a new subpoena to get more documents related to the Capitol siege.

According to sources, the subpoena is in addition to one sent to the National Archive earlier this year. It suggests the Justice Department is ramping up its investigation into the potential role Former President Donald Trump and his staff played in events leading up to the insurrection. The National Archives has until the end of this month to hand over the document.

Well, meanwhile, "The New York Times" reports more than 150 sensitive documents were recovered at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate by the National Archives last January. And when FBI agents returned earlier this month with the search warrant, they found another stack of highly classified material. All total (ph), the government has recovered more than 300 documents with classified markings from the former president since he left the White House according to "The Times." Trump's legal team has asked a federal judge to appoint a third-party attorney, known as a special master, to oversee the review of evidence the FBI seized at Mar-a-Lago.

CNN's Katelyn Polantz has details on this latest legal tactic from the Trump team.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Donald Trump's legal team has gone to court to hit back against that search of Mar-a-Lago two weeks ago. And, now in court on Monday, his team has filed a request for a third party to be appointed by the court, something called a special master, that could come in and review that the evidence the FBI, the Justice Department, collected out of Mar-a- Lago was appropriately handled and that they have the ability to use that in their investigation.

Even more so though, Trump is requesting for a pause on what the Justice Department is doing at this time as they examine whether there have been federal laws broken related to the handling of federal records and national defensive formation.

So, in his new court filing today, Donald Trump is arguing his constitutional rights. Maybe at issue here, his -- he may have potential privileges that should be protected that these are things a special master should consider.

And on top of that, his attorneys are laying out some details that we hadn't known before, such as what happened in June between the Justice Department and Donald Trump and his team. And specifically, they are describing Trump having some agency in authorizing a surge of Mar-a- Lago by the Justice Department to see where documents may have been held at that time, locking the storage room to secure them and also complying with the subpoena for surveillance document.

On top of, that Trump's team does make public an unusual message that his attorney sent to Merrick Garland just a few weeks ago after that search in the days after. Trump said, in his message to Garland, "Whatever I can do to take the heat down to bring the pressure down, just let us know -- let us know." That is an unusual thing for someone even the former president to be sending at -- during an ongoing investigation.

Now, on top of this all, as we're looking at it the Justice Department has not yet responded in court. They say through a spokesman on Monday night that they like. The judge also has not responded to this request in the southern district of Florida Federal Court.

But a few caveats here. It has been two weeks since that search at Mar-a-Lago and there been a filter team already at work at the justice department, making sure that evidence that should not be used as this investigation continues is used.

[03:05:08]

Katelyn Polantz, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Michael Genovese is the president of the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount and the author of, "The Modern Presidency, Six Debates that Define the Institution." And he joins me now from Los Angeles. Always good to have you with us.

MICHAEL GENOVESE, AUTHOR, "THE MODERN PRESIDENCY": Thank you so much.

CHURCH: So, Former President Donald Trump has filed a 27-page lawsuit in the wake of the FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago home in an attempt to block the review of the classified documents seized in what he calls an unnecessary and unwarrated raid. He is requesting a special master or watchdog to review the seized documents. What does this signal to you?

GENOVESE: Well, asking for a special master is not unusual. In fact, it makes complete sense for Donald Trump. What doesn't make sense is why he waited weeks in order to do this. And so, weighing it at the 11th hour is a little bit unusual, but that's because I think the Trump team is struggling. They are struggling for a strategy and approach that works, something that makes sense, something that will put them back on the offensive and in command, and they have just run out of options.

CHURCH: Now, the motion Trump's legal team filed reveals that on May 11th, a grand jury subpoena sorted to classified documents and Trump later granted access to the Department of Justice. But then on August 8th, heated discussions ensued apparently. That's according to the motion when Trump's lawyer was notified about the FBI search of Mar-a- Lago.

The -- or an unnamed Trump lawyer called the Justice Department on August 11th to deliver this message. I'll just read it out, "President Trump wants the attorney general to know that he as been hearing from people all over the country. The heat is building up. The pressure is building up." Then there was apparently an offer to bring the temperature down even though Donald Trump was, of course, responsible for raising the temperature.

So, what all does this message to the attorney general reveal to you and why is the Trump team highlighting this?

GENOVESE: Well, it is not appropriate to interfere with the investigation and that borders on interfering. But I think for Donald Trump, it's an issue where he wants to have some control over events. He's the one who started the fire, but he also wants to be the one to put it out. He wants to be -- and I've said this before, he wants to be the bride at every funeral -- bride at any wedding, the corpse at every funeral, and the baby at every christening.

He has to be at the center of everything. So, if it's raising the temperature, that's where he'll be. If it's lowering the temperature, he wants in on that. He wants to be in the headlines. CHURCH: And earlier Monday, a federal magistrate in Florida suggested that he may not unseal many of the details from the search warrant that authorized the seizure of those classified documents from Mar-a- Lago because he wants to protect witnesses and the investigation. But Trump says he wants it all made public.

What might the ramifications be of not releasing that affidavit given the conspiracy theories already doing the rounds? I mean, if they do release it and it is pretty much all redacted, that's a problem too, surely.

GENOVESE: Well, Donald Trump says he wants it all revealed. And tomorrow the judge says they'll reveal it, he'll say he wants it all kept quiet. Donald Trump, again, he has no strategy that makes good sense, at least not a coherent one. He doesn't have a plan. He is just sort of flailing along. He's getting attention. He's in the news. But he's not advancing his cause.

And I think that's because, at this point, this is really a legal question, and Donald Trump is in a political environment. Donald Trump wants to play politics and he's so good at it. He's good demanding attention and self-dramatization. But what we're seeing here is that this is a legal problem, a legal issue, and it's not decided in public opinion polls. It's decided in the court of law and lawyers and really in the quiet of a legal procedure.

CHURCH: Do you think that the walls are closing in on Donald Trump?

GENOVESE: He certainly must feel that way because you've got Georgia and their grand jury looking at him. You've got New York a few cases. You've got the January 6 committee. It's almost as if he can't catch a break because all -- everything is coming home to him. All of his problems are coming ahead at the same time. And the pressure on him must be enormous.

Now, yes, he does love the attention, but he can't love the consequences that he sees potentially down the road. So, I think that he's probably, at this point, frustrated. He's certainly angry and he's lashing out out it.

[03:10:00]

CHURCH: All right. Michael Genovese, always a pleasure to get your analysis. Many thanks.

GENOVESE: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Well, Russia is blaming Ukraine for a car bombing that killed the daughter of an influential Russian idealogue. According to state media, Russia's federal security service says that the attack on Darya Dugina was prepared by the Ukraine Special Services and carried out by a Ukrainian woman on Saturday. But a senior Ukrainian official has dismissed the allegations saying Russian propaganda lives in a fictional world.

In the meantime, Dugina's father, Alexander Dugin, is calling for quote, "victory against Ukraine," in response to his daughter's death.

We get more details now from CNN's Fred Pleitgen in Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Shortly after the explosion that caused Darya Dugina to crash on a Moscow highway, her car engulfed in flames. Darya Dugina was dead at the scene, police say.

Her father, pro-Kremlin ideologue, Alexander Dugin, looking on in dismay. Tonight, Vladimir Putin with an angry response, quote, "a vial, cruel crime cut short the life of Darya Dugina. She proved by deed what it means to be a patriot of Russia," the Russian leader said in a condolence letter.

After only a short investigation, the Russians blaming Ukraine for the murder. The intelligence service releasing this video, which CNN cannot independently verify, claiming to show a Ukrainian Special Services Operative who allegedly entered Russia together with her young daughter, shadowed Dugina, carried out the car bombing and then fled to neighboring Estonia.

Alexander Dugin, who some believe may have been the actual target of the plot, lashing out against Ukraine, "Our hearts yearn for more than just revenge or retribution. It's too small, not the Russian way. We only need our victory. My daughter laid her maiden life on her altar. So, win, please," Dugin wrote in a statement. Dugin has long advocated Russian expansionism and some believed laid the ideological groundwork for Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainians denied they had anything to do with his daughter's killing. Russian propaganda lives in a fictional world, an adviser to Ukraine's presidential administration said, and hinted the Ukrainians believe it may have been an inside job, adding, quote, "Vipers in Russian special services started an intra-species fight."

The incident comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine nears the half year mark and Moscow is keen to keep public opinion in favor of the operation with a massive show of patriotism on Russia's National Flag Day in a series of events around the country.

(on-camera): In these trying times as Russia's military is fighting in Ukraine and the country is under heavy sanctions, it's become increasingly important to display patriotism. At this event, the organizers have brought together hundreds of people to create a giant Russian flag.

(voice-over): Flags in public spaces and on Moscow's streets at this massive night-time convoy, many of the drivers flashed the Z symbol of the Russian invasion forces fighting in Ukraine.

Our commander in chief and the army are doing everything right, this man says, as the pro-Putin convoy circles Moscow in a display of power, trying to show that Russia will not be deterred from its current course. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And we want to bring up these live pictures from Moscow. You see, they're Alexander Dugin, he is speaking at his daughter, Darya Dugina's memorial. It is currently underway. He has been speaking there for a while. He's going to take a seat again now.

But this has been underway, of course, as we've been reporting in the aftermath of her death in the car bombing. And at this point, we do not know who is behind the death of Darya Dugina. At this point, Russia is pointing the finger at Ukraine. Ukraine says they are not behind this. There's a lot of inferences that it could be internal in Russia. We just don't know at this juncture. But watching now this live pictures from Moscoe of the memorial of Daria Dugina. Her father, Alexander Dugin, has just taken a seat after speaking at his dollars memorial.

[03:14:53]

Well, Ukraine is bracing for increased Russian attacks as the country prepares to mark its independence day. Public celebrations have now been banned in Kyiv amid fears of a strike on the capitol. And the U.S. Department says that Moscow will likely step up efforts to hit government targets and civilian infrastructure. But amid the warning, a symbol of defiance has dozens of destroyed Russian tanks were lined up along Kyiv's main street.

And CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is tracking the latest development. She joins us now live from London. Good to see you, Salma. So, concern over possible retaliation for the murder of Dugina has resulted in the cancellation of Independence Day celebration across Ukraine, putting the country on alert. What is the latest on all of this?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is really a high focused week for Ukraine, Rosemary. There's a few dates that are converging here, that are coming here all at once. Yes, you've played out the live pictures there of the memorial service for Dugina. Of course, that is a -- that is an event that sent shockwaves through Russia. Russia, of course, accusing Ukraine of assassinating the son of a very -- the daughter, rather, of a very close Putin ally.

And now, Ukraine, for its part, denies that. They say that they have nothing to do with the killing. They even, through one official, indicated they believe that it's an inside job. But regardless, that, of course, has heightened concern on the ground for retaliation.

You also have the same time, the 6th month anniversary of the Ukraine War, the war that started with the invasion by Russia on February 24th of Ukraine. That anniversary coming up at the same time that Ukraine's Independence Day is coming up this week on Wednesday when they would normally, in normal peaceful times, be celebrating over 30 years of independence since Soviet Union.

Now, of course, because of all of this, there are fears, there are concerns from President Zelenskyy himself that Russia might try something particularly vicious, particularly ugly. I'm using Zelenskyy's freezing here and his ally, the United States, agrees with that assessment.

The U.S. saying that they have an increased likelihood that Russia may try to attack civilian infrastructure, that they're stepping up the possibility of missile attacks in civilian areas around this anniversary, around Independence Day, after this accusation that Ukraine was involved in the killing of Dugina.

And what the United States has done is it has called on any U.S. citizens still on the ground in Ukraine to leave. They say that the security situation on the ground has heightened, that it could change at anytime. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy, of course, banning Independence Day celebration into cities in Kharkiv and Kyiv, so a real dampener, a real concern, a real fear this week over what Russia's attacks may look like in Ukraine.

CHURCH: All right. We'll continue to watch the story very closely. Of course, Salma Abdelaziz joining us live from London, many thanks.

And still to come, three officers in Arkansas are under investigation after a violent arrest was caught on camera. Plus, North Texas is waterlogged after getting a summer's worth of rain in less than a day. How the state is managing the rising floodwaters and dangerous conditions? We are back in just a moment.

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[03:20:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. Three law enforcement officers are under investigation in Arkansas, accused of violently beating a suspect during an arrest that was caught on camera.

CNN's Nadia Romero has the story. And a warning, some of the video is disturbing to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNKNOWN: This is bad. We got to get out of here.

NADIA ROMERO, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Three Arkansas law enforcement officers have been removed from duty after this disturbing video was posted online, showing them beating a man outside of a convenience store. Arkansas state police had now opened an investigation into use of force by all three officers and the FBI is also investigating.

The Crawford County Sheriff's Office has identified them as Deputy Zack King, Deputy Levi White, and Mulberry Officer Thell Riddle. CNN has reached out to all three, but so far hasn't heard back.

JIMMY DAMANTE, CRAWFORD COUNTY, ARKANSAS SHERIFF: They will be punished for what they did if they are found to be in violation of any rights, laws or anything like that.

ROMERO (voice-over): The incident happened Sunday in Mulberry, Arkansas, about 140 miles northwest of Little Rock. On the video, you can see at least two officers punching and hitting the man, and kneeing him repeatedly as they try to arrest him. That's when a bystander off camera yells at the officers.

UNKNOWN: Don't beat him. (Inaudible).

ROMERO (voice-over): Arkansas governor, Asa Hutchinson, said the officer's response was not consistent with the training they received.

ASA HUTCHINSON, GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS: That is reprehensible conduct in which a suspect is beaten in that fashion. We saw a glimpse of that. It is under investigation.

ROMERO (voice-over): Police say the man in the video is 27-year-old Randal Worcester of Goose Creek, South Carolina. An attorney representing Worcester tells CNN that Worcester was wanted for allegedly threatening a gas station clerk in a nearby town. Though Crawford County sheriff says when officers located him, he was cooperative at first, then got violent and tried to attack the officers.

DAVID POWELL, RANDAL WORCESTER'S ATTORNEY: We've all seen the video. I don't believe the excessive amount of force that was used would be justified by -- if my client did, in fact, spit on someone. I believe it was above and beyond what the officers were trained to do and what they should've done in that situation.

ROMERO (voice-over): Police said Worcester refused medical treatment but was taken to the hospital as a precaution. He is facing numerous charges, including assault, battery and resisting arrest. Worcester is now out of jail on $15,000 bond.

[03:25:03]

POWELL: There were multiple abrasions to his face, scratches. He did complain of pain to his head. I believe he was only able to sleep on one side of his head because of the nights and the injuries to the other side.

ROMERO (on-camera): The sheriff says that the three officers involved were not wearing body cameras. But he said that he did dash cam video that has not been released to the public. The sheriff said what he saw on video does not represent his department and he is vowing to punish any of the deputies if they violated anyone's rights or laws.

Now, the attorneys for the suspect, Randal Worcester, say that they believe the officers used excessive force and that their actions were not justified. One of the attorneys told me that she believes the woman who took that cellphone video saved her clients life.

Nadia Romero, CNN, Crawford County, Arkansas.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: Heavy rain and high floodwaters are causing massive problems in Texas where Dallas county has declared a state of disaster. The National Weather Service says the Dallas-Fort Worth area received an entire summer's worth of rain in less than a day. Roads and bridges have been washed with floodwaters spilling into homes and businesses. First responders in the area made hundreds of rescues and the danger is not over yet.

CNN's Ed Lavandera reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPODENT (voice-over): A 1-in-100-year rainfall event in Dallas-Forth Worth, drenching some parts with more than 10 inches of rain in less than 24 hours.

UNKNOWN: Oh my, God. I can't get home.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The storm left major roadways flooded, vehicles submerged and some residents waking up Monday morning to kitchens, living rooms and hallways submerged in water.

Emergency officials in Dallas and Fort Worth say that they responded to hundreds of high water incidents and traffic accidents.

UNKNOWN: I think everybody wasn't anticipating this much rain this fast.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The sudden and drastic change in weather has stunned the Dallas-Fort Worth area after months of extreme and exceptional drought.

Since January, there has been a rainfall deficit of more than 10 inches. That deficit has been erased after a summer's worth of rain soaked the area in less than a day. These storms have been moving over the same path since the overnight hours, dumping relentlessly mounts of water along the way.

UNKNOWN: The ground is very dry, but it can only absorb so much, so fast.

BRITNEY TAYLOR, DALLAS RESIDENT: I am freaking out. My apartment is literally flooding. I just woke up. And I don't -- should I call 9-1- 1? What do I do?

LAVANDERA: Britney Taylor said she moved into this Dallas apartment just two days ago. She woke up at 3 AM to what she described as, quote, "torrential rain and two-feet of water," on the first floor of her home. Now, she's waiting through the aftermath to see what, if anything, remains and damage.

TAYLOR: Oh good, you guys, look. Macbooks can float. Wow. There's all my travel keepsakes.

LAVANDERA (on-camera): We are also learning of tragedy in this rainstorm. Officials confirmed that a 16-year-old woman was killed when her car was swept away in the floodwaters. The police chief in Mesquite, Texas says she was on the phone with her family when they lost contact with her and that's why urging her -- urging everyone around the area to be aware of any kind of high water they might encounter anywhere, especially when they consider the forecast as more rain is expected in the days ahead.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: It is a horrendous situation. Meteorologist Karen McGinnis joins us now with more. Wow, Karen, where is this system headed now? Could we see major flooding elsewhere, do you think?

KAREN MCGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, certainly will. Our computer model is suggesting that this is transitioning a little bit towards the east and a little bit towards the south. And this picture that you're looking at behind me, this is from the Dallas-Fort Worth area after that very heavy, that epic rainfall, the second most that we have seen in a 24-hour time period and for many people, homes and businesses, many areas, even interstates were flooded. There were numerous rescues as we heard earlier.

Now, in East Texas -- East Dallas saw more than 15 inches of rainfall. So, where we saw some of these heavier amounts, it was very spotty. But overall, between 10 and 12 inches of rainfall were some of the common amounts.

What's happening here? We've got this quasi-stationary funnel system. This is just going to lag across the southeast. There's also an upper level disturbance and a return flow coming from the Gulf of Mexico. So, all of that is going to feed into this. This travels towards the east and then to the southeast, so Neches, Jackson, Mississippi and then towards Street Port (ph), some of these areas could pick up as much as 10 inches of rainfall right along that I-20 Corridor, not exclusively, but certainly, that will that will be kind of the focus. And about 9 million people, Rosemary, are currently under flood watches from Texas over to Mississippi.

[03:30:05]

CHURCH: It is just unbelievable, isn't it? Karen Maginnis, many thanks for bringing us the details for that. I appreciate it.

Well, still to come, a conservative nonprofit run by this prominent lawyer has reported the largest single donation to a political advocacy group in U.S. history. We'll have the details for you.

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[03:35:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. A new nonprofit organization led by a prominent conservative lawyer received the largest single donor contribution to a political group that has ever been reported, $1.6 billion, according to a tax form obtained by CNN.

Senior investigative correspondent Drew Griffin has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER (voice-over): This IRS document obtained by CNN is evidence of the largest anonymous dark money political donation ever reported, $1.6 billion. It is, according to experts, a staggering amount.

ROBERT MAGUIRE, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, CREW: I am just stunned. We are talking about income that is many multiples larger than the largest dark money groups ever found.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): And it's going to a new organization called Marble Freedom Trust. While you probably never heard of it or the man in charge of it, the whole country is familiar with his work. His name is Leonard Leo, a devout Catholic known as Donald Trump's Supreme Court whisperer.

LEONARD LEO, CO-CHAIRMAN, FEDERALIST SOCIETY: There are lots of really smart people who can serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Dozens and dozens. But you need people who have courage.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Leo helped usher in the most conservative Supreme Court in decades. Along with helping block Merrick Garland from the court, he and his colleagues at the Federalist Society are given credit for the confirmations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.

MAGUIRE: It was Leo who is in the driver seat of those nominations. Leo is the person who can raise the money and has the background to put in place judges who will build a conservative judicial infrastructure around the country.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Leonard Leo now has an unprecedented amount of cash to spend on whatever political project he likes. And while the donation was meant to be kept secret, name and address withheld on the IRS form, CNN has confirmed the source is 90-year-old businessman and philanthropist Barre Seid, who donated the stock of his entire company, the Tripp-Lite Company of Chicago, to Marble Freedom Trust, which turned around and sold it for $1.6 billion.

CNN has attempted to reach Mr. Seid without response. His donation will leave behind a dark money political legacy that could last decades. Already, Marble Freedom Trust has given more than $200 million to other causes, including $40 million to Donors Trust, which has doled out millions to conservative causes.

In a statement to CNN, Leonard Leo said it's high time for the conservative movement to be among the ranks of George Soros and other left-wing philanthropists going toe-to-toe in the fight to defend our Constitution and its ideals.

(On camera): And it also apparently is tax-free, according to the tax experts we consulted. It appears that this entire transaction from donating to selling a company, $1.6 billion, was done without paying tax.

Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, the top U.S. infectious disease expert says with the coronavirus pandemic stabilizing, it is the right time for him to step down. What we know about Dr. Fauci's upcoming departure. Then, a closer look at long COVID and why it could be much more common than previously thought.

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[03:40:00]

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CHURCH: The doctor who guided the United States through the coronavirus pandemic and saved countless lives says he is ready to pursue the next chapter of his career. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is 81, will step down as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the end of this year. He served the agency for nearly four decades but much of his work was out of the public eye until COVID hit.

Dr. Fauci advised seven U.S. presidents going all the way back to the Reagan administration. He most recently filled the role of chief medical officer to President Joe Biden, who praised his unwavering commitment and said he touched all Americans lives with his work.

Well, meanwhile, recent research shows lingering coronavirus symptoms often referred to as long COVID could be far more widespread than many realized. We are learning one in eight people likely suffer from this condition, and our next guest says the only sure way to prevent long COVID is to avoid getting COVID in the first place.

Eric Topol is a cardiologist and professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research. He joins me now from San Diego, California. Thank you, doctor, for all that you do and for talking with us.

DR. ERIC TOPOL, PROFESSOR OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE, SCRIPPS RESEARCH: Of course, Rosemary, great to be with you.

CHURCH: Thank you. So, you wrote an op-ed for the "L.A. Times" documenting the impact of long COVID on the human brain. What in your studies revealing about long COVID?

[03:44:57]

TOPOL: Well, there has been many in a very short period of time which we need because we haven't really understood long COVID nearly as much as we need to. One of the things, of course, is that it's more common than a lot of people realized. A major study showed it was one in eight people.

And while it might be less than it because of the vaccines and boosters in different variants, it is still appreciable and it is a major burden in many of these people. Recent studies suggested at least four million people in the U.S. are out of work because of long COVID.

And its symptoms are very substantial. So, this is a syndrome that we are now starting to understand its root causes. A very important study out of Yale and Mount Sinai showed us that the adrenal gland and the pituitary were malfunctioning. There were low cortisol levels in a hormone called ACTH.

So, this is localized both from that, as well as the peripheral autonomic nervous system to be potentially rooted with neural inflammation. That is a big help to understand that.

CHURCH: Absolutely. So, presumably, some people are more vulnerable to this than others. And if we know all of that, how do we fight the impact of long COVID on the brain and other organs?

TOPOL: You bring up a really important point. There is a misconception. It is actually younger people, age 30 to 50, with mild COVID that comprise the vast majority of those who are affected. But the main point is it is unpredictable. There are so many people who sail through COVID infections, but others have this protracted and really suffered disabling features.

So, what we really need is treatment to suppress the inflammation, to sort out certain people who have more of the so-called dysautonomia of the nervous system symptoms. Others have more of the immune dysfunction, immune system going haywire. And we need trials that test drugs that go after each of these different clusters of symptoms and the underpinnings.

CHURCH: And doctor, some good news. A new COVID booster shot is expected to become available mid-September here in the United States. What all do you know about that shot and what is your message to our viewers about that booster?

TOPOL: Well, this is directed towards BA.5, which is the variant that has taken over the world and has created lots of trouble. We don't have a vaccine even close that will take on this variant because it is so distinct from anything we had previously.

So, it is good that this will become available at scale and serve as a booster. I hope we will have data to show that we develop really strong neutralizing antibodies because that is going to be essential for it working well.

The other thing that we don't know, Rosemary, is whether it is going to help block infections. It is going to help bolster protection against hospitalizations, deaths, perhaps even development of long COVID, but we don't know if it is going to help prevent the infections and the spread or transmission.

CHURCH: That is critical, of course. And doctor, you have also been pushing a nasal spray vaccine. Why is that so important to you and how likely it is that eventually the COVID booster will be made available in a nasal spray?

TOPOL: Yes, that really is the patch up for our problem. Our biggest problem right now, what we really need as a booster, is one that prevents infections and transmission. And it is unlikely we are going to get that from a shot. We need a nasal vaccine that achieves the so- called mucosal immunity.

Now, why is that possible? Well, we have 12 different nasal vaccines that are in clinical trials. One large trial was just completed in India in 4,000 people. We are awaiting the data, but we know it was very safe. And there are others just behind that. If we can get a nasal vaccine and use that as a booster, there's so much compelling data that that is the missing link right now. So, I hope we will have some positive news on that very soon.

CHURCH: I hope so, too. That sounds very promising. Dr. Eric Topol, thank you so much for talking with us.

TOPOL: Thank you.

CHURCH: And still to come, these new images of Jupiter are so remarkable even scientists were stunned. A closer look at this planetary portrait when we return.

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CHURCH: The newest images from the James Webb space telescope are so stunning even scientists say they are surprised. They show Jupiter like we've never seen it before, with rainbow auroras, giant storms, and faint rings all captured here. Scientists used several images from the state-of-the-art telescope to make this overall composite of our solar system's largest planet.

One expert says Jupiter is hard to translate into images because of how quickly it rotates. NASA says the Artemis 1 mission is ready to launch in the coming days. The agency is targeting a Monday launch with the spacecraft set to travel beyond the moon and back.

No one will be on board, but this mission will kick off NASA's Artemis program, which aims to send people back to the moon, including the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface by 2025.

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CHURCH: So, tears are meant to keep eyes clean and healthy. But now, for the first time, scientists have linked dog's tears to emotion. And it appears they cry tears of joy when reunited with their owners.

Japanese researchers measured the amount of dog tears before and after reunions with their owners after up to seven hours of separation. They then compared how the dogs reacted to reunions with other people the dogs knew but were not their owners. Only the reunions with owners increase the amounts of tears. Scientists say that may be due to the dog's producing oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. Man's best friend indeed.

Thanks so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Max Foster next.

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