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Senate Republicans Aim For Key Vote Today On Trump Agenda; Hostage Families Protest In Tel Aviv Demanding Ceasefire In Gaza; Tens Of Thousands Gather For Funerals In Tehran; Biden, Harris Attending Funeral Of Slain Minnesota Lawmaker; Bezos & Sanchez Get Married Amid A-List Stars, Protesters. Bezos and Sanchez Get Married Amid A-List Stars, Protesters; Senate Republicans Aim for Key Vote Today on Trump Agenda; Trump Praises Ruling That Gives Him Expanded Power; Defense Attorneys Take Aim at Cassie Ventura in Closing Arguments. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired June 28, 2025 - 13:00   ET

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

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[13:00:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- how the teams come together, the drivers come together, and it's just -- it's a fun experience.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When was the last time you won a race?

BRAD PITT, ACTOR: Sunday, Daytona (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I'm sorry. I meant Formula 1.

PITT: Oh, I'm sorry, then same as you.

ELIZABETH PEREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And in addition to the enthusiasm of the teams, the cast of F1 are also excited for this summer blockbuster to get to the front of the grid.

SIMONE ASHLEY, ACTRESS IN "F1: THE MOVIE": I'm such a fan of Formula 1, so to be able to attend all these races and be on the grid shooting these scenes amongst all of the chaos and the adrenaline, I'm just so deeply grateful that I got to witness and experience all of this.

KERRY CONDON, ACTRESS, PLAYS KATE MCKENNA IN "F1: THE MOVIE": So she's the technical director of the team, which is basically in charge of the car. Everything got to do with the car comes through my character. So the driver feedback about the car, if we need to change something on the car, is it going to work with the rest of the car. When we get to a track, is our car good at straights or turns? It's like basically everything that's to do with the car is on the brains.

And then also there's romance. I love a little romance.

PEREZ: Who are you kissing?

CONDON: You got to watch the movie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three laps (ph). Three laps (ph) is a lifetime.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Elizabeth Perez, thank you so much. Can't wait to see the movie, "F1".

All right, hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right, this could be a pivotal day for President Trump's sweeping agenda. Right now, as you look at live shots of Capitol Hill, senators are gathering there preparing for a key vote to advance the president's so-called Big Beautiful Bill. Senate Republicans released the full text of the bill just before midnight. It's a whopping 940 pages.

Republicans can only afford to lose three votes in today's expected procedural vote. And as of right now, they are still falling short. One holdout, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina says he will vote against proceeding with the bill unless major changes are made. Tillis and a handful of other GOP senators are especially concerned about Medicaid, which faces major cuts to pay for Trump's tax and spending bill.

We have a team of correspondents covering today's developments. Betsy Klein is at the White House, Manu Raju on Capitol Hill. Manu, let's check in with you. The senators are expected to convene in the Senate chambers in the next hour. What's happening now?

MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR & CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a critical moment, actually, that's going to happen this hour. Senate Republicans are going to gather behind closed doors to discuss how to proceed and discuss whether some of these last-minute changes to the sweeping bill are enough to win the support of a conference that is badly divided over how to proceed, over some of the key details on this sweeping measure that deals with a multi-trillion dollar overhaul of the United States tax code, deep spending cuts, particularly on the program Medicaid.

Hundreds of billions of dollars to fund Donald Trump's deportation policies, border security programs and national security programs, new work requirements for Social Safety Net programs. All this wrapped up in this massive package. But some of the details dividing Republicans, particularly over the issue of Medicaid cuts.

That is something they have been scrambling behind the scenes to alleviate concerns from some of the more moderate members, like Senator Susan Collins of Maine, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and one of the more conservative members, Senator Josh Hawley, and a member who's up for re-election next year as well, Senator Thom Tillis, all among the various senators who are concerned about this proposal.

The question is, can they win those members over, but also not risk alienating the right flank of the conference, like Senator Ron Johnson and Senator Rand Paul? They can only afford to lose three Republican votes.

And just moments ago, I caught up with one of Donald Trump's closest allies on Capitol Hill, Senator Markwayne Mullin, and I asked him about the opposition within the Senate GOP, and if that's enough to sink this bill.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

RAJU: You have Ron Johnson says he's a no, you have Rand Paul says he's a no, you have Tillis says he's a no, you have Collins raising concerns, Murkowski raising concerns, Hawley raising concerns. (INAUDIBLE) for those three.

SEN. MARKWAYNE MULLIN (R), OKLAHOMA: Everybody's got concerns, but saying you're voting no, and when you get to the floor voting no is two totally different things. We see people -- you've been around here for how long?

RAJU: A long time.

MULLIN: How many times you've seen no's flip to yes's?

RAJU: Quite a bit.

MULLIN: Quite a bit. So we see that sometimes.

RAJU: This is a big deal, and, you know, these people are kind of dug in, no?

MULLIN: I don't believe in losing, and we're going to get the votes.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

RAJU: And the question is whether or not indeed the Senate Republican leaders will try to put this on the floor and dare those members to vote against this plan or try to urge them to fall in line with Donald Trump himself calling up some of the individual members all throughout the past day, staying in town to lay on the pressure. That's going to be a big question for Republicans, whether they will actually fall in line or stand firm and try to demand some of those changes.

So the next hour critical, the leaders will have to decide whether or not to have that first procedural vote. That procedural vote will be to open debate. They need a simple majority. That means three Republicans, all they can afford to lose.

[13:05:07]

If they do open up debate, then there would be about 10 hours later, it would open up this marathon voting session that could go on all night into tomorrow morning before they get into final passage of this big bill. And if they are managed to jam it through, then it has to go back to the United States House where Republicans have their own concerns about this proposal. But so many steps here, all as Donald Trump is demanding this bill on his desk by his self-imposed July 4th deadline. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Yes, well, potentially has a long way to go just today alone.

All right, Manu Raju on Capitol Hill, we'll check back with you. Thanks so much.

Betsy Klein is at the White House. And Betsy, you just heard, you know, Markwayne Mullin there saying, you know, he doesn't like to lose. Well, neither does Donald Trump. What's he doing to try to get a win?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER AND WRITER: Well, you can expect a little bit of arm twisting, making calls and taking calls here at the White House. But look, this sweeping tax and spending package is a key priority for this White House. They believe it is going to unlock the president's domestic agenda. And it is so critical to get it over the finish line while they have Republicans in control of the House and Senate.

But as Manu just laid out, there are very tight margins for Republicans here. The White House keenly aware of that. And President Trump, for that reason, has made the decision to scrap a planned weekend trip to his New Jersey club, instead staying here in Washington where he is working the phones and keeping very close tabs on all of this. Of course, he's also spending a little bit of time today at his Virginia golf club.

But he know -- spend -- had a big event on Thursday really pushing for this bill and saying that those who are threatening to vote against it are, quote, "grandstanders and not good people". At the same time, the president of the White House realizes that there are very serious policy concerns from some in their party over provisions in this bill, the size and scope and how to pay for some of these pieces of the legislation.

And the White House has really been pushing toward that July 4th self- imposed deadline from President Trump. But the president indicating some softening there when asked about that yesterday. Listen.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How important is the July 4th deadline to you if --

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's important. It's not the end all. We can go longer, but we'd like to get it done by that time if possible. Look, we have a lot of very committed people, and they feel very strongly about a subject, subjects that you're not even thinking about that are important to Republicans.

The problem we have is that it's a great bill. It's a popular bill, but we'll get no Democrats.

(END VIDEOCLIP) KLEIN: Now the president spoke with one key holdout today, Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who told Fox News after that conversation that he is not a yes yet. He said there is no need to rush it. Of course, the White House tracking all of this, what happens in the next hour on Capitol Hill, very closely, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Betsy Klein at the White House, thank you so much. Manu Raju on Capitol Hill, keep us posted.

All right, happening right now, hostage families and anti-government protesters gathering in Tel Aviv, Israel. They want to cease firing Gaza. It's the first time these demonstrations are taking place since they were banned two weeks ago when Israel and Iran traded attacks.

Let's get straight to CNN's International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson in Tel Aviv. What's the turnout like? It looks pretty sizable.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It's big, it's vibrant, it's noisy. And we've just seen here a roll call of all the hostages that are still being held. There are about 50 hostages held, more than 20 or about 20, I believe, to be alive. 630 days have been held in captivity.

But as you said, the first time in three weeks that people have been able to gather in these sort of regular Saturday rallies to get the hostages freed. And what they're looking for now is a comprehensive agreement for the government to do a deal that gets all the hostages out, not just 10, not just 15, not just 20, all the hostages out.

And the IDF, the Army, pull out of Gaza, a comprehensive agreement. And I was speaking a little earlier with Vicky Cohen, the mother of Nimrod Cohen, 20-year-old IDF soldier, been held 630 days, like all the others. And she told me she thought this was a moment of opportunity after those 12 days of conflict with Iran and trading missiles backwards and forwards, that there was a sense of momentum that she had, that something was different.

She said, we've really put our hope in President Trump, that President Trump can make a difference, that President Trump can influence Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut the deal that is politically so hard or apparently so hard for him to do. So that's what this is all about.

Here we are, three weeks of people not being able to gather on the streets, and they're back out with this very clear message to their government, to President Trump, that this is the moment to get all the hostages home. Fred?

[13:10:12]

WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson in Tel Aviv, thank you so much.

All right, happening today in Iran, senior Iranian officials were among tens of thousands who filled the streets there of Tehran. They were part of funeral processions for dozens who died in recent Israeli airstrikes.

CNN Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen was there in the crowd.

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a gigantic procession right through the heart of Tehran. There are thousands of people here who are trying to touch the caskets. They're trying to give the folks who are on the caskets items to rub on the caskets.

Now, there are 60 coffins in total that are going through this city. Among them, Iran's top military leadership. You have the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's missile program, Ali Hajizadeh, many others as well, including nuclear scientists, but also civilians. There's also women and children whose caskets are in this procession right now.

People here say that they are honored to pay their final respects to those who were killed, but they're also vowing to continue to stand up for both the U.S. and Israel.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Death to America, death to Israel, she says. God willing, they'll be destroyed soon.

My message to Trump is, God willing, you will die, he says, because you attacked Iran. And be sure, the people will take revenge for the blood of these martyrs soon with the obliteration of Trump, Israel, and the United States.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

PLEITGEN: All this comes as Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has lashed out at both the United States and Israel, saying he believes that Iran's military campaign against the Israelis was victorious and that also the U.S. had gained nothing from bombing Iran's nuclear installations.

At the same time, the Iranians are vowing to be defiant, saying that their nuclear program will continue. Of course, enrichment will continue as well.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much, Fred.

All right, still to come in this country, mourners line up to attend the funeral of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband who were killed in what authorities are calling a politically motivated shooting. Former President Biden and Vice President Harris were also there.

And later, the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial enters its final phase. Details on when the jurors will begin deliberations.

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[13:17:23]

WHITFIELD: At this hour, former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris are among the many mourners attending the funeral for a murdered Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband. Earlier this month, Melissa and Mark Hortman were killed in what authorities have described as a politically motivated assassination.

Moments ago, Governor Tim Walz spoke at the service, recalling the fond memories of the couple.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

GOV. TIM WALZ (D), MINNESOTA: I remember one really interesting late night, one of those closed -- door sessions. These legislators hate so much, middle of the night. Every --

(END VIDEOCLIP)

WHITFIELD: Sorry about that. We're going to try and rework that tape so that you can hear his comments there with real clarity.

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones is covering all of this for us, and she's joining us right now. So, Biden, one of the thousands of Minnesota state -- at the Minnesota state capitol yesterday where the couple and their dog also killed in the attack were lying in state. What more can you tell us about all that has taken place to pay tribute to these lives?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, Fred, we can start yesterday in that first ever, both a woman who got that distinction to lie in state in the Minnesota capitol for the first time, as well as her beloved dog, Gilbert, who the Hortmans trained in a non-profit, that they volunteered that before adopting him into his family.

We've heard anecdotes about Gilbert today as well in this closed funeral invitation only, I should say, funeral happening today at St. Mary's Basilica in Minneapolis. This is a full mass, a traditional Catholic mass that we sat through and heard, those somber hymns, but also these stories about the Hortmans and their kids and their family, like the one from Governor Tim Walz.

But under all of that, the undeniable theme of division and violence that led to this tragedy has been brought up time and again, including by the pastor who said the mass earlier today. Take a listen to what he said.

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FATHER DANIEL GRIFFITH, PRIEST, ARCHDIOCESE OF ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS: Here in Minnesota, we have been the ground zero place, sadly, for racial injustice. The killing of George Floyd just miles from our church today. And now we are the ground zero place for political violence and extremism. Both of these must be decried in the strongest possible terms as they are respectively a threat to human dignity and indeed our democracy.

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[13:20:21]

JONES: And Fred, he finished that thought saying that Minnesota could be the ground zero for restoration, for justice, for healing, if we can work together. And that goes back to something that the children of the Hortmans wrote about in their obituary a couple of weeks ago, where they said that that can be done through acts of service. And they actually asked people who wanted to honor their parents to take up a new hobby, to do something different. Take a listen.

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GRIFFITH: They said, plant a tree, pet a dog, try a new hobby, like Mark would have. Stand up for justice and peace. The best way to honor our parents' memory is to do something to make our community just a little bit better for someone else. Melissa and Mark lived this reality.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

JONES: And from Governor Tim Walz, who just finished speaking for about five minutes, I just want to tell you, Fred, some of the things that jumped out from me is just how close he seemed to have been with Melissa Hortman, telling some anecdotes and really telling the rest of the nation, the state, how much he admired the way that the Hortmans had raised their children, their leadership, strength, and kindness. And he also called Melissa Hortman the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right. Julia Vargas Jones, thanks so much.

All right, still to come, crowds take to the streets in Venice, Italy, to protest the star-studded Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez-Bezos wedding. We're live in Venice next.

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[13:26:39]

WHITFIELD: All right, one more day of partying today in Venice, Italy to celebrate billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. His wedding to former journalist Lauren Sanchez, now Bezos. And it comes after a two- year engagement. And three days of festivities estimated to have a $50 million price tag.

The celebrations have been marred by protests as well though for many days. They have been -- protesters that is -- rallying against Bezos and the wedding, angry that Venice has welcomed in the ultra-rich couple and guests there.

Venice city authorities, however, have welcomed the event, seeing it as a big boost for the local economy. The city's mayor saying, I'm quoting now, "Bezos embodies the Venetian mentality. He is more Venetian than the protesters," He also said that he hoped Bezos would return to the city to do business.

With me now from Venice is CNN's Melissa Bell. Except that's not how the protesters behind you are feeling. Is the number, you know, pretty sizable in terms of representation of those against the Bezos wedding?

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think what's been interesting about these protests is that they started even before the three-day celebration, Fredricka, and they've continued right up until this, the very last day of the wedding as you say. We're looking ahead to this big final party just outside of Venice because they had to move it because these guys were threatening to actually jump into the canals. So they had to move it to a more secure location --

WHITFIELD: Oh darn, it looks like we've lost that signal. Understandable considering all that's going on there in Venice. Thank you, Melissa. We'll try to check back with you. But we can continue the conversation we hope.

I want to now involve Venetian native and entrepreneur, Emanuele Dal Carlo. Emanuele, are you there? Oh darn.

OK, so the signals are not working -- yes you are? I'm getting a no, I'm getting a yes.

EMANUELE DAL CARLO, VENETIAN ENTREPRENEUR: Yes.

WHITFIELD: See. All right, Emanuele, thank you so much. See, you're there. Wonderful.

All right, so what do you make of the mayor's statement who says Jeff Bezos is more Venetian than many Venetians. Yes?

DAL CARLO: No. Our major is not new to the outlandish statement. To be a Venetian, you really need to live here, not just obviously love the city. Is it -- now and again, it's a very particular place. Everybody who's been here can understand that it needs more than just the love for the city and a beautiful wedding to become a Venetian. But, I mean, everybody's welcome to become one.

WHITFIELD: Yes, I bet. Well, you said it's a very particular place. Do you think the protesters have that same thing in mind when they are there protesting, you know, the -- I guess this wedding and all that it brings and all the celebrities that it's bringing? I mean, do the protesters have in mind what local Venetians have in mind as it pertains to not welcoming something so extravagant?

DAL CARLO: Well, Venice in its history has always been the stage for major international events. I mean, during this long history, we had the -- the wildest parties, I would say. And so I don't think that this event has -- is not in the traditional Venice, an open city, open to -- to all. At the same time, we -- we need to acknowledge the fact that Mr. Bezos is the representative of a -- of a way of doing business that has been beneficial, but also disruptive.

And there is a lot of polemics -- polemics about -- about the whole, let's say, globalization through platforms and their -- and their effects on population. But so there are a lot of layers, in my opinion. There is the usual Venetian, let's say, tendency to retreat when there is an invasion, what they perceive an invasion of their city. But on top of that, there is lots -- a lot of people that use the -- the stage of Venice to voice other kind of concerns, not necessarily related with the city.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: So, Emanuele, if I'm a business owner or I'm in the service industry, don't I like this kind of attention? I mean, we're looking at the fabulous photos of all the people who have turned out to, you know, get a glimpse of, you know, Lauren and Jeff. Now, Bezos there. But I know it's a very tight community. You know, on a good day. But if I stand to make a lot of money from all this new attention, do I welcome this?

DAL CARLO: Well, Venice, as you see most Venetians see more attention and more tourism as a threat. We need to understand that this is a city where nearly two thirds of its population has been driven away in the last 30, 40 years, and we are left with less than 50,000 inhabitants. And every day, if you walk around the city, the chances that one person or every two is -- is a foreigner. So the idea of more tourists coming can leave some people dubious. But the idea of a better tourist coming, more people that is aware of the peculiarity of this place and that are willing to arrive in this city in a sustainable way, let's say.

And prepare to give back to the community, I think is a -- is welcome. If all these cows around just helps to for people around the world to understand that how beautiful and appealing Venice is. But how careful you have to come when you come and how you spend your money and what you do in the city. But, well, I think is a win.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right. Being respectful and then finding a happy medium. That's what I'm getting from you. Emanuele Dal Carlo, thank you so much. Melissa Bell, we're going to try and touch base with her again. Appreciate all the efforts. Really appreciate it. Ciao.

DAL CARLO: Ciao.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up a big win for President Trump in his fight against lower courts. The U.S. Supreme Court limiting those courts' power to block the president's policies. The impact this could have on future legal fights, Next.

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[13:38:15]

WHITFIELD: All right. Live pictures right now of Capitol Hill on a rare working Saturday for U.S. senators there. Right now, they are gathering on the Hill preparing for a key vote to advance the president's so-called "big, beautiful bill." Senate Republicans released the full text of the bill just before midnight, and Republicans can only afford to lose three votes in today's expected procedural vote. Manu Raju is on Capitol Hill now. I understand that now there may be support for this bill from two senators who were once on the fence.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is a big boost for Donald Trump and for the Republican leadership to hold out people who had raised significant concerns about this bill have at least indicated that they plan to support moving ahead on that first procedural vote to take this bill up.

That is senator Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. Now, they have different reasons. And Senator Collins, for one, had raised concerns about some of the cuts to Medicaid in particular. She said she's still undecided on how she'll vote on final passage. But she says she plans to vote to open debate because she says she believes she should give that kind of deference to the Senate majority leader on scheduling the United States Senate and taking up key legislation.

Senator Josh Hawley, however, plans to go a step further, voting not only to open debate but also on final passage. And that is hugely significant. Hawley has raised serious concerns also about Medicaid cuts, worried about the impacts that those proposed cuts would have on rural hospitals. They added, as part of this bill, $25 billion in a relief fund package over five years that he said could be beneficial to his hospitals. But the bill also imposes deeper cuts to how states can finance their Medicaid programs. And that is what raised concerns for Hawley, initially.

[13:40:05]

They have delayed the implementation of those cuts. He said he's concerned about those cuts eventually taking place. But he said the delay is enough for him to get on board. So a big boost for Trump and the rest of the agenda. The question, though, Fred, is still when will the vote be? The Senate Majority Leader John Thune just moments ago said, we'll know in a couple hours if they indeed have that vote today and if they have enough votes to move ahead.

WHITFIELD: All right. You'll bring it to us. Manu Raju, thank you so much. We'll be right back.

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[13:45:10]

WHITFIELD: A major new victory for President Trump at the U.S. Supreme Court in a 6 to 3 decision on Friday. Conservative justices sided with the administration in limiting the ability of lower court judges to stop parts of the president's agenda. Trump says the decision is a monumental victory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- taking power away from these absolutely crazy radical left judges is -- is a tremendous -- this is such a big day. This is such a big day. It gives a -- gives power back to people that should have it, including Congress, including the presidency.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And he's zeroing in on executive orders and injunctions that have been imposed in the lower courts. Here with me now, to help make sense of all of this, is a judge, Glenda Hatchett. She's the host of "The Verdict." Judge Hatchett, always great to see you. Thank you so much.

JUDGE GLENDA HATCHETT, HOST, "THE VERDICT": Thank you.

WHITFIELD: So the president says this is a major victory. He's talking really about what he believes to be obstacles in his executive orders in lower courts would say constitutional or not, and rule on that. So what is your biggest concern with this ruling from the Supreme Court now on limiting, isn't it limiting the tools of these lower courts?

HATCHETT: It does. And what happens, so that people really understand the background of this, Fred, is that there have been cases where one judge in one jurisdiction will enter an injunction which is a simple way of saying, you can't do this. And on January 30th, lets go back, January 20th, I'm sorry, the day of the inauguration, the president said, I want to ban this. I want to ban the rights of this right to birth here. And that is something that has been standing in this nation since the 14th Amendment.

We go back to Dred Scott back in the 1800s to say, if you are born here, you have the right to be a citizen. The way that Trump wants to do this it says, no, we don't want that anymore, so that went up to the Supreme Court. But the real underlying point of this is that they didn't want one judge in a particular jurisdiction to be able to do an injunction that would cover the entire nation. So that is the -- that is the real piece of what happened with the Supreme Court. Does that make sense?

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: So even though -- absolutely. So even though there has not been a decision rendered on, you know, birthright citizenship, this is just one of the many points on his agenda that he does want to see through.

HATCHETT: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: But what this does do is, it will mean that depending on certain states in which you visit, there might be a different honoring of --

HATCHETT: Right.

WHITFIELD: -- you know, his executive action, et cetera.

HATCHETT: And different decisions for different courts.

WHITFIELD: Right.

HATCHETT: Right? And so what happens then, ultimately, the Supreme Court is going to have to rule on the birthright issue. But that has not happened. I don't expect that to happen anytime soon. However, I do expect that we're going to see a class action come in.

WHITFIELD: And this will probably encourage more class action suits, won't it?

HATCHETT: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right. So Judge, we're going to have you back because we've got more to talk about.

HATCHETT: Yes, we do. We have a lot to --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: And there was this big Supreme Court decisions made. But also straight ahead, we want to talk about the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial. That too can be rather complicated when you break down --

HATCHETT: Very complicated.

WHITFIELD: -- the many charges. But we're going to try and break it down. You're going to break it down. I'm going to be listening.

HATCHETT: Let's hope so.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:53:15]

WHITFIELD: All right. Deliberations in the criminal sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs set to begin on Monday. Jurors will get the case after hearing two marathon days of closing statements that wrapped up on Friday. Defense Attorney Marc Agnifilo insisted that prosecutors failed to present evidence of Combs' alleged crimes. And in a fiery 80-minute rebuttal, prosecutors said the defense team was focused on victim blaming, telling the jury, quote, "it's time to hold him accountable, find him guilty," end quote.

CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: The case is almost in the jury's hands in the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial. Closing arguments coming to an end on Friday with the defense saying this is a tale of two trials, the trial of the evidence and the trial that the prosecution is presenting. They say that the trial of the prosecution is one that is, quote, "badly exaggerated," but they say that the evidence, while what it shows is a lifestyle of choosing and that lifestyle includes being swingers or having threesomes. But, even though, if that may be a peculiar choice, it is not criminal.

Now, Combs' defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, really taking aim at Cassie Ventura, the star witness of this trial. She, of course, is Sean Combs' ex-girlfriend of 11 years, who -- she claims that she endured a decade plus of abuse by Sean Combs. Well, he said that she is no victim, that she is not naive. She is a strong woman, and that is actually why Combs fell in love with her. He actually said that Cassie Ventura is the winner of this trial. Why? Because of money.

[13:55:02]

The federal investigation into Combs, all began with Cassie Ventura's civil lawsuit that she filed back in November of 2023. Well, that bombshell lawsuit was settled in 24 hours between Cassie and Combs. So, today, during closing arguments, here is what his attorney had to say to the jury. He said, quote, "Cassie is nobody's fool. Cassie is sitting somewhere in the world with $30 million. Combs is in jail. Cassie won."

Now, the prosecutors have got the final word, of course, with their rebuttal, and they said that the defense's closing argument to call these women liars was nothing but victim blaming. They said, it is ridiculous. It is non-sensible. It is preposterous. They said that Sean Combs has committed crimes and gotten away with it because of his inner circle, that enterprise, for 20 years.

They ended it by saying that Sean Combs believed that he was a God among men, but he is not a God. In this courtroom, there are no gods. There are only people, and they implored the jury to find him guilty.

Now, on Monday, the jury will return. They will get their instructions, and then deliberations will begin. Back to you.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you so much.

All right, back with me now, Judge Glenda Hatchett, to talk about and kind of disperse some of this. So did the press -- let's begin with it. Did the prosecution kind of seal the deal because that is the job of closing, right?

HATCHETT: Yes. That is the job of closing. And it was very interesting, Fred, because if you go back, people, I think, were stunned that the defense rested and didn't call any witnesses.

WHITFIELD: Without calling witnesses.

HATCHETT: Didn't call any witnesses, right? They did submit evidence, but they didn't call any witnesses. And so it raises the question of whether they thought that they had this one.

WHITFIELD: Did that throw the game of prosecution then?

HATCHETT: I think that the prosecution expected that they would never call Diddy. I mean, I don't think anybody expected that Diddy would come in. But I don't know that they were expecting that they wouldn't put up anything. And so the question is, were they overly confident at that point? And the other thing I would raise is are they crossing the line and being accused of victim blaming as the prosecution has said in their rebuttal?

WHITFIELD: So let's break down some of the charges --

HATCHETT: Yes, let's do.

WHITFIELD: -- because we're talking about racketeering and sex trafficking. Those are the biggest charges.

HATCHETT: Those are the biggest ones.

WHITFIELD: Were those proven? Should the prosecution feel pretty confident that those are in the bag?

HATCHETT: Well, I don't think they're in the bag. And let me tell you why. Because you have to do this in terms of the conspiracy, I think, is the most difficult thing to prove because under that statute, it was never intended for this kind of case. It was always intended for mob cases where you have mobs, you have a mob boss, and the mob boss gives all of these instructions to their -- their -- their subordinates. And this is the case that is very different from that. And what they're saying is that there hasn't -- these people have supported him in his personal endeavors, his personal use of -- of drugs, his personal endeavors in these freak offs.

WHITFIELD: They used words like king, you know.

HATCHETT: Yes, a king. And it could go either way. But the real question is you have unindicted without getting into the wedge, you have unindicted coconspirators. Have you been able to show that there was a conspiracy to do these, and to commit these kinds of crimes? Now, if they do, and if he loses on that, that could be life in prison.

WHITFIELD: So are you saying to that it made it flimsy because these were willful in many cases, participants, they were being paid. It was employment.

HATCHETT: Right. And that is what -- that is what the defense is going to rely on. They're going to say that this was consensual, that there was never a conspiracy, that these were employees trying to please him. And that, you know, they're never going to say that he didn't commit domestic violence. They're never going to say that he didn't engage in filming these pornographic situations. They've admitted that.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. So then the defense attorneys, you know, also tried to impress jurors by saying, while Diddy, you know, had odd behavior, you know, peculiar habits. This was and I'm quoting now, a modern love affair, "a modern love story." Will that approach land, you know, with the jurors to kind of say, OK, maybe this is relatable to you? I mean, will it turn them off? Will it go the other way? HATCHETT: Well, the defense has to -- has to rely on the fact that this is consensual, that they were engaged, that Cassie, the woman who's used is going the synonym Jane, that those were consensual situations. The prosecution has to say no, no, no, no, no. They were at his mercy, that if they didn't do what he said to do, that they would suffer the consequences.

And so that's where it gets really murky. And that's where the jury, I think, is going to have a really tough time distinguishing whether this was a situation where it was consensual or not. When you see the tape that CNN released early on of him beating her and dragging her down the hallway. But the -- the point is, he's not being charged for domestic violence.